Coming off their 50th win of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Spurs traveled to Sacramento on a SEGABABA to take on the Kings for the final time this season. Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet returned from injury, but Devin Vassell was ruled out with ankle soreness. Nonetheless, from the opening tip, the Spurs quickly built a double-digit lead and never relinquished it. After building a 17-point lead after the first quarter, the lead ballooned to 31 at halftime. In the third, the Kings kept a scoring pace to match the Spurs, but the 31-point deficit did not change at the end of the quarter. No matter who checked in for the Spurs, they were on an absolute heater. 13 Spurs players scored at least one point, and altogether they drained a franchise-record 25 three-pointers. The Spurs ultimately won in a wire-to-wire domination, 132-104.

Victor Wembanyama led the way with 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a block. Wemby shot 50% from the field and only played 22 minutes due to the blowout. Nonetheless, he still managed to swat Maxime Raynaud. He drove to the paint with ease and picked his spots in the post for smooth mid-range jumpers and threes. With only 13 games left in the regular season, Wemby will look to cement his MVP case alongside his lock for DPOY.

LOOK OUT BELOW! Wemby gets Raynaud in the air and drives in through three Kings defenders for a two-handed slam!

Just throw it up there! De’Aaron Fox and Wemby run the p&r, and it results in an alley-oop slam!

DEJA VU! Another p&r, another alley-oop connection between Fox and Wemby!

Keldon Johnson led the way with 18 points (8-12 FG), one rebound, and an assist. KJ managed to score efficiently and co-led the scoring punch with Wemby in just 20 minutes. He drained two threes and battled in the paint for his finishes at the rim. After scoring just eight points against the Clippers, this bounce-back game from KJ will hope to spark his scoring off the bench with only 13 games remaining.

Julian Champagnie dropped 17 points (5-7 3PT), one rebound, and an assist in just 24 minutes. Julian was on fire from the three-point line. His five threes are his most since March 6th against the Clippers, and it was much needed after his last two games. Because of Dev’s injury, Julian started at small forward and found himself open on multiple threes. This blazing performance is only a smidge of how dangerous he can be from three the rest of the way.

Harrison Barnes dropped 16 points (4-5 3PT), four rebounds, and three assists in just 22 minutes. HB started in place of Dev, and like Julian, he was also on fire from three. His four threes are his most scored in a game since February 5th against Dallas. Playing against the Kings may have had something to do with his aggressiveness. The time off from his sprained ankle has allowed him to play freely, as he is shooting 53% from three during the month of March. His scoring will be a huge x-factor for this team, especially when he returns to the bench.

UNC STILL GOT IT! Stephon Castle finds a wide open HB under the basket, who then slams it down!

De’Aaron Fox dropped 15 points (3-5 3PT), six assists, five rebounds, and a steal. With the return of Dyl, Fox was able to garner more rest and be patient with his looks. In just 22 minutes, Fox drained three threes and got into the paint with floaters and layups. Even though it was not an offensive explosion, Fox still played with an edge against his former team. Fox has started every game he has played with the Spurs, and he will look to help command the floor with Steph as the season draws near towards the playoffs.

D3’AARON! After Wemby rejects Raynaud on one end, he finds Fox open on the wing for the trey!

Dylan Harper dropped 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3PT), five assists, and four rebounds in just 20 minutes off the bench. Dyl came back from injury and wowed on offense. His playmaking led the second unit as the Spurs’ lead kept growing throughout the game. He also drained three threes, which is his most since March 8th against the Rockets. The 20-year-old will look to continue his All-Rookie charge as his talent will continue to elevate this contending team.

TEAM FIRE ENABLED! Dyl knocks down the open three off the tip-out for the team’s 22nd three-pointer of the game!

Lindy Waters III dropped 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists in 23 minutes off the bench. Lindy checked into the game during the second quarter and immediately showed why he is a hidden three-point specialist. He scored in double figures for the first time this season and drained three threes, which is also a season-high. Mitch Johnson’s decision to play Lindy and Kelly Olynyk shows that whoever is on the Spurs’ bench should be ready at any time, and it paid off with the hot shooting Lindy provided. Oh yeah, he’s also got some hops!

Stephon Castle dropped 3 points, a rebound, a block, but dished out 12 assists. Steph struggled from the field, but of all the games to struggle shooting, this was the one that could be excused. He still managed to drain one of the 25 threes the Spurs splashed, and his playmaking vision was on full tilt. He is the first Spur with 12 assists and 0 turnovers since Chris Paul. It is the fifth time he’s dished out double-digit assists this month, and he will continue to co-lead playmaking duties with Fox as one of the fastest-paced offenses continues to roll.

Lob City Dimer! Steph finds a wide-open Luke Kornet cutting to the basket for the alley-oop slam! Luke returned from injury and dropped four points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

All in all, this was a take-care-of-business game. This young team, especially early on in the season, has had a mediocre habit of playing down to its competition. However, this game reminded Spurs fans of their game against the 76ers. Wire-to-wire, the Spurs literally shot the lights out of the Golden 1 Center. To win your 51st game of the season by breaking the franchise record of most threes scored in a game with 25 proves that this team has the ability to not settle. A total team domination.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs return home to take on the Phoenix Suns this Thursday at 7:00 P.M. (CST) on FDSN-SW.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Warriors fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Golden State Warriors have been on a collision course with the 2026 play-in tournament for a long time. They’ve occupied one of the 7-10 spots in the Western Conference for most of the season, but for the first few months held visions of rising into the top six. Jimmy Butler III’s ACL injury saw those dreams come to a heartbreaking halt, and Steph Curry’s ensuing runner’s knee injury has sent the Dubs in a downward spiral. But they had banked enough wins — and the cellar dwellers in the West had banked enough losses — that their spot in the play-in tournament was all but assured.

Even with their recent skid, the Warriors are a full 9.5 games ahead of the first team out. With just 14 games left to play, you can be assured that the Dubs will have an 83rd game this season.

But will they have an 84th? And an 85th? That’s the real question.

If the season ended today, the Warriors would host the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the play-in tournament. If they won that game, they’d go on the road to play the loser of a game between the LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns. The odds would not favor the Warriors getting out of that tourney, but if Curry and Kristaps Porziņģis are healthy — two very large “ifs,” admittedly — I wouldn’t bet against them.

What would really help Golden State is if they could rise up a spot, and pass the Clippers in the play-in standings. They’re just one game behind LA presently, so that’s very much in play, especially if Curry returns soon.

So what do you think, Dub Nation. Will we see the Warriors advance to the honest-to-goodness playoffs, and get a seven-game series with one of the West’s elite? Or will they fizzle and burn in the play-in tournament?

There is a question that has followed this team all season, one that keeps resurfacing and never quite finds resolution. Should Collin Gillespie start when everyone is healthy?

It is a fair question, and one we still do not have a clean answer to. Not because the sample size is lacking, but because the opportunity to truly evaluate it has never fully existed. Health has been the constant variable, shifting lineups, changing roles, and preventing any real continuity from forming. Every time it feels like the Suns are close to finding that rhythm, something interrupts it. 

This conversation first picked up when Jalen Green was working his way back from the hamstring injury earlier in the season. There was a window where you thought, okay, now we will see what this looks like. Then came the setback. Then came the extended absence. 48 games gone, and with it, any chance at clarity.

Now the conversation returns in a different form. Dillon Brooks is out. Devin Booker and Jalen Green are both available. And so Gillespie remains in the starting lineup, continuing to log minutes, continuing to show what he brings. But the offense has changed. It’s a three-guard lineup that should really only be starting two. There isn’t enough opportunity for all three to be the best versions of themselves offensively, and when two of the three combine for $86.7 million in payroll, the guy making $2.3 million gets squeezed out. 

Just look at the numbers. Prior to Jalen Green’s return to the starting lineup on February 19, Gillespie was averaging 13.3 points on 10.7 attempts per night. In 28.3 minutes, he found his rhythm and had shooting splits of 43/42/85. Then there was the period from February 19 to March 3, a time when Green and Gillespie were the backcourt as Booker was out with injury. Gillespie averaged 16.2 points in 33.2 minutes played on 43/42/83 splits.

Since March 3, when Devin Booker made his return, and the Suns consistently started their three-guard lineup of Booker, Green, and Gillespie, the numbers have started to dip. 9.9 points on 37/37/100 splits. But it is the last four games that really spark concern, as the offense has shifted to a more Booker/Green dominant brand of basketball. Collin is averaging 4.8 points on 7.8 shots, doing so on 23/21/100 splits. Is this regression? Or is this causation? 

It brings you right back to the same question. When everyone is available, what is the right role for Collin Gillespie? Does he stay in the starting group and continue to be that connective piece, or does he shift to the bench and become the stabilizer for the second unit? It is a question without a final answer. At least not yet.

Dillon Brooks is still out, and even on the optimistic end, it will be a couple more weeks before we see him again. That part of the equation is clear. When he is back, someone becomes the odd man out. Well, unless the Suns want to go so small that they might now be legally permitted to ride Space Mountain.

What has changed is the dynamic around Collin Gillespie. As Devin Booker and Jalen Green have ramped up their scoring and expanded their shot diet, Gillespie has naturally faded into the background. It is not hard to see why. When you share the floor with two high-use guards, the opportunities shrink. The ball finds you less. 

So the question you are asking is a logical one. Why not shift him to the bench now? Why not insert Grayson Allen into the starting lineup (when healthy) and let Gillespie run the second unit, where his skill set might shine more consistently? Because there is a real argument for it.

Allen gives you spacing and volume shooting alongside Booker and Green, which could open things up even more offensively. Gillespie, on the other hand, thrives with the ball in his hands, organizing, connecting, making decisions. That version of him is harder to access when he is the third option sharing the floor with two primary scorers. He’s not someone you stick in the corner, nor should he be.

The counter, and it is an important one, is what Gillespie does that does not always show up in the box score. He keeps the offense connected. He makes the right read. He helps maintain structure. Coaches value that, especially in starting groups where early tone matters.

So it becomes a philosophical decision. Do you prioritize spacing and scoring in the starting lineup with Allen, or do you prioritize connectivity and control with Gillespie? Right now, the numbers and the recent trend suggest there is a case to explore the shift. Let Gillespie cook with the second unit. Let Allen stretch the floor with the starters. At the very least, it is a lever worth pulling, especially during a stretch where the Suns are still searching for balance.

When everyone is healthy, which might only be for a handful of games before the postseason arrives, Collin Gillespie is going to the bench. That is the right move for this team. With Devin Booker and Jalen Green in the backcourt, and Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale holding down the forward spots, regardless of who starts at center, Gillespie becomes the odd man out. And that is okay.

He has already shown what he can do. He can carry a scoring load. He can run an offense. He can be a primary distributor. But when you have that much investment in your backcourt, those are the players who are going to start. That is how this league works. The role Gillespie was brought in to fill was backup point guard. So while he is searching for rhythm in a lineup where touches are limited, and the team is still dealing with injuries, there is value in leaning into what his role will actually be moving forward. Let him come off the bench. Let him run the second unit. Let him get comfortable being the guy with the ball in his hands.

You can start that now.

Grayson Allen fits cleanly with the starters. He spaces the floor. He is the ideal corner option when Booker or Green collapses the defense and needs an outlet. He thrives in that environment. Gillespie can do some of that, but his skill set is better utilized when he is initiating, when he is orchestrating, when he has a higher usage, and the freedom to create for others. 

Right now, that usage is not there. Earlier in the season, it sat around 16.9%. During this recent stretch where he has been less involved offensively, it has dipped to 11.7%. That is not where he is most effective. So lean into it. Let him run the bench unit. Let him find his rhythm in the role he is most likely to have when the games matter most.

If the Suns want to do anything this postseason, if there is any real noise to be made, Collin Gillespie has to be a primary cog. He has shown that all season. He has the ability to organize, to score, to create, to steady a unit that needs direction. There is something there, something that can matter when the games tighten, and every possession carries weight. And it is going to have to come from the bench.

So why wait?

Why not lean into that role now? Get him comfortable. Let him understand the sets he will see, the rhythm he will play with, and the responsibility he will carry. Give him the keys to the second unit and let him operate. Let him cook against opposing benches. There is no better time than the present to start building that version of him, the one this team is going to need when the postseason arrives.

…and hey, if Grayson is out, you can throw Rasheer into the starting lineup here and there…

The Long Island Nets returned to the court on Tuesday, March 17, for a rematch with one of the NBA G League’s top teams, the Osceola Magic. The last time on the court, Long Island didn’t fare well, as they fell to Osceola by 20 points. Despite some early top-flight play from their newest signing, Javon Freeman-Liberty, Long Island once again fell to Osceola, this time 129-109.

With the loss, the Nets remained in sixth place in the East with five games to go. Eight teams make the post-season which begins March 31.

Long Island remained without the three Brooklyn Nets two-way players — EJ Liddell, Chaney Johnson, and Tyson Etienne — as all three try to leave a lingering mark with the big club. Long Island was also without Malachi Smith, who’s still on his 10-day contract with Brooklyn, and without any of the Flatbush 5 members as well. So, it’s safe to say that this was slim pickings for Long Island, to say the least. However, there was one bright light in the G League darkness: Freeman-Liberty.

Despite the loss and little time to study up on the Nets schemes, he scored 17 points in 30 minutes, hitting 7-of-17 overall and 3-of-8 from deep. He even made a little history…

The 6’4” 26-year-old Freeman-Liberty was picked up off waivers earlier this week. He most recently appeared in nine games for the Brisbane Bullets during the 2025-26 NBL season. He averaged 13.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 steals in 28.5 minutes per contest. Last season in his time in the NBA, he played in 19 NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament and 22 regular season games, starting 14, averaging 20.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 34.7 minutes per game. In another words, he’s a bucket.

Freeman-Liberty is now the Long Island the player with the most NBA experience. He has played 22 NBA games, including six starts, with the Toronto Raptors. At the NBA level, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 18.3 minutes per game.

Fun fact about VFL: After winning the Illinois state championship with Chicago scholastic powerhouse Whitney Young, he had hoped to repeat in 2018. But Young lost to Belleville West High School whose stars were E.J. Liddell and Malachi Smith.

Another Nets newbie, Alex Schumacher, stepped up as well for the depleted. The 25-year-old 6’3” shooting guard out of Seattle scored 18 points in his best game. Schumacher just returned from a FIBA Europe qualifying tournament where he represented Switzerland and averaged 13.5 points in four games.

Next Up

The Long Island Nets (18-13) return to their home court on Thursday night, March 19th, for a showdown with their old friend Kendall Brown and the Maine Celtics. This was a game that was originally supposed to be played in February but had to be rescheduled due to snow. It also marks the Brooklyn Nets’ affiliation night, so some Brooklyn presence is certainly expected. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA G League website and the Gotham Sports app.

For some college basketball fans, filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket can be a gradual process. Initial picks are made on Selection Sunday, and then they're adjusted as the week progresses, with deliberation about certain teams and games occurring right up until first-round action officially begins on Thursday, March 19.

This might be what's happening to artificial intelligence as well. After USA TODAY Sports initially asked Microsoft Copilot's AI chatbot to run a simulation of every game in the Men's NCAA Tournament bracket on Selection Sunday, another attempt three days later produced the same champion, a mostly chalk Final Four and several additional upsets.

Houston remains Microsoft Copilot's pick to emerge as the national champion in 2026 and it projects as the only non-No. 1 seed to make the Final Four, according to this simulation. However, AI did predict six double-digit seeds to pull off upsets and advance past the first round this year. That's five more than what it projected on Selection Sunday.

Here's a complete look at how Microsoft Copilot's AI chatbot predicted every game in the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament bracket:

Jayson Tatum leaned on family during one of the toughest times in his career.

The Boston Celtics' six-time All-Star’s right Achilles tendon ruptured during Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks on May 12, 2025.

Tatum mentioned that he stayed at his mom’s house during a part of his recovery.

"She’s set a good foundation for my life and helped me become the basketball player that I am," Tatum told USA TODAY. "To have her be a part of the off-the-court things that I'm doing is important."

Louisville basketball will be without star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. for its Men's NCAA Tournament first round game against 11-seed South Florida on Thursday in Buffalo.

If the Cardinals are to win, Brown will also miss Saturday's second round game, the school announced Wednesday. The winner of Louisville/South Florida plays the winner of Michigan State/North Dakota State.

Upset alert: Ranking 8 most likely upsets in March Madness first round

Expert picks: Predictions for 2026 March Madness bracket

Brown has been dealing with a nagging back injury, but Cardinals coach Pat Kelsey said Monday, March 16 that Brown had “made great progress” leading up to this week.

Brown, a projected 2026 NBA draft lottery pick, averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists per game this season, but last played Feb. 28. He's missed 11 games this season.

It's a major blow for the Cardinals, who are reliant on the star point guard.

Louisville enters March Madness with a 7-5 record with Brown on the bench vs. a 16-5 record when he plays. Per CBBAnalytics.com, it averages 6.4 fewer points per 40 minutes (88.1 vs. 81.7) and shoots 4.8% worse from beyond the arc (38.2% vs. 33.4%) when he's not on the court.

Kelsey said Brown reaggravated the back injury, which initially surfaced in mid-December, by taking some hard falls during a Feb. 23 loss at then-No. 19 North Carolina.

Brown told reporters at the ACC Tournament he was "starting to get there. I'm slowly progressing; I'm slowly doing more day in and day out, just trying to get a feel for it. But, obviously, like coach said, the plan is: I'll come back when I'm 100%."

When asked, "Are you 100% positive that you’ll be back for the NCAA Tournament?" He replied, "Right now, I’m just focused on my rehab more than anything. When the time feels right, I'm going to talk to the coaching staff; and we’re going to come to an agreement."

Will Mikel Brown Jr. play vs South Florida in March Madness?

The Louisville star freshman has been ruled out for Thursday's first round game against the Bulls. And if the Cardinals are to advance, he won't play in the second round game either.

March Madness schedule: When is Louisville vs South Florida?

• Time/day: 1:30 p.m., Thursday
• TV: TNT

Louisville Courier-Journal reporter Brooks Holton contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mikel Brown Jr injury update: Louisville star out first two rounds

Turns out tankers are not only tankers, but also bad-as-hell buncha guys.

The Knicks trounced the Pacers, and the best is yet to come as they 1) were without JB and 2) next face the Nets.

Forgive me for the lack of multimedia bits today, but X is down right now. Cold world.

Mike Brown

On helping players find their rhythm whether they’re scoring or not:

“More than anything else, you hope that everyone’s playing the right way. So if my shot’s not falling, what does that mean? Maybe I try to get to the rim, or I try to go get an offensive rebound, or I try to get out in transition and get an easy one just to see it go in. So those types of things you hope guys realize and try to embrace to help get a rhythm while we’re trying to help them, too.”

On focusing on honing out details late in the season:

“It’s about embracing the details, focusing the right way, and playing with a sense of urgency while making other teams feel us at this point in the season.”

On Mikal Bridges working through his slump:

“Mikal’s a pro. He’s been through this before. And we’ve had other guys go through it this year. He’s going to find his rhythm. Just got to keep trying to embrace doing other things and try to get some easys: try to attack the rim, try to get to the free throw line, try to get out in transition and get offensive rebounds. But it’s the same stuff that I would say and that I have said about other guys trying to find ways to impact the game, which he’s more than capable of doing.”

On leaving Bridges on the court to help him regain some confidence:

“He hit a couple shots down the stretch and to try to get anybody that hasn’t shot well from the 3-point line, to try to get him more looks, especially in a game like this, was a good thing. To try to get him an extra look or two down the stretch is something we wanted to do.”

On demanding stronger starts from the Knicks:

“I’ve said it before, our focus, our physicality, our sense of urgency to embrace the details possession after possession, while making our opponents feel us. We can’t ease into the game.”

On Josh Hart’s connectivity with the starters amid whispers of a lineup change:

“I think the main thing is him connecting the group. I’m not saying he is Andre Iguodala or his game is like Andre Iguodala’s, but there are a lot of similarities. When you watch him, you’re like, ‘oh my gosh he’s a great shooter.’ But you’re like he’s pretty good at that, he’s really good in a lot different areas. But more importantly he connects the group and having a guy like that especially to start games is huge. With him missing all the preseason and me getting used to how we can play with him, the different ways people guard us with him on the floor took some time but he’s been fantastic giving us that energy, giving us the connectivity we needed with that starting group and then doing the little things. Offensive glass, pushing the pace, getting off in transition. He’s a switchable guy, he’s a physical guy and a lot of things that don’t necessarily show up in the stat sheet that he does that help with connectivity as well.”

On Hart taking the right shots on Tuesday:

“I just like that he took the right shots and he didn’t hesitate.”

On keeping Hart alongside Tyler Kolek on the floor vs. Indy:

“Not just for the starting five, but yeah. Especially when Tyler, as a young point guard, is on the floor we try to keep Josh out there with him. Just to help in that area at times. He was still kind of finding his way; so Josh is a great secondary ball handler within the group.”

On giving Bridges extra looks late:

“To try to get anybody that hadn’t shot it well from the three-point line to get another look, especially in a game like this, was a good thing. You talk about Mikal’s streak and his durability – when he turned his ankle, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ So for him to be able to somehow someway fight through that was good to see. So to try to get him an extra look or two down the stretch was something that we wanted to do.”

On choosing Jordan Clarkson over Mohamed Diawara in the Pacers game:

“We’ll continue to see what happens going forward. We’ve all had the pleasure of being able to see Mo at a young age contribute a lot. He just has to keep himself ready like Jordan did. Go out there when your number’s called, don’t do too much but do what you can do and perform at the highest level in terms of your work ethic, focus and attention to detail and just go from there.”

On potentially changing the starting lineup for the playoffs:

“It’s not too late to do anything. If I feel the need, I will. I’m not thinking that right now. I’m concentrating on each individual because, like you said, we’ve started different people at different times. It’s collectively.”

On Miles McBride’s recovery timeline:

“Anytime we can get healthy, yeah. I try not to hear the updates though, because does that mean he’ll be back in two weeks, three weeks, a week, 10 days? I don’t know. Deuce was playing well for us when this happened. It’s part of the season, so keep fingers crossed, allow our medical crew who has done a fantastic job, and when he comes back we’ll all be excited.”

On expecting Jalen Brunson to return on Friday:

“I imagine he’ll play in Brooklyn. There’s two days off before the next game. There’s plenty of time to get himself right.”

Josh Hart

On regaining shooting confidence:

“I think since All-Star I was struggling in terms of shooting. I think I’m kind of in my head with a lot of stuff. So I just got to trust my work and go out there and shoot my shots.”

Jose Alvarado

On breaking his shooting slump in his first start for New York:

“It was a weight off my shoulders. I wasn’t really focused on it, but obviously it was in the back of my mind, something that’s not who I am. I just trust the work.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On Josh Hart stepping up without Brunson on Tuesday:

“Josh does a lot of things to make options available. He can get a rebound, outlet it quick, pushing pace and making the defense have to converge on him. Around the basket, he does the full-court dribble with the euro, gets to the basket and kicks it out to the corner for a 3.”

On the team effort vs. Indiana without Brunson:

“It was special. It’s a game obviously we’re missing JB. We all understood the importance of picking up the slack, and I thought all of us in this locker room, particularly Josh, did a great job of playing team basketball. It was great for all of us — obviously one person’s not gonna replace Jalen, but we all can collectively come together and try to play better basketball for each other with his absence.”

It’s been almost 20 years since Seattle lost its basketball team. The SuperSonics were relocated, renamed, and now the Oklahoma City Thunder have morphed into an NBA powerhouse. Champions for the first time last season, favored to win it all again this season. During that time, the Seattle Seahawks have thankfully enjoyed the greatest run of success in franchise history, winning two Super Bowls along the way. Their first Super Bowl was Seattle’s first title in a Big 4 men’s sports league since the Sonics in 1979.

If you’ve not kept up with the news, after years worth of teases and disappointments, the Sonics might be coming back for real in the 2028-29 season.

If the Sonics’ return is a formality, they’d get all their franchise history back from the Thunder prior to the move, but unfortunately the Thunder roster doesn’t also get to go to Seattle. The city would complete the set of having pro teams in the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB, in addition to MLS, WNBA, and PWHL (among others). Don’t let any outsider tell you Seattle is not a thriving, vibrant sports market.

With all of that said, the NBA is much different than it was in 2008. There’s so much three-point shooting, some argue too much three-point shooting. The money is preposterously high yet there are so many injured stars and players sitting out due to “load management.” It feels like there’s more emphasis on trades and hypothetical roster moves than in other leagues, and player movement is extraordinarily high at the upper level. Big markets have an outsized advantage in terms of free agency and trades in ways the NFL does not. Don’t get me started on the comically complicated NBA salary cap rules. And yes, there’s flopping. Ref whining is not new so I don’t really care about that.

I love the NBA but I also acknowledge that the perception of the league is not particularly high, and there might be some of us in the comments section who’ve fallen out of love with the NBA because of a combination of the Sonics leaving and the subsequent changes to the league. On the other hand, it’s still another sports team—a beloved one at that—and having the Sonics paired with the Storm again would kick ass.

For a little off-topic chatter during one of the NFL’s increasingly scant offseason lulls, we want to know from Seahawks fans who are/were also NBA fans: How do you feel about the Sonics (seemingly) coming back? Would you be excited? Still bitter? Bittersweet? Not caring? There are no wrong answers here!

On the subject of basketball, if you watch the college variety, SB Nation has as special March Madness Feed, where you’ll find all sorts of content and conversation throughout the tournament. You’ll even find my bracket, which has the national championship heading out West to Arizona for the first time since the Wildcats won it all in 1997.

Chat away in the comments!

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are rolling, looking for their 10th win in a row as they visit the Brooklyn Nets.

Despite a crushing 7-1 record against BK in the last eight, my Thunder vs Nets predictions have the home team taking advantage of that pile of points.

While a straight-up upset isn't in the cards, my NBA picks explain why OKC won't cover the spread on Wednesday, March 18

Thunder vs Nets prediction

Thunder vs Nets best bet: Nets +19.5 (-110)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing the second half of a back-to-back after downing Orlando 113-108 on Tuesday. They are 2-9-0 against the spread in that scenario, second-worst in the NBA.

The Thunder have been stingy defensively during this run, allowing just 105.8 points per game, but they haven't been blowing teams out. In fact, they only have two wins by double digits on this streak.

The Brooklyn Nets have been a good bet of late, going 4-2-0 ATS in their last six, and they’ve hung around with OKC, despite the losses, suffering just two 20+ point losses in the last eight meetings.

Thunder vs Nets same-game parlay

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off a 40-bomb against the Magic, and his drop-off shouldn’t be that bad. He’s topped 40+ points four previous times, and his next game low was 29 points.

Chet Holmgren has been working the glass well of late, as he’s grabbed at least nine rebounds in nine straight games, going for double digits four times.

Thunder vs Nets SGP

• Nets +19.5
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 30.5 points
• Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: SGA Still Puts 'Em Away

Let’s stick with the presumptive 2026 NBA MVP to fill out this SGP. Though he’s had one or fewer 3-point makes in five of the last six vs. BK, Gilgeous-Alexander has hit at least two triples in four straight games overall.

And SGA’s rebound numbers have been decent during this streak, averaging 4.8 boards per game, but he’s grabbed at least six rebounds in six of his last eight vs Brooklyn.

Thunder vs Nets SGP

• Nets +19.5
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 30.5 points
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 1.5 made threes
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 4.5 rebounds
• Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds

Thunder vs Nets odds

• Spread: Thunder -19.5 (-110) | Nets +19.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Thunder -2400 | Nets +1200
• Over/Under: Over 213.5 (-110) | Under 213.5 (-110)

Thunder vs Nets betting trend to know

OKC has won 27 straight road games against teams with a losing record. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Nets.

How to watch Thunder vs Nets

Thunder vs Nets latest injuries

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.

After an uncomfortable win over the Clippers on Sunday, the Spurs headed north to play the hapless Kings, who are locked in a desperate battle with the Nets, Wizards, and Pacers to be the most inept team in the NBA. Even so, the second night of a back-to-back is always somewhat unpredictable, and the Kings had managed to win four for their last five games. I will admit that a little part of me worried that the Spurs would lose focus and severely damage their chance of catching OKC in the standings.

I needn’t have worried. As anyone who watched this game would know, the final score dramatically overstates the level of competition on display. To get a better sense of how quickly the contest was over, consider that ESPN’s win probability tracker first gave the Spurs a 99% chance of winning with 10:49 left in the second quarter, and that was the best odds Sacramento would face for the remainder of the game.

While satisfying, games like this are also somewhat boring in the moment. However, they do typically produce some unusual and rare statistical combinations. None of San Antonio’s individual box score differentials were extraordinary by recent historical standards, largely because the Spurs were finished trying to extend the lead by halftime. However, this dominant performance still produced some noteworthy highlights:

• Fun fact: this is just the 33rd regular season game since the start of 2012-2013 in which the winning and losing team had exactly the same number of field goal and free throw attempts. In that set of contests, there are just three other cases in which the margin of victory was 28+ points.
• San Antonio enjoyed FG%, 3P%, and FT% differentials of +7.53, +12.13, and +23.08 percentage points, respectively. As a result, they made seven more total field goals, 11 more threes, and three more free throws. Since the start of 2012-2013, only 46 other regular season winners have achieved FGM, 3PM, and FTM differentials that were all as good or better than these.
• What’s especially remarkable about the 3PM differential is that the Kings performance from distance (14 makes on 36 attempts) was actually quite good. In fact, in the set of 16,695 regular season games since the start of 2012-2013, there is just ONE other case in which the winning team produced a 3PM differentials of at least +11 with the losing team making at least 14 threes with a 3P% of at least 38.89%. Funnily enough, this other case was also a Kings game, though they were on the winning end of that exchange.
• Given the score, free throws were remarkably unimportant in this game. Since the start of 2012-2013, the average number of total free throws taken in regular season games with a combined score of 236+ is almost exactly 50, and there are just 36 other cases in which that cumulative point threshold was achieved on no more than 26 attempts. As rare an event as this has been to date, it actually happened twice yesterday, with the other case being the Knicks vs. Pacers game.

What are Team Graded Box Scores?

Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).

Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.

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The Atlanta Hawks ride a 10-game winning streak into Texas as they visit the Dallas Mavericks, who have dropped 10 of 12.

Atlanta has pounded teams with losing records lately, and my Hawks vs. Mavericks predictions expect much of the same tonight.

Read on for my full NBA picks on Wednesday, March 18.

Hawks vs Mavericks prediction

Hawks vs Mavericks best bet: Hawks -8.5 (-110)

The Atlanta Hawks' win streak has been fuelled by punishing a weak slate, as their 124-112 win over Orlando last game was their first on this run against a Top-6 opponent.

Only two other wins were against teams in a Play-In position.

Atlanta’s smallest margin of victory in the last 10 is nine points, and that fits about right with another sub-.500 opponent.

One of the teams they dumped was the Dallas Mavericks, 124-112, on March 10. Dallas can’t stop anyone. During this skid, it's allowed 120.9 points per game, the fourth-worst mark in the league.

Hawks vs Mavericks same-game parlay

Let’s target Atlanta’s two budding stars. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is coming off a career-high 41 against Orlando, giving him five 20+ point games in the last six, including 29 against the Mavs.

Jalen Johnson is coming off a triple-double vs. Orlando and has 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games.

Hawks vs Mavericks SGP

• Hawks -8.5
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 20.5 points
• Jalen Johnson Over 10.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Eyeing Johnson and NAW

Johnson is averaging a robust 9.4 assists per game in March. He had 13 in his last game and has gone for nine or more in four of his last six.

Walker drilled nine triples against Orlando, but aside from a five-splash game last time vs. Dallas, he’s gone Under 3.5 makes in the previous 12.

Hawks vs Mavericks SGP

• Hawks -8.5
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 20.5 points
• Nickeil Alexander Walker Under 3.5 made threes
• Jalen Johnson Over 10.5 rebounds
• Jalen Johnson Over 8.5 assists

Hawks vs Mavericks odds

• Spread: Hawks -8 (-110) | Mavericks +8 (-110)
• Moneyline: Hawks -340 | Mavericks +270
• Over/Under: Over 238 (-110) | Under 238 (-110)

Hawks vs Mavericks betting trend to know

Dallas has failed to cover the spread in five of its last six home games. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Mavericks.

How to watch Hawks vs Mavericks

Hawks vs Mavericks latest injuries

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.