Category: NBA

Look, you probably watched this game on a Monday afternoon because of the four-day gap between March Madness’ Round of 32 and the Sweet 16. I don’t blame you — probably scrolling between the mediocre options on League Pass and settling for a tranquil Jazz-Raptors experience.

Utah’s swift 126-116 loss against Philadelphia two nights ago was only to uphold the parity going on in the Eastern Conference. Toronto, Atlanta and Philly all stood with 39 wins each between the 5th-7th seed. 8th-9th seeded Orlando and Miami weren’t too far behind with 38 wins of their own. The point is, the Utah Jazz would pretty much dominate the Eastern Conference if teams were judged based on how good they look on the eye test.

And Utah tyrannizes that field so much that they had to send Cody Williams to a sunny beach—I mean, to rehab because of his cruel sore shoulder. Totally. Can’t have him pulling anything. That meant the Jazz only had eight active players on the floor, minus Svi Mykhailiuk and Kevin Love. who can’t seem to find playing time because they might infect their teammates with oldness. Toronto faired off much better, listing Ingram, Quickley and Poeltl out, considering they just finished a 22-point lashing against Phoenix last night it’s probably for the best.

And spoiler alert: they maintained their end of the bargain with a plain and simple 143-125 blowout loss at home — nothin’ too fancy. An unorthodox, but welcome sight. Sometimes you need one of these if you want to compete with the big dogs like Sacramento, Indiana or Washington.

Will I ever get sick of the overachieving first quarter Jazz? No. No I will not. Known volume shooter, John Konchar, opened the gates with 8 points on a perfect 2-2 for the Jazz, which is ,fun fact, is a first quarter career-high for Jitty! No? Just me celebrating? That was apart of Utah’s highest 5-point lead before Toronto erased the deficit on an 8-0 run — Jazz missing all their shots and turning over the ball. The Raptors closed Q1 ahead 31-25 after shooting 57% from the field and logging 11 assists on 12 made shots. Kennedy Chandler chipped in 3 points, 2 assists and 2 steals with 5 minutes he recorded in that quarter.

Utah endured a gruelling shooting drought through the second quarter. They were a flat 0-4 from beyond the arc and shot 6-14 from the field. Though Ace Bailey did pour in 7 points in the second quarter, adding to his 13-point total, Toronto was outmatching them on nearly every aspect on the floor. Probably the best news Jazz fans have had all month after having to hold their breath until the final moments against supposedly legitimate Playoff teams. The Jazz did have an edge on the glass with a 27-21 advantage, including 4 offensive rebounds, but weren’t able to generate a single second-chance point. Ace wrapped things up with a highlight I can only describe as a grown man’s jam.

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ✈️♠️ pic.twitter.com/pLrfqq7smu

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 24, 2026

Nasty stuff.

Jazz couldn’t put a stop to the apparent real Greek Freak, Sandro Mamukelashvili. The Jazz were punished by his 15 halftime points, a career-high 4 steals and 1 block in 15 minutes. Jamal Shead was by far the best passer on the floor with 8 assists, who should count himself lucky he never had to run into Isaiah Collier.

The third quarter was pretty much what put the final nail in the coffin. Toronto outscored Utah 18-3 through four minutes, and left the Jazz in a 24-point hole. Maybe a possible comeback if you were any middling team against the 2022 Quin Snyder Jazz, but impossible for anyone else. They finished the quarter with 117 team points, which would probably send anyone circa-1992 into a coma. That was, in fact, a franchise-high for the Raptors for points up to the end of the third quarter, along with a record 38 assists. On Utah’s end, that tallied to giving up 49 points in a single quarter. Woof.

Toronto put the Jazz to sleep by outscoring them 13-13 in the final 12 minutes. The Raptors had four players finish with over 20 points, and six players with double-digits. Utah gave up 25 fastbreak points, and the 15 turnovers they had generated into 25 points off turnovers. It was by far one of the worst defensive lapses the Jazz have had all year. Though Utah did have an unorthodox 16-3 advantage near the end, which made this game a tad more appetizing. You should take this game for what it was, which was filler that will become lost media a year from now.

A swift glance suggests it’s a typical tank loss. A punishing double-digit deficit, half of the rotation sitting on the sidelines…an Ace Bailey 37-ball?!

I’m no longer going to sit here as Ace Bailey remains nicknameless. No, Ace doesn’t count. Neither does ‘SGA’. Or ‘JT’. From now on, he needs something more fitting — ‘His Airiousness’ shall suffice. All rights and revenue belong to the Kato Parina Corporation. The rookie has been going off on a March heater, and tonight was no different. He finished with 37 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks on 11-19 shooting. Though most of his performances beforehand came along with efficient shooting performances, this one was an outlier.

I have to say it: whoever’s in charge of Utah’s 10-day contract scouting department should be given a raise. Kennedy Chandler, in just 26 minutes, recorded 13 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals on 4-10 shooting. I know who I’d rather have compared to 10-day Markelle Fultz’s 2 points and 5 assists debut for the Toronto Raptors. I’m leaving here with something.

Up Next

All of their suffering has led up to this: they’ll hold a marquee matchup against the Washington Wizards at the Delta Center, March 25th, at 6:00 PM MST.

Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.

The “freak of nature,” as Josh Hart called Williamson, appeared in 45 of the past 46 games before Tuesday night’s showdown against the Knicks. It’s a noteworthy accomplishment for a player whose path toward superstardom was derailed by injuries and DNPs.

“Extremely talented,” Hart, who was teammates with Williamson for 1 ½ seasons in New Orleans, told The Post. “When he’s locked in and he’s focused, he’s one of probably 15 or 20 top players in the league, if not better.”

After years of being hyped by the NBA and scheduled for national broadcasts, Williamson, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, has largely been away from the spotlight this season.

He was also on a minutes restriction earlier this season and his per game averages — 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 59.8 percent shooting, 29.7 minutes — won’t garner any postseason awards.

But Williamson’s still a show and a problem the Knicks will have to deal with.

“He’s a freak of nature. I say that with all due respect,” Hart said. “He’s obviously extremely explosive, the way he’s able to maneuver and contort his body, and he has a great touch around the rim. That’s going to be a challenge for us. We got to make sure we’re just solid. Don’t swipe down. Don’t smack down. And try to make him finish.”

The Pelicans (25-47) are disappointing this season but are surging lately with 12 wins in their past 19 games. Unlike the Knicks’ past three opponents — the Pacers, Nets and Wizards — the Pelicans aren’t tanking. They have no incentive to lose after trading their 2026 first-round pick to the Hawks.

So the Knicks are facing a motivated team and a motivated athletic bulldozer in Williamson, who has only twice previously played at MSG as a pro — a win in 2024 and a loss in 2021.

“I think what’s really impressive is that first burst but also his second jump,” Hart said. “When I first saw him, the way he shoots the ball around the rim, you’d think he has no touch. But he has an amazing touch. And the ones where he doesn’t, he has a quick enough second jump where he’s able to get the rebound and sometimes before guys even get off the ground.”

---

Landry Shamet was ruled out for a second straight game and there’s now an official injury designation.

According to the Knicks, Shamet, who banged his knee in Friday’s victory over the Nets, has a tibial plateau contusion. The good news is the injury is nothing major, a league source said, and the guard is not expected to miss much time.

Shamet watched Sunday’s win over the Wizards in street clothes, when his injury designation was right knee soreness.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Sahith Theegala picked the right time to find a fairway, setting up a two-putt birdie on the final hole Monday night to flip the match and give Los Angeles a 6-5 victory over Jupiter Links and a 1-0 lead in the TGL finals.

Match 2 is Tuesday night at the SoFi Center, followed immediately by Match 3, if necessary.

LA was without Collin Morikawa, who suffered a back injury at The Players Championship.

Tiger Woods heads the Jupiter team but has sat out all year as he recovers from back surgery last fall. Jupiter had been using Akshay Bhatia as an alternate, but Bhatia is playing the Hero Indian Open this week in New Delhi on the European tour.

That put Kevin Kisner — who has been in the broadcast booth for NBC during the Florida swing on the PGA Tour — in the lineup for Jupiter for only the second time since Feb. 2.

Theegala twice hit tee shots out of play, and hit another drive into a bunker that kept LA from reaching the green in two on a par 5. He also missed a 3-foot putt that cost his team a point. But he wound up hitting a winner.

Jupiter led 5-4 going to the par-5 closing hole and LA threw the hammer, meaning the hole was worth two points. Theegala ripped his drive into the fairway to set up a second shot to 35 feet. Kisner found the rough off the tee, the rough on his second shot and a wedge came up short of the green. His birdie chip from 20 feet to tie the hole — and win the match — narrowly missed.

Jupiter had taken a 3-2 lead after alternate shot involving all three players through nine holes.

LA won the first two holes of singles for the lead, only for Kisner to hit driver onto the green at No. 12 after Theegala had gone into a hazard. That tied the match at 4.

Jupiter regained the lead at 5-4 when Justin Rose three-putted from long range. Tom Kim hit his tee shot on a par 3 to 6 feet and Jupiter threw the hammer. LA accepted, meaning if it lost the hole it would lose the match. Tommy Fleetwood responded with a tee shot to 4 feet for matching birdies.

That sent it to the 15th and final hole, and Theegala's length — and accuracy — was the difference.

___

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

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki had another rough spring training start Monday night.

Sasaki issued six walks while allowing five runs in two-plus innings against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. He threw 66 pitches, 32 for strikes.

The Japanese right-hander has a 15.58 ERA over four exhibition starts for the defending World Series champions. He has walked 15 in 8 2/3 innings, raising questions about his preparedness for the beginning of the regular season.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers when they host Arizona in their opener on Thursday night.

Sasaki failed to get an out in the first. He hit Zach Neto with a 3-0 fastball before Mike Trout reached on a fielder's choice. Sasaki then walked three consecutive batters before he was replaced by Ronan Kopp.

The 24-year-old Sasaki returned for the start of the second. He hit Neto again and walked Trout before escaping the jam on a pair of grounders.

He issued a leadoff walk to Yoán Moncada in the third before striking out Jo Adell and Josh Lowe. Logan O'Hoppe then lined to second for the final out of the inning.

Sasaki was replaced by Ben Casparius after he walked Adam Frazier leading off the fourth. Frazier ended up scoring on Nolan Schanuel's sacrifice fly.

Sasaki signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January 2025, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus because he was under age 25 and subject to international signing bonus pool rules. He had spent the previous four seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.

Sidelined for much of last season because of a right shoulder impingement, Sasaki went 1-1 with a 4.46 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances.

He returned in September and became a key piece of the bullpen during the postseason, giving up just one earned run over 10 2/3 innings and earning three saves to help the Dodgers win their second straight championship.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The mound visit Carter Baumler received from Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wasn't to take the rookie right-hander out of his last spring training game, but rather to let him know he made the opening day roster.

Schumaker came out of the dugout after Baumler retired the first two Kansas City Royals batters in the fifth inning Monday night. Texas catcher Danny Jansen and all four infielders were also on the mound when the new Rangers manager told the 24-year-old reliever he will start the season in the Texas bullpen.

“I wasn’t expecting it. I was like, why is he coming out here? And he got on the mound and told me I made the team,” Baumler said during an in-game TV interview on the Rangers Sports Network. “I mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game. ... Obviously, whenever the manager comes out, you’re usually done.”

Jansen patted his catcher's mitt on Baumler's chest and the infielders offered their congratulations. Baumler, looking to make his major league debut after never pitching above Double-A, had a big smile on his face but composed himself to strike out Isaac Collins swinging on a 96.8 mph fastball to end the inning.

In his eight spring training games, Baumler allowed one earned run and struck out 10 over 9 1/3 innings.

Baumler hugged Schumaker when he got back to the dugout after the third out, then was greeted by high-fives from teammates.

Baumler was selected by Baltimore in the fifth round of the 2020 amateur draft out of high school in Iowa and had Tommy John surgery soon after that. He pitched in the Orioles organization from 2022-25, but was left off their 40-man roster last fall. He was scooped up by Pittsburgh in the first round of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in December and traded to Texas the same day.

“A few years ago I never would have expected this,” Baumler said. “Looking back ... I’m glad I kept my head down and kept hammering away.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, Jalen Williams added 18 in his return to the lineup and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 12th game in a row Monday night with a 123-103 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.

Jared McCain had 13 points for the Thunder in his first game in Philadelphia since last month’s trade. The defending NBA champions improved to 57-15, the best record in the league.

VJ Edgecombe scored 35 points for the 76ers, who played without Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George. Philadelphia began the day as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament but was just a half-game back of fifth-place Toronto.

Williams was back in the lineup after missing 16 games with a right hamstring strain.

PACERS 128, MAGIC 126

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 37 points and blocked Paolo Banchero’s attempted layup in the final seconds to help Indiana end their franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a win over Orlando.

Banchero scored 39 points for the Magic, who have lost five straight.

Banchero drove to the basket with a chance to tie the game after Orlando won a jump ball with 6.4 seconds left. But 7-foot-1 Jay Huff and the 6-9 Siakam were under the basket, and Banchero could not get the shot over them.

Jarace Walker had 20 points for the Pacers, and Aaron Nemith added 19. Andrew Nembhard, who hit a 3-pointer with 1:33 remaining for Indiana’s final points, finished with 13 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds.

PISTONS 113, LAKERS 110

DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins scored a career-high 30 points, including six in the final 34 seconds, and Detroit ended Los Angeles' nine-game winning streak.

The Pistons overcame 32 points from Luka Doncic and 24 from Austin Reaves to win their fourth straight and seventh in eight games. Jalen Duren added 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Doncic was cleared to play Sunday after the NBA rescinded his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers a one-game suspension.

LeBron James went scoreless in the first half, but finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

SPURS 136, HEAT 111

MIAMI (AP) — MIAMI (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points as San Antonio beat Miami Heat for their sixth straight win.

Wembanyama added 15 rebounds and five blocks for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson scored 21 points while adding six rebounds. Dylan Harper went 9 of 14 from the field (3 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 21 points.

Norman Powell led the Heat with 21 points. Tyler Herro had 18 points.

HAWKS 146, GRIZZLIES 107

ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed Memphis.

Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.

Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.

Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.

GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.

BULLS 132, ROCKETS 124

CHICAGO (AP) — Matas Buzelis’ layup in the final seconds put Chicago ahead to stay and Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 25 points as Chicago beat Houston Rockets.

Houston’s loss, combined with San Antonio’s 136-111 win over Miami, allowed the Spurs (54-18) to clinch the Southwest Division.

The Bulls (29-42) led by as many as 22 points after scoring a season-high 41 points in the first quarter. But, Chicago trailed by four points late and needed Buzelis’ basket with 10.2 seconds remaining to move ahead to stay and post their first win over Houston in the teams’ last five games.

Kevin Durant fueled the Rockets’ (43-28) comeback by scoring 15 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth quarter. Durant was 15 of 23 from the field, marking the ninth straight game he shot 50% or better, which is the third-longest streak of his career.

The Spurs are showing no signs of slowing down as the regular season nears its end. They went into Miami and dominated en route to an easy 136-111 win, their sixth victory in a row. Victor Wembanyama impacted the game on both ends in a way that few players have this season to help put the slumping Heat away early, finishing with an impressive stat line that somehow doesn’t represent how great his performance was.

Before the Spurs ran away with it, there was an entertaining opening quarter, in which both teams seemed to be sticking to their plan. Wembanyama walled off the paint, leading the Heat to rely on jumpers and their normal breakneck pace to avoid half-court offense, while the Spurs tried to get into the paint by using Wemby’s gravity to open up shots near the rim or open threes. The intensity was there from two squads that are known for playing hard. The differences were made at the edges. San Antonio dominated the glass, which helped them survive a zone defense that baffled them at times, and Miami got points in transition. It was a close, physical, occasionally sloppy but always entertaining first 12 minutes that ended with the Silver and Black up eight.

After that, the Spurs completely took over. While Wembanyama had a huge impact in the first quarter, mostly by deterring and changing shots and making the defense focus on him while his teammates feasted, he didn’t get the stats to show for it. It changed to start the second, as he blocked a couple of shots that allowed the Silver and Black to push the pace, finished a couple of dunks, and found Carter Bryant for an alley-oop dunk. Miami did its best to stick around, but the lead reached double digits, and there was no counter run. The Spurs did well to survive the minutes without Wembanyama and Fox on the floor, as the second unit vastly outplayed the Heat’s subs, and once Wemby returned, San Antonio found itself up 20 points. It was an impressive effort against a well-coached team that tried different lineup approaches to no avail.

The 18-point lead the Spurs had heading into the break was a nice buffer, but a slow start on offense opened the window for Miami to get back into it. The problem for the home team is that they had no way of scoring on an active San Antonio defense that had Wembanyama contesting everything close to him, and his teammates flying around to close out on jumpers. The Heat started the second half missing their first nine shots, the Silver and Black got their offense back on track, and the lead got to 30 midway through the third. The second unit wasn’t as good as it had been early, but it still found ways to get enough stops and buckets to prevent a run. The difference between the two teams was as big on Monday as the box score showed, as the visitors headed into the fourth up 27 and looking like they had an extra gear they could access if needed.

The Heat just didn’t have it in them to even attempt a fake comeback, which is understandable considering their recent struggles and San Antonio’s relentless play even while up big. There were some strange and sloppy moments in garbage time, mostly because Wembanyama seemed to be looking for new ways to torture Miami, but the Spurs largely took care of business, making sure the win was secured before emptying the bench.

Game notes

• Wembanyama is reaching a new level. Ever since he understood that he doesn’t need the ball to make an impact on offense, he’s been as good as anyone, considering his defensive dominance. Wemby had four assists, but his mere presence got others open consistently. The threes weren’t falling, he made some wild drives, and he was still the best player on the floor by a huge margin. A true superstar.
• The Spurs were at full strength and showed how deep they are. Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, two starters, had quiet scoring games, and it didn’t matter, as the team had scored over 100 points by the end of the third quarter. Miami is in a bad stretch, especially defensively, but that’s still impressive.
• De’Aaron Fox was solid, as usual, but the young guards were impressive. Stephon Castle had more free-throw attempts than field goal attempts, showing once again that it’s hard to keep him from getting to his spots without fouling. With Castle playing, Harper went back to the bench but scored over 20 for his second game in a row, bullying his way to the rim and hitting three three-pointers. All three guards had six assists. The three-headed monster is a problem.
• Keldon Johnson completely outplayed fellow Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jaime Jaquez Jr. Keldon finished with 21 points and six rebounds while Jaquez really struggled to score. The Heat’s forward did have six assists, but some of those came after drives in which he refused to challenge Wembanyama. One game shouldn’t determine who gets an award, but hopefully the voters were paying attention.
• Is Harrison Barnes slowly getting back to being a helpful player? The veteran forward is shooting 42 percent from three since the All-Star break, and the Spurs are outscoring opponents with him on the floor. He had 13 points after going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc and pitched in four rebounds. Carter Bryant, who had a highlight block, is there to step in for a few minutes if HB regresses, but having both as viable options would be ideal.

Play of the game

Some Wembanyama plays are demoralizing. Myron Gardner here runs back, reads that the alley-oop is coming, gets to Wemby to try to at least foul him and make him miss, but still ends up in a poster. Brutal.

🗣️ YEAH VIC!

📺 @NBAonNBC | @FanDuelSN_SWpic.twitter.com/0E4pkFaZNQ

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 24, 2026

Next game: at Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday

The three-game road trip continues with a visit to the Grizzlies, currently on a three-game losing streak and already thinking about next season. If the Spurs play with the appropriate fear, the win streak should reach seven.

The Atlanta Hawks delivered one of their most complete performances of the season Monday night, rolling past the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 behind a balanced offensive attack and relentless pace at State Farm Arena.

Atlanta (40-32) seized control early and never let up, outscoring Memphis in every quarter but the fourth while shooting efficiently and spreading the scoring load across the roster. The Hawks led by double digits before halftime and blew the game open with a 45-point third quarter that turned a comfortable lead into a rout.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced Atlanta with 26 points on an ultra-efficient 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, while adding six assists. Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga each contributed 16 points, combining for 10 rebounds and providing energy on both ends.

Veteran guard CJ McCollum orchestrated the offense with nine assists to go along with 15 points, helping Atlanta rack up a high assist total and maintain constant ball movement. The Hawks finished with multiple players in double figures, including Dyson Daniels (12 points), Corey Kispert (11), and Zaccharie Risacher (11 points, eight rebounds).

Atlanta’s depth proved overwhelming. The bench unit kept the pressure on throughout, with strong contributions from Jock Landale (11 points), Keaton Wallace (nine), and others as the Hawks shot over 50 percent from the field and knocked down 3-pointers at a high clip.

Memphis (24-47) was led by GG Jackson’s 26 points, while Tyler Burton added 20 and Ty Jerome chipped in 17. However, the Grizzlies struggled defensively and could not keep pace with Atlanta’s scoring bursts, particularly in the second and third quarters.

The Hawks built a 32-22 lead after one quarter and extended it to 71-46 by halftime. Their 45-point third quarter effectively ended any chance of a Memphis comeback, pushing the margin beyond 30 points.

Atlanta’s performance showcased its offensive ceiling crisp passing, efficient shooting and contributions from throughout the lineup while also highlighting improved defensive activity, forcing turnovers and limiting Memphis’ rhythm.

LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Luke Kennard and Bronny James stood alongside Lakers’ assistant coaches and trainers on a golf course on Sunday. 

They were engaged in some friendly competition under the blazing Orlando sun. 

All season, James has talked about golf as his happy place. Reaves’ hand-eye coordination has become legendary around the Lakers’ locker room. Doncic is relatively new to the sport, but apparently is picking it up quickly. And Kennard was hanging out with his teammates hours after they had screamed, jumped and picked him up in celebration of his game-winning shot against the Magic in their 105-104 win on Saturday. 

Things are good in Laker Land, even though LA fell to the Pistons on Monday, 113-110. 

Yes, Detroit snapped the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak. Yes, the Pistons’ suffocating second-rated defense in the league held them to 27.6% shooting from beyond the 3-point line. 

But the Lakers once again showed heart, forcing a nail biter. They clawed their way back from a 16-point deficit with a 20-8 run in the third quarter to tie the score at 87-87 with 32.9 seconds left in the period. 

Then, in the fourth quarter, they went on a 7-0 run to once again knot the game at 105-105 with 2:39 left. The Lakers even took the lead after Reaves made a five-foot floater with 30 seconds remaining, 110-109. But Daniss Jenkins, who had a career-high 30 points, answered with a jumper and a pair of free throws down the stretch.

With the Pistons up 113-110 and 0.3 seconds remaining, Doncic couldn’t get a clean look at the basket and attempted a heavily-contested game-tying 3, but he missed.

But none of that really matters. 

The vibes around the Lakers are good right now, a stark turnaround from where they were just a short time ago. This loss won’t impact that. 

Some pundits are going to point to the Lakers’ loss to the Pistons as proof they can’t hang with the most elite teams in the league. The Pistons are in first place in the Eastern Conference and they were without their star guard Cade Cunningham, who was sidelined for his third straight game because of a partially collapsed lung. 

The next few weeks will tell if that narrative has any merit, considering two of the Lakers’ next 10 games are against the Thunder, who are atop the Western Conference and are favored to win the championship. 

But the Lakers’ loss to the Pistons should be a question mark, not a red flag, especially since they’ve recently beaten multiple contenders, including the Rockets, Nuggets, Knicks and Timberwolves. 

The Lakers believe in themselves. They believe in each other. Over their winning streak, there were so many times when they could’ve dropped the rope, but instead they showed a deep trust in each other, coming closer together. 

There was Kennard’s game-winner against the Magic. There was Reaves’ incredible purposely missed free throw and made field goal as time expired against the Nuggets, followed by Doncic’s game-winner in overtime. 

There was James’ 30-point performance on 13-for-14 shooting against the Rockets, followed by his 19-point, 15-rebound and 10-assist triple-double against the Heat. Oh, and over the Lakers’ winning streak, Doncic averaged 40 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.6 steals a game, including 51-point and 60-point performances. 

There’s a winning vibe around the Lakers. 

It’s a far cry from where things were just a short time ago. One moment in particular stands out as the nadir of the season: When the Lakers lost to the Thunder on Feb. 9, 119-110. Reaves was slumped in his chair as he talked to reporters. James sounded and looked exhausted. “That’s a championship team right there,” he said. “We’re not.”

Things felt off. 

Over the last few months, there were a lot of tough moments. James was forced to answer questions about his relationship with Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss after an ESPN story claimed she was frustrated with him for a myriad of reasons, and even “privately mused” about trading him. 

There were weeks on end in which Doncic, James and Reaves had to field questions about the dysfunctional Big Three, who had only played 11 games together before the All-Star break and looked disjointed when they shared the court. 

There was the narrative that Doncic wasn’t a winner. And the narrative that the Lakers were better without James after LA won three in a row with him sidelined earlier this month, improving to 10-2 when Reaves and Doncic shared the court without him.

During all of that drama, retirement seemed like a real possibility for James. Doncic seemed unhappy. The Lakers’ locker room felt tense. 

Now, things couldn’t be more different. 

How could James retire when the Lakers are contenders? Doncic has skyrocketed to the top of the MVP conversation. The Lakers’ locker room is fun. 

One loss to the Pistons isn’t going to change that. 

It may have let out a little air from the tire. But the tire was so well-inflated over the last few weeks that the car isn’t going to feel a thing. 

The Lakers’ loss to the Pistons was greatly overshadowed by all of their winning moments over the last nine games. By their newfound trust in each other. 

By their time on the golf course, which made all of the recent negativity surrounding them seem like a long-lost nightmare under the Florida sun.  

After having a relatively long stretch in which their entire rotation was available, the Lakers took the floor in Detroit on Monday without a starter in Marcus Smart and key reserve Rui Hachimura.

Both were listed as questionable in the initial injury report. Prior to the team’s loss to the Pistons, head coach JJ Redick provided updates on both, starting with Rui’s right calf soreness.

JJ Redick says Rui Hachimura was hit in his right calf in the Miami game and it tightened up on him in the Orlando game. He had a MRI that came back clean. He is day to day, per Redick.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 23, 2026

Ironically, Rui missed the last game against the Pistons with right calf soreness in late December. It was, however, a short-term injury that Rui returned from in about a week. However, it does show that there’s a bit of a history with this injury.

As for Smart, he has taken a beat recently and while he was listed on the injury report with right ankle soreness, he was also dealing with a hip injury.

Redick added that Marcus Smart is dealing with a right hip issue from the Orlando game as well as the right ankle from the collision with Goga Bitadze. Redick said Smart is also day to day. https://t.co/HW2u9cgdmi

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 23, 2026

The collision in question was one of the most absurd calls of the season for the Lakers in which a fairly innocuous coming together with Goga Bitadze ended with Smart receiving a technical foul.

The refs just gave Marcus Smart a tech foul for this play.

Unbelievable call pic.twitter.com/K0SiBAw9yp

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) March 22, 2026

That was just part of a chaotic night for Bitadze, but that is a topic for another article already written.

Given his injury history and the beating he takes on a game-to-game basis, having him sit out for a night or two to heal up isn’t the worst thing. Especially given the Lakers’ upcoming schedule, which includes games against Pacers, Wizards and Nets, sneaking in some rest for players wouldn’t be a bad strategy.

As for Rui and Smart, it appears neither injury is serious. The Lakers should be able to welcome them back soon and potentially in their road trip finale on Wednesday in Indiana.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 on Monday night.

Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.

Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.

Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.

GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.

The Grizzlies lost for the 11th time in 12 games. Memphis' only victory in that span was a 125-118 decision over the Denver Nuggets on March 18.

The Hawks were without Jalen Johnson due to left shoulder inflammation.

Memphis was without Cedric Coward, who missed his third straight game due to personal reasons. The Grizzlies were also without Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke and Jahmai Mashack , who are recovering from injuries. And, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Scotty Pippen Jr. are out for the remainder of the season with injuries.

Up next

Grizzlies: Host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Hawks: At the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Ahead of their matchup with the Clippers, 110 minutes prior to game time, the Bucks announced one expected move and one somewhat unexpected. First off, they are converting forward Pete Nance from his two-way contract to a standard, multi-year deal. But in order to do that, they needed to open up a slot on their 15-man roster (two-way players aren’t included in that number), so they elected to waive guard Cam Thomas. That one’s a bit surprising.

Let’s begin with Nance: he had just one game remaining of his 50-game eligibility given to two-way players, so if Milwaukee wanted to make him active in any NBA game after tonight, he would have to be converted to a standard deal before the deadline for doing so on April 12th. He’s impressed a fair bit since first seeing rotation minutes in mid-January: while he averages just 4.5 MPG in 12.1 MPG, he shoots a stellar 56.4% from the field and 47.9% from deep. That comes with what appears to be capable perimeter defense; I’ve heard his athleticism compared unfavorably to his older brother Larry Jr. and his father, a former All-Star, but he moves his feet quite well and stays in front of his mark. His playing time ebbed a little bit in February, though he’s since been pretty consistently above 15 each contest.

All that considered, the 26-year-old looked a lot like part of Milwaukee’s future, and he seemed a near-lock to be promoted from his two-way. While contract terms haven’t been reported yet (we’ll update this story when they are), it will likely be a minimum deal, and include team options and/or non-guaranteed salary after this year. This is typical of late-season two-way conversions, so he may still have to earn his 2026–27 roster spot during camp, if not in Summer League.

The 6’9” Northwestern alum will make about $277k the remainder of the year; his minimum salary is projected to be just under $2.6m in 2026–27, which will be his cap hit if it is a three-year deal. If this is a two-year deal expiring in summer 2027, his cap hit will be just under $2.5m. Milwaukee technically opened a two-way spot converting Nance, but the deadline to sign two-way players was March 4th, so it’ll remain open into summer.

Now onto Thomas. After four-plus years in Brooklyn, the high-scoring 24-year-old was waived mere minutes after the NBA trade deadline on February 5th. And not long after, the Bucks were reported as interested, so he signed on February 8th. According to Thomas himself, Milwaukee had been interested in him for years and apparently sold him as being a part of their future. No reason to believe Thomas was lying about this, but it appears their calculus changed.

The results looked good early, with a 34-point outing in his second appearance with the Bucks on February 11th, then 27 two games later. Since then, however, he’s struggled to make a similar impact. He was in double-digits in just five of his following 14 games and shot a poor 37.8% from the field. A slightly below average three-point shooter (34% for his career), he dipped to 25% on 32 attempts after that February 20th game. All told, he put up 10.7 PPG as a Buck on .431/.275/.754 shooting, all beneath his career averages.

At 6’4”, he’s too small to play anywhere but guard, and doesn’t have any defensive chops. While he can sometimes create for others and move the ball, he’s mostly a ballstop, though one really good at creating his own shot and getting to the line. His free-throw rate jumped in Milwaukee, but he sank them 10% less often than his career 85.8% as a Net.

Thomas will return to the free-agent market in search of a new home, but can’t play in the postseason, which he may have thought he was doing when signing with the Bucks. Since he was waived after March 1st, he is ineligible to appear in any playoff games, so he may opt to play in a non-NBA league and/or sit out to try again this summer. Last summer, he picked up his qualifying offer from the Nets in order to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026, rather than restricted free agency a year early. His $845k cap hit will stay on the Bucks’ ledgers until the end of June, but Milwaukee is far beneath the luxury tax line and can afford to keep that while adding Nance’s $277k.

What’s surprising here is that Milwaukee is waiving Thomas just over a month-and-a-half after signing him instead of Andre Jackson Jr. These were always the two most logical release candidates when it became clear Nance should be converted because they could be the Bucks’ only two unrestricted free agents this summer outside of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who obviously wasn’t getting cut. Jackson has a fully $2.4m non-guaranteed team option for 2026–27, so waiving him or Thomas, who has no money due to him next year, means Milwaukee would owe $0 to either after the season. Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., and Taurean Prince each have player options for next year worth $3.8–3.9m; if the Bucks waive one of them, that $3.8m would need to be stretched over three years, so $1.3m in dead cap every season through summer 2029.

However, I got some intel last week that Jackson was the release candidate, echoed by some comments from Doc Rivers during a pregame presser. Jackson was a key rotation piece much of last season, even starting 43 games, but has been relegated to garbage time in 2025–26. In 37 games, he’s averaging just 2.7 PPG on a stinky .258/.176/.900 shooting in 5.9 MPG. Strictly a defensive player at this point, he’s never broken into this year’s rotation and has played upwards of 10 minutes just five times. He’s had 33 DNP-CDs and saw no on-court action for over two weeks surrounding New Year’s.

Rivers’ reticence to play him during a lost season seemed to spell doom for his NBA future, but he’ll survive for now. In fact, Thomas had increasingly been on the outs lately too, with two DNP-CDs last week after just three minutes on March 12th. So it’s not exactly out of the blue, and you’ll certainly find fans who agree with Doc benching him, given some of his struggles in Milwaukee. With Giannis injured again, Thomas got back on the floor for 23 then 15 minutes since Thursday, but a 14-point outing followed up by seven on Saturday wasn’t enough to save him.

Nevertheless, signing him was a low-risk endeavor, and with Nance looking the part of a future rotation piece, there is nothing to be mad about moving on from Thomas. Sure, maybe some preferred Jackson and would have given Thomas a new contract this summer, but in either case, the Bucks assure themselves of keeping Nance, which is the more important part. All that’s actually changed here is the decision between retaining Jackson or retaining Thomas into 2026–27. Best of luck to Thomas elsewhere, and we’ll always appreciate that first week.

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 22
VJ Edgecombe – 11
Joel Embiid – 9
Paul George – 6
Justin Edwards – 4
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain :’( – 3
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

---

The Philadelphia 76ers — well, still the Hospital Sixers — fell 123-103 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening.

The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) and Quentin Grimes (illness). This was the final game of PG’s suspension and he is set to return to action on Wednesday.

So, VJ Edgecombe and company against the best team in the NBA, coming in on an 11-game win streak. It pretty much went as expected. In fact, I actually think it could have went much worse. The Sixers were never really in this one but they also didn’t let themselves completely fall out of it without a fight for the majority of it. Edgecombe was able to put up a floor-leading 35 points with a career-high seven threes. That part was fun at least.

The Sixers are off Tuesday before hosting the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night. As stated, PG is expected to return for that one.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. Take a guess.

VJ Edgecombe: 35 points (career-high 7 threes), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal

VJ Edgecombe got the Sixers’ night started with a triple on their first possession. He would end up knocking down a new career-high seven three-pointers in this one. That being said, it didn’t start as his most efficient night, shooting just 3-for-10 in the first frame, but he didn’t let it slow him down in the long run.

As this one played on, Edgecombe was really the main factor in the Sixers staying even relatively within the Thunder range throughout the night. The rookie was commanding the offense, stayed aggressive in transition to take any easy bucket the Sixers could get, took advantage of any open looks and hit a number of really difficult shots against a tough OKC defense.

Oh, and any inefficiency that affected him in the first half did not carry over to the second. Before halftime, Edgecombe shot 5-for-14 from the floor (3-for-8 from long range). After the break, the rookie shot 9-for-14 for field goals and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.

I honestly think this was one of the very few best-case scenarios in this matchup. The reality was that the Sixers, sans four starters, were not likely going to beat the NBA-leading Thunder. Getting to see the rookie not only get more experience as the leader of the Sixers’ squad but to also look pretty damn impressive against a team like OKC individually is probably as good as it was going to get.

Edgecombe finished this one leading the field with 35 points on 14-for-28 (50.0%) field goal shooting and 7-for-15 (46.7%) from beyond the arc. He also had six rebounds, four assists and one steal.

VJ Edgecombe with his fifth triple of the evening. The rookie's up to 25 points and counting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EXi0K0QOF9

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) March 24, 2026

Tyrese Maxey’s reaction to Jared McCain back-to-back threes

I may never stop laughing at this.

Just as we all knew would happen, Jared McCain wasted no time getting on the board when he was subbed in for Oklahoma City in the first frame. McCain quickly sank a triple on one possession before hitting a second triple right after off a pass and screen. The former Sixer, very fairly, had some things to say as he ran back up the court for defense.

And Tyrese Maxey, on the bench in plain clothes as he continues to recover from a tendon injury in his pinky, reacted like this:

Wait for Maxey's reaction to McCain's second triple… I zoomed in for y'all. pic.twitter.com/fkippvub0v

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) March 23, 2026

In a game like this, you have to just take the joy where you can get it, and this made me laugh.

I mean, at this point, you just have to laugh, right?

The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely finish fourth in the Eastern Conference, but we don’t know who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs, given how tight spots five through 10 are in the Eastern Conference standings. One of the many teams that they could play is the Orlando Magic.

The Cavs won the first two meetings of the year against the Magic before Orlando defeated them 128-122 a week and a half ago behind a phenomenal game from Desmond Bane.

The Magic have struggled since that win. They’ve lost five games in a row coming into this one, including on Monday at home against a bad Indiana Pacers team. We’ll see if they can rebound against the Cavs on Tuesday.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (44-27) at Orlando Magic (38-33)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Tue., March 23 at 8 PM

TV: NBC, Peacock, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App

Point spread: Not yet set

Cavs injury report: Jaylon Tyson – OUT (toe), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Tyrese Proctor – QUESTIONABLE (quad), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League)

Magic injury report for Monday’s game vs. Pacers: Jalen Suggs – OUT (illness), Franz Wagner – OUT (ankle), Jonathan Isaac – OUT (knee), Anthony Black – OUT (abdominal strain)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley

Magic expected starting lineup: Desomond Bane, Jevon Carter, Tristan da Silva, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Previous matchup: The Cavs lost to the Magic 128-122 on March 11.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	118.5 (7th)	114.2 (12th)	+4.3 (8th)
Magic	114.5 (19th)	114.4 (13th)	+0.1 (17th)

The brush from a fingertip toppled the Lakers’ longest winning streak in six seasons.

The Lakers’ nine-game win streak ended Monday with a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons when Luka Doncic missed a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer after LeBron James’ inbounds pass was deflected by Tobias Harris.

Doncic had 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but was three for 13 from three and missed two big shots in the final seconds.

The superstar guard had been on a historic heater, averaging 40 points over the previous nine games. With nine seconds left, James tried to inbound the ball over Harris and across the court to Doncic, who had to chase down the deflected pass that also went off forward Maxi Kleber’s arm. Doncic collected the ball and danced with Detroit forward Jalen Duren, pump faking, spinning and stepping back before launching a sky-high three.

Read more:Luka Doncic avoids suspension after NBA rescinds his 16th technical foul

It didn’t even graze the rim.

Doncic had made those types of circus shots look easy during the Lakers’ winning streak, their longest since the championship-winning 2019-20 campaign. Though the dramatic run ended, it reintroduced the Lakers (46-26) as a legitimate playoff threat as they rose from sixth in the Western Conference to third. Lakers coach JJ Redick believed that all along.

“I thought we could be a good basketball team the entire season,” Redick said. “We saw flashes of it. We saw short stretches of it, but we're a good basketball team, and I think we have to continue to play together.”

Austin Reaves had 24 points, dueling with Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins in the final moments. Reaves put the Lakers ahead by one with 29.7 seconds left with a driving layup, bullying Jenkins toward the basket. Jenkins got revenge by hitting a midrange baseline jumper over Reaves to put the Pistons back in front with 25 seconds left. In the back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Lakers blinked first as Doncic missed a go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds left.

Without star guard Cade Cunningham, who was out with a collapsed lung, Jenkins led the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons (52-19) with 30 points and eight assists. Forward Jalen Duren had 20 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lakers won five consecutive clutch time games before Monday, three requiring late comebacks. They had to repeat the process after the Pistons built a 14-point advantage in the third quarter.

The Lakers looked disjointed early as James, Doncic and Reaves combined on seven-for-28 shooting in the first half. James was held without a point in the first half for just the third time in his career and for the first time since Dec. 20, 2010.

The 41-year-old didn’t hit his first shot until the 5:54 mark of the third quarter, draining a three from the wing. It sparked a 20-6 Lakers run that James fueled on both ends. He blocked a shot from Paul Reed on the next possession. He then assisted a three-pointer from Reaves. He finished a layup in transition off a steal by Doncic and an assist from Reaves.

James finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

“I thought he did a good job of not just trying to score, but make the right play like he always does,” Redick said.

The Lakers were without Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart. Both are day-to-day. Hachimura got imaging on his right calf and it came back clear, Redick said, after he took a hit against Miami on Thursday. Smart injured his right ankle Saturday when an Orlando player fell on his leg. Smart is also dealing with right hip soreness from another fall in that physical game.

Smart leads the Lakers in overall plus-minus, a quiet cog who connects the Lakers’ constellation of stars. Not having him “killed us,” Redick said.

The Lakers’ winning streak coincided with the team’s best run of health this season, Redick said. The Lakers hope that staying healthy and maintaining the level of play they discovered during the stretch can carry them through the final 10 games.

“We were able to stay resilient and come back,” James said. “So we’re a tough-minded [group].”

Read more:Luke Kennard's last-second three-pointer lifts Lakers to ninth consecutive win

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.