EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid had three assists, linemate Leon Draisaitl scored, but was injured soon after and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Nashville Predators 3-1 on Sunday to end a two-game losing streak.
Draisaitl took a hard early hit from Ozzy Wiesblatt. The Edmonton star came back for a couple of shifts, but didn’t return for the start of the second period.
Matthew Savoie and Zach Hyman also scored for Edmonton, and Connor Ingram made 26 saves. The Oilers are 16-1-3 record in their last 20 games against Nashville.
Fedor Svechkov scored for the Predators, and Justus Annunen stopped 27 shots. They have lost six of eight.
Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm picked up his 30th assist. He came over from Nashville at the 2023 trade deadline.
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 25: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game on December 25, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After winning every matchup during their five-game homestand, the Lakers (42-25) are back on the road, where they will play two crucial games against the Houston Rockets (41-25). This will be the final matchups between both teams this season.
If it feels like every Lakers game has been crucial as of late, that’s because it has. LA is just a game above their next opponent. So, the winner of Monday’s contest will automatically claim the third seed in the Western Conference.
The Rockets embarrassed the Lakers on Christmas Day, and LA needs to win both games against Houston if they want to win the season series and own the tiebreaker over them. Fortunately, Los Angeles is playing its best basketball of the year.
Led by the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, the Lakers will face a Rockets team that’s built with a ton of size and athleticism. Note that they’re top 10 in the league in both offense and defense and that’s the kind of team the Lakers have had trouble with all season. It’ll be interesting to see if LA, in its current form, can conquer Houston’s defense.
On the other side of the ball, the key to stopping the Rockets’ offense is to make sure Kevin Durant — who is averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game — isn’t the best player on the floor.
It’ll also be nice if the Lakers can contain Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün to the point that they don’t play to their usual standards. It’s not going to be easy, but that’s basketball at this time of the year.
Let’s see if the Lakers can draw first blood in the first matchup against the Rockets on Monday.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) is out.
As for the Rockets, Fred VanVleet (ACL recovery), Jae’Sean Tate (knee sprain) and Steven Adams (ankle surgery) are out.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 15: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after scoring during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Rocket Arena on March 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Max Strus was the last Cleveland Cavaliers player in uniform after the game was long over. Maybe that was just a coincidence, but it didn’t feel like it. This was a man who was glad to be back playing basketball after not doing so in an NBA game since May 11.
Once Strus finally got his jersey off, he took questions from the media — an activity he’s known for not always outwardly enjoying — but this time was different. After making it through five minutes of answering questions, he finally broke down.
“I worked my ass off,” Struss said.
Then, he had to take a second to collect his thoughts and regain his voice that had started to waver.
“It was a long road, but I only know one way to work, and that’s as hard as possible. I did that every single day. … I’m just happy to be playing.”
It didn’t take Strus long to make his presence felt on the court. After receiving a raucous ovation after entering the game for the first time this season, he knocked down a contested three off a James Harden feed on his first offensive possession in almost a year. Then, he did the same thing on the next trip down the court, only this time from a Dennis Schroder dish.
The first triple got the crowd on their feet. The second sent them into a frenzy.
Strus wasn’t just back, he was better than ever.
“It was a pretty amazing performance after seven months of not playing in an NBA game,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said afterward. “Maybe the best I’ve seen.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MARCH 15: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after scoring during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Rocket Arena on March 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Strus certainly did have an amazing performance. He went on to nail his first four threes before finishing the night going 6-7 from beyond the arc in his 24-point performance in 20 minutes.
“That’s the Max Strus we know,” Donovan Mitchell said afterward. “The shooting was there, but it was the little things [that were impressive].”
Strus looked like he hadn’t missed a beat in Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He was able to impact the game in all the little ways he’s continually done since coming to Cleveland. He was effective at attacking closeouts off the dribble, getting teammates involved as a secondary playmaker, and making an impact on the glass. All of which are things the Cavs have desperately missed in his absence.
The journey back to the court has been more grueling than expected. “It wasn’t meant to be this long, but I can’t control the way my body heals.”
The initial estimates after the injury in August had him returning around Christmas, but it took three months longer than expected. Strus mentioned that he could’ve just shut it down for the entire season. That would’ve been an easier option, but he isn’t exactly known for taking the easy way out when presented with that choice.
“He’s put in so much time and effort [into his recovery],” Mitchell said. “It’s easy for a guy to get discouraged, but he’s not the type to give up.”
Strus credits his family with getting him through this process. This ordeal has also led him to seek a different outlook. One more focused on being positive and grateful for everything that he has.
Life has a way of testing us in uncomfortable and unexpected ways. These last seven months have been incredibly difficult for Strus, but he’s come out on the other side with a better grasp of who he is.
“You learn a lot about yourself when something is taken away from you,” Strus said. “I think I understand how important this is and how much it does mean to me that I want to be back. I want to make an impact. I want to help this team win. I do love basketball. I do love doing it with a good group of guys.
The Knicks scored their largest comeback win of the season, overturning a 21-point deficit, against the Golden State Warriors for a 110-107 win at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points (9-for-20 shooting, 10-for-10 from the line), with nine assists, and was a plus-7 in 36 minutes. But the Knicks really got good stretches from Josh Hart (seven points, 12 rebounds, five assists in 31 minutes for a team-high plus-17) and Jordan Clarkson off the bench (14 points on 6-for-11 shooting) and a plus-14 in 22 minutes.
New York (44-25) played down to the competition for much of the game against an undermanned Golden State (32-35) that was playing without Steph Curry, Kristaps Porzingis, Draymond Green, Al Horford, Moses Moody, Seth Curry, and De'Anthony Melton.
After shooting 16-for-39 (41 percent) in the first half, the home side improved to 23-for-45 (51.1 percent) as they finally showed off the gulf in quality after the break. But the three-point shooting was bleak, going 10-for-32 (31.3 percent) for the game and letting the Warriors go 14-for-38 (36.8 percent), which kept them in the contest.
Here are the takeaways...
- The Warriors, who shoot and make more threes than any team in the league, kept on counter-punching. Clarkson proved his worth with six quick points in the quarter to give him 12 as he was a plus-17 (a team-high) in his first 17 minutes on the floor.
Mitchell Robinson's put-back slam and Clarkson's elbow floater gave New York its largest lead at seven at the midway point, but Quinten Post’s three, to give him 20 in the game, and Gui Santos' layup after jumping on a loose ball, to give him 16, forced a Mike Brown timeout to get Brunson back into the game.
The Knicks had several chances to put the game out of reach but missed buckets, and the Warriors took advantage, getting to the cup to keep it a one-point game. After Brandin Podziemski missed a three with 24 seconds to play, Landry Shamet knocked down two at the line to give the home team a 108-105 lead with 16 seconds to play.
A Podziemski layup with seven seconds left made it a one-point game for the third time in the last minute of action. After two OGAnunoby free throws, the Warriors, out of the timeout, had a chance to tie, but couldn't even get a shot off before turning it over with one second remaining.
- Halftime adjustments worked as the second half began with Karl-AnthonyTowns showing more impetus, scoring seven quick points, and Steve Kerr called for time with their edge to just four points four minutes into the quarter.
The Warriors weathered the storm with Gary Payton II and Podziemski going at Towns and Brunson, before Mikal Bridges knocked down a long two to tie the game at 73 with under four left in the third. And with 2:16 to play in the period, Brunson gave the Knicks a two-point lead, their first since two minutes into the game, giving him nine points to go with five assists in the quarter. Shamet's layup gave New York an 83-80 edge to protect in the fourth, thanks to a 38-point third.
- The Knicks started the game well, connecting on five of their first seven attempts from the field, but the Warriors started better, hitting five of five and with four more from the line had a four-point edge after Post knocked down his second three, leading to a Brown timeout under four minutes in.
New York just had nothing after that, going 2-for-16 the rest of the first quarter and looked very out of sorts on offense. Meanwhile, Golden State was a respectable 6-for-13 and with an 11-0 run, took a 35-21 lead into the second quarter as the air all but left MSG.
- Payton's back-to-back threes, the second on a total defensive breakdown that saw him left wide open, meant another Brown timeout just two minutes into the second quarter with the visitors' lead pushed to 19. The Warriors looked out of control as they ran a rudimentary offense with so many regular players out (nine turnovers to that point), but the Knicks couldn’t take advantage and cut the lead as they were 3-for-17 from three to that point.
The Knicks, after falling behind by 21, finally came back to life with an 11-4 run, taking advantage of three more Warriors turnovers. Shamet's corner three cut the deficit to single digits at 54-45, but it was papering over a lot of ugliness from New York.
Brunson led the Knicks with 17 in the first half (5-for-12 from floor, 1-for-5 from deep) in 19 first-half minutes, and there was just not much from any of the other starters: Anunoby had seven (2-for-4) in 13 minutes, Towns had four points (2-for-4 in 12 minutes), Bridges had three (1-for-4) in just eight minutes, and Hart had two (1-for-2) in 17 minutes.
- Towns finished with 17 points (7-for-12 shooting) with 12 rebounds (five offensive) and two assists. He had an even plus-minus in 31 minutes. Bridges had seven points (3-for-10, 1-for-6 from three) with three rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and was a minus-2 in 22 minutes.
Off the bench, Robinson added four points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes and was a minus-6. Shamet had 10 points (3-for-10, 2-for-8 from deep) and was a plus-3 in 27 minutes. Jose Alvarado added four points and four assists, but was a minus-13 in 15 minutes.
- Play was paused temporarily twice in the first quarter, first when Podziemski had a cut on his hand and later when Anunoby took a shot to the face and had blood coming out of his nose. Anunoby would eventually have to head to the New York locker room when he checked out midway through the period before checking back in.
What's next
The Knicks are back in action at MSG on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 20 points and 10 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-103 on Sunday for their eighth straight win.
Gilgeous-Alexander barely extended his record streak of games with at least 20 points to 128. He had just 10 points heading into the fourth, and he re-entered the game with 7:10 left after resting.
He scored on a stepback against Anthony Edwards with 1:46 remaining and was fouled to reach 19 points. With the crowd standing and chanting “M-V-P!” he drained the free throw to keep the streak alive and push himself further past Wilt Chamberlain’s old mark of 126.
Chet Holmgren had 21 points and nine rebounds and Isaiah Joe added 20 points for the Thunder, who improved to a league-best 53-15.
Julius Randle scored 32 points and Edwards added 19 for the Timberwolves.
The Thunder forced 22 turnovers while committing just seven. Oklahoma City attempted 101 shots while Minnesota tried 77.
MAVERICKS 130, CAVALIERS 120
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cooper Flagg scored 27 points, Naji Marshall added 25 and Dallas bounced back from a 33-point loss to Cleveland two days ago to defeat the Cavaliers.
The Mavericks, who were routed 138-105 on Friday night, pulled away in the second half to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Cavaliers.
P.J. Washington had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas, which won for just the second time in 11 games.
It was the 12th time this season Flagg has scored at least 27 points. The top overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft was 10 of 17 from the field and also had 10 assists and six rebounds in 33 minutes.
RAPTORS 119, PISTONS 108
TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Ingram had a game-high 34 points and Toronto defeated Detroit.
RJ Barrett added 27 points and six rebounds for Toronto, which has won back-to-back games.
The win helped the Raptors hang on to sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Jakob Poeltl and Scottie Barnes each had a double-double. Poeltl finished with 21 points and a season-high 18 rebounds while Barnes added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto.
Cade Cunningham had 33 points and nine assists as the first-place Pistons had their three-game win streak snapped.
BUCKS 134, PACERS 123
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points and pulled down 14 rebounds before leaving the game with an injury, and Milwaukee beat Indiana.
Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly as he completed a dunk late in the third quarter. He briefly remained in the game and dunked again on Milwaukee’s next possession. He got fouled the possession after that and attempted a pair of free throws before heading to the locker room.
Antetokounmpo also had eight assists while Bobby Portis scored 29 points and added 10 rebounds. Ryan Rollins shot 8 for 12, including 3 for 5 from beyond the 3-point line, to finish with 20 points, seven assists and three steals.
Aaron Nesmith led the Pacers with 32 points. Indiana also got 16 points and two blocks from Jay Huff.
76ERS , TRAIL BLAZERS
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored 14 of his season-high 31 points in the fourth quarter as short-handed Philadelphia beat Portland.
The Sixers were playing without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. due to injuries.
Justin Edwards scored 21 points, and VJ Edgecombe had 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the rookie’s third double-double this season.
Deni Avdija led Portland with 25 points, and Jerami Grant added 20. But the Trail Blazers shot just 17 for 53 from 3-point range (32.7%). Donovan Clingan added 11 points and 15 rebounds.
KNICKS 110, WARRIORS 107
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson had 30 points and nine assists, and New York rallied from a 21-point deficit against a patchwork Golden State lineup to beat the Warriors.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, while OG Anunoby and Jordan Clarkson both had 14 points. The Knicks took a while to wake up in their return home from a five-game road trip before eventually picking up their third straight victory.
The Knicks led briefly in the opening minutes of the game and then not again until the final minutes of the third quarter after back-to-back baskets by Brunson.
Curry missed his 17th straight game with right knee pain and inflammation. Younger brother Seth Curry is out at least a week with a left groin strain and veteran forward Al Horford has a left calf strain that will also sideline him at least a week.
KINGS 116, JAZZ 111
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 41 points and had 11 assists to help Sacramento hold off Utah.
DeRozan, who passed Hall of Famer Tim Duncan last week for 18th place on the NBA’s career scoring list, was 11 of 21 from the floor while reaching 40 points for the first time since Feb. 2, 2025. It’s the 417th time he has scored 20 or more points while shooting at least 50 percent.
Precious Achiuwa added 20 points and 11 rebounds in the matchup of the two worst teams in the Western Conference. Killian Hayes, who signed an extension with Sacramento earlier in the day, had 16 points and eight assists. Nique Clifford and Daeqwon Plowden each scored 10.
The Kings (18-51) have won four of five.
Cody Williams scored 34 points for the Jazz (20-48). Brice Sensabaugh had 22 points and Isaiah Collier 21.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 22: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 22, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Fresh off a surprising 130-120 win on Sunday at the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Dallas Mavericks (23-45) will play their fourth game in five days on Monday against the struggling New Orleans Pelicans (22-46) at Smoothie King Center. Tipoff in New Orleans is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Mavericks have lost two of three against the Pelicans thus far this year, most recently dropping a 119-113 decision in New Orleans on Dec. 22. Monday’s game will be the fourth and final meeting between these two teams this year.
The Pels had won seven of 10 until their 107-105 loss at the Houston Rockets on Friday.
Whats left in the tank?
The Mavericks may not have much left to give in the second back-to-back set in the last five days, but, hell, how much gas did they have left traveling to Cleveland on Sunday for their third game in four days? That stunning win was evidence that anything can happen in an NBA game.
Dallas is at the tail end of a brutal scheduling stretch that will see them play nine games in just 14 days. The Mavs have gone 2-6 in their first eight games of that stretch and will have traveled more than 2,000 miles criss-crossing the country when it comes to an end after Monday’s game in New Orleans.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, have been twiddling their feathers, waiting on the Mavericks to arrive since they got home following Friday’s loss at Houston.
Cooper gets on the good foot
Cooper Flagg has been on a tear in his last two games after struggling a little in his first five games back from a foot sprain. He scored 25 points and dished five assists in Friday’s 138-105 loss to the Cavaliers at American Airlines Center, then one-upped himself the second time around with 27 points and 10 dimes in Sunday’s win. He’s shot 18-of-33 (54.5%) from the field in those last two, compared to 33-of-94 (35.1%) in his first five games since returning from the foot injury.
He’s had huge second halves in both of those last two games as well. It’ll be interesting to see if he can get going a little earlier against the Pels on Monday. Flagg has scored 20 or more in two of the three games the Mavs have played against New Orleans so far this year. His 29-point, seven-rebound game against the Pelicans on Nov. 21 was one of the first “wow” moments of his impressive rookie year.
Big Tankathon game
The Mavs come into Monday’s game with the seventh-worst record in the NBA, and the Pelicans are one game worse than Dallas, sitting at sixth in the Tankathon standings. The Mavericks would move past New Orleans in the race for better NBA Draft Lottery odds with a loss on Monday, due to losing the season series with the Pelicans, 1-3.
A win on Monday would inch the Mavs ever closer to the Memphis Grizzlies, who are in the eighth slot in the Tankathon standings. It seems a little perverse to root for your team to lose, but if ever there were a game you wouldn’t mind Dallas to lose, it would be Monday’s at New Orleans.
How to watch
The Mavericks and the Pelicans will tip off at 7 p.m. CDT from Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and on sister stations throughout the Mavs’ regional viewership area. The stream will be on MavsTV and on NBA League Pass where available.
MONTREAL (AP) — Cutter Gauthier scored with 2:30 left, Leo Carlsson had two goals and an assist and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Sunday night to regain the Pacific Division lead.
Alone in front of the net, Gauthier took Jeffrey Viel's behind-the-back pass and snapped a shot past goalie Jacob Fowler.
Troy Terry added a goal and two assists in his return from an upper-body injury to help Anaheim improve to 37-27-3 and move a point ahead of Vegas in the Pacific Division. Chris Kreider had two assists, and Lukas Dostal made 27 saves.
Terry missed nine games. He tied it at 3 with 4:21 left in the five-goal second period when his pass deflected off the skate of Montreal forward Josh Anderson and over Fowler’s shoulder.
Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for Montreal, Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield also scored. Fowler stopped 24 shots in his second start since being recalled from the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket on Wednesday.
The Canadiens were coming off a 3-2 loss to San Jose on Saturday. They are third in the Atlantic Division, two points behind Tampa Bay.
Defenseman John Carlson finally made his Ducks debut after coming over in a trade-deadline deal with Washington. He played 23 minutes in his return from a lower-body injury.
Montreal forward Kirby Dach left early in game because of an upper-body injury after a high hit from Viel.
Viel caught Dach in Anaheim’s end three minutes in after the Montreal forward swatted at the puck with his arm but missed. Dach fell to the ice with his face in his gloves before gingerly making his way to the bench, and eventually to the dressing room. Viel was not penalized.
The hit came three days after Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas ended Toronto captain Auston Matthews’ season with a knee-on-knee hit. Matthews has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Gudas was given a major penalty and ejected, then suspended five games for kneeing — the maximum the Department of Safety could levy because the hearing was by phone.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 15: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers guards Khris Middleton #20 of the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at Rocket Arena on March 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
James Harden
13 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 6 turnovers
I think Harden played his best game as a Cavalier last week in Orlando. Today might have been his worst. He shot 4-12 from the floor and finished with six turnovers.
This was an example of all the classic Hardenisms. Careless turnovers. A total disinterest in playing defense. It’s the type of performance that’s bound to happen every once in a while when he’s on your team. Thankfully, this is only the first one we’ve seen in Cleveland.
Grade: F
Donovan Mitchell
26 points, 1 rebound, 11 assists, 1 turnover
It feels like the Cavs are leaning on Mitchell more than you’d expect, given the amount of weapons they have offensively. At times, he’s calling his own number; at times, it feels like no one else on the team wants it as badly as he does.
No one wants to see Mitchell take 10-24 shots on a night where he doesn’t particularly have it. And we definitely don’t want him to exert all of his energy on offense, leaving nothing to spare on the defensive end (though to be clear, I am not excusing Mitchell for his poor defense recently).
A better balance needs to be found soon.
Grade: D+
Evan Mobley
18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks
The Cavalier defense has done Mobley no favors recently. Holes are popping up faster than anyone can plug them. That said, we know he’s capable of doing more on his own. A world-class performance would have helped patch some of the glaring issues this team currently has on defense. Instead, Mobley’s impact felt blunted despite his 4 blocks.
On the other end, this was a strong Mobley performance. He used his size early in the first half to punish Dallas in the paint, going 6-6 for 13 points in the second quarter. He finished with 18 points on 8-14 shooting.
Grade: C+
Max Strus
24 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist
Not sure you could have imagined a better return for Strus. He buried his first three three-point attempts and sent Rocket Arena into a frenzy. He finished with six three-pointers and was arguably the only thing keeping Cleveland alive at various points in the game.
Grade: A+++
Keon Ellis
5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block
Ellis had been lights out recently from downtown. Packaging that with some of his defensive traits can be lethal. Neither his three-point shot nor his defensive tenacity was apparent today.
Grade: D
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
4 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal
Tomlin’s earned some extra opportunities recently with injuries to Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Jaylon Tyson. Today wasn’t much better than any of the games where he previously struggled, but it certainly wasn’t worse. I just think we’ve seen the ceiling for Tomlin this season.
Grade: D+
Dennis Schroder
8 points, 6 assists, 1 rebound
Schroder’s time in Cleveland has been erratic. This was one of the better games from him, as he scored efficiently and dished out 6 assists. His defense wasn’t anything to write home about, but I could say the same for pretty much anyone on the roster today.
Grade: B
Dean Wade
12 points, 0 assists, 5 rebounds
Wade started this game with a bang. He hit his first couple shots and even took his defender off the dribble for a tough hook.
Grade: C+
Thomas Bryant
10 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists
The issues plaguing this team recently are above Bryant’s pay grade. He’s checked in and given them servicable backup big minutes. Anything more than that is not his job.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 15: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates a three-pointer during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 15, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 22 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 9 Paul George – 6 Justin Edwards – 4 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 Quentin Grimes – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Sixers welcomed the Portland Trail Blazers to South Philly on Sunday night for a matchup of cross conference foes. The Sixers remain without their three best players as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George continue to be sidelined. They came into the night in ninth place in the Eastern Conference while the Blazers are 10th in the west.
The Sixers got out to an early lead in the first quarter behind eight points each from Quentin Grimes and Justin Edwards. The Sixers held a 30-27 lead after the first frame.
Quentin Grimes continued his stellar play in the second quarter as he went to the half with 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting. Cam Payne’s nine points and aggressive play off the bench gave the Sixers a boost in his nine minutes of play. The Blazers closed the gap and took the lead into the intermission by a slim margin of 54-53.
The Sixers regained control of this one in the third period behind a big quarter from Edwards, who continues to once again assert himself amidst the absence of the Sixers’ stars. Edwards led all scorers with an efficient 19 points, including three treys, through three quarters. VJ Edgecombe’s activity was a major factor as well as he headed to the fourth quarter with a double-double. The Sixers took an 82-76 lead into the final stretch.
The Sixers used a big early run in the fourth quarter courtesy of Grimes, who made a living at the rim and in the midrange to propel them to a much-needed 109-103 win.
Quentin Grimes: 31 points, 11-for-22 from the field
March Quentin Grimes has once again arrived. Grimes, who carried the Sixers through the dog days of March and April last season, is back to his old ways. He got it going in this one by being a walking paint touch. Grimes got to the rim and his spots in the mi-range at will in this one. The Sixers will continue to need guard over the next few weeks as they look to stay afloat and improve their standing in the East.
Justin Edwards: 21 points, 9-for-14, 3-for-5 from three
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 15: Justin Edwards #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 15, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Justin Edwards was extremely efficient tonight, whether it was his sweet shooting from three or throwing down a thunderous dunk. Edwards late-season surge could play himself into the rotation once the stars return because the Sixers do not have many guys that bring what he does at the forward spot when he is on.
VJ Edgecombe: 18 points, 12 rebounds, 8-for-18 from the field
VJ notched his fourth career double-double and was flying around the court on both ends like we have all come accustomed to seeing. Edgecombe’s energy upon his return has boosted the Sixers’ morale and helped steady the ship amongst the adversity. VJ continues to nail down his First Team All-Rookie case.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Paul Rothrock scored a goal in the 20th minute, Andrew Thomas had seven saves, and the Seattle Sounders beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Sunday.
The Earthquakes (3-1-0) started a season with three consecutive wins for the first time in club history.
After Antino Lopez kicked away a would-be goal by Preston Judd in the 74th minute, Thomas made a pair of saves in the 83rd and a diving stop in stoppage time to preserve his second consecutive shutout and third this season the Sounders (3-1-0).
On the counter-attack, Jesus Ferreira played a through ball from midfield to Rothrock near the right corner of the penalty box. Rothrock made a couple touches and, as goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto — known simply as “Daniel” — crept off his line, slipped a shot past defender Reid Roberts and inside the near post.
Ferreira has four assists this season, tied with Vancouver's Sebastian Berhalter for most in MLS.
Seattle's Cody Baker, a 22-year-old homegrown in his fourth MLS season, appeared to have scored his first career goal in the 86th minute but it was negated when Albert Rusnák was caught offsides.
Daniel finished with three saves.
Timo Werner, who had an assist in each of his first two appearances, made his first career start for San Jose.
Seattle beat the Earthquakes 3-2 at home July 15 to snap a seven-game winless streak against San Jose.
The tournament will get underway with First Four play-in games, offering an opportunity to advance to the bracket's first round.
Nebraska, Samford, Richmond and Southern will be among the teams competing in the First Four. Stephen F. Austin, Arizona State, Virginia and Missouri State will also compete in the round.
Who is playing in the First Four of Women's March Madness?
Nebraska vs. Richmond and Stephen F. Austin vs. Missouri State will kick off the First Four action on March 18.
Virginia vs. Arizona State and Samford vs. Southern will take place the following day.
When is the Women's First Four?
The First Four will be played on Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19.
It's the official start of the Women's NCAA Tournament; eight teams will compete in the play-in games to determine which two teams will punch their tickets to the dance.
Once the bracket has been cut down from 68 teams to the final 64-team field, the first round will begin on Friday, March 20.
Women's First Four schedule
Time and channel to be determined for all games. Locations via ESPN
Wednesday, March 18
Nebraska vs. Richmond: ESPN2 | 7 p.m. ET (Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, NC)
Stephen F. Austin vs. Missouri State: ESPN2 | 9 p.m. ET (Moody Center, Austin, TX)
Thursday, March 19
Samford vs. Southern: ESPN2 | 7 p.m. ET (Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC)
Virginia vs. Arizona State: ESPN2 | 9 p.m. ET (Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, IA)
Women's March Madness schedule
Below are all the dates for the 2026 women's NCAA Tournament:
First Four: Wednesday, March 18 through Thursday, March 19
First Round: Friday, March 20 through Saturday, March 21
Second Round: Sunday, March 22 through Monday, March 23
Sweet 16: Friday, March 27 through Saturday, March 29
Elite Eight: Sunday, March 29 through Monday, March 30
MIAMI (AP) — Junior Caminero hit the Dominican Republic's record 15th home run of the World Baseball Classic, breaking a mark set by Mexico in 2009.
Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, retired five straight batters before Caminero drove a 1-2 sweeper at the top of the strike zone 401 feet over the left field wall for a 1-0 second-inning lead against the United States in the semifinal round on Sunday night.
Caminero fired his bat about 30 feet toward teammates in the third base dugout in excitement, and they ran off the bench to greet him at the plate after he rounded the bases.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 15: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks holds his knee during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum on March 15, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Though the Bucks dropped the tanking Pacers 134-123, Giannis left midway through the third quarter with what’s so far being called a hyperextended left knee. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Stupidly efficient. Ran the offense even while Rollins was on the floor, and everything came easy for him in his initial shift. The injury took place when he came down hard on a monster dunk over Jay Huff in the third and was so slow to get up on defense, that he hadn’t left the restricted area after the Bucks forced a quick Pacers turnover (that did get him a cherry-picked dunk). And yes, the left knee was the one he famously hyperextended in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals and returned from a week later.
Maybe Turner didn’t do a whole lot on the stat sheet outside of shooting the ball well, but this was one of his better rim protection games (Indy had just 30 in the paint). Nice to see him play legit minutes over Sims.
The most I’ve seen out of Rollins as a three-level scorer in a while. Probably could have used more of him on Aaron Nesmith rather than T.J. McConnell, who was surprisingly a non-factor.
Not sure when the last time Kuzma has led the Bucks, or any team, in assists. Missed a couple clean looks but this is about all you can ask for when he’s limited to standing in the corner.
Grade: B
AJ Green
24 minutes, 12 points, 4/7 3P, +8
It’s been so rough for Green lately, but he came alive in the second quarter hitting 3/4 from deep, keeping the Bucks in the game as their defense scuffled. Just under eight minutes in the second half was kind of weird.
In a month of big Portis performances, this season-high output easily took the cake. Post-game, he talked about how he felt much more pressure in the three-point competition at All-Star weekend and ever since, he’s felt a lot more confident shooting in-game threes. Sure enough, he’s 28/57 from deep since then, good for 49.1%.
Grade: A+
Taurean Prince
22 minutes, 13 points, 5/7 FG, 3/5 3P, +13
Today’s first sub. Missed his only three-point attempt very long, but redeemed himself in the corner his next shift. His two triples as the third finished were big. Defense isn’t all the way back yet, as he got into Jarace Walker’s landing space in the second half, which was upgraded to a flagrant-one. Cheers to another season high.
Grade: A-
Jericho Sims
14 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1/3 FG, +1
Another game where Sims hasn’t had much impact on the glass, but was certainly the Bucks’ most active frontcourt defender. This just feels like a more right-size role for him, because even when setting aside his shooting, Turner was the more impactful Buck today.
Grade: C+
Gary Harris
22 minutes, 6 points, 2/4 FG, 2/4 3P, -2
Dusted off for real minutes for just the second time since the break, and his heaviest workload since January 23rd. Not sure why he was the choice over Thomas, but he held his own.
Grade: B-
Doc Rivers
I didn’t get some of the jumbo lineups early but I liked how Doc leaned into Portis after halftime. Seems like he’s really tried to get Portis more involved in the last week after a scoreless first half against Utah last Saturday.
Grade: B+
Limited Minutes: Pete Nance
Garbage Time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr.
DNP-CD: Cam Thomas, Gary Trent Jr.
Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Ousmane Dieng, Kevin Porter Jr., Cormac Ryan
Bonus Bucks Bits
Doc’s comments on Giannis’ injury in the press conference were foreboding. He didn’t know whether or not Giannis would get imaging tonight, nor even which knee was hurt:
“I really didn’t see it until after the game. I thought I saw live something that didn’t look good, honestly. But I [didn’t] have video. So I just looked at it and my guess is that he hyperextended his knee. But I’m guessing.”
For what it’s worth, Giannis agreed with the diagnosis but seemed less concerned, and confirmed that no imaging occurred this evening:
“Yeah, I think I hyperextended my knee. I haven’t seen the clip, I wanna see the clip, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just gonna go back home, sleep, see how I feel tomorrow. Try to lift some weights, and if I have a little bit of discomfort, then I’ll go from there, but as of now I’m not really bothered.”
Predictably, Giannis wanted to return and thought he could finish the game, but the Bucks’ training staff convinced him it wasn’t a smart idea, being up around 13 points at the time. He acknowledged they were right: “you just gotta listen… and I listened… just gotta trust them.”
Ousmane Dieng missed his second consecutive game with illness. Kevin Porter also didn’t play in this SEGABABA after 30 minutes yesterday in Atlanta.
Indiana had a long list of inactives too: regulars Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard, and Pascal Siakam sat out, joining Johnny Furphy and Tyrese Haliburton with their long-term injuries.
A very awkward Bucks lineup ended the first: Harris, Kuzma, Nance, Portis, Sims. It even stayed on the floor the first 44 ticks of the second. Ballhandlers? Who needs ‘em!
Having said that, I don’t understand why Cam Thomas didn’t see any action today. Sure, he’s not a point guard, but creation would helped, even if it was for himself.
Can’t dispute this kind of creation, though: on 23 made threes, the Bucks assisted on 22 of them. Where was this earlier in the year?
Somehow the Bucks outrebounded the Pacers on the offensive glass 13-10. I’d be embarrassed if I was Indy.
After today, Nance now has four games left on his two-way contract. Decision time is coming, and everything I’ve heard suggests Andre Jackson Jr. will be cut to make way for a new deal for Nance.
Up Next
The Bucks hit the Fiserv Forum floor again on Tuesday evening as the Cavs come to town for one last matchup. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CDT on NBC, Peacock, and FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Following an eventful Selection Sunday, the path to a national championship has been set, with the country's top teams learning the road they'll have to traverse to make a Final Four and maybe, just maybe, cut down the nets on the first Monday of April and earn their one shining moment.
Not all roads to Indianapolis are created equally, though.
For some teams, the mystical forces of March gift them a relatively navigable path. For others, though, tougher opponents or matchups stand in their way of the biggest stage in the sport.
So where do things stand for the NCAA tournament's four No. 1 seeds — Michigan, Duke, Arizona and Florida — and their title aspirations? Who will have to clear the highest hurdles just to make it to Naptown?
The Blue Devils earned the tournament's No. 1 overall seed after a 32-2 record and ACC regular-season and tournament titles, but they didn't get many other favors from the selection committee.
After an almost-certain first-round victory against college basketball legend Gerry McNamara and No. 16 seed Siena, coach Jon Scheyer's team has a taxing path to Indianapolis. In the second round, it will get either No. 8 seed Ohio State, who has one of the best players in the country in guard Bruce Thornton, or No. 9 seed TCU, which is 9-2 since Feb. 2.
In the Sweet 16, the Blue Devils will likely get No. 4 seed Kansas and potential No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson or No. 5 seed St. John's, which won the Big East regular-season and tournament championships, has won 19 of its past 20 games and has one of the best coaches in the sport's history in Rick Pitino.
Then, they'd have an Elite Eight matchup likely against No. 2 seed UConn, which has won two of the past three national titles, or No. 3 seed Michigan State, with Jeremy Fears Jr. and noted March wizard Tom Izzo. Even with likely national player of the year Cameron Boozer, Duke had enough questions with injuries to starters Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba. Now, it's got even more standing in the way of its national championship dreams.
For all of their regular-season wins and overall success, the Wildcats have been among the biggest NCAA tournament underachievers under fifth-year head coach Tommy Lloyd, with no Elite Eight appearances despite being a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in three of the past four seasons. Even beyond that recent history, the path to their first Final Four in 25 years won't be easy.
A stiff challenge awaits in the Sweet 16 against either No. 4 seed Arkansas — the SEC tournament champion that has one of the country's best players in Darius Acuff Jr. and a long, athletic supporting cast — or No. 5 seed Wisconsin, which has won 15 of its past 20 and has one of the most explosive offenses in the sport.
After that, it would likely have to get through No. 2 seed Purdue, the Big Ten champion that has the nation's most efficient offense, according to KenPom, and a number of key players from its 2024 national runner-up squad, led by record-setting guard Braden Smith.
The Gators enter the tournament as one of the country's hottest teams, with 17 wins in their past 19 games after an underwhelming 9-5 start. They've got all the potential to make a second-consecutive Final Four, with Sunday's bracket reveal confirming as much.
Either No. 8 seed Clemson or No. 9 seed Iowa could be a squirrely second-round opponent, but the Sweet 16 won't be nearly as daunting for Todd Golden's squad as it will for some of its fellow No. 1 seeds. No. 5 seed Vanderbilt beat Florida by 17 in the SEC tournament, but the Gators have shown they can beat the Commodores, with a 98-94 in Nashville back in January. Or they could take on No. 4 seed Nebraska, which is just 6-6 since a 20-0 start to the season. No. 2 seed Houston, a rematch of last year's national title game, or No. 3 seed Illinois would be challenging in the Elite Eight, but Florida's path to that point isn't especially arduous.
There's no such thing as an easy road to the Final Four, but among the 1 seeds, the Wolverines have the most manageable set of tasks in front of them.
No. 8 seed Georgia or No. 9 seed Saint Louis could offer a fun second-round game, but neither squad has the horses to keep up with coach Dusty May's squad. In the Sweet 16, they'd probably get a beat-up No. 5 seed in Texas Tech without All-American forward JT Toppin or a No. 4 seed in Alabama that has a frontcourt so thin that it went to court to try to add a 23-year-old G Leaguer to it, making it a group that Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. should feast against.
Then, in the Elite Eight, their most likely opponents would be No. 2 seed Iowa State, which is 11-7 in its past 18 games and has underplayed its tournament seed in recent years, or No. 3 seed Virginia, which has only one win this season against a team currently in the top 25 on KenPom.
It's fair to wonder whether Michigan can win a national title without injured guard L.J. Cason, but now that a bracket's out, a trip to Indianapolis should be much more of an expectation than a hope.
