Category: NBA

Week 20 arrived at the perfect time for the Phoenix Suns.

This is a team that had been searching for traction. The numbers tell the story. Phoenix had not posted a positive net rating in five weeks. The last time it happened was Week 15 when they sat at +2.8. Since then, the stretch looked rough. Week 16 at -0.1. Week 17 at -28.7. Week 18 at -14.4. Week 19 at -9.1.

Injuries played a large role in that slide. The roster has taken hits across the rotation, forcing Phoenix to lean heavily on younger players and redistribute minutes to guys now operating outside their usual roles.

So yes, Week 20 was needed.

This was a stretch where the Suns realistically could have finished 4–0. Had it not been for a lethargic performance against the Chicago Bulls, Phoenix would have walked away undefeated. That is basketball. Some nights, you steal a game that had no business landing in the win column. Other nights, you drop one that felt secure. Over the long arc of a season, the truth usually reveals itself. Good teams rise. Bad teams fade.

And even with the injuries piling up and the rotations shifting almost nightly, the Suns continue to show that they belong in the group of teams capable of rising.

The Suns sit at 37–27 following their Week 20 performance. They remain two games back of the sixth seed in the Western Conference, although they are only three games away from the third seed. With 18 games remaining on the schedule, the standings can shift quickly. All it takes is one team catching fire and another team cooling off for the picture to change.

That creates an interesting opportunity for Phoenix. The conversation can begin drifting away from the Play-In discussion and toward the postseason itself. That is where the real intrigue begins, when you start looking up the standings rather than over your shoulder. The Suns are positioned well enough to think that way. The teams currently sitting in eighth through tenth place are clustered tightly together. The Golden State Warriors hold a one-game lead on the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Clippers sit one game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Phoenix, meanwhile, stands 4.5 games clear of that group. That cushion provides breathing room, although the real opportunity lies ahead of them. With a strong final stretch, the Suns can shift the focus away from Play-In scenarios and toward the question that matters far more in the long run. Who might they face when the postseason begins?

Standings aside, this was a refreshing week for Phoenix. The best-case scenario continues to quietly unfold. Injuries are never something a team hopes for, although they have opened the door for something valuable. Opportunity. Opportunity to evaluate the youth movement that Phoenix has been slowly trying to cultivate. And this past week, the young players responded.

Khaman Maluach averaged 17.4 minutes across his three appearances. In that time, he scored 3.3 points on 62.5% shooting, grabbed 5.7 rebounds, and averaged 2.3 blocks per game. The stat line is modest offensively, although the defensive impact and the activity around the rim continue to stand out.

Then there is Rasheer Fleming.

In four games this week, he averaged 8.8 points on 65% shooting, including 60% from beyond the arc. That number carries weight when you realize he attempted 15 three-pointers during that stretch. He also added four rebounds per game while playing 15.8 minutes a night.

So Week 20 became a productive one for Phoenix. The Suns finished 3–1, the rookies received real run, and they rewarded the opportunity with strong play. Phoenix still has work to do. The climb out of the Play-In conversation will require continued effort over the final stretch of the season. The hope is that reinforcements begin returning soon. Jordan Goodwin could be back this week. Mark Williams may be another week or two away. Dillon Brooks still appears to be three to four weeks from returning.

March might represent the turning point. The Suns are trying to regain health, stabilize the rotation, and continue developing their young players at the same time. If those paths meet at the right moment, the final stretch of the season could become very interesting for Phoenix.

Week 20 Record: 3-1

@ Sacramento Kings, W, 114-103

• Possession Differential: +1.6
• Turnover Differential: +5
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +8

The Suns looked like they were trying to jumpstart themselves, and ultimately they had the ability to do so. Phoenix outscored Sacramento 68-45 over the second and third quarters, and that was enough to get the win.

vs. Chicago Bulls, L, 105-103

• Possession Differential: +2.6
• Turnover Differential: +2
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +5

Same script as the game against the Kings, but the Suns couldn’t get jump-started. They had a late run, but it was too little, too late. It wasn’t the worst loss of the season, but it may be the most lethargic.

vs. New Orleans Pelicans, W, 118-116

• Possession Differential: +1.2
• Turnover Differential: -2
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -1

Phoenix was in control the majority of the game, but the Pelicans made it quite uncomfortable in the end. It took a record number of three-pointers attempted — 58 by the Suns — to beat New Orleans by 2 points. Time will tell whether that is concerning.

vs. Charlotte Hornets, W, 111-99

• Possession Differential: -6.2
• Turnover Differential: -5
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -3

Well, this was a nice little surprise, wasn’t it? The Suns closed out the week with a win over one of the hottest teams in the NBA. How? 3o points and 10 assists from Devin Booker, 24 points from both Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green, and a 16-point performance from rookie Rasheer Fleming. And same damn good defense.

Inside the Possession Game

• Weekly Possession Differential: -0.8
• Weekly Turnover Differential: 0
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +6
• Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +10

The first thing I notice when looking at this week’s graph is that pink line. The Suns are sitting 10 games over .500 to close out the week. It is only the second time this season we have finished a week that high, with Week 15 being the only other instance.

Take a look at that pink line. It hasn’t dipped below the .500 mark since Week 2. This team has been at .500 or better since November 8. They spent a total of 7 games under the water this entire season. I hope we appreciate that. I really do.

We are talking about a team that Vegas pegged for 30.5 wins. We are talking about a franchise that spent 37 games looking up at the .500 mark just one season ago. The scars from those years don’t just vanish, but this is how you heal them. We are focused on a postseason push, and that is exactly where our energy should be.

But I want to pause and appreciate the fact that we are even in this position. We have a team that is fighting to win. We have a roster that isn’t finding creative ways to lose anymore. There is hope. There is progression. There is a core.

The Suns finally started cleaning up the glass this week, and the results speak for themselves. A 3-1 stretch is exactly the kind of “get right” week this team needed. While the possession game slipped a bit, you have to look at this Phoenix defense to see the real story.

Even with the roster currently held together by bandages and spare parts, this group posted a 109.9 defensive rating over the last four games. When you couple that grit with the way the ball is moving, it’s clear something is clicking. Their 68.8% assist percentage was 7th 7th-best in the league this week. It is proof that Jordan Ott’s system is cerebral and, more importantly, transferable. It doesn’t matter who is on the floor, the identity remains.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that the schedule-makers tossed the Kings, Bulls, and Pelicans our way. You play who is in front of you, but beating up on the basement dwellers is a requirement for any team with playoff ambitions.

Week 21 Preview

And so begins the road trip.

The Phoenix Suns hit the road for a 10-day stretch that includes six games and two back-to-backs. Week 21 features the first three stops along that journey, thankfully without the back-to-backs arriving yet. It starts tomorrow night when Phoenix travels to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee is a team floating somewhere in the middle of the Eastern Conference sea. They have not played well for long stretches this season, which explains why they currently sit in 11th place and outside the Play-In picture looking up. Giannis Antetokounmpo is back on the floor for them, which always changes the temperature of a game. How long he continues playing before the organization considers shutting him down is something only time will answer.

The Bucks rank in the bottom third of the league in offensive rating, defensive rating, and net rating. On paper, that suggests an opportunity for Phoenix. Still, Milwaukee carries size across its lineup, and size has a way of bothering the Suns when it begins to crowd the paint.

Next on the schedule are the Indiana Pacers, who currently hold the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Phoenix handled Indiana earlier this season, winning by 35 points back in November. Since the All-Star break, the Pacers have not recorded a win and appear to be navigating a reset year while Tyrese Haliburton works through an Achilles injury.

The third stop sends Phoenix north to face the Toronto Raptors. If you are looking for an Eastern Conference team that resembles the Suns in some ways, Toronto fits that description. The Raptors have exceeded expectations this season and present a roster that values ball movement and care with possessions. They move the ball well, they limit mistakes, and they defend at a high level. Toronto currently sits with the eighth-best defensive rating in the NBA.

In other words, this stretch of the trip offers three very different challenges. Milwaukee brings size. Indiana brings opportunity. Toronto brings discipline.

The Golden State Warriors travel to Salt Lake City on Monday night to take on a Utah Jazz team dealing with a sickness that’s making its way through the team.

Isaiah Collier has already been listed as out, but now Ace Bailey and Keyonte George are among those on the Jazz roster who are questionable with illness.

The Jazz are 2-10 in their last 10 games, and currently have the fifth worst record in the league, which is the goal for a team that looks to add a top-3 pick to its playoff-ready roster next season.

The Warriors are firmly in the play-in, holding onto the 8-seed with 4.5 games separating them from the No. 7 Suns and 8.5 games away from the No. 11 Grizzlies. They will be without hall of famer Steph Curry on Monday night.

Injury Report

Utah Jazz:

Keyonte George — Questionable (illness)

Ace Bailey — Questionable (illness)

Isaiah Collier — OUT (illness)

Lauri Markkanen — OUT (right hip impingement)

Jaren Jackson Jr. — OUT for season

Jusuf Nurkic — OUT for season

Walker Kessler — OUT for season

Golden State Warriors:

Seth Curry — Probable (left sciatic nerve irritation)

Will Richard — Questionable (right ankle sprain)

Steph Curry — OUT (right patellofemoral; pain syndrome)

Al Horford — OUT (left to injury management)

Moses Moody — OUT (right wrist sprain)

Kristaps Porzingis — OUT (illness management)

Jimmy Butler — OUT for season

How to watch

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT

When: 7 p.m. MT

Channel: KJZZ, SEG+

Radio: 97.5 FM 1280 AM

Coming off a miraculous comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Spurs took on the Houston Rockets for their last meeting of the regular season. After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Spurs’ offense exploded, outscoring the Rockets 37-24 in the second. Coming into the third quarter with a 12-point lead, the Spurs’ offense continued to blaze. They continued to have one of their best three-point shooting games of the season, and they led by as much as 27. The Rockets cut into the deficit to only make it a 16-point lead for the silver and black heading into the fourth. Even though the Rockets would try to keep pace, the Spurs’ offense was unstoppable. They led by as much as 30 and ultimately won 145-120.

Victor Wembanyama led the way with 29 points (9-13 FG, 9-10 FT), eight rebounds, four blocks, two steals, and one assist. From the start of the game, Wemby played like he was well rested. Having only played 22 minutes against the Clippers on Friday, the day of rest helped Wemby play 30 minutes and dominate. He shot 69% from the field and 90% from the free-throw line. He also locked down the paint and got deflections that resulted in steals. If Wemby ends up playing 65 games, it is safe to say that he is a lock for Defensive Player of the Year.

W3MBY! The first bucket for both teams comes from a pull-up three in the face of Alperen Sengun!

ARE YOU KIDDING?! Wemby tracks down his own missed three and puts it back up for the and-one!

Here’s another angle!

DO NOT GO IN THERE! Wemby pins Amen Thompson’s shot off the backboard and secures the rebound!

Just throw it up there! De’Aaron Fox crosses halfcourt and immediately lobs it up to Wemby for the alley-oop jam!

DO NOT GO IN THERE PART TWO! Wemby volleyball spikes Tari Eason’s shot in the paint!

W3MBY AT THE BUZZER! Wemby uses the pump fake and one dribble for the halftime buzzer-beating three!

Here’s another angle of the nothing but net buzzer-beater!

ARE YOU KIDDING PART TWO! Reminiscent of opening night against Dallas, Vic drives through the lane through contact for the reverse jam and-one!

How about another alternate angle for your viewing pleasure?

In the NBC postgame interview, Wemby was asked if he ever surprises himself. His answer? “I’m just out there freestylin’.”

Stephon Castle dropped 23 points (7-13 FG, 6-7 FT), five assists, and three rebounds. This is Steph’s first 20+ point game since February 19th against Phoenix. After a rough week shooting from the field, Steph took advantage of mismatches and drove into the paint with patience or took open midranges. He also splashed home three three-pointers. His young role as a two-way player continues to blossom, drawing the assignment of guarding Kevin Durant and taller forwards.

De’Aaron Fox dropped a double-double: 20 points (9-15 FG) and 10 assists to go along with two boards. Fox has been putting up at least 19 points in the last three games, and the last time he dished out double-digit assists was February 4th against OKC. This is also his 7th double-double of the season. Ever since the Pistons game, it seems like Fox has played a more aggressive style, as the playoffs continue to appear closer every game.

ACROBAT! Fox crosses over Sengun and finishes at the rim with a smooth reverse layup!

Another angle? Yes please!

Keldon Johnson dropped 20 points (8-13 FG, 4-7 3PT), two assists, and a rebound. This is KJ’s first 20-point game since February 11th against Golden State. He looked like the 6MOTY KJ Spurs fans have grown accustomed to watching. Shooting 61% from the field and four threes on 57% shooting, KJ could hardly miss. His infectious energy has infiltrated the rest of the rotation, as they have bought into the unselfishness and never-say-die spirit KJ brings to the court every game.

The Beautiful Game. Immaculate Spurs ball movement results in a wide-open KJ trey!

Dylan Harper dropped 19 points (8-12 FG, 3-4 3PT), six assists, and two rebounds. Dyl shot about 67% from the field and 75% from three. 17 of his 19 points came in the first half, as it seemed like he could not miss. Whether it was driving into the lane and finishing with ease or draining open threes, Dyl could not be slowed down. It is such a luxury to have an elite guard rotation where any one of Castle, Fox, or Harper could put up numbers on any given night and also dish out dimes all over the court.

Too fast! Dyl catches the ball in the corner and drives past Dorian Finney-Smith for the athletic one-handed slam!

All in all, this was another statement win by the silver and black. Beating a playoff team in the Rockets three out of four times is no fluke, and this win was the most dominant. The Spurs shot 58% from the field and 51% from three. It is hard to lose when your shooting is this efficient. Now having won 15 of their last 16 games, the Spurs are keeping pace with the OKC Thunder for the one seed. However, they face a tough schedule this week in the Celtics, Nuggets, and Hornets. Nonetheless, a performance that brought the best out of everyone is a great sign, as there is only one month left in the regular season.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to establish some positive momentum after Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Boston Celtics. Even though they’ll be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, going up against this version of the Philadelphia 76ers should help them.

The Sixers will be without their four best players: Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension), and VJ Edgecombe (back). Meanwhile, the Cavs are expected to have their starting lineup from yesterday available, even though Jarrett Allen (knee) still won’t be available.

We’ll see if the Cavs can take advantage of this.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (39-25) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (34-29)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Mon. March 9 at 7 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -13.5

Cavs injury report: Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Dean Wade – PROBABLE (ankle), Tyrese Proctor – OUT (quad), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League)

76ers injury report: Joel Embiid – OUT (oblique), Paul George – OUT (suspension), Tyrese Maxey – OUT (finger), Johni Broome – OUT (knee), VJ Edgecombe – OUT (back)

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

76ers expected starting lineup: Cameron Payne, Quintin Grimes, Kelly Oubre, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona

Previous matchup: The Cavs defeated the 76ers 117-115 on Jan. 16 on a last-second dunk from Evan Mobley.

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

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These are gloomy times for the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, and tonight’s visit to Cleveland to battle the Cavaliers won’t help their chances of climbing back above the play-in line.

Tyrese Maxey’s finger injury means he’ll join Joel Embiid and Paul George on the sidelines here. My 76ers vs. Cavaliers predictions expect Evan Mobley to help Cleveland cash in.

Take a closer look at this March 9 clash with my free NBA picks.

76ers vs Cavaliers prediction

76ers vs Cavaliers best bet: Evan Mobley Over 26.5 points + rebounds (-115)

It’s a simple equation, really. No Joel Embiid for Philadelphia plus no Jarrett Allen for Cleveland equals a monster night for Evan Mobley.

Mobley finished with 24 points and eight rebounds in yesterday’s loss to the Celtics, and I’m counting on similar production here in the starting center role. 

He’s off to a bright start in March, with 19.7 PPG and 8.7 RPG, and there’s room to push those numbers up against a Philadelphia 76ers team that’ll be turning to backups for big minutes tonight. 

Mobley posted a 17-13 line in Philly last month.

76ers vs Cavaliers same-game parlay

If Mobley feasts, he’ll surely have James Harden to thank for some of his buckets. "The Beard" has nailed this assists Over in three of his last five home games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won six of the past seven meetings between these teams, so I’ll round out my SGP with the hosts’ moneyline.

Cleveland is 21-12 SU at Rocket Arena this season, and the 76ers are in a tough spot without Maxey. 

76ers vs Cavaliers SGP

• Evan Mobley Over 26.5 points + rebounds
• James Harden Over 8.5 assists
• Cavs moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Let Kelly cook

When the 76ers are fully healthy, Kelly Oubre Jr. might be the fifth or sixth scoring option, but he’ll have the keys at times tonight.

He’s coming off a 24-5-4 stat line at the weekend, and he’s a prime candidate to absorb some of the shots vacated by Maxey. 

76ers vs Cavaliers SGP

• Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 18.5 points
• Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 2.5 assists
• Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 4.5 rebounds
• Over 227

76ers vs Cavaliers odds

• Spread: 76ers +13.5 | Cavaliers -13.5
• Moneyline: 76ers +530 | Cavaliers -770
• Over/Under: Over 226.5 | Under 226.5

76ers vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

The Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch 76ers vs Cavaliers

76ers vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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May 5, 2018.

That was the last time I had even the slightest inclination that the Sixers might have the upper hand against the Boston Celtics. That was the date of the infamous “Confetti Game” in the Eastern Conference Semifinals when the Sixers hosted Boston. An eventual overtime loss for the Sixers gave way to a 3-0 series hole and ultimately a gentleman’s sweep in a five-game loss.

Even a handful of years later when the Sixers held a 3-2 series lead against the Celtics in the East semis, I never had a shred of confidence that the Sixers could get it done. An embarrassing Game 6 loss at home in a would-be closeout situation led to an embarrassing no-show loss on Mother’s Day up in Boston in Game 7. Fast forward a year later and the Celtics had won their second title of the 21st century while the Sixers continued to be allergic to the Eastern Conference Finals.

That brings us to the 2026 campaign. After some fleeting moments of joy this season, the Sixers are cratering. Joel Embiid once again has a prolonged absence. Tyrese Maxey just suffered a hand injury that will keep him out of the lineup for the time being and VJ Edgecombe is banged up as well. They have stumbled down the standings and currently sit as a Play-In team. As Mick Jagger once sang, “All the dreams were held so close, seemed to all go up in smoke.” That sums up the colossal disappointment of this era of Sixers basketball.

Conversely, everything is coming up Celtics. Jaylen Brown is having a career-best year in his age-29 season, dropping almost 29 points per night while guiding Boston to the No. 2 seed in the East. On Friday night, six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum returned to the lineup after an Achilles injury that had previously kept him sidelined all season. Tatum is settling in, putting up 15 points on Friday against Dallas and 20 points on Sunday against Cleveland, both Boston wins.

Let me guess how the next couple of months play out… Tatum gets his legs under him and Boston starts rolling. The Sixers scrape their way through the Play-In Tournament only for Boston to annihilate them in the first round. Shortly after, the Celtics will roll their way to their third Finals appearance in five seasons.

It sucks! It all sucks!

The Sixers’ pendulum has swung back to mediocrity and I can’t foresee them getting unstuck from there anytime soon.

In a surprising move, the Nets declined to give Grant Nelson a second 10-day contract, league sources told the Post.

Rebuilding Brooklyn is reshuffling the roster in talent-acquisition mode, and Nelson appeared to fit the bill.

After the Nets took a record five first-round picks in June, they scooped up Nelson after the draft as a sixth rookie.

Following early season injury woes that hampered his progress in the G League, the 23-year-old Nelson came on strong with Long Island and earned his initial 10-day deal with Brooklyn on Feb. 27.

In four games with the Nets, Nelson averaged 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks, shooting .556 percent overall and .700 from the foul line.

In a 106-102 loss to Cleveland on March 1, Nelson had 11 points, four boards and three blocks in just over 20 minutes against the Cavaliers.

He finished with six stocks -— steals and blocks combined — in 29 minutes, showing mobility and defensive energy. But apparently not enough to stick around.

“(He’s) a very good basketball player,” Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez said of Nelson over the weekend. “Everything he does, he does it well. He doesn’t over-dribble or try to do too much. Everything is efficient.

“His size is great. He’s a multi-positional defender, very good playmaker, fast. All of those things have been very good. It translates to this level … We’ll have to discuss and see what the next move going forward is.”

Nelson’s next move could be back to Long Island, with the Nets’ affiliate still holding his G League rights and for the run-in before their playoffs.

But any NBA team can sign Nelson, should they want.

Brooklyn now has an open roster spot. They’ve reached the deadline to convert two-way players to standard deals, but the Nets certainly could simply call up two-way forward Chaney Johnson, who has played well of late.

I’ll get the usual caveats out of the way first. It’s just one game. It’s the regular season. The playoffs are a different animal. We shouldn’t get carried away.

“Weren’t you the guy sitting here this time last week after the Knicks loss telling us not to get too high or low about anything right now?”

Yes. Correct. Fair point.

Okay. Have we done that? Are we good? Have we done our acknowledgements? Have we given our quick nod to mortality?

Good.

Because I’m starting to think things I probably shouldn’t. Starting to feel things I didn’t expect to feel for a while. Starting to remember things I’d kind of forgotten.

We’re at that point where the endgame of the season can only break a few different ways.

Maybe it ends in heartbreak. A hard fought playoff series against a really good opponent who just has one or two more answers than we do. A break here or there that we don’t get. A shot that goes in and suddenly we’re all laying on the floor absolutely spent because we can’t believe what just happened actually happened.

Something to add to the Ray Allen folder we keep in the attic and only open when a national TV broadcast rudely blindsides us with it.

That’s on the table now. We’re in range. That kind of pain is part of the table stakes for the game we’re now playing.

We could also find ourselves a few weeks from now sitting here feeling a little sheepish about getting out over our skis back in March. Some version where the season ends with a 4-1 or 4-2 series loss to a team that simply outclasses the Spurs. Maybe they have more experience. Maybe our guys wobble just a little under the pressure.

Not a meltdown. Just a wobble. A cartoon Coyote who has run off the edge of the cliff and is only able to keep running until he accidentally looks down and realizes where he is.

With a team this young, it would be naive, maybe even a little irresponsible, not to at least acknowledge that possibility. A group with this little playoff experience being dropped straight into the fire.

We don’t have to dwell on it. We just have to, you know, give it a nod.

Because.

Because the other possibility is here now too.

Loud. Present. Practically shouting in our faces. Like a toddler who is up at 6:00 AM even though their parent’s body clock insists it’s still 5:00.

This team can win the whole thing.

They can play with anyone. They can beat anyone. They can get this thing done and, for as many reasons as there are that it might not happen, at this point there are just as many reasons that it might.

Which is wild.

Like, genuinely wild.

When the Spurs made their first championship run, I was ten years old. When I really think about it, that playoff run might be one of the earliest memories I have where every detail still feels as vivid as if it happened yesterday.

Fiesta was happening in April and the whole city felt like it was on tilt. If you weren’t partying, you were watching the Spurs. If you weren’t watching the Spurs, you were talking about the Spurs.

Every other car had one of those little plastic flags clipped to the window. Homemade posters and signs hung off front porches. Giant “Go Spurs Go” banners flapped off the sides of buildings. I remember driving down Austin Highway and seeing all those tents selling bootleg merch. I remember marveling at the massive Spurs flag out on 410 that I’m pretty sure Body Solutions put up. Remember Body Solutions? The weight loss supplement? Good times.

This was a ten year old’s brain, mind you, but it felt like I went to bed every night thinking about the Spurs and woke up every morning feeling like it was Christmas because I got to go out into the world and be a Spurs fan.

We went to a game against the Jazz during that run where we absolutely waxed those nerds. Tim had 36 and basically stuffed Karl Malone in a locker. John Stockton kept bricking threes and the crowd reacted like his pants had fallen down while he stepped on a rake.

I still have these really tangible sense memories of sitting in the Alamodome that night. The sounds, the smells, the colors. Fiesta colors popping against the white uniforms. The deep vivid blue of that weird curtain that separated the stadium. Asking my dad who Johnny Moore was. During timeouts they kept playing “Hey Macarena” even though that trend was about four years too late. Didn’t matter. We ate it up.

Mostly I remember how happy everyone was. Just pure joy. We were acting like fools because we were fools in love. I’d never been part of something bigger than myself before and it felt like my brain suddenly opening up to a wider world.

The Spurs were 9-0 at home during April and something like 13-2 overall. I was too young to care whether the national media was saying “This Spurs team has arrived” or not.

As a ten year old experiencing an unprecedented level of sports bliss, I probably couldn’t have explained any of that. But even if I didn’t have the words for it yet, I could tell we were standing on the edge of something special.

Watching this team come back from the Rodeo Road Trip and play in front of these rocking home crowds has got me feeling some type of way. It’s loud in there, y’all. It feels like a party. Limbs flying around after every bucket. “Olé” songs breaking out like it’s a soccer match. Every single cut to the crowd showing people with those “just can’t help it” grins plastered all over their faces.

The energy in that building feels insane. Even through the TV you can feel it. Watching the games lately has been this constant burst of color and light and sound that elevates everything happening on the floor to a level I was simply not prepared for.

As I’m reminded on a daily basis, I am no longer ten years old. I’ve experienced a lot more of the world since then. I’ve been in love and had my heart broken. I’ve lived in different cities. I’ve started a family. It’s the most cliché thing in the world but, you know, life has a way of just sort of happening when you aren’t even paying attention.

Life kept moving.

And somewhere along the way the Spurs kept happening too. I watched them win more championships than that ten year old version of me could have possibly imagined. I watched Manu turn back the clock and dunk on Chris Bosh. I watched Tim Duncan walk off the floor for the last time. I watched the whole thing slowly wind down. I even watched the Spurs bottom out to the point where I wasn’t really watching anymore.

You accumulate a lot of context along the way. A lot of scar tissue. The older you get, the harder it becomes to let yourself feel things the way you did when you were a kid. Logistically, it simply can’t matter as much as it did back then. You become cautious. Analytical. You start protecting yourself a little bit. There’s other stuff going on. Life’s out there happening, right?

And yet.

Right now the building is shaking again. Victor is coming into his own. The team is playing like they’ve been together for years. Dunks bring the house down. Threes send people over the edge. There’s no deficit we can’t come back from. There’s no opponent we can’t run out of the gym. The music is loud. The party is constant.

You’ve got the crowd randomly deciding to start chanting “CAR-TER BRY-ANT” just because he’s our dude and we simply must chant for him. We’re losing our minds.

We’re fools in love.

I’m just noticing, is all I’m saying.

My knees hurt more than they used to, but the colors are starting to feel pretty vivid again.

Takeaways:

– Here’s a freakin’ takeaway, the Spurs are good! Watch this dunk!

• Here’s another freakin’ takeway, we got 7’5’ Steph Curry on the team, we’re never losing again, watch this three:

• One more freakin’ takeaway, my guy sent that joint to a different universe!

• The offense is absolutely humming right now. I don’t know how sustainable it is but, man, when the Spurs are moving the ball like this it feels like they’re capable of setting the world on fire. Thirty-eight assists is a lot! It’s one of the best vital signs you can check when you’re trying to figure out how good this team can actually be. Even just watching the game you can tell when they hit that flow state. The ball is constantly bopping around and it’s not just one person leading the charge, everybody is involved and everybody is trying to find the best shot for the team. It’s unselfish, it’s beautiful, and it’s about as fun as basketball gets.
• When this one ended I walked away thinking Devin Vassell had a really good game. He’s been on such a great run lately and it just felt like another example of how well he’s been playing. Then I checked the box score this morning and saw he went 0-6 from the field, which honestly surprised me because I still feel like he was really good last night. He was facilitating the offense, he demands respect from opposing defenses, and he was working hard on the defensive end. Sometimes guys can impact the game even when the shot isn’t falling, and Vassell feels like he’s reached that point in his development. I don’t know man, I’m just some dummy on the internet but I think Devin Vassell is pretty great.
• Just saying this now so we can start preparing for it it, but the Spurs are going to play the Celtics in the finals and its going to be annoyinggggggggggggggggggggggg.

WWL Post Game Press Conference

– Felt like a big swing here, bringing up old childhood memories and what not. Are you worried about maybe pressing the “Nostalgia Memories” button too early here?

– Like, is this the right time for it?

– Right, is this maybe one you want to save for the playoffs?

– I think, look, if you have the shot then you take it. That’s the mentality here. You can’t count on it coming back around. I had something to say so I said it. I have to trust that, should the Spurs find themselves in the playoffs or, Lord willing, a situation where they win some big games down the road, that I will have something to say then as well.

– Are you worried about a jinx?

– A jinx? You’re asking me about jinxes? I’m never worried about a jinx, get out of here with that. Everything I write is steps to success. Some nights you get some nostalgia bait, some nights you get 900 words on pick‑and‑roll coverage. It’s not jinx; it’s process.

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A new week of NBA action tips off with some awesome matchups, including Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks visiting the Los Angeles Clippers.

I’ve got NBA player prop bets for both of those All-Stars and more in my NBA picks for Monday, March 9.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Nikola Jokic	Over 12.5 rebounds	-110
Kyle Filipowski	Double-Double	+155
Jalen Brunson	Over 2.5 threes	+110

Prop #1: Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds

-110 at bet365

This is about as straightforward a bet as you can get. The Oklahoma City Thunder are great, but they aren’t perfect.

OKC ranks 23rd in rebounding rate and will be without Isaiah Hartenstein, while Chet Holmgren is questionable due to an illness. And I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but the Denver Nuggets have this guy who’s pretty good at rebounding named Nikola Jokic. 

The two-time MVP is averaging 12.5 rebounds per game this season and has hauled down 13 or more boards nine times over this last 14 games.

Let's not overthink this. Jokic. Rebounds. Over.

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

Prop #2: Kyle Filipowski double-double

+155 at bet365

The number of injuries for both teams means tonight’s matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz is for true NBA nerds.

Injuries mean opportunities. And the Jazz’s Kyle Filipowski is making the most of his.

Filipowski has started the last nine games for the Jazz and is averaging 14.7 points and 8.4 rebounds over that stretch. He’s also hauled down 11 or more boards in three straight games.

The Dubs rank 22nd in rebounding rate, and Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford are both out. 

This looks like a great spot to back Filipowski to record another double-double.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSBA, KJZZ

Prop #3: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes

+110 at bet365

The New York Knicks can be an infuriating team. Sometimes they look like the best team in the East. Then they turn over the ball 19 times and get blown out by the Lakers.

But one thing you can always count on is Jalen Brunson, and the Knicks’ star point guard has been on fire from beyond the arc. Brunson is shooting 40.4% from three on 5.7 attempts over his last 10 games.

Bruns has hit three or more threes in five of his last 10 games, and tonight, he faces a Los Angeles Clippers team that ranks 24th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage. 

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

It's conference tournament time in men's college basketball.

A few teams capped off historic regular season finishes and are looking to finish with a championship win before heading into the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament. Miami (Ohio), ranked No. 20 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, became the third team to ever enter its conference tournament with a 31-0 record, joining Wichita State and Kentucky.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness teams rising, falling in NCAA Tournament bracket predictions

The RedHawks' undefeated season should be enough for them to reach March Madness, even if they fail to win the MAC tournament. They'll certainly be on or close to the bubble in that scenario, though.

Duke, Arizona and Michigan, ranked Nos. 1-3 in the latest poll, respectively, all finished with two losses on the regular season and take winning streaks into their respective conference tournaments. The national championship favorites are looking to add a conference title before potentially winning it all in March Madness.

Here's a look at the updated USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for men's college basketball:

College basketball rankings for March 9

First-place votes in parentheses.

USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

1. Duke (28)
2. Arizona (3)
3. Michigan
4. Florida
5. Houston
6. UConn
7. Iowa State
8. Michigan State
9. Illinois
10. Nebraska
11. Virginia
12. Gonzaga
13. St. John's
14. Texas Tech
15. Alabama
16. Kansas
17. Arkansas
18. Purdue
19. North Carolina
20. Miami (Ohio)
21. Saint Mary's
22. Vanderbilt
23. Wisconsin
24. Louisville
25. Miami (Florida)

Others receiving votes: Villanova 27; Tennessee 22; Saint Louis 9; UCLA 6; Georgia 6; Utah State 3; Ohio State 2; BYU 2;

AP Top 25 poll

1. Duke (56)
2. Arizona (4)
3. Michigan (1)
4. Florida
5. Houston
6. UConn
7. Iowa State
8. Michigan State
9. Illinois
10. Virginia
11. Nebraska
12. Gonzaga
13. St. John's
14. Kansas
15. Alabama
16. Texas Tech
17. Arkansas
18. Purdue
19. North Carolina
20. Miami (Ohio)
21. Saint Mary's
22. Vanderbilt
23. Wisconsin
24. Louisville
25. Tennessee

Others receiving votes: Miami (Florida) 60; TCU 19; BYU 18; Saint Louis 12; High Point 11; Georgia 10; Villanova 10; UCLA 3; VCU 3; Stephen F. Austin 2; Utah State 2; Ohio State 2; Missouri 2; Akron 1;

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Men's college basketball rankings: Updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25

If the Lakers were going to convince anyone they were serious, then wins against actually good teams were going to have to come. Prior to Sunday, the Lakers faltered time after time when given the opportunity to beat a contender, including very recently in Denver.

In beating the Knicks, then, they not only put together a strong performance in a wire-to-wire win, but they did so against one of the Eastern Conference’s best sides which was playing at a high level. Coming into the game, they had won 16 of the last 21 contests.

No matter how you slice it, it was a big win.

“I feel like we’re doing some really good things and we still have room for improvement, but tonight was a good step in the right direction,” Austin Reaves said. “They’re a really good team. I think they told me out there that they average 117 [points]. To hold a team to 97 points of that caliber just shows our grittiness that we’ve come to enjoy to do on the defensive end.”

As Reaves notes, not only was it a big win, but the way they did it was important, too. Not often this year have they won a game on the back of their defense.

On top of that, this was a Knicks team fresh off a dominant win in Denver on Friday, a team the Lakers came up just short against.

“It’s a pretty awesome win,” Luka Dončić said. “They just beat the Nuggets by 40, so I think it’s a pretty big win for us. It’ll give us a lot of confidence moving forward.”

This is also to say nothing of the fact that the Knicks handed the Lakers a pretty frustrating loss in New York earlier this season, which was also something very much on the minds of the team as well.

“A very big win,” Jaxson Hayes said. “I mean, obviously, any wins a big win in this league. It’s a very hard league to play in. I just feel like we owed them that one, at least, for New York. We lost bad in New York, got punked by them in New York, so we just needed to get that one back.”

No matter how you slice it, the Lakers picked up a big win on Sunday. The challenge now will be to build on Sunday’s win and not make it an aberration.

LA will immediately have a chance to do it again on Tuesday. We’ll quickly find out how serious they will be moving forward.

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