The Washington Wizards play the Portland Trail Blazers today. Tip off is at 6 p.m. ET. Go Wizards.
Wizards at Trail Blazers discussion
Where does Michigan blowout rank among largest margin of victories in Elite 8?
CHICAGO – Michigan basketball is hitting its stride in the NCAA Tournament.
After using an explosive second half to blow out Alabama in the Sweet 16, the No. 1-seeded Wolverines carried over the momentum just two days later in a dominant 95-62 win over No. 6 Tennessee on Sunday, March 29, at the United Center.
Michigan dominated the first half, using a 21-0 run to take control of a game that Tennessee had led 16-14 with 11:22 left in the first half. In just 4:42 of game time, that score changed to a 35-16 lead for the Wolverines.
The win for Michigan advances it to the Final Four next weekend in Indianapolis. But the Wolverines also dominated the game in a nearly historic way. With 1:46 in the game, Michigan held an 92-58 lead. The Wolverines also led by 31 with just under 12 minutes left.
Yaxel Lendeborg subbed out of the game for the final time with the Wolverines ahead by 32 points. The rest of the starters were out of the game with 3:14 remaining.
How dominant was Michigan in the Elite Eight victory? Here’s what you need to know about the largest margin of victories in the Regional Final round of the NCAA Tournament:
Largest margin of victories in Elite 8
On March 14, 1964, Duke dominated Connecticut 101-54 at the Reynolds Coliseum, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 62-27 first-half lead and never looked back.
Jeff Mullins led Duke with 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the win, while four total players finished in double figures.
In 1971, Villanova defeated Penn 90-47 in the Regional Final and in 1965 Princeton took down Providence by 40 points (109-69).
Here’s a look at the biggest blowouts in the NCAA Elite Eight round, according to BetMGM.
- 1964: Duke 101, UConn 54 (47 points)
- 1971: Villanova 90, Penn 47 (43 points)
- 1965: Princeton 109, Providence 69 (40 points)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Largest margin of victories in Elite 8 after Michigan dominated Tennessee
Michigan sends message: You don't want to play them
CHICAGO – With Tennessee already down by 19, one basket wasn’t going to make a difference. The game was effectively over, and whether Michigan won by 10 or 20, the outcome was still going to be the same.
Michigan coach Dusty May challenged the goaltending call, anyway. The Wolverines weren’t just here to win, they were here to send a message:
They’re the best team in the country, and they’ll steamroll anyone who is in their way.
"It's just people stepping up to the moment," Roddy Gayle Jr. said. "I feel like March brings out the best in people."
It certainly has with this team.
Top-seeded Michigan routed sixth-seeded Tennessee 95-62 on Sunday, March 29, to reach the Final Four for the third time since 2013. With apologies to Moritz Wagner and Glenn Robinson III, these Wolverines have the best chance yet to win the school’s first national title since 1989.
In a span of two days, Michigan humbled the country’s top offensive team and the SEC’s best defensive team, and the Wolverines barely broke a sweat in doing so. They’ve scored 90 or more points and shot 50% or better in each of their NCAA Tournament games, and the 33-point win over Tennessee was the biggest blowout of the weekend.
And if Yaxel Lendeborg isn’t the player of the year, he’s for sure the player of March.
Lendeborg tagged Tennessee for 27 points, his third game with 23 or more, and 10 of those came during a 23-2 run in the first half that effectively sealed the game. He’s making a career’s worth of highlights every game, including his tip-in layup off his own missed 3-pointer with 11:57 left to play against Tennessee.
The Wolverines are not a one-man team, however. Four other players finished in double figures and two others were only a bucket away. Elliot Cadeau had double-digit assists (10) for the fifth time this season.
Whatever those hiccups Michigan had in the Big Ten tournament, where they struggled against Ohio State and Wisconsin before losing to Purdue in the title game, they are long gone. Michigan is rolling, and good luck to anyone who faces them.
Michigan plays fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the Final Four in Indianapolis on Friday night, April 3.
"When this group got together, we all wanted to make it the national championship and win it," Lendeborg said. "We worked tirelessly on making sure that our mental was right, not just physical. And we all trust each other. We play hard for each other. We make extra plays for each other. We're going to do whatever we want for each other.
"So just being able to make it this far and continuing to want to get more, it means a lot."
Michigan is only two seasons removed from a team that lost 24 games. While quick turnarounds are more doable now with the transfer portal, building chemistry when there's a new coach and new players presents its own challenges.
Add in being thrust into the spotlight as a national title contender a month into the season, and Michigan very easily could have gone sideways.
"The most difficult part is that everyone starts getting so much more attention, advice. Literally everything they get more of," May said. "It's difficult not to make it about you because the people you're talking to are making it about you.
"There's just a lot of distracting information," May added. "And if you're not mature and you're not connected as a group and you're not willing to be held accountable by the staff and each other, then it's not going to work. Once it creeps in it's almost impossible to weed it out. So our guys never let it in.
"They stayed the course and stayed about each other. And that's ultimately why we're here," May said. "We weren't a super team, but these guys became super teammates."
Though Michigan’s Fab Five never won an NCAA title, they changed college basketball with their outsized personalities, baggy shorts and black socks. These Wolverines aren't going to have that kind of influence, but they’ve got a similar brand of fun.
Lendeborg is as goofy as he is good, and Gayle isn’t far behind. They all love to hype each other up — when Lendeborg said Will Tschetter deserved a shout out for his toughness, Nimari Burnett woofed in response — and their tightknit chemistry isn't forced.
They might be stealing people's souls, but they're having a blast doing it.
"That's our main thing. We say before every game to just go out there and have fun," Cadeau said. "We're not worrying about our stats, not worrying about the scoreboard."
Michigan cruised through the regular season, not losing a single Big Ten road game. Its two losses, to Wisconsin in January and Duke in late February, were by a combined eight points. They spent time at No. 1 and were never ranked lower than third after Dec. 1.
But the Wolverines didn't have their usual swagger in the Big Ten tournament. When they lost to Purdue in the title game, it wasn't even that big a surprise.
It also might have been the best thing for them.
"Watching another team cut down the nets, feeling that was something that we didn't want to feel again," Gayle said.
Message received.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan basketball makes statement with win over Tennessee in Elite 8
Knicks vs Thunder Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game
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The New York Knicks are being slightly undervalued on the road, even against an elite opponent like the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New York played OKC tight the last time these teams met, and my Knicks vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, March 29, expect another close game tonight at Paycom Center.
Knicks vs Thunder prediction
Knicks vs Thunder best bet: Knicks +8.5 (-110)
The New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder both come into tonight’s game playing well, with New York having a seven-game winning streak before losing on Thursday, while OKC has won 13 of its last 14 contests. Both still have a lot to play for in the race for top seeds in their respective contests, and both teams are relatively healthy heading into tonight’s matchup.
That’s all to say that we’re going to get the best of both sides tonight. In the case of these teams, that means tough defense that makes every possession into a battle. The Thunder have arguably the best defense in the NBA, allowing 107.7 ppg with a league-best 104.6 defensive efficiency, but the Knicks aren’t far behind, giving up just 110.5 ppg themselves.
That showed in the first meeting between these teams, when OKC fought its way to a 103-100 victory in New York. And with two defenses playing this well, it will be hard for either team to put together big runs or pull away from the other.
As well as the Thunder have been playing, they haven’t been dominating the way their backers need lately. OKC has covered in only three of its last 14 games overall, with two of those covers coming against overmatched opponents in the 76ers and Nets.
Quality opponents like the Knicks have been able to stay in games against the Thunder, and that’s exactly what I’m expecting tonight. I’m taking New York to cover.
Knicks vs Thunder same-game parlay
This game features two of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and we’ve already seen them play once this year, resulting in a game total of 203 points.
I’m taking the Under for my SGP, and I think it’s a good straight bet as well. Let’s round out the SGP by backing Karl-Anthony Towns to pick up Over 17.5 points, a total he’s hit in four of his last five games overall.
Knicks vs Thunder SGP
- Knicks +8.5
- Under 223.5
- Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Double-double trouble
Both sides have serious double-double threats in this game, and I’m targeting one from each lineup for this parlay. First, KAT has been a consistent double-double machine for the Knicks, picking up five in his last six games.
Chet Holmgren isn’t far behind for the Thunder, with 23 double-doubles on the season. I’ll round things out by taking OG Anunoby to hit at least three shots from beyond the arc tonight, as he’s coming off back-to-back games where he made five threes in each.
Knicks vs Thunder SGP
- Knicks +8.5
- Karl-Anthony Towns to record a double-double
- Chet Holmgren to record a double-double
- OG Anunoby Over 2.5 threes
Knicks vs Thunder odds
- Spread: Knicks +8.5 | Thunder -8.5
- Moneyline: Knicks +280 | Thunder -360
- Over/Under: Over 223.5 | Under 223.5
Knicks vs Thunder betting trend to know
The Thunder have covered in just three of their last 14 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Thunder.
How to watch Knicks vs Thunder
| Location | Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK |
| Date | Sunday, March 29, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBC |
Knicks vs Thunder latest injuries
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Vancouver Goldeneyes snap a 2-game skid with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Sceptres
TORONTO (AP) — Izzy Daniel had a goal and an assist and the Vancouver Goldeneyes snapped a two-game skid with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Sceptres on Sunday.
Hannah Miller and Mannon McMahon also scored for Vancouver. Sarah Nurse had two assists.
Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 25 shots.
Blayre Turnbull scored twice for Toronto, while Elaine Chuli made 26 saves.
The Sceptres were missing forward Clara Van Wieren after she was suspended for one game for a boarding penalty late in Friday’s loss to Boston.
Turnbull put a rebound from a Renata Fast shot past Maschmeyer just 2:31 into the contest.
Three former Sceptres connected on the Goldeneyes’ response at 7:55. Miller put home a rebound on a shot from the slot by Daniel, who took a pass from Nurse.
Daniel put Vancouver ahead just 35 seconds into the second period. Off an initial miss on a tip on a Nurse shot, Daniel tucked in her own rebound.
Turnbull netted her second of the game on the power play when she took a pass from Daryl Watts by the goal line, spun and her backhand went in off the skate of Claire Thompson at 8:09 of the middle frame.
McMahon restored Vancouver’s lead with a tip-in off a Sophie Jaques shot on the power play at 8:54.
Turnbull’s power-play goal was Toronto’s first since a 6-4 loss to Seattle on Jan. 20. The Sceptres had gone 0 for 15 since, including 0 for 12 in seven games after the Olympic break.
Up next
Sceptres: Visit Calgary to take on the Ottawa Charge as part of the Takeover Tour on Wednesday.
Goldeneyes: Visit the Montreal Victoire on Wednesday.
___
AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
Game Preview #75 – Timberwolves at Mavericks
Minnesota Timberwolves at Dallas Mavericks
Date: March 30th, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM CDT
Location: American Airlines Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio
There are games in the NBA where you squint at the injury report, notice the early tip, and quietly tell yourself that it might just not be your day. Saturday’s contest against Detroit had all the makings of one of those games, and for the Minnesota Timberwolves, it pretty much played out exactly that way.
For the Wolves, it was no Anthony Edwards, no Ayo Dosunmu, and to round things out, no Jaden McDaniels after the injury he picked up late in that chaos-fueled Houston game. Three core pieces. Gone.
On the other side, the Detroit Pistons, the Eastern Conference’s top team, were missing their own engine in Cade Cunningham. So in theory, this game could’ve been a competitive “who has more left in the tank?” grind-it-out afternoon game. Instead, it turned into something much simpler.
Minnesota just didn’t have enough.
The Moment the Game Slipped—and Never Came Back
The Wolves actually started this one the right way. The defensive energy was there early. Rotations were sharp enough. They hung around, traded punches, and for a brief stretch, it looked like they might be able to piece together one of those undermanned, “everyone chips in” performances that they’d been stringing together over the past week.
And then Rudy Gobert subbed out.
That was it. That was the hinge point.
Because the second he hit the bench, the defensive resistance, everything that had been holding this thing together, just evaporated. Driving lanes opened up. The rim stopped feeling protected. Detroit got comfortable, and once they got comfortable, they started building a lead that never really felt in danger again.
The Offense: When the Shots Don’t Fall, There’s No Plan B
Let’s be honest about what this game really came down to: the Wolves couldn’t hit anything.
They finished shooting 32% from the field, went 9-for-43 from three (21%), and scored 87 total points.
In the third quarter, they managed just four made field goals. Four. That’s not an offensive slump. That’s an offensive blackout.
It wasn’t like they weren’t getting looks. This wasn’t Detroit suffocating them into submission on every possession. Minnesota had decent opportunities. Open threes. Clean catch-and-shoot chances. Looks that, on most nights, at least some of these guys knock down.
Instead?
- Naz Reid: 0-for-7
- Bones Highland: 2-for-9
- Mike Conley Jr.: 1-for-5
- Julius Randle: 0-for-3 from deep
That’s the game right there.
This is a team that, for better or worse, lives and dies by the three. When it’s falling, the offense opens up, the pace quickens, everything feels connected. When it’s not? You get what we saw on Saturday with stagnation, frustration, and a slow bleed that turns into a double-digit deficit before you even realize it.
At 21%, they weren’t just cold. They were DOA.
And Then the Little Things Started Adding Up
If the shooting was the headline, everything else was the supporting evidence.
They missed nine free throws, continuing a trend that’s quietly becoming a real problem. They got outrebounded 52–38, including getting pushed around on second chances. They turned it over enough to matter, but, here’s the twist, Detroit turned it over 19 times… and Minnesota still couldn’t capitalize.
That’s the part that sticks with you.
The Pistons gave them chances. Real ones. Sloppy passes, careless possessions, the kind of miscues that usually open the door for a comeback. And every time the door cracked open, Minnesota just… didn’t walk through it.
That’s what happens when your offense is that out of rhythm. You can’t string together stops and scores. You can’t build momentum. You just kind of tread water… until you realize you’re drowning.
Perspective Check: This One Wasn’t the End of the World
If you zoom out for a second, this loss isn’t the disaster it feels like in the moment. If you told anyone before this stretch that included Boston, Houston, Detroit, all without Edwards, that Minnesota would go 2–1, people would’ve signed up for that immediately. Especially given how things looked after that California road trip when the defense disappeared and the identity went with it.
They beat Boston. They survived Houston in one of the wildest games of the season. Those wins matter.
Saturday? That was the tax you pay for being short-handed, for playing your third high-intensity game in a row, for asking too much from a roster that’s already stretched thin.
It was still frustrating, still ugly, but not season-defining.
Dallas and the Games You Can’t Afford to Blow
Now comes the part of the schedule that’s less forgiving. Next up: the Dallas Mavericks, then a quick rematch in Detroit, followed by the second night of a back-to-back in Philly against the 76ers. Suddenly, the margin for error is right back where it always is in the West… basically nonexistent.
Minnesota is sitting just a game and a half behind Denver for the four seed. They don’t own the tiebreaker. They’re still jockeying with Houston. And if they want home court, these are the games you have to bank.
Not the Boston game. Not the Houston game.
The Dallas game.
The “bottom of the standings” game that looks easy on paper and turns into a problem if you don’t take it seriously.
Keys to the Game
1. Maintain the Defensive Identity
The blueprint is already there. They beat Boston and Houston by leaning into defense withconnected rotations, physical perimeter play, and Gobert anchoring everything. That doesn’t change just because Dallas isn’t a top-tier opponent.
If anything, it becomes more important. Because the Wolves’ worst habit this season has been that “flip the switch later” mentality. Against Dallas, there can’t be a later. They need to set the tone early, lock in defensively, and never let the game drift into that danger zone where effort becomes optional.
2. Hit Your Threes
This one feels obvious, but after Detroit, it has to be said.
You cannot shoot 21% from three and expect to beat anyone in this league. The looks were there. They just didn’t fall. That has to normalize.
Getting Edwards, McDaniels, or Dosunmu would go a long way. Those are three of your most reliable shooters. Their presence alone changes spacing, changes confidence, changes everything. But regardless of who plays, this team has to rediscover its shooting rhythm. Because when the threes fall, the entire offense opens up.
3. Win the Glass
Against Detroit, the Wolves got outworked, out-hustled, and paid for it. Against Dallas, that can’t happen again. Gobert, Randle, Reid need to clean the glass, eliminate second chances and turn rebounds into putbacks. If you’re bigger, you have to play like it.
4. Julius Randle Has to Be the Guy
Let’s not dance around it. Eleven points on 2-for-13 shooting isn’t going to cut it.
Randle has to be the offensive engine. That means attacking, getting downhill, living in the paint, and, just as importantly, facilitating. When he draws attention and kicks out, this offense becomes dangerous.
Saturday was a dud.
Monday can’t be.
5. Stay Focused, No Matter Who’s Available
Maybe Edwards plays. Maybe he doesn’t. Same with Dosunmu. Same with McDaniels.
It doesn’t matter.
The Wolves have the talent advantage in this matchup. But we’ve seen this story before. Minnesota has games where they assume that’s enough, where the urgency dips, and where the opponent hangs around just long enough to make things uncomfortable.
This has to be a professional win.
Jump on them early. Stay disciplined. Don’t let it become a fourth-quarter coin flip. Because in the West, those are the games that come back to haunt you.
The Bottom Line: This Is About Banking Wins, Not Making Statements
The Wolves aren’t chasing style points right now. They’re chasing positioning.
Denver’s remainig schedule isn’t easy with two games against San Antonio and a battle with OKC. There’s an opportunity to gain ground, but only if Minnesota does its part.
That means beating Dallas.
That means not letting a bad shooting night turn into a bad week.
That means stacking the wins you’re supposed to stack.
Because home court in the first round, something this franchise has only had three times in its history, is right there.
Not guaranteed. Not gifted.
But there.
And after everything this team has been through over the past two weeks, the question isn’t whether they’re capable of climbing back up the ladder.
It’s whether they’re disciplined enough to stay on it.
Jaylen Carey gets Elite 8 technical foul for shoulder hit vs Michigan
The physicality extended beyond the whistle as No. 1 seed Michigan pulled away from No. 6 seed Tennessee in the second half of Sunday, March 29's Midwest region final at United Center.
Tennessee forward Jaylen Carey was given a dead-ball contact technical foul with fewer than 15 minutes remaining after he intentionally slammed his shoulder into the shoulder of Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. after a jump ball.
Tennessee's Jaylen Carey was called for a contact dead-ball technical foul pic.twitter.com/QxKkDFZy77
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2026
Johnson had been jawing with Volunteers guard Amari Evans after both went after a rebound, but the two had already appeared to have been separated by teammates when Carey entered the fray.
Carey was given a technical foul after an official review. It was his fourth foul for the game. Michigan had already built a commanding 30-point lead at the time of the incident.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tennessee vs. Michigan March Madness: Jaylen Carey gets technical foul
Rockets vs. Pelicans as season winds down
Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans
March 29, 2026
Location: Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME Sports Talk 790
Online: Rockets App, SCHN+
Time: 6:00pm
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears, Saddiq Bey, Zion Williamson, Herb Jones
Cavs announce multiple players will miss upcoming roadtrip with injuries
It appears the Cleveland Cavaliers will deal with injuries from start to finish this season. The team announced that both Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade will remain in Cleveland while the Cavs leave for their final West Coast road trip.
Tyson suffered a bone bruise in his left great toe on March 19 against the Chicago Bulls. He hasn’t played in a game since.
“He’s still not there,” said Kenny Atkinson on Tyson’s game availability before the Cavaliers played the Miami Heat on Friday. “But he did play a small set of games this morning, three-on-three and stuff, so that’s good news.”
Meanwhile, Wade went down with an ankle injury during his pre-game warm-up on Wednesday. Wade injured himself landing on a ball boy. There is no clear timeline for when Wade will return to action.
Cleveland will play three teams in the West next week. They play the Utah Jazz at 9 PM tomorrow before heading to Hollywood for their final regular-season game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. On Thursday, they conclude their trip with a 10 PM game versus the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavs will return home on Sunday as they host the Indiana Pacers. From there, we only have four games before the end of the regular season.
If you’re paying attention to the standings, Cleveland is sitting fairly comfortably in fourth place of the Eastern Conference. They are two games behind the New York Knicks for third, and 4.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks for fifth.
Knicks Standings Watch: Who to root for and against, March 29-April 4
With the regular season winding down and fewer than 10 games in most teams’ schedules, here’s the latest and second-to-last entry of the Standing Watch series.
All playoff teams are already locked in, mind you, but there’s still some seed-shuffling left to play out during the final games of play, starting with Sunday’s matchup between the Knicks and the Thunder, with both teams—one more realistically than the other, is fair to say—still having a shot at locking home-court advantage on their side of the bracket.
March 29th
To kick things off today, root for the Heat to beat the Pacers. Miami is currently the ninth seed, and finding a way to kick Philadelphia down to the No. 9 or No. 10 seed so the Knicks can avoid playing them in the first round would likely be ideal.
An hour after that game tips off, the Raptors host the Magic. And as I stated last week, regardless of where the Knicks end up placing, their best matchup is against the Raptors. Going forward, until further notice, fans should root for whatever outcome most likely results in that. For today’s matchup, go with the Magic.
The third game, outside of the Knicks’ own game, that has standings implications in the Eastern Conference today is the one between the Hornets and Celtics. This could end up being a potential first-round matchup. If you want the Knicks to come away with the second seed, root for the Hornets. If you want the Knicks to remain the third seed, which is starting to look more and more like the smarter decision, root for the Celtics.
March 30th
The Heat and 76ers matchup in a big game to start off the night. Pull for the Heat for the reason mentioned above. The Celtics vs. Hawks game is a bit complicated, as a Celtics win makes it less likely for the Raptors to fall to the sixth seed, but a Hawks win would also put the Knicks one game closer to moving up to the second seed. Decide at your own risk, but truthfully, there is no clear option here.
A bit later on, the Cavaliers take on the Jazz. Hope that the Jazz can somehow come away with a win to keep the Cavaliers at bay. And finish off the night by cheering against the Pistons, although the ship of the Knicks ever getting to the first-seed looks like it’s already starting to sail away.
March 31st
The Suns vs. Magic game is the first one of the night. Like some other games this week, I don’t think there’s a clear way to go on who to go with in this one. Orlando is likely one of the few teams I don’t really feel strongly about either way. If you think their experience and physicality match up better against the Knicks than the Raptors, Hawks, 76ers, Heat, or Hornets, root for the Suns. If you think their lack of shooting would make them an easier playoff opponent, root for them.
In the Hornets vs. Nets game, root for, and I know this sounds crazy, the Nets. Not only could it impact their lottery odds, keeping the very hot Hornets in the 9th vs. 10th matchup likely behooves the Knicks. And in the Raptors vs. Pistons game, I hope for the Pistons to win to improve the odds of a Knicks vs. Raptors first-round matchup.
April 1st
The night begins with what should be a close, fun Hawks vs. Magic game. Root for whoever you think would be an easier matchup for the Knicks, and root against whoever you think is a tougher matchup for the Pistons and Celtics.
In the 76ers vs. Wizards game, take on the tough task of rooting for the Wizards to pull off the upset, as that would help in the “push the 76ers to lower play-in bracket” movement. Then, while you’re doing that, root for the Heat against the Celtics. Again, I don’t think the Knicks moving up to the third seed actually does them much good, and a Heat win would also help them push the 76ers down. And cap off the night with another unenjoyable task of rooting for the Kings against the Raptors.
April 2nd
With Detroit and the first-seed realistically out of reach, short and simple night here. Phoenix continues its East Coast road trip with a game against Charlotte. Hope for a Suns victory to help prevent the Hornets from catching up to the seventh or eighth seed.
April 3rd
Begin the night by cheering for a Timberwolves win over the 76ers in what should be a good game. While that’s taking place, the Pacers will take on the Hornets, so root for the Pacers to pull off the upset in that one. And while the Knicks are hosting the Bulls, there are a few more games of interest.
When the Bucks take on the Celtics, root for Boston so they keep the second seed. In the Raptors vs. Grizzlies game, I hope for a surprise Grizzlies win, and finish off the week by going with a Magic win over the Mavericks.
Boston Celtics (49-24) at Charlotte Hornets (39-34) Game #74 3/29/26
Boston Celtics (49-24) at Charlotte Hornets (39-34)
Sunday, March 29, 2026
6:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #74 Road Game #37
TV: NBCSB, FDSN, NBA-LP
Radio: Sirius XM, 98.5 Sports Hub, WFNZ 92.7
Spectrum Center
The Celtics visit the Charlotte Hornets for the 2nd of 3 meetings this season. The Hornets won the first game 118-89 in Boston on March 4. They will meet for the final time in Boston on April 7. The Celtics are 81-47 overall all time against Charlotte and they are 38-26 in games played on the road. The Hornets are playing on the second night of back to back games after hosting Philadelphia on Saturday night. They are 10-4 in the second of back to back games. The Celtics are playing in the first of back to back games and will play at Atlanta on Monday.
The Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the league right now. Since January 1, Charlotte has a 28-12 record and they own the #1 net rating in the NBA at 11.5. Over that span, Charlotte’s offense ranks #1 in the NBA with an offensive rating of 121.1 and their defense ranks #6 with a defensive rating of 109.5. The Hornets also rank #1 in rebounding percentage (55.2%) and in second-chance points (18.9) per game since Jan. 1. Charlotte’s starting lineup has the highest point differential (+30.4) of any five-man lineup in the NBA.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 4.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1.5 games ahead of 3rd place New York, 3.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 8 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 8.5 games ahead of 6th place Atlanta, and 7th place Philadelphia. The Celtics are 30-14 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 23-13 on the road and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 2 games.
The Hornets are 10th in the East, 15 games behind 1st place Detroit, 2 games behind 6th place Atlanta and 7th place Philadelphia, and they are half a game behind 8th place Orlando and 9th place Miami. They are 9.5 games ahead of 11th place Milwaukee. They are 23-22 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 19-17 at home and 7-3 in their last 10 games. After winning 5 straight games, they lost their last game to the 76ers.
After completing a 3 game home stand, The Celtics are on the road for a 4 game trip that begins with this game in Charlotte and will go through Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They will then play two games at home against Toronto and Charlotte before one game on the road at New York. They will finish the season with 2 games at home against New Orleans and Orlando.
This game is the 7th and final game of a 7 game home stand for Charlotte. After this game they will hit the road for one game at Brooklyn before returning home to host Phoenix and Indiana. Then they are on the road once again to play at Minnesota and the final game against the Celtics at Boston. Next they have one game at home against Detroit and will finish the season at New York.
For the Celtics, Nicola Vucevic remains out after surgery to stabilize a fracture in his right ring finger. After starting on Friday’s injury report but playing in the game, Derrick White (knee) is out and Neemias Queta (thumb) is probable for this game. Jayson Tatum is available after originally being listed as questionable for injury management. Jaylen Brown is out once again after missing Friday’s game due to tendinitis in his left Achilles.
I am guessing that Baylor Scheierman will start in place of Jaylen Brown once again. Since Tatum is playing in this game he will likely sit out Monday’s game. With Derrick White listed as out, I’m guessing that Payton Pritchard will start in his place. For Charlotte, Tidjaane Salaun listed as out with a calf injury and Grant Williams is listed as out due to an illness.
Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Payton Pritchard vs LaMelo Ball
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs Brandon Miller
SF: Sam Hauser vs Kon Knueppel
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Miles Bridges
C: Neemias Queta vs Moussa Diabate
Celtics Reserves
Hugo Gonzalez
Luka Garza
Amare Williams
Jordan Walsh
Max Shulga
Charles Bassey (10-Day)
2-Way Players
Ron Harper, Jr
Injuries/Out
Nikola Vucevic (finger) out
Neemias Queta (thumb) probable
Derrick White (knee) out
Jaylen Brown (Achilles) out
Jayson Tatum (Achilles) available
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Hornets Reserves
Sion James
Josh Green
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Pat Connaughton
Tre Mann
Liam McNeeley
Coby White
2-Way Players
Tosan Evbuomwan
Antonio Reeves
PJ Hall
Injuries/Out
Tidjane Salaun (calf) out
Grant Williams (illness) out
Head Coach
Charles Lee
Key Matchups
Jaylen Brown vs Brandon Miller
Miller is averaging 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He’s shooting 43.3% from the field and 38.8% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals while shooting 61.5% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. He is a good 3 point shooter and so the Celtics have to stay with him on the perimeter.
Derrick White vs LaMelo Ball
Ball is averaging 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 40.7% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 41.2% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc. He is quick and always a threat to steal the ball.
Honorable Mention
Sam Hauser vs Kon Knueppel
Knueppel is averaging 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He is shooting 48.9% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. He leads the league in 3 pointers made with 253.
Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is always the key to winning. The Celtics are 4th the league with a defensive rating of 111.5. The Hornets are 12th in the league with a defensive rating of 113.5. The Hornets are 5th with an offensive rating of 118.3 while the Celtics are 2nd with an offensive rating of 119.3. The Celtics are capable of playing lock down defense but there are times when they lose focus and allow their opponents to score way too easily. They need to continue to make defense a priority and play lock down defense in this game against a very good offensive team.
Rebound – Rebounding is important to give the Celtics extra possessions and to limit possessions for their opponents. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics need to give extra effort to beat the Hornets to rebounds. The Celtics are 4th with 46.5 rebounds per game and the Hornets are 5th with 46.2 rebounds per game. The Hornets are 2nd with 17.6 second chance points per game and the Celtics need to limit those for the Hornets by putting more effort into grabbing rebounds.
3 Point Shooting – The Celtics are 3rd in the league, averaging 42.2 three pointers per game. The Hornets are 2nd, shooting 42.8 threes per game. The Celtics are shooting 36.1% as a team from beyond the arc (11th) while the Hornets are shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc (3rd). The Celtics make 15.2 threes a game (3rd) while the Hornets make 16.3 thees a game (1st). The Celtics need to work to get open and move the ball to find the best shots. If the 3’s aren’t falling, they need to take the ball inside. And they need to defend the perimeter or the Hornets will bury them in threes. In the Celtics March 4 loss to the Hornets, the Celtics shot just 27.8% on 3’s while allowing the Hornets to shoot 38.8% from beyond the arc. They have to do better both on offense and defense in this game if they hope to win.
Move the Ball – The Celtics are tough to beat when they keep the ball moving and find the open man but when one player over dribbles and lapses into hero ball, they falter. The Celtics are 30-0 when they have more assists than their opponent but just 17-22 when they have fewer assists than their opponent. Keep the ball moving and don’t lapse into hero ball, whether in the first quarter or the 4th quarter. They have to make careful passes and not turn the ball over because in the first game between these two teams, the Celtics turned the ball over 15 times and they have to do better this time.
X-Factors
On The Road and Fatigue – The Celtics are facing the distractions of travel and a hostile crowd and they can’t allow those distractions to take away from their focus on the game. The Hornets are finishing up a 7 game home stand so no travel for them for quite a while. However, they are playing on the second night of back to back games. They are very good in back to back games, going 10-4 this season, but fatigue could affect them down the stretch,.
Injuries – The Celtics have 4 of their 5 starters listed on the injury report. It goes without saying that with even one of them out, it would make this game tougher. With the Celtics playing in another game on Monday, it is likely that one, or more, will sit out this game. With one and a half game lead on the Knicks, who are playing in OKC, the Celtics can afford to be cautious with their stars and rest them for one of the back to back games.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
Celtics Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week
We’re back! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week!
Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game.
Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from March 21st to March 28th are considered. The Celtics went 2-1 this week, with wins over the Thunder and Hawks but a loss to the Timberwolves.
5. Stampede catch
I’m such a big fan of the stampede catch and think Jaylen Brown is at his best when he employs it as much as possible—and this specific possession presents an awesome illustration of the play’s effectiveness. Because McDaniels has his eyes on Pritchard, he’s unprepared for Brown catching the ball and immediately driving through his chest. The stampede catch is effective for anyone, but especially a guy with Jaylen’s physicality and straight-line drive ability. McDaniels’ momentum going away from the hoop plus Brown’s momentum going downhill towards the rim equals great offense for Boston.
4. Brown’s growth
This has been a year of massive growth for Jaylen Brown, and his calmness and balance in the paint has been his most significant improvement in my opinion. This move—in which Brown uses a low, controlled pickup cadence on his right hand and subsequently shifts his weight to the left side—is a super difficult move to defend and is a good way of Jaylen leaning into his strength and size. The move allows him to square up his body and forces the defense to make a decision about swiping at the ball (and potentially fouling) or not swiping and allowing Brown an easy layup attempt. Jaylen must be watching some Donovan Mitchell highlights.
3. Trusting Baylor’s defense
I have really enjoyed Joe Mazzulla’s willingness to lean into Scheierman’s defensive instincts this year. Though his 2014 draft profile from NBA.com posited that Baylor “hasn’t been able to develop too much on the defensive end of the court, and since he’s not an elite athlete, he could have problems defending quick guards and bigger players,” the Celtics have used an open mind with him and have realized that he actually provides lots of value on that end. They’ve put him on opposing stars (in this case, SGA) and allowed him to be pesky with his length and hands. Here, Scheierman does an amazing job poking at the ball but then pulls his arms back when Shai tries to foul-bait. Beautiful stuff.
2. Box-out 101
The textbook box-out is one where you have your opponent in such an advantageous position that even if the ball touches the ground, you still get it—and that’s exactly what happens on this play. Not only does Pritchard beautifully track the ball off the rim, but he continues to push his defender back while the ball is still in the air, which awards him perfect position to eventually get the board. Want to learn how to get rebounds while being small? Watch Payton Pritchard.
1. The Celtics—peel switch gods
This exact peel switch has become a staple of the NBA’s 4th best defense, and it has left opposing ball-handlers looking like JV high school players all season. On spread pick-and-rolls in which a guard dribbles to the middle of the floor, the Celtics will often (but, importantly, not always) have the weak-side wing’s defender take the ball-handler and thus have the on-ball defender (in this case, Derrick White) close out to the perimeter shooter. This seemingly simple peel switch—which actually requires exquisite communication, timing, and IQ—has completely thrown off opposing offenses all year and is at the forefront of innovative defensive concepts around the NBA. Unbelievable implementation from Mazzulla and the rest of the staff.
Sharma and Rickelton lead Mumbai to 6-wicket win over Kolkata in IPL
MUMBAI, India (AP) — Openers Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma hit aggressive half-centuries to lead Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL on Sunday with five balls remaining.
Rickelton scored 81 off 43 balls with eight sixes while Sharma hit 78 off 38, including six sixes, as Mumbai went on to win with 224-4 in 19.1 overs. It was the highest run-chase at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in an Indian Premier League game.
Earlier, after losing the toss, Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 67 off 40 balls, with five sixes, providing the base for his side’s challenging 220-4 in 20 overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi hit 51 off 29 deliveries and Shardul Thakur picked up 3-39 for Mumbai.
Chasing 221, Mumbai set a hectic pace – Rickelton and Sharma put on 148 runs off 71 balls for the first wicket, including 80-0 in the powerplay.
Sharma sped to 50 off 23 balls. Rickelton reached his half century off 24 balls as Kolkata’s bowling didn’t have any answers.
Vaibhav Arora got the breakthrough in the 12th over when Sharma was out after Anukul Roy took a wonderful catch running back to midwicket.
India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav walked in at No. 3 as the impact player and scored 16 off eight balls before holing out to the square leg boundary.
Rickelton was run out in the 16th over, with Mumbai suffering a minor hiccup at 184-3, down from 148-0.
Tilak Varma (20) and Hardik Pandya (18 not out) made sure that the five-time champions won their opening game of the season – a first since the 2012 IPL season.
Good start for Kolkata
Kolkata openers Finn Allen and Rahane put on 69 off 32 balls.
Allen scored 37 off 17, including six fours and two sixes, while Rahane reached his 50 off 27 balls. Kolkata scored 78-1 in the powerplay, with Allen caught in the sixth over off Thakur.
Returning to the Mumbai camp this season, Thakur also accounted for Cameron Green (18) and later Rahane in the 14th over.
At 145-3, Kolkata’s innings was nearly derailed before Raghuvanshi played a rescuing hand. He hit six fours and two sixes, racing to 50 off 28 balls. Vice-captain Rinku Singh was 33 not out off 21.
The duo put on 60 off 30 balls for the fourth wicket to help Kolkata cross 200. But the team's bowling didn’t match its batting efforts on Sunday evening.
On Monday, it's Rajasthan Royals vs. Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Highlights: Castle’s triple-double and Wemby’s double-double lead Spurs in rout of Bucks
Coming off a blowout win against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Spurs traveled to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks for the final time this season. Just like the Grizzlies game, the Spurs completely outmatched the depleted Bucks on both ends. After outscoring them 37-24 in the first, they never looked back. They led by as much as 38 points, thanks to dominant performances from Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama, alongside the team shooting 40% from three. The Spurs ultimately won wire-to-wire. 127-95.
Stephon Castle dropped his fourth career triple-double: 22 points (9-13 FG), 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Steph dropped one of the quieter triple-doubles. While the rest of the team was on fire from three, Steph took his time and attacked the paint. He also drained two threes alongside dishing out multiple lobs and diming up open shooters and cutters. He reached nine rebounds early in the fourth, but Mitch Johnson took him out with over seven minutes left. Thankfully, Mitch subbed him back in minutes later, and he grabbed his 10th board. Nonetheless of how he achieved the feat, Steph is a young star who could very well be an all-star next season.
Spin cycle! Steph isos Ryan Rollins and spins off of him, driving into the paint. He then uses his decel move for the layup!
AREA 51 PART 1: Steph beats the Bucks’ zone defense by catching the ball at the free-throw line and immediately lobbing it up to a cutting Wemby for the easy slam!
WEIGHT ROOM! Steph sprints down the court in transition and muscles through Taurean Prince for the finish!
AREA 51 PART 2: Deja vu on the Steph to Wemby lob connection!
Several of Steph’s teammates were asked about his performance after the game. Safe to say, they were impressed!
Victor Wembanyama dropped a double-double: 23 points (9-10 FT) and 15 rebounds to go along with six assists, two steals, and a block. Wemby dominated the boards and was dishing out several dimes. As far as his points go, his midrange and three-pointer were not effective, but every time he got into the paint, he was either fouled or he was slamming down lob passes and breakaway dunks. He only recorded one block, but throughout the game, there were several Bucks’ players who did not want to shoot over him at the midrange and in the paint. Those are called ‘neverminds’, and Wemby forces every player to think twice about attempting a shot with him lurking.
BEHIND THE BACK! Wemby pulls off a move that usually guards pull off: a behind-the-back pass to a wide-open Steph for the powerful slam!
Lob City Dimer! Wemby leads the fastbreak and finds a cutting Carter Bryant for the alley-oop!
AREA 51 PART 3: Another Steph to Wemby lob, and this time Wemby posterizes Myles Turner with one hand!
FLIGHT 1 IS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF! Wemby fakes out Turner and drives in with a double-clutch slam!
Devin Vassell dropped 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-7 3PT), four rebounds, three steals, a dime, and a block. Dev was efficient from the field and provided an extra boost on defense. He snuck into the passing lanes and even pickpocketed Rollins. Dev is now shooting 39% from three this season, but the most underrated part of his game is coming up with good defensive rotations on the perimeter. With him and Julian Champagnie as key floor spacers, it makes it that much harder for teams to shut down this offense.
PINPOINT! Dev nails the wide-open three from the wing late in the first!
D3V AGAIN! Keldon Johnson finds Dev again for the wide-open three!
Keldon Johnson dropped 16 points (6-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, 2-2 FT), five assists, and a steal. KJ was uber-efficient and a playmaker for both the starters and the bench. He made great cuts to the basket and drained two threes. His ability to get a bucket by any means necessary has been a great spark plug when the offense goes cold, and he showed off his post moves, resulting in multiple tough buckets. Another great game for his 6MOTY candidacy.
Don’t fall asleep! KJ cuts to the basket, and Dylan Harper feeds him a nice bounce pass for the open jam!
GET BIG! KJ drives in on Turner and finishes over him with the right hand!
Dylan Harper dropped 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-3 3PT), two assists, one rebound, and one steal. In just 21 minutes, Dyl put on a show in the open court. Anytime Dyl had the ball one-on-one, his craftiness allowed him to finish at the rim no matter who was in front of him. He also drained two threes. In March, he is shooting 59% from the field and 54% from three-point range. Dyl is heating up at the right time with the playoffs now two weeks away.
Smooth operator! Dyl puts multiple moves on Ousmane Dieng. He does a crossover into a half spin and switches hands on the reverse layup!
De’Aaron Fox dropped 12 points (6-9 FG), six assists, two rebounds, and a steal. D-Fox got his buckets strictly from the midrange and the paint. Just like Wemby, he also finished with six assists. His lightning-quick speed mixed with his dribble moves results in easier buckets due to the created space. The two-time all-star continues to pick his spots and lets others shine as long as the team is winning.
Fox dime! D-Fox finds an open Champagnie, who pops the champagne for three! Julian finished with 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-7 3PT), four rebounds, and two steals.
Too crafty and too fast! On the fastbreak, D-Fox stops at the three-point line, gives a quick look to the backcourt, and splits two defenders for the open layup!
AND-ONE MIDDY! D-Fox puts a move on Turner, and Turner fouls him on the jumper for the and-one!
All in all, this was one of several games this season that was wrapped up nice and early. The poise and maturity this team has shown since the first half of the season is leaps and bounds ahead of schedule. This was also a game where the silver and black were at full strength. As the regular season draws to a close, this team will have a key matchup against the Denver Nuggets on April 2nd and on April 12th. Those matchups will help prepare this team for what is to come this postseason.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs return home to take on the Chicago Bulls this Monday at 7:00 P.M. (CST) on Peacock/NBCSN EXTRA/FDSN-SW.
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