Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts after making a basket against the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns is an enigma, a polarizing figure, and also happens to hold the keys to just how good the Knicks can be this season.
KAT possesses a rare combination of talent and size that is matched by only a handful of basketball players in the world, and on many a night, we see plenty of flashes of it, leading to a Knicks win. But on other nights, especially earlier this season, those flashes seemed harder to come by, leading to disappointed, confused, and frustrated fans, as well as some ugly Knicks losses.
And while a non-insignificant portion of New York’s fanbase continues to dislike Towns and find every reason to pit every loss on the big man, the truth is, Towns has actually been playing well. Very well. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that he’s overall been the best Knicks player for some time now, and he’s gotten there right ahead of the playoffs, at the exact best possible time.
KAT has been playing really wonderful basketball lately. Playing super hard. Smart plays. Some of his best defense of the season, especially against San Antonio. Great, clutch shot making. Doing it all.
Over their last 20 games, in which they are 15-5, Towns leads the team in plus-minus at a +202, while plus-minus darling, OG Anunoby, ranks second at just +176. And over his last 10 games, he’s turned it around offensively, averaging 19.8PPG, and 11.9RPG while shooting 46.4% from the field, and 34.8% from three. Those numbers still pale in comparison to the usual 23+PPG on 50%+ shooting from the field, and 40%+ shooting from three, but it’s still a trend in the right direction as it includes a five-game stretch of 20+ points, which is the longest of the season. And whether he’s had 17 shots as he had in Chicago, or eight shots like he had last night, there’s no questioning just how much more efficient Towns has been.
But why is this? What has suddenly changed for Towns? Some of it comes down to a very mundane answer of, “he’s just playing better”. He’s been more decisive, more aggressive, and he’s just been more efficient with the shots he’s gotten. Yet a lot of it goes beyond that.
It seems like the team as a whole, both Mike Brown and the players, have made a more concerted effort to play through the big man. While Brown hasn’t changed much in how he uses Towns, he understands more than anyone just how important Towns is to this team’s success. And while there are still multiple times every game where players, most notably Jalen Brunson, miss an open Towns, guys have looked to get the ball to the big guy.
And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Towns’ best stretch on the offensive end came just two games after Jose Alvarado joined the Knicks. It has been clear as day that the backup point guard has looked to feed Towns. And the numbers back it up. Evident by the graphic below, which shows Towns’ possessions with Alvarado entering last night’s game, Towns has a higher usage rate when playing with Alvarado, and his points per 76 possessions, as well as his overall efficiency, are significantly higher.
I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that his best stretch offensively coincides with maybe the best defense he’s played as a Knick. Now, Towns will never turn into a Mitchell Robinson or Rudy Gobert level of elite rim-protecting, shot-altering defender. But during this recent stretch, likely due to the increased offensive involvement, he’s been very solid, dare I say, even good. He looks more attentive, the energy and effort are there, and he’s had much fewer of the head-scratching mistakes we saw so much over the last season and a half. Brown, who has not been shy of calling Towns’ defensive efforts out this season, has been very complimentary of what Towns has done on that end of the floor, and for good reason.
Mike Brown on KAT D: "Everybody looks at KAT like 'Oh he can't do it blah blah blah'––well he can do it & he's showing he can do it…been fantastic…Also been really good communicating…I can hear him talking very loud & early & continuous…Lot of credit for stepping up his game" pic.twitter.com/DNRBHi3McN
Obviously, this isn’t the largest sample size. And there are still things he can do better. But given what this team is asking of him, his role in Brown’s system, and his early-season struggles, it’s been an awesome sight to see such a crucial part of this team finally finding his way.
The Boston Celtics are about to get a whole lot better.
Jayson Tatum is back! The five-time All-NBA wing is officially questionable and appears set to return to the Celtics lineup Friday night against Dallas, 10 months after tearing his Achilles in a playoff game against the Knicks.
Whatever rough patches may come in adjusting to bringing back one of the 10 best players in the world when healthy, it's worth it to have his dynamic offense and presence on the floor. As Zach Lowe said, there is always a place in the league for tall guys who can shoot, and at his core, Tatum is just that (a career 37% from 3-point range). Plus, this is a man with an NBA title and a gold medal — you want him around in big playoff games.
Tatum will be on a minutes limit — and not just a few games, likely for the remainder of the regular season. Boston has to think big picture. The top priority is keeping Tatum healthy, working on his conditioning and ramping him up so he is physically ready for the playoffs (and ready for an offseason of work so he can come back hitting the ground running next season).
Does Tatum's return make Boston the title favorites in a wide-open East? We're going to find that out in the coming days and weeks, but the answer just may be yes.
The question now is what will Tatum's return look like?
Tatum, Jaylen Brown and starters
With Tatum out the first three quarters of the season, Jaylen Brown has taken the larger role on his shoulders, carrying the Celtics to a top-three seed in the East, and putting himself in the MVP conversation. Brown is averaging 28.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and five assists a game, and, more impressively, has maintained his efficiency while taking a massive leap in usage.
There will be a "don't take shots away from Brown" crowd, but Tatum should take some shots away. Brown's 35.6 usage rate is second in the league (only Luka Doncic's is higher). If Brown — and Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, and Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez — all lose a few minutes and take a couple fewer shots a game so that Tatum can get his looks, that will be good news for an offense that is already second in the league. It's also baked into Joe Mazzulla's culture in Boston, there is not going to be any "but I need to get mine" backlash.
There will be some rough patches as Brown and Tatum strike a new balance, one in which the MVP candidate Brown often has a larger role than the returning-from-injury Tatum. Brown has earned it. That said, Tatum and Brown have been playing together for their entire careers, they have won a championship together, and they will figure that balance out. The narrative that persists with some, that Brown and Tatum can't play together, should have died years ago. Maybe after they won a ring together. It's certainly not going to stand in their way now.
When Tatum is with the bench units
This is the more interesting dynamic to watch.
When Brown has gone to the bench this season, Boston actually gets better, outscoring its opponents by 13.7 points per 100 possessions (9.6 more than when Brown is on the court). A bench unit that at points has featured Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Scheierman, Gonzalez, and lately Payton Pritchard (returning to his Sixth Man of the Year role) has thrived in a high-energy system. They fly around, coming off a series of picks, the ball moves and there are shooters everywhere. It works.
What Mazzulla can't allow to happen is the second unit just deferring to Tatum every time down.
There will be some of that, and there are matchups and times to let Tatum cook. As his confidence in his surgically repaired leg grows, there will be more opportunities for him to attack.
But Boston can't abandon what has worked.
What Mazzulla and Boston have built is a culture and system that involves sacrifice and trust — it's why they are top three in the East, even in a season when not only was Tatum out but they also traded away Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornett. Everyone sacrifices a little to make it work; everyone has to play their role, and Tatum will do his share, but so will Brown and everyone else.
If Boston finds that balance, it should be the favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
The Dallas Mavericks (21-41) head to the Garden Friday evening to square off against the near-league-leading Boston Celtics (41-21). It’s a quick turnaround after Thursday night’s game in Orlando, in which the Mavericks literally fumbled the win off an ugly inbounds pass with 1.4 seconds to go. On this second night of a back-to-back, Dallas will have to push hard to have any shot at a victory against their former championship rivals.
Boston comes into this evening on a roll. They’ve won 3 of their last 4, 7 of their last 10, and currently hold the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference – and that’s without Jayson Tatum in the rotation. Once he’s back in rhythm, this team will have all the pieces it needs to dominate on both ends of the floor. A large amount of the credit goes to Brad Stevens and the front office – what was supposed to be a gap year for this team has turned into a legitimate shot for another chip. Once everything is back in gear, there’s really no telling how far this iteration of the Celtics can go.
Dallas, on the other hand, enters the Garden looking roughed up. They may appear to be treading water against the worst of the Western Conference, but don’t let the standings fool you – the Mavericks have lost 15 of their last 17. If you’re team tank, this isn’t necessarily the worst thing, as every loss is one step closer to an AJ Dybantsa or a Darryn Peterson (or, more realistically, a Mikel Brown Jr.). But there’s no denying this Mavericks team is a difficult watch right now, even if they do play hard night-in and night-out.
Here are three things to think about headed into Friday night’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.
The turnover disparity
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Dallas Mavericks can’t take care of the ball. It’s been true since the beginning of the season (the Mavericks average nearly 15 turnovers a game), and it’s been even more true since the All-Star Break (they gave the ball up 20 times against the Grizzlies last week!). The biggest factor, of course, is that the team lacks an experienced point guard capable of facilitating at the highest level. But everyone plays a part in the problem – meaning that everyone can play a part in the solution, too.
This turnover disparity especially matters against the Celtics, who are really, really good at taking care of the ball. In fact, as of right now, they’re the best in the league, coughing it up only 12.2 times per game on average. Put simply, the possession math does not favor the Mavericks going into this matchup. If they want opportunities to score, they’ll have to play buttoned-up all night long – particularly as Boston’s defense is nothing to balk at, either. This is partially because…
Young talent means a lot
…the Celtics are getting the most out of their fresh blood. In a season marked by roster turnover and injured stars, Boston has found a way to fill the gaps, drawing on their rookies and their new acquisitions for genuine contributions across the floor. Seriously, take a look at these net rating stats from early March. 20-year-old Hugo González held the #1 spot at 17.1, and Derrick White and Neemias Queta weren’t far behind at #7 and #8, respectively. Besides the Oklahoma City Thunder (who hold five spots on this list, somehow), there isn’t a single team in the Association that’s better at extracting meaningful minutes from every player.
The Mavericks, of course, have also been propelled by their young guys this year, most notably Ryan Nembhard (who just got converted to a standard deal by the Mavericks) and Cooper Flagg. Nembhard has been perhaps the most successful at filling Dallas’ need for a traditional point guard, playing around 40 games this season and starting in around half. And Flagg has been successful at just about everything else – scoring, passing, defending, even handling the ball when the moment arises. Right now, he’s the unquestioned centerpiece of this team, contributing in pretty much every conceivable way.
Hey, speaking of Cooper Flagg…
The return of the stars
…he’s finally back! After missing 8 consecutive games with a left midfoot sprain, the star rookie has officially returned to the Mavericks’ lineup, playing 25 minutes against the Orlando Magic Thursday night and putting up 18/5/6. No question that this is a welcome reunion for Dallas – Flagg is averaging 20.4 points this season, and Dallas went 2-6 in his absence, including against some truly bad teams. While it’s currently unclear exactly how much Flagg will play against the Celtics – he may rest the back-to-back, or he may still be on a minutes restriction – it’s sure to be a morale boost knowing a future MVP is waiting in the wings.
The Celtics, of course, are eagerly awaiting the return of their own superstar. According to Shams Charania, Jayson Tatum is expected to make his return on Friday against the Mavericks, a shockingly quick recovery after missing only 10 months with a torn right Achilles. Even if he’s not 100 percent, Tatum’s return will no doubt create some problems for Dallas. The team largely lacks the defensive tools to handle Tatum and Brown and White and the others. Then again, so does most of the rest of the NBA, so maybe there’s no shame in that.
The road ahead
After their matchup against Boston, Dallas continues its brutal half-month road trip with games against the Toronto Raptors, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Memphis Grizzlies. Then, the Mavericks return home for a brief one-game stint against the Cleveland Cavaliers before heading back on the road.
How to watch
The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, March 6 at 6:00 PM CT. The game will will be streamed live on MavsTV, and will also be broadcast on KFAA and ESPN. As usual, fans can also tune in at 97.1FM KEGL (English) or at 99.1FM KFZO (Español).
The Dallas Mavericks (21-41) head to the Garden Friday evening to square off against the near-league-leading Boston Celtics (41-21). It’s a quick turnaround after Thursday night’s game in Orlando, in which the Mavericks literally fumbled the win off an ugly inbounds pass with 1.4 seconds to go. On this second night of a back-to-back, Dallas will have to push hard to have any shot at a victory against their former championship rivals.
Boston comes into this evening on a roll. They’ve won 3 of their last 4, 7 of their last 10, and currently hold the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference – and that’s without Jayson Tatum in the rotation. Once he’s back in rhythm, this team will have all the pieces it needs to dominate on both ends of the floor. A large amount of the credit goes to Brad Stevens and the front office – what was supposed to be a gap year for this team has turned into a legitimate shot for another chip. Once everything is back in gear, there’s really no telling how far this iteration of the Celtics can go.
Dallas, on the other hand, enters the Garden looking roughed up. They may appear to be treading water against the worst of the Western Conference, but don’t let the standings fool you – the Mavericks have lost 15 of their last 17. If you’re team tank, this isn’t necessarily the worst thing, as every loss is one step closer to an AJ Dybantsa or a Darryn Peterson (or, more realistically, a Mikel Brown Jr.). But there’s no denying this Mavericks team is a difficult watch right now, even if they do play hard night-in and night-out.
Here are three things to think about headed into Friday night’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.
The turnover disparity
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Dallas Mavericks can’t take care of the ball. It’s been true since the beginning of the season (the Mavericks average nearly 15 turnovers a game), and it’s been even more true since the All-Star Break (they gave the ball up 20 times against the Grizzlies last week!). The biggest factor, of course, is that the team lacks an experienced point guard capable of facilitating at the highest level. But everyone plays a part in the problem – meaning that everyone can play a part in the solution, too.
This turnover disparity especially matters against the Celtics, who are really, really good at taking care of the ball. In fact, as of right now, they’re the best in the league, coughing it up only 12.2 times per game on average. Put simply, the possession math does not favor the Mavericks going into this matchup. If they want opportunities to score, they’ll have to play buttoned-up all night long – particularly as Boston’s defense is nothing to balk at, either. This is partially because…
Young talent means a lot
…the Celtics are getting the most out of their fresh blood. In a season marked by roster turnover and injured stars, Boston has found a way to fill the gaps, drawing on their rookies and their new acquisitions for genuine contributions across the floor. Seriously, take a look at these net rating stats from early March. 20-year-old Hugo González held the #1 spot at 17.1, and Derrick White and Neemias Queta weren’t far behind at #7 and #8, respectively. Besides the Oklahoma City Thunder (who hold five spots on this list, somehow), there isn’t a single team in the Association that’s better at extracting meaningful minutes from every player.
The Mavericks, of course, have also been propelled by their young guys this year, most notably Ryan Nembhard (who just got converted to a standard deal by the Mavericks) and Cooper Flagg. Nembhard has been perhaps the most successful at filling Dallas’ need for a traditional point guard, playing around 40 games this season and starting in around half. And Flagg has been successful at just about everything else – scoring, passing, defending, even handling the ball when the moment arises. Right now, he’s the unquestioned centerpiece of this team, contributing in pretty much every conceivable way.
Hey, speaking of Cooper Flagg…
The return of the stars
…he’s finally back! After missing 8 consecutive games with a left midfoot sprain, the star rookie has officially returned to the Mavericks’ lineup, playing 25 minutes against the Orlando Magic Thursday night and putting up 18/5/6. No question that this is a welcome reunion for Dallas – Flagg is averaging 20.4 points this season, and Dallas went 2-6 in his absence, including against some truly bad teams. While it’s currently unclear exactly how much Flagg will play against the Celtics – he may rest the back-to-back, or he may still be on a minutes restriction – it’s sure to be a morale boost knowing a future MVP is waiting in the wings.
The Celtics, of course, are eagerly awaiting the return of their own superstar. According to Shams Charania, Jayson Tatum is expected to make his return on Friday against the Mavericks, a shockingly quick recovery after missing only 10 months with a torn right Achilles. Even if he’s not 100 percent, Tatum’s return will no doubt create some problems for Dallas. The team largely lacks the defensive tools to handle Tatum and Brown and White and the others. Then again, so does most of the rest of the NBA, so maybe there’s no shame in that.
The road ahead
After their matchup against Boston, Dallas continues its brutal half-month road trip with games against the Toronto Raptors, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Memphis Grizzlies. Then, the Mavericks return home for a brief one-game stint against the Cleveland Cavaliers before heading back on the road.
How to watch
The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, March 6 at 6:00 PM CT. The game will will be streamed live on MavsTV, and will also be broadcast on KFAA and ESPN. As usual, fans can also tune in at 97.1FM KEGL (English) or at 99.1FM KFZO (Español).
From Jayson Tatum’s long-awaited return to Cooper Flagg’s homecoming, there’s no shortage of big-time storylines as the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks collide tonight in Beantown.
A lottery-bound Dallas squad arrives on a five-game skid, and my Mavericks vs. Celtics predictions dial into Boston’s firepower here, with Tatum and Jaylen Brown reunited on the wing for the 2024 champs.
Read on for my free NBA picks ahead of Friday, March 6.
Mavericks vs Celtics prediction
Mavericks vs Celtics best bet: Jaylen Brown Over 11.5 rebounds + assists (-125)
In Jayson Tatum’s absence, Jaylen Brown has taken his game to the next level, and I don’t see him taking a step back now. His scoring has been steady, but I’m taking the Over on his rebounds + assists combo prop, with the Boston Celticsstar breezing past this number in his last six games.
Brown has excelled on the boards lately, averaging 10.0 RPG across his past six outings, and he’s pulled his playmaking up to five dimes per night this year. He should dominate against the undermanned Dallas Mavericks, and it’s way too early to worry about Tatum eating into his stats.
Mavericks vs Celtics same-game parlay
TD Garden is sure to be rocking for Tatum’s return, and I’m targeting his assists tally as he eases his way back. Brown can do the heavier lifting, but there’s a clear path for Tatum to flash his playmaking skills.
I’ll also layer on the Boston moneyline, with the hosts eager to rebound from a thumping home loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Mavs are 7-21 SU on the road this season.
Mavericks vs Celtics SGP
Jaylen Brown Over 11.5 rebounds + assists
Jayson Tatum Over 2.5 assists
Celtics moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Flagg Day!
With Cooper Flagg’s roots up the coast in Maine, he’s guaranteed a warm welcome tonight.
Flagg posted an 18-5-6 stat line last night in Orlando in his return from an eight-game absence, and he’s averaging 20.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 4.2 APG this season.
Mavericks vs Celtics SGP
Cooper Flagg Over 17.5 points
Cooper Flagg Over 3.5 assists
Cooper Flagg Over 4.5 rebounds
Cooper Flagg Over 0.5 steals
Mavericks vs Celtics odds
Spread: Mavericks +15 (-110) | Celtics -15 (-110)
Moneyline: Mavericks +661 | Celtics -1,000
Over/Under: Over 224.5 (-110) | Under 224.5 (-110)
Mavericks vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Celtics are 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Celtics.
How to watch Mavericks vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Mavericks vs Celtics latest injuries
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The Sacramento Kings aren’t just the NBA’s worst team — they’re the worst team despite a veteran roster that has been trying to win every game. Lost in the rampant discussion about “tanking” this season is that several of the league’s bottom-feeders are just plain bad, and aren’t doing anything to manipulate their record for more ping-pong balls in the draft lottery. At 14-50 with 18 games left to play, Sacramento has been a disaster from the start because of poor roster construction and spotty coaching, but the real problems start at the top of the organization.
This Kings season has taken a toll on everyone involved, and it spilled over into Russell Westbrook’s press conference following a loss to the lowly New Orleans Pelicans (another NBA tanker that isn’t actually tanking without control of their draft pick) on Thursday night. Westbrook used his press conference to call out media for making assumptions about players’ motivations as the team plays out the string. The presser started off hostile but eventually turned into a good discussion with a few questions left unanswered. Watch the whole thing here:
Westbrook said he understands that media will analyze the games, but he doesn’t appreciate those covering the team trying to make assumptions about what’s going on in players’ heads. Westbrook raised some fair points, but he also refused to say exactly what was said that upset him, which made the whole thing more confusing.
It seems like Westbrook didn’t like certain comments made on Kings podcasts. One of the reporters he appeared to call out, Matt George, issued a response to Westbrook on YouTube after the game.
My thoughts and response to the comments Sacramento Kings star Russell Westbrook directed at me and other members of the Sacramento media tonight:
Several people that Westbrook gave the George the opportunity to respond during the press conference, and instead he did it on his podcast. As someone who has been in hostile press conferences before, I’ll say that sometimes you need a minute to gather your thoughts, especially when you’re not expecting to be pressed like that. I don’t mind George saving his response for his show, and I don’t mind Westbrook calling out any of the Sacramento media members, either. I just wish Westbrook wouldn’t have been so vague in his criticisms so that it was easier to understand his point.
The Kings’ problems aren’t because of Westbrook or the media. It all starts at the top with owner Vivek Ranadivé who seemingly means well but constantly shoots himself in the foot whenever he tries insert himself into the team’s decision-making. Trading Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis was a disaster (which we called at the time). Letting De’Aaron Fox’s relationship with the team fracture that led to trading him to San Antonio for pennies on the dollar was also a mistake. Reuniting DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine never made any sense.
The Kings are pretty much the worst run franchise in the NBA. Maybe lottery luck will save Sacramento for once, because just about nothing else can.
It’s a great night of NBA action, and not only because there are seven games full of player props for us to bet on.
Jayson Tatum makes his return to the Boston Celtics following his Achilles injury, but it’s a Boston big man I’m targeting in their matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, while Victor Wembanyama continues to cement his case for Defensive Player of the Year.
Find out more in my NBA picks for Friday, March 6.
The buzz around the Charlotte Hornets is for real. With Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and LaMelo Ball, they have become one of the deadliest 3-point shooting teams in the NBA.
While Miller and Knueppel are more natural shooters, Ball has always been a volume guy. Over his last 12 games, he’s shooting a modest 36.6% from deep, but when you’re taking 10.9 threes per game, that's four makes per contest.
That makes the Miami Heat a perfect matchup for LaMelo. The Heat don’t allow a high percentage, but because of their high pace of play, they allow the fourth-most 3-point attempts and rank 21st in makes per game.
Ball has hit four or more threes seven times during this 12-game stretch, and at plus money, I'll happily back him to do it again.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network South, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Charlotte
Prop #2: Neemias Queta Over 8.5 points
+100 at bet365
The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks in a game that sees the return of Jayson Tatum and Cooper Flagg. But while those guys get the headlines, my favorite player prop in the matchup is backing a Boston big man.
Neemias Queta is having a breakout season for the Celtics, averaging 9.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He faces a Mavericks team that ranks dead last in the NBA in opponent points in the paint per game.
Yet we are still getting a modest 8.5-point total for him here, with the Over at even money. It’s a number he’s topped in five of his last seven games, so sign me up.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 4.5 steals & blocks
Wemby’s rare length allows him to protect the paint and block shots like no other. He is averaging 3.0 blocks per game this season, and he’s been an absolute block machine since coming out of the All-Star break, getting that number up to 4.6 over his last eight games.
Now, books have caught on, and Wemby’s blocks prop is at 3.5, with the Over nice and juiced. But his steals & blocks prop is just 4.5, a number he’s topped six times during that stretch, with the Over at plus money, and the Clippers own the NBA’s sixth-worst turnover rate.
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According to the report, Brooks was taken into custody around 2 a.m. local time and released an hour later.
The 30-year-old Brooks has not played since Feb. 21, when he fractured his left hand in a win against the Orlando Magic. He was expected to miss four to six weeks after surgery as the Suns sit 35-27 and are the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, two games out of the sixth seed, currently occupied by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brooks is averaging a career-high 20.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in 50 games this season, and is in the third season of a four-year, $86 million contract he signed in 2023 with the Houston Rockets, when he was acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Alperen Sengun and the Houston Rockets botched what should have been an easy win in their most recent game.
Houston lost to Golden State as near 10-point chalk and now have another “should win” matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.
Sengun won’t let a victory and potentially the No. 3 seed in the West slip away. My Trail Blazers vs. Rockets predictions and NBA picks call for a big night from Houston’s big man.
Trail Blazers vs Rockets prediction
Trail Blazers vs Rockets best bet: Alperen Sengun Over 17.5 points (-115)
Alperen Sengun’s recent offensive efforts have cut his prop total down as much as two points, with Over 17.5 presenting buyback value versus the Portland Trail Blazers.
He scored 17 points in the loss to the Warriors, coming in Under his scoring prop of 19.5 O/U, and is 3-7 O/U against his points props the past 10 outings.
Portland gets punished in the paint but also from deep, and Sengun dropped 25 points on the Blazers with an inside-out effort in November.
His projections are as high as 21+ points and some books are hanging this total as high as 19.5 O/U.
Trail Blazers vs Rockets same-game parlay
The Houston Rockets let one get away and that knocked them to No. 4 in the Western Conference. Portland is wrapping an extended road trip in Houston and projections give the home team the win and cover.
Sengun hurt Portland inside, outside and at the foul line in their first meeting. Player projections sit between 18.9 and 21.4 points against the Trail Blazers tonight. Prop totals range from 17.5 to 19.5 across the industry. We'll go Over the low side of this market.
Reed Sheppard has upped his production the past month and his points props are taking off, sitting at a high of 16.5 O/U after being as short as 10.5 O/U a few games ago. Projections aren’t as positive as the props, so I’m selling Sheppard’s scoring.
Trail Blazers vs Rockets SGP
Houston Rockets -6.5
Alperen Sengun Over 17.5 points
Reed Sheppard Under 16.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: All eyes on Sengun
Houston is 10-17-1 Over/Under at home (63% Unders) and Sengun knocked down four 3-pointers in his last matchup with Portland.
Trail Blazers vs Rockets SGP
Houston Rockets -6.5
Under 220.5
Alperen Sengun Over 17.5 points
Alperen Sengun Over 0.5 3-pointers
Trail Blazers vs Rockets odds
Spread: Portland +6.5 | Houston -6.5
Moneyline: Portland +220 | Houston -270
Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5
Trail Blazers vs Rockets betting trend to know
Houston has stayed Under the total in 32 of its last 50 games (+12.20 Units/22% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Rockets.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Rockets
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
KUNP, SCHN
Trail Blazers vs Rockets latest injuries
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PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 5: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 5, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Silver linings. You try to find them in every game, especially in a loss. When you look at what the Phoenix Suns put on the floor against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, those silver linings are difficult to locate.
It was ugly basketball. The ugliest game of the season? I am not ready to go that far. I do not even know if it cracks the top five. Although when the conversation turns to ugly nights, this one deserves a seat at the table.
The defense was pitiful. If I squinted hard enough, I felt like I was watching the Phoenix Suns from the previous two seasons. You know, the version that could not contain the perimeter and allowed opponents to make a living at the rim? For a second I thought I saw Bradley Beal jogging through the frame. Drive after drive found daylight. Chicago kept attacking the paint, and Phoenix had no answer.
And sometimes that happens. This is the NBA. Strange results live here. The Houston Rockets lost at home last night to the Warriors, a team missing Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Nights like that occur across the league.
So you take the game, write it on a piece of paper, crumple it up, and toss it toward the wastebasket. If you shot like the Suns did last night, however, that paper ball probably misses the rim too. Still, we are searching for silver linings. That means digging into the trash, unfolding that wrinkled piece of parchment, and studying what is written on it.
One of those silver linings might be something we did not expect. This game told us something about Jalen Green. More specifically, who he is not.
I know what some of you are thinking. “Good golly, Voita! Another Jalen Green piece?! What is this, the third one this week?!!!”
Yes. Absolutely.
Jalen Green sits at the center of one of the most fascinating storylines surrounding the Phoenix Suns this season. A large piece of the future depends on how the organization navigates his role and his development. He accounts for 21.7% of the salary cap. That is not a small detail.
So while I will continue preaching patience and measured judgment, ignoring what is happening would be irresponsible. The job here is to mark the mile markers along the road. To document the experience as it unfolds. When the season ends, the entire story should be sitting in front of us, not reconstructed from memory, but lived in real time.
As a player, Jalen Green checks plenty of boxes on paper, does he not. Athleticism? Check. Length? Check. Personality, likability, the right attitude? Check, check, chiggity-check. Those are the intangibles, the traits that make you lean forward a little and believe there is something there worth investing in.
Then you get to the deliverables.
Three-point shooting? Finishing at the rim? Rebounding? Defense? Efficiency? Those are the areas that define whether a player turns potential into production, and through much of this season, those areas have left plenty to be desired. Against Chicago, all of it sat under the spotlight.
Green finished the night 5-of-20 from the field and 1-of-8 from deep. Yes, he tied for the team lead in scoring during the late fourth-quarter push, although it took work to get there. He needed 11 shots to score his 9 points in the quarter. Amir Coffey also had 9 points in that stretch. He took 3 shots.
The moment that sticks with you arrived in the final seconds. One of Green’s seven misses in the fourth quarter came on a layup attempt at the rim, a shot that would have given Phoenix a 1-point lead — their first of the night — with 4.5 seconds remaining. Instead, the ball rolled away, and with it went the chance to flip the script.
The Suns just lost to a Bulls team that did not win a game in February. Phoenix never led. Had a look to go ahead for the first time in the final seconds, Jalen Green can’t get it to go. He finished 5-20 from the field. pic.twitter.com/tEnzdDamAJ
I know the loss against Chicago does not land squarely on Jalen Green’s shoulders. He was one spoke in a wheel that had a flat tire all night long. Nobody truly played well on either end of the floor, outside of Oso Ighodaro showing flashes here and there. Even he struggled at times protecting the rim. The problem was the inefficiency that spread across the entire roster. Phoenix could not slow Chicago down on one end, and they could not buy a basket on the other. That combination sinks a team every time, and it cannot all fall on Green.
Still, the game offered another look at Jalen Green operating as the second option for the Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker is back on the floor, and there will be adjustments. That process takes time. The team is learning it, the organization is learning it, the fan base is learning it. The early returns, though, have not been encouraging.
External factors exist, and they deserve acknowledgment. Injuries disrupt rhythm. Roles shift. Chemistry develops over time. At the same time, the production this season sits in a place that is difficult to ignore. It has been rough. Far rougher than anyone hoped when the season began.
I bring back a chart I initially posted back in November, fresh off the heels of a stellar 29-point Green performance against the Clippers. I charted Jalen Green’s 307 games with the Rockets and reminded the fanbase that, although his debut with Phoenix was electric, inconsistency is the name of his game.
With Houston, Green scored over 30 points 51 times. That was 16.6% of the time. But he also scored with 15 or fewer points in 107 games. 34.8% of the time. My observation then? “The highs are electric. The lows come more often than you’d expect.”
Now we look at the 14 games he’s played with Phoenix this season. Chart it and…
Inconsistent much?
Green is shooting 35.5% from the field this year. From three-point range, he sits at 26.3%. His effective field goal percentage is 41.8%. To put that into context, among players who have appeared in at least 14 games (which is where Green currently sits) he ranks 428 out of 448 in effective field goal percentage. That is the statistical neighborhood he occupies right now, and those numbers paint a clear picture of the struggle.
You can make the argument that he has not had enough time with this team in this role to truly settle into it. You can point to the fact that he missed 48 games this season and is still working to get his legs underneath him. I hear those arguments, and I acknowledge them. At the same time, I am watching what is happening on the court.
His legs did not look heavy late in the game when he took Isaac Okoro off the dribble and accelerated toward the rim. That moment had burst. That moment had lift. Fatigue was not the issue on that play. The problem was the finish.
That sequence tells a story we have seen repeatedly. Throughout this game, and honestly over the past nine games since returning from injury, Jalen Green has looked athletic. Springy. Explosive. A player who can turn the corner and get downhill. The challenge appears when the play reaches the rim.
Finishing has continued to be an issue for him, and that is not something unique to this season. It has followed him through his career. Green possesses elite athleticism, although his ability to convert around the basket has never matched the level of explosion he brings to the drive. During his four seasons with the Houston Rockets, Green took 57% of his shots at the rim and converted 53.8% of them. This season, the profile has shifted. Only 31.1% of his attempts come at the rim, and he is finishing those at 44.6%. The athleticism still shows up on the drive. The result at the end of that drive continues to be the hurdle.
Here is his career shooting chart.
That’s alotta blue…
When a player is integrating into a new system, the mistakes that show up are usually schematic. You see a missed offensive screen. A defensive rotation that arrives a step late. Those are the fingerprints of someone learning a structure, learning timing, learning where the next read lives.
What I have learned over time is that system integration rarely affects the shot itself.
The shot is the familiar part. It is the one thing that travels with a player from gym to gym, team to team, system to system. It is the comfort zone. The muscle memory. The skill that exists outside of the playbook. So yes, there will be a learning curve when it comes to role and responsibility within the offense. That part is expected. The shooting production, though, should be the steady ground underneath all of it. Throughout this season, that ground has not been steady.
Right now, it is a concern. In his 9 games since returning from injury, albeit some of those out of position and scheme, Green is shooting 20.3% from deep and 43.5% overall.
I assume some regression toward the mean will occur over time. Numbers tend to move in that direction if you give them enough attempts. The issue is that the mean itself still sits a distance away. When you look at Green’s career arc as a shooter, it becomes difficult to imagine a sudden leap arriving this late in the season.
He entered this year as a 34.2% three-point shooter during his time in Houston. With 19 games remaining, the math does not offer much room for a dramatic transformation. To get to 38% from three, which would be defined as “progression”, he would need to hit his next 18 attempts in a row. To reach his own career average, he would still need to knock down his next 12 consecutive threes.
Jalen Green would need to go 12-of-12 from beyond the arc to climb back to his 34.2% career average from three point range, the mark he posted during his time in Houston.
That is the kind of arithmetic that tells you where things currently stand. And therein lies the concern.
For all the positive intangibles Jalen Green brings, the deliverables have lagged behind through this stretch of the season. In a strange way, that becomes the silver lining from nights like this. Not because he struggled, but because a longer timeline reveals something clearer. You start to see the contours of the player. You start to see where the limitations live. And those observations matter when you are talking about a player who will earn $72 million over the next two seasons.
Yes, the sample is small. Anyone can argue that there is not enough runway to identify a trend, and I would not push back too hard on that point. I tend to lean on the twenty-game rule when evaluating stretches like this. I need twenty games to truly understand who a player is within the context of a system. And if your push back is along the lines of, “Well, the situation hasn’t been ideal for Green”, I respond with “Welcome to life. It never is.” The cream rises to the top, regardless of the situation. Champions adjust.
This is not a new story emerging out of nowhere. It is more of a reinforcement of something we already understood. Jalen Green, for all of the upside that exists in his athleticism and scoring potential, has long carried the label of an inefficient player. What the Phoenix Suns are seeing right now is a closer look at that reality. They are gathering information in real time while asking a very important question.
Can he be the number two option next to Devin Booker as Booker moves deeper into the prime years of his career? Is that worth $36 million per season?
There are still 19 games left for Green to answer some of those questions. Nineteen games to settle into the offense, find rhythm, and alter the narrative. If he does not, the offseason conversation becomes far more complicated for the Phoenix Suns.
Then again, there is another layer to consider.
Injuries, recovery, and adjusting to a new system all create noise in the evaluation process. It is possible the organization decides this sample does not provide enough evidence to make a firm decision this summer. That possibility exists.
There is another uncomfortable reality attached to that scenario as well. If Green continues to shoot and perform at this level, his value on the open market shrinks quickly. The Suns could once again find themselves holding a large contract that does not align with the production on the floor. Phoenix fans have seen that movie before. Bradley Beal. Deandre Ayton. The hope inside the building is that Jalen Green does not become the next chapter in that story.
That is the silver lining from Thursday night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls. The game offered another opportunity to understand who and what Jalen Green is as a number two option. Evaluation is the name of the game this season. Whether the results are good or bad, the process has to occur. The organization needs clarity on who they are and what direction they should take moving forward.
Thankfully, this evaluation period is happening at a moment when the Suns are not hurting themselves too badly in the standings. Phoenix remains firmly planted in the seventh spot in the Western Conference. Even after the Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets last night, the Suns still sit three games ahead of Golden State in that position. That means, as things currently stand, Phoenix would host a Play-In game against them. Try not to look too closely at the fact that the Suns are 1-3 against the Warriors this season.
Sure, a win against Chicago would have been ideal. It would have helped Phoenix gain ground on both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets. That opportunity slipped away. Instead, the focus shifts to what the game revealed. Several performances fell below the standard. One of them carried far more weight than the others. When a player commands that level of financial investment, the spotlight naturally follows.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 15: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jayson Tatum last played for the Boston Celtics 298 days ago, when his 42-point playoff masterpiece against the New York Knicks preceded what would become a nine-plus-month rehabilitation from a torn right Achilles tendon. Since then, he has worked to recover from surgery, regain strength, and progress through multiple 5-on-5 workouts in preparation for his long-awaited return.
The expectation is that Tatum will play Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reported that the six-time All-Star is “ready to go.”
Boston played its first 62 games without Tatum, while also adjusting to several key offseason departures, including Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. Despite that, Boston has held its own, going 41–21 to sit second in the Eastern Conference with the fourth-best record in the NBA. Their offensive rating ranks second at 119.9, trailing only the Denver Nuggets, they’ve had the stingiest defense over the last fifteen games with a 106.1 defensive rating, and their 12.2 turnovers per game are the fewest in the league.
No matter what hurdles the inevitability of an NBA season has thrown their way, the Celtics have not relinquished their standard.
Now, with Tatum presumably set to return at any moment for Boston, a recycled topic has resurfaced — one about as fresh as wearing a velour tracksuit in 2026: Tatum’s role. Where will he play? How will he contribute? Is there room for him on an ascending Celtics team led by co-star Jaylen Brown amid a career-best season?
None of these questions are new. Only the circumstances surrounding them are different. The conversation is still stale, and like cold movie-theater popcorn, it belongs on the floor — not to be picked up.
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 3: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics grabs a ball that went out of bounds during the second quarter of their game against the Utah Jazz at TD Garden on November 3, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s no immediate rush to get Tatum back — that’s the first point worth acknowledging. He’s returning from a career-threatening injury that raises questions about whether most athletes can play again, much less perform at their previous standard. No matter what Tatum’s minutes look like in his first 5–10 appearances, the focus won’t be on fitting in or carving out a new role. It will be on getting up to speed and regaining confidence in his strength to compete against NBA-level competition.
Brown has been the No. 1 option, and it’s been working — that’s fine. Expecting Tatum to jump back into the offense’s driver’s seat after nearly a year without an NBA game is absurd. Common sense dictates treating his comeback with as much caution as necessary, which will likely mean minutes restrictions at first and limit what he can do early on. That’s not a problem. Boston’s success in his absence proves it.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has completely redesigned his team’s offense to fit its circumstances. With no Tatum, several offseason departures, and the promotion of inexperienced players into larger roles, Boston couldn’t run its 2025–26 system the same way. Instead, Mazzulla and his staff developed a fresh, new scheme that allowed the roster to flourish. Neemias Queta, a first-time starting center, Hugo González, an impactful rookie, and Luka Garza, a veteran still finding his footing, have all been able to ascend in ways that would have been unimaginable during a typical Tatum-Brown season.
Queta has developed into a reliable starting center, deserving of keeping that role even after the Celtics acquired 15-year veteran and two-time All-Star Nikola Vučević at the trade deadline. González has left executives across the league rethinking their draft evaluations, delivering a two-way impact few rookies can match in their first year. And Garza has taken a notable step in his growth, providing serviceable minutes off the bench that resonate both on the court and with Boston’s home crowd. He’s even set a new career high in 3-pointers made (35) with 20 games left to play, eclipsing his previous mark of 16 set four seasons ago.
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 6: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 6, 2024 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Everything the Celtics have worked to accomplish — establishing their core values, mindset, and player development — has been to survive without Tatum. So far, they’ve done a sensational job, making Brown and Mazzulla legitimate MVP and Coach of the Year candidates, respectively. Teams across the league are clueless as to how Boston has made it work, avoiding the easy route of tanking for a lottery pick. But it’s because they’ve become such a well-oiled machine that Tatum’s role this season barely matters. To think that keeping him sidelined because of a role conflict somehow benefits the Celtics is senseless.
The point is simple: Tatum makes the Celtics — and every other team in the league — better. That has been true since he became a pro, leaving zero room for debate. Even if he can only give Boston 15 minutes against Dallas, it’s more than worth playing him for all 15, and not just as an experiment.
He played the role of a facilitator in the NBA Finals. He’s one of the most elite scorers in the league. Questioning Tatum’s ability to fit completely neglects his versatility.
Boston’s offense is already lethal as is. The team rarely makes mistakes, continues to knock down threes at an above-average rate, and finds ways to get everyone involved. It’s not always Brown, Payton Pritchard, or Derrick White doing the heavy lifting. Queta resembled a top-10 center against the Philadelphia 76ers, dropping 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting with 17 rebounds on Sunday. González scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds while fearlessly guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. It’s March, and this is what has become normal for the Celtics and their unproven supporting cast.
They’ve reshaped their schemes and their expectations. The ceiling is no longer the Play-In Tournament or any specific win total. Now, it’s about competing with the East-leading Pistons and making a run at the No. 1 seed. It’s about coming out of the East and securing a second NBA Finals appearance in the last three years — and it’s not some Cinderella story. If the Celtics reach the Finals, it will be because they earned it the hard way.
Tatum has spent eight healthy seasons in Boston. He’s played alongside Brown since his rookie year, reaching five Eastern Conference Finals with his longtime partner. To suggest there’s any cause for concern about whether they can coexist for another title run — after winning a championship just two years ago — isn’t a valid debate; it’s simply lazy.
Feb 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) against the Golden State Warriors at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dillon Brooks, who has been the soul of the Phoenix Suns thus far this season, is currently sitting out due to a broken hand he sustained on February 21.
It has been reported by TMZ Sports that he was arrested in Scottsdale at 2:00am on Friday, March 6, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The report states that “he was respectful and cooperative before being released,” noting that he was released at 3:20am.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix Suns' Dillon Brooks was arrested for DUI in Scottsdale.
“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time.”
Brooks, affectionately known as “The Villain”, is averaging a career-high 20.9 points with the Phoenix Suns this season after being acquired by the team in the Kevin Durant trade this past offseason. We will report more as information becomes available.
Anyone who had watched the Clippers play in recent weeks came away saying, "I like that young Yanic Konan Niederhauser." Over his last five games, he'd averaged 8.2 points per game, shooting 52.2% and grabbing 6.2 boards while blocking 2.2 shots a night, all in 18 minutes a game.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser in the Clippers' 114-101 win over the Warriors last night:
Unfortunately, his season is now over. Niederhauser suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot that requires season-ending surgery, the team announced. He suffered the injury on Wednesday night against Indiana.
A Lisfranc injury occurs when the long bone in the foot that connects the toes to the ankle area becomes fractured and dislocated.
The Clippers selected Niederhauser with the No. 30 pick in last June's draft, intrigued by the potential of the athletic 7-foot center out of Switzerland, by way of Penn State. Niederhauser started the season mostly playing in the G League, but as his confidence grew, he spent more time with the big club and, when the Clippers traded away center Ivica Zubac at the deadline, took advantage of his opportunities when the minutes arose.
"I think his ability to roll to the basket, get offensive rebounds [is important], but the biggest thing is just defensively challenging every shot, blocking shots at the rim," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after a recent Clippers win over the Warriors.
Niederhauser has earned the chance to get more run next season, but unfortunately all those development plans are on hold while he recovers from this foot surgery.
Exasperated, Steve Kerr placed his head in both of his hands. He was imitating Adam Silver.
The Warriors coach imagined the NBA commissioner’s reaction to hearing yet another possible solution to the league’s tanking problem. Then he offered his own proposal.
“Flatten the odds. Everybody has the same odds,” Kerr told Tom Tolbert on Tuesday, agreeing with the host of the eponymous podcast. “The only thing I would add to that is there’s gotta be really big incentives to make the playoffs.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. AP
Since the Jazz pulled their starters in a game they were winning shortly before the All-Star break, everybody from Bill Simmons to Silver himself have weighed in on the situation. Just about the only thing universally agreed upon is that the issue exists.
Kerr was quick to note the extreme circumstances specific to this season, with a draft class considered to be loaded and more than a handful of teams already in rebuild-mode.
Still, “I think something does need to be done,” Kerr said.
With Steph Curry injured and Jimmy Butler out until next year, the Warriors haven’t been immune from the thought of trying to lose their remaining games to take their chances in the lottery instead of the play-in. They didn’t exactly try during the pandemic-shortened season when Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant were all hurt.
The idea would be even more enticing if all 14 teams had even odds — about 7.14% — at the top pick, as Kerr suggested. To rebut that, Kerr suggested a financial incentive for playoff teams.
“Maybe some kind of cap relief. Maybe some kind of exception to the cap. Maybe there’s actual cash incentives just from revenue,” Kerr said. “But you can’t have a team in ninth or 10th say, ‘Eh, it’s not really worth it; we’re gonna play the one seed and lose anyway, we might as well tank.’”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr looks on during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies. Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
“Because now you’re looking at the same thing. So there’s got to be a huge incentive for making the playoffs too that goes along with that.”
Teams already get additional revenue from playoff ticket sales — it’s helped line the Warriors’ pockets for years — so Tolbert, the host, offered another suggestion: Additional home games the following season, which would offer cash and a competitive edge.
“Everybody’s got a lottery idea,” Kerr chuckled. “You’ve got yours. I’ve got mine. … Nobody cares. Well, everybody cares but nobody cares about your idea.”
“I just know that we have to have change. Adam Silver has said it: Change is coming. You cannot have a league where teams are trying to lose. You can’t. I think we can do it. But there’s a million ways.”
On his SiriusXM show on Mad Dog Sports Radio on Wednesday, a listener mentioned Grizzlies guard Ja Morant potentially being traded to the Bucks and Doc Rivers in the offseason.
Smith didn’t exactly shoot the idea down, but he interjected with some different news.
“It’s not gonna be Doc Rivers [coaching the Bucks next year] because Doc Rivers is gonna retire at the end of this season,” Smith said.
“Doc Rivers has been coaching for close to 25 years, this is it for him. He’s gonna step away.”
Stephen A. Smith briefly worked with Doc Rivers at ESPN before Rivers jumped to Milwaukee. NBAE via Getty Images
It’s unclear whether Smith’s claim has legs, but he did work with Rivers at ESPN for part of the 2023-24 season before the coach took on his role with the Bucks.
Rivers’ tenure in Milwaukee has been a nightmare, going 91-88 across two-and-a-half seasons and failing to make it past the first round of the playoffs.
This season, the Bucks are five games out of the Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference at 26-35.
With rumors swirling about a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade in the offseason, it looks like Milwaukee will begin a rebuild as well.
Rivers has never been a fan of blowing things up. He moved to the Clippers in 2013 after the Celtics started a rebuild earlier in his career.
Even though he’s under contract through next season, he could just retire instead of continuing, or Milwaukee could simply let him go.
Doc Rivers is just three games over .500 in his tenure with the Bucks. AP
Amid his 27th year as an NBA head coach, the 64-year-old Rivers owns a 1,188-851 career record across stints with the Magic, Celtics, Clippers, 76ers and Bucks.
He hasn’t won a title as a head coach since 2008 with Boston.
If he does retire, one option could be returning to ESPN with Smith.
In his brief stint behind the mic, Rivers was one of ESPN’s lead NBA analysts alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke. Since then, the company has struggled to replace him.
But first, Rivers needs to prove Smith’s claim correct.
LaMelo Ball
Neemias Queta
Victor Wembanyama
