Category: Basketball

The men's NCAA Tournament resumes Thursday with the first half of the round of 16 in action.

The teams assigned to the West and South Regionals take the stage first. An accomplished quartet will be on display in San Jose, where three power conference tournament champions along with one of the last teams to squeeze into the at-large pool hope to continue their winning ways. In Houston, the home-town Cougars must outlast three more representatives of the Big Ten in their quest to make it back to the Final Four.

Here’s everything you need to know about the matchups, including TV channels and tip times.

No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas

Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS

The Boilermakers were expected to be here at the start of the campaign, though they hit a slump during the Big Ten schedule that had some observers wondering if their lofty preseason ranking was misplaced. The conference tournament seems to have flipped a switch for them, but the Longhorns have also unlocked something after a break-even SEC run. Purdue’s triumvirate of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who’ve been playing together for multiple years, gives the team something of an old-school vibe. Matt Painter has made use of the portal as well, of course, adding a post presence in the person of Oscar Cluff. He’ll be needed to keep Texas big man Matas Vokietaitis at bay. Longhorns guard Tramon Mark has hit his share of big shots in his collegiate career, but the alpha dog for this group is Dailyn Swain, the team leader in points, assists, rebounds and steals.

No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa

Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV

This might not have been the encounter between conference opponents we expected in the Big Dance, but there’s no disputing the Cornhuskers and Hawkeyes won their way here. The rivals from neighboring states actually met twice during the regular season, each winning on its own home court in close fashion. Nebraska gets much of its production from versatile forwards Pryce Sandfort and Rienk Mast, who can score from any level. But much of their work is facilitated by point guard Sam Hoiberg, who also battles his way to 5.3 rebounds a game despite often being the smallest guy on the court. The good news for Iowa is the team managed to survive a rare bad shooting game from Bennett Stirtz. His slump likely won’t continue, but Taveon Banks and Alvaro Folgueiras can help.

BOLD PREDICTIONS: Forecasting how the Sweet 16 will shake out

FIRST-TIMERS: Ranking the 10 Sweet 16 teams that haven't won a national title

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas

Time/TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

This heavyweight bout between the champions of the Big 12 and SEC should probably not be happening in the round of 16, but relitigating committee business is moot at this juncture. What is not pointless is noting the high magnitude of star power that will be on display in the San Jose nightcap. The brightest in the constellation is Razorbacks’ do-everything lead guard Darius Acuff Jr. Members of his supporting cast like Meleek Thomas and Trevon Brazile have done their share to contribute to Arkansas’s journey to this point, but expect the ball to be in Acuff’s hands when the game is on the line. The Wildcats are aware of that, of course, and they have no shortage of options themselves for offense and defense. Freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat are often the finishers, but the veteran presence of Jaden Bradley makes the entire operation run smoothly. But Arizona’s biggest advantage might be on the glass, where the Wildcats average a double-digit rebound margin and the Razorbacks can struggle at times.

No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois

Time/TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV

The Fighting Illini have certainly played in their share of road environments, which this almost certainly will be even if it isn’t the Cougars’ actual arena. What is more concerning for Illinois faithful, however, is how the team handled late-game situations over the last month of the campaign – or rather didn’t handle them. The Illini have avoided that issue thus far in the Big Dance by winning comfortably, but that isn’t likely to be the case against the well-drilled Cougars. Houston has a solid mix of veterans from last year’s national runner-up squad like Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler, joined by high-impact recruits Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac. Illinois has its own standout freshman in Keaton Wagler. Perhaps even more important, the Illini’s big front line featuring David Mirkovic and the brothers Ivisic, Tomislav and Zvonimir, are capable of generating second chances, which will likely be needed against the Cougars’ pressure defense.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness games today: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule

The men's NCAA basketball tournament now enters its second week. Even though the teams remaining still have to win four more games to claim a coveted national championship, this is the part of the tournament at which teams and their fans can realistically envision the possibility that it really can happen. That is the case even for programs that have never managed to get over the hump.

Ten of the 16 teams still alive in the Big Dance are seeking that elusive first title, but several others haven’t raised a banner since the turn of the millennium.

Here’s a cursory ranking of the eight matchups on tap this week in the Sweet 16.

1. Connecticut vs. Michigan State

Time/TV: Friday, 9:45 p.m. ET

This is the only matchup left in the field featuring coaches with national titles, though it’s been considerably longer since Michigan State and Tom Izzo hoisted the trophy in 2000. Dan Hurley and the Huskies will be seeking their third crown in four years.

2. Arizona vs. Arkansas

Time/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET

This is arguably the game with the most next-level talent on display. The Wildcats have several likely future pros, but the Razorbacks’ Darius Acuff is often the best player on the floor.

3. Duke vs. St. John’s

Time/TV: Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET

These big-name programs with plenty of history also happened to be among the hottest teams in the country entering March Madness. This contest should in truth be happening in a later round, as the Red Storm were curiously given a No. 5 seed despite winning the Big East championship, and the committee by extension did the Blue Devils, ostensibly the top overall seed, no favors with this difficult region.

4. Houston vs. Illinois

Time/TV: Thursday, 10:05 p.m. ET

These two programs have been on the doorstep of claiming the title but have yet to do so. The Cougars, agonizingly close a year ago, hope to make the most of this opportunity in their home city, but the Fighting Illini are capable of matching shots with them.

5. Michigan vs. Alabama

Time/TV: Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET

This would be a compelling matchup on the gridiron as well, but both these schools have also won their share of basketball games in recent years. The Wolverines topped the polls for a large chunk of the season, but the high-octane Crimson Tide are capable of upending anyone if their 3-point shots fall.

6. Nebraska vs. Iowa

Time/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET

There’s a curiosity factor for this one to be sure, as the Cornhuskers have never reached this round of the tournament and it has been a very long time for the Hawkeyes. It’s actually their third meeting of the season, with each winning at home during Big Ten competition, but obviously the stakes are elevated for this one.

7. Purdue vs. Texas

Time/TV: Thursday, 7:10 p.m. ET

There is mismatch potential for this one, as the red-hot Boilermakers hope to keep riding the momentum from their Big Ten tournament title. The Longhorns are the lowest remaining seed left in the field but have clicked since their First Four victory.

8. Iowa State vs. Tennessee

Time/TV: Friday, 10:10 p.m. ET

This might be the least appealing contest of the round in terms of historical pedigree, but there are plenty of subplots to monitor even if you don’t know much about these programs. The Volunteers are in the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive year but still seek a first Final Four appearance, while the Cyclones hope to take another step after last season’s run was cut short by tough injury luck.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness Sweet 16 games ranked from best to worst

Mark Pope whistled past the graveyard this week. He probably thought it sounded like a hopeful tune, but my ears detected more of sob story, set to a sad trombone.

Pope compared himself to John Calipari on his radio show, and he thought the comparison made him sound good. Say what?

In a four-minute monologue, Pope explained how, in his mind, his two seasons as Kentucky men's basketball coach deserve a little more love than Big Blue Nation is offering. Keep in mind, his Wildcats just got trounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“This is what’s going to shock you," Pope said. "If you take the four years before we got here and compare them to the two years since we’ve been here, we actually have a higher winning percentage in the last two than we did in the four preceding (years, under Calipari) — barely, but a higher winning percentage.”

Whew, buddy, where to begin.

Mark Pope: 'Do the math.' OK, let's do it

Let’s start here: Winning percentage, are you kidding me? Pope should know Kentucky doesn’t hang banners for a .639 winning percentage. That winning percentage will get him a buyout check from Kentucky, not applause.

The next time Pope wants to compare himself to Calipari, stop. Just stop. Big Blue Nation wanted Calipari gone at the end of his tenure. Pope admitting he’s "barely" performed better than the end of Calipari’s reign is not the compliment Pope thinks it is — especially, when you consider Pope has delivered none of the success Calipari previously supplied, before Cal fizzled and flopped in March his final few years.

Calipari has six Final Fours (four at Kentucky) and a national championship. Pope has three tournament wins. He’s never won a Sweet 16 game or an SEC title. End of comparison.

Oh, one more thing: Calipari’s current Arkansas team won the SEC tournament, and he’s strutting like a rejuvenated mafioso into the Sweet 16, while Pope uncorks excuses, cites his winning percentage, and comes armed with strength of schedule metrics to an offseason radio show.

Coach rankings: We rank the coaches at the Sweet 16. See where John Calipari ranks

UNC coaching search: Who will replace Hubert Davis? Expect big names linked

“Go do the math yourself,” Pope said, in defense of his record.

Yes, because if there’s one thing that’ll fire up a ravenous fan base, it’s whipping out a calculator and celebrating .639.

Calipari’s winning percentage his final four seasons: .635.

Well, glory be, I detect a whisker of progress!

Except, then you consider Calipari’s winning percentage his final three seasons was .703. I guess we’re not supposed to do that math.

To Pope’s credit, his Wildcats avoided the gut-punching first-round losses Calipari suffered to Saint Peter’s in 2022 and Oakland in 2024. That’s where the credit ends. Otega Oweh's banked-in 40-footer kept Pope's second season from ending with a first-round loss to 10-seed Santa Clara. Then, Iowa State busted out the whoopin' stick.

While we’re talking numbers, here are a few more: Calipari won 29 games his second season at Kentucky and went to a Final Four. He won 38 games his third season and delivered a national title.

That’s the bar. That’s the standard. That gets you a banner and praise. Not .639.

“We haven’t met our goals, clearly,” Pope said, “but we are making progress.

“We know where we need to go.”

So do I. To the Final Four, next season, or start packing.

Big Blue Nation doesn’t want to solve math problems. It cares about one number: One.

As in, it expects to be No. 1.

That’s what the Kentucky job demands. Same as North Carolina.

North Carolina firing Hubert Davis gives a warning to Mark Pope

If Pope needed a hint as to what .639 will get him, check out Hubert Davis. He’s unemployed today. Despite being a well-respected alumnus, like Pope is at UK, Davis failed to meet UNC’s blue-blooded standard for unflinching excellence, no matter the circumstances.

Davis’ winning percentage in five seasons at North Carolina: .698.

His winning percentage this season: .727.

A lot better than .639.

Fired anyway.

Numbers that come after a decimal point don’t matter at blue bloods nearly as much as banners do.

Iowa State smashed Kentucky, as Cyclones dealt with an injury

Pope, during his monologue, explained injuries affected his team the past two seasons. Kentucky’s savvy fans didn’t need Pope to repeatedly remind them of those injuries, but it’s true his Wildcats dealt with “some misfortune,” as Pope put it.

An injury didn’t keep Iowa State from steamrolling Kentucky in the second round. While prolific scorer Joshua Jefferson sat out with an ankle injury, the Cyclones nonetheless made a mockery of the Wildcats after halftime, in an 82-63 rout.

Know who else got bit by the injury big? North Carolina.

The Tar Heels weren’t the same after losing leading scorer Caleb Wilson to injury in early March. That injury to a superstar didn’t keep Davis off the firing line when the Tar Heels lost in the first round.

Davis took UNC to the national championship game his first season and to a Sweet 16 two years ago, but North Carolina decided he wasn’t an elite coach. So, it became time for him to go, so the Tar Heels can try again to hire a coach who'll hang a string of banners.

Let UNC’s firing of Davis be a warning to Pope: Win, or walk.

Mark Pope will get new boss soon

Kentucky is in the process of hiring an athletic director. The last AD retired, after hiring Pope and stroking a $38 million buyout to football coach Mark Stoops. Among the tasks for Mitch Barnhart’s successor: Make Kentucky basketball great again.

Kentucky came miles short of greatness the past two seasons. By Pope’s own admission, Kentucky fared “barely” better than Calipari’s last four seasons.

If you had to describe Kentucky in a single word under Pope, opt for a number instead.

.639.

Too bad for Pope this job demands banners, not calculators.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Pope comparison to John Calipari at Kentucky is bad look

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown baited a foul on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, using the reigning league MVP’s signature move to get to the line with under eight minutes in the fourth quarter. It worked — and Brown cracked a smile on his way to the stripe. He called it “payback.”

“He got me last time we played them,” Brown said following Boston’s 119-109 win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. “He got me on the upfake, and I knew it was coming, and I still jumped forward. So, I guess that was a little payback.”

It wasn’t until 8:21 in the third that Brown attempted his first free throw of the night. More than four minutes later, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted his first before finishing with 12 total — two shy of Brown’s 14. The much-anticipated potential NBA Finals preview between the Celtics and Thunder didn’t end with anyone in Boston’s locker room looking back with regret or disdain for the officiating.

When it was only a matter of seconds until Boston officially ended Oklahoma City’s 12-game winning streak and split the season series, Brown looked toward the TD Garden crowd. With both arms raised in, he urged Celtics fans to rise to their feet. The Celtics had avoided falling victim to Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-merchant ways — and instead, it was Brown who had beaten last season’s Western Conference leader in free-throw attempts (8.8) at his own game.

That took time — a career-high 11 technical fouls, one ejection, and one $35,000 fine in January.

“I feel like I play the same style, but maybe complaining is giving more notoriety to how the game is officiated, and I feel like I’ve gotten more calls,” Brown said. “I thought the officials did a good job tonight. Every call is not gonna be perfect, but I thought they did a great job of trying to keep it balanced or keep it the same both ways. So I didn’t have no complaints.”

Brown added: “If they’re gonna get those calls, as long as we get them too, then I feel decent about it.”

Two weeks ago in Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander baited Brown with the same move. Just over eight minutes into their matchup on March 12, Brown fell for the upfake and fouled Gilgeous-Alexander.

Knowing he messed up, Brown could only grin in frustration with himself.

So with the Celtics struggling to break out against the top-seeded teams in the West, having gone 1-8 against the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Rockets before Wednesday night, Brown knew it was time to flip the script. Boston had just lost to an Anthony Edwards-less Minnesota team to begin the week, so it was time to reassess and establish a game plan once Oklahoma City arrived.

“That was a well-needed win,” Brown admitted. “I really wanted that win — we needed that as well. We know we can play anybody, but when you get a win on your home floor against the team that has the best record in the league, it feels good — especially after dropping the game I feel like we should’ve won against Minnesota, so (it was) very encouraging and it’s a step to build in the right direction.”

Brown finished with 31 points, combining for 50 with Tatum.

Boston outclassed Oklahoma City in second-chance points, rebounds (43-35), assists (25-17), and 3-point shooting (44% to 32%) — all without Nikola Vučević, still sidelined with a finger fracture since March 6. While Coach Mark Daigneault fielded a full-strength Thunder team, Coach Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics logged their most impressive victory of the season without their newly acquired trade-deadline star.

“This team has just been awesome all year,” Brown said. “It’s been a very fun season.”

Brown’s latest 30-point performance increased his Eastern Conference lead to 33 this season. To Tatum, his partner-in-crime’s rise has come as no surprise. Brown has spent the entirety of the year holding the fort down as the team’s leader through Tatum’s nearly-10-month-long absence, amassing a convincing league MVP campaign in the process.

Through their previous eight seasons together, Tatum knew Brown was more than capable of sitting in the driver’s seat while keeping the Celtics their usual competitive selves, regardless of circumstances.

“He’s made big plays in every game that we’ve been in, but this season he’s been able to take more ownership,” Tatum said of Brown. “Obviously, him and all the other guys (have) just been able to carry more weight, and obviously we all know he could do it. It was just when guys get more of an opportunity, they get to show it.”

On Wednesday night, the Houston Rockets squared off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the prime-time slate, in a game that had a playoff feel to it. Certainly a playoff intensity.

The game held major stakes, as it pertains to the Western Conference standings, as the two teams were separated by just a half game. Kevin Durant struggled at the onset, going 1-for-6 in the opening quarter, as the Wolves made it a point to neutralize him, by either employing double teams or having Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels rotate as Durant’s primary defender.

And although Julius Randle gashed the Rockets for 39 points in the last matchup between the two teams, he went 0-for-4 in the opening quarter. Houston struggled to execute on relatively higher percentage looks, going 9-of-23 in the paint in the first half. The Rockets also had seven straight 3-point misses in the opening half (which shouldn’t be a surprise, considering their struggles from the outside of late).

Defense was the story of the game. Alperen Sengun was a force on that end, amassing four blocks in total. But not just the blocks, Sengun was drawing charges, diving for loose balls to get key stops and even had the key stop of the game, getting a block on Randle that saw him bloody his lip at the end of regulation to extend the game to overtime.

The overtime period was a quarter of runs, by both teams. The Rockets went on an 8-0 run, looking like they were going to walk out victorious. However, the Wolves went on a 15-0 run to close the period, becoming the first team since the Phoenix Suns in 2021 to go on such a run in overtime.

The Rockets lost 110-108 and seem entrenched in the sixth seed in the West, as they are now 1.5 games back from the Wolves for the fifth spot and 3.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who are in the seventh spot. Durant finished with 30 points, albeit on an inefficient 22 shots and had a key missed free throw in overtime, while Sengun also had 30 points on 22 shots.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard went a combined 10-of-28 from the field and 4-of-16 from deep, in addition to five turnovers. Amen Thompson had a near triple double, with 11 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Four-time champion Italy hosts Northern Ireland in the standout semifinal of the World Cup playoffs in Europe on Thursday.

The Azzurri are under pressure to avoid failing to qualify for soccer’s biggest event for a third consecutive time after being eliminated by Sweden in 2017 and North Macedonia in 2022.

In all, 16 teams are competing for four spots at the World Cup in North America.

Eight one-off semifinals are followed by four finals next week. The winners of the finals secure qualification.

Path A: Italy vs. Northern Ireland, Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Path B: Ukraine vs. Sweden, Poland vs. Albania.

Path C: Turkey vs. Romania, Slovakia vs. Kosovo.

Path D: Denmark vs. North Macedonia, Czech Republic vs. Ireland

___

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

In the Celtics 119-109 statement win over the Thunder, Joe Mazzulla went with a tight nine-man rotation. In what felt like a Finals preview, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown performed at a championship level against the defending champs after laying an egg on Sunday against the visiting Timberwolves.

The game was speckled with some questionable calls. Boston and Oklahoma City combined for 55 trips to the line and just twenty turnovers. In the end, the Celtics identity shined through to win the possession battle with the team hitting 18-of-41 from behind the arc and dominating the offensive glass to the tune of 19 second chance points to the Thunder’s 2.

Currently, our friends at FanDuel have the Thunder at a +130 to represent the Western Conference and the Celtics sharing odds with the Spurs at +600.

Jayson Tatum

35 minutes, 19 points (3-6 from 3, 6-6 from the free throw line, 5-12 from the field), 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 5 turnovers, 1 block, +2

As quickly as Tatum has recovered from his Achilles tear, it seems as though his assimilation back into the rotation has proportionately been just as fast. In his ninth game back, JT nearly registered a triple-double in a very laboring matchup with the defending champs with 19 points (3-of-6 from 3), 12 rebounds, and 7 assists (and 5 turnovers). It wasn’t a perfect performance, but considering the opponent and their physicality, it was another step in the right direction with ten games to go before the playoffs.

Grade: A

Jaylen Brown

39 minutes, 31 points (1-3 from 3, 12-14 from the free throw line, 9-17 from the field), 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers, +7

Since Tatum’s return, Brown has ceded some of the scoring responsibilities to his counterpart. His shot attempts are down, but he’s averaging more assists and made a concerted effort to drive the ball and get to the line.

Against the Thunder, JB was intent on testing the league’s best defense at the rim. With a handful of spectacular finishes and fourteen trips to the line, he carried the team with 14 points in the 3rd and 10 more in the 4th. It was MVP-level work.

DON'T JUMP WITH JB 🫣 pic.twitter.com/YuKWdusIq9

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 26, 2026

After a close loss in Oklahoma City, Brown was critical with the officiating that night and in general, particularly SGA’s whistle and stars like him “foul baiting” and manipulating the game with flopping. The NBA’s iconoclast made it a point to show the league the difference between toughness and the grift.

Grade: A+

Derrick White

33 minutes, 12 points (2-7 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 3-11 from the field), 2 rebounds, 6 assists, one turnover, +6

DWhite didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but his two back-to-back threes in the second quarter got the Celtics back into the game after trailing by double digits. Along with the Jays in the final frame, White was part of the trio that limited SGA to just one shot in the fourth quarter.

Thunder are double teaming Tatum now. Derrick White has hit back to back threes pic.twitter.com/9mgYHZZRo5

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) March 26, 2026

After spending much of the season as the de facto starting point guard, White should benefit with more catch-and-shoot threes as teams start to double team Brown and Tatum and dare the rest of the team to beat them.

Grade: B

Payton Pritchard

33 minutes, 14 points (4-6 from 3, 5-11 from the field), 2 rebounds, one assist, one turnover, 1 block, +11

OKC is super switchy with strong perimeter defenders up and down the roster. Much of Pritchard’s isolation game is predicated on taking advantage of mismatches

Like White, Pritchard is going to get more open looks playing next to the Jays. He was 4-of-6 from 3

Grade:

Sam Hauser

29 minutes, 19 points (3-8 from 3, 3-19 from the field), 5 rebounds, +4

In the first quarter, it felt like the Thunder were leaving Hauser wide open behind the arc in favor of clogging up the paint. It’s too bad that Hauser couldn’t covert, going just 1-for-5 from 3. In the second half,

Grade: B

Neemias Queta

30 minutes, 13 points (3-4 from the free throw line, 5-7 from the field), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, +3

Neemi’s greatest area of improvement this season is his understanding of time and space. No, this is not a Robert Williams III reference, but like The Timelord, he’s figured out in Year 3 with the Celtics where to be at the right place and more importantly, at the right time.

He outscored both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein working off the pick-and-roll with Tatum and being careful not to flash too soon into a passing lane and disrupting the team’s spacing. This dunk on Holmgren is the perfect representation of holding the screen long enough for Tatum to draw two, waiting at the free throw line to catch the pass, and using that runway to rise over Holmgren:

QUETA WITH THE POSTER SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/pF6kYmYRmv

— NBA (@NBA) March 26, 2026

Grade:

Hugo Gonzalez

9 minutes, 3 points (1-2 from 3, 1-2 from the field), 2 rebounds, -3

The rookie played nine minutes in the first half and matched up predominantly against SGA. Frankly, he got cooked a bunch, but that was more about the MVP doing MVP things rather than Gonzalez not sticking to him. Tip of the hat to better offense beating good defense.

Grade: C

Luka Garza

12 minutes, 7 points (1-2 from 3, 0-1 from the free throw line, 3-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, one turnover, +9

Production-wise, you never know what you’re going to get from Garza; what you can rely on is that he’s going to root around the restricted area and do everything he can to earn a couple of Tommy points off the offensive glass. Oh, and the 43.1% three-point shooter will hit a 3 or two if teams are silly enough to leave him open at the top of the arc.

Grade: B+

Baylor Scheierman

20 minutes, 11 points (3-7 from 3, 4-8 from the field), 5 rebounds, one assist, +11

Scheierman absolutely owned the second half. With two threes and a forced turnover against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the third and another triple and putback dunk in the fourth, he had TD Garden rocking as the Celtics gained the lead and never relinquished it.

Like Luka, Baylor has become the unlikely difference maker in so many of these wins by finding ways to make winning plays. He always in the hunt for offensive rebounds and become a nifty finisher off the dribble because of his consistent shooting. If that wasn’t enough, what’s keeping him on the floor is his versatile defense against the league’s best.

Grade: A+++

DNP-CD: Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., Amari Williams, Max Shulga, Charles Bassey

Inactive: Nikola Vucevic

There have been a lot of crazy nights at Target Center over the years, and tonight’s game is right up there as one of the craziest games in a long time.

On Wednesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Houston Rockets in a game that will play a dramatic role in determining the seeding for the Western Conference Playoffs. The two teams came into the game separated by just half a game in the standings, and with the Rockets leading the season series between the two teams 1-0, a Houston win would clinch it in their favor.

The game started well for the Wolves. They jumped out to a 12-4 lead and carried that lead through most of the first half, including a nasty transition dunk from Naz Reid.

Naz Reid pass-fake + transition dunk WOW pic.twitter.com/GsZ1JEfRav

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 26, 2026

The Timberwolves led the entire first half, but without Edwards, they were unable to sustain consistent offense in the half-court as the Rockets cut the Wolves’ lead to just one heading into halftime.

Houston took a brief lead early in the third quarter, but Minnesota stormed back to build its lead back up heading down the stretch of the game. Jaden McDaniels was the catalyst late in the fourth quarter as he scored five straight Minnesota points, including a stepback 3-pointer and a strip of Kevin Durant for two points on the other end.

Jaden McDaniels nasty PnR stepback 3 + strip steal on Kevin Durant + transition dunk OH MY GOD pic.twitter.com/zBWUrGUXUS

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 26, 2026

That is when the game went totally off the rails. Following an Alperen Şengün layup and a Timberwolves shot clock violation, Julius Randle ran over Şengün, who was setting a screen, for a foul. With the Rockets in the bonus, this meant two free throws.

Upon review (there were many in this game), the play was curiously upgraded to a flagrant foul as the lead official, Scott Foster, said he “launched” into the opposing player.

The flagrant gave the Rockets two free throws and the ball back, which Houston capitalized on as Şengün slammed the ball home to cut the Minnesota lead down to just five.

The Wolves continued to melt down as they turned the ball over on three straight possessions. The Rockets scored on each of their subsequent possession to give themselves a one-point lead. All in all, it was a 12-0 run over about 3.5 minutes of game time that turned a sure win to the Wolves into a dog fight with less than a minute left.

Randle got into the paint for a layup to give the Wolves a one-point lead back before an away-from-the-play foul on an inbounds play from Rudy Gobert gave Durant a free throw to tie the game. The Wolves forced a turnover and nearly had the game won on the other end, but there was no call on the Randle layup attempts as the game went to overtime.

Things went from bad to worse in overtime for the Wolves in overtime as they quickly went down by five points. The Scott Foster show continued from there. Following an upheld call on a review of a Naz Reid charge, Reid was ejected for seemingly saying, “He’s moving.” After the game, the officials were asked about the ejection via the NBA’s pool report and said, “Reid made a statement that questioned the integrity of the officiating crew.”

Naz Reid ejection pic.twitter.com/FDAjYksBV0

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 26, 2026

With Reid ejected, McDaniels on the bench with an injury he sustained late in the fourth quarter, and Gobert out of the game after fouling out, the snowball kept rolling down the hill, and before the Wolves knew it, they had given up the first 13 points of overtime.

If the game ended right there, it would have been crazy enough, but it didn’t. With fans heading toward the exits, the Wolves didn’t quit on the game. They continued to generate good looks on offense and get stops on defense. Mike Conley knocked one down from deep, Kyle Anderson put in an and-1, and Julius Randle put in a layup to cut the Houston lead down to one possession.

Minnesota didn’t stop there, as Donte DiVincenzo tied the game on the next Wolves possession before Randle put the Wolves back in the lead with another layup. In total, it was a 15-0 Timberwolves run that turned a 15-point deficit into a two-point lead.

According to Sportradar, the 13-point overtime comeback was the largest in NBA history since they started keeping track of play-by-play data during the 1996-97 season. The next highest? The Wolves’ nine-point lead was blown in Denver this past Christmas.

After a pair of missed free throws from Durant (one of which was intentionally missed), the Wolves secured a 110-108 victory in one of the most absurd games at Target Center in a long time.

After the game, Randle made his displeasure with the officiating known, yelling out, “That shit didn’t work, Scott Foster,” as he walked back to the locker room. When asked about the flagrant call earlier in the game, Randle responded, “Don’t get me fined, man.”

“I’ve never seen it before,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said about the flagrant call on Randle. “They’re telling me they had a clear opportunity to avoid the screen. They said he sought him out to run him over. I’ve never seen a flagrant like that. He goes through a screen, they call a foul, fine. That’s clearly a foul. Play on. But a flagrant? I don’t know.”

Throughout a long NBA season, there are bound to be games where the officiating doesn’t go the way a team would hope. While those types of games seem to happen more often with Foster on the floor, how a team responds during those types of games is almost as important as the actual result of the game.

“I’m so proud that we didn’t quit,” Gobert said after the game. “We had a lot of opportunities to get very frustrated tonight. For the most part we were able to overcome that. That’s the blueprint for us. We want to win a championship, so we know there’s going to be adversity.”

DiVincenzo gave insigth into what allowed the Wovles to come back in overtime explaining, “That last timeout we just basically regrouped and looked up and we had a lot of time. I think it was like 3:25. That’s a lot of time in the NBA, but we just got stop after stop and executed on offense. We did a great job of getting the ball into Julius’ hands and trusted his decision making and it worked out for us.”

The hope is that a win like this is a springboard to the Wolves finally becoming the team many fans and media think they can be. Through most of the season, something has just felt off about the Wolves. The consistency of performance has not been there, and each solid stretch of play is followed by abhorrent basketball.

On the flip side, the Wolves have shown this season, and really the past few seasons, that when it seems like they are at their lowest, they can dig out of it with one of their best performances of the season. This game, especially the overtime, was a perfect example.

With just eight games left on the schedule, the question is what Timberwolves team will we see down the stretch of the regular season? The team that gave up a 26-2 run late in the fourth quarter and into overtime, or the one that came storming back just when all seemed lost.

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Up Next

The Timberwolves get another couple of days off before taking on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at 4:30 PM CT. The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung last week. Fans can watch yet another nationally televised game airing on ABC.

Highlights

Los Angeles Clippers (36-36, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (16-57, 15th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Indiana aims to stop its 10-game home losing streak with a victory against Los Angeles.

The Pacers are 10-26 on their home court. Indiana gives up 120.7 points to opponents and has been outscored by 8.8 points per game.

The Clippers are 16-21 in road games. Los Angeles is 6-8 in one-possession games.

The Pacers score 111.9 points per game, 0.6 fewer points than the 112.5 the Clippers allow. The Clippers average 12.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Pacers give up.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Clippers won the last matchup 130-107 on March 5. Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points to help lead the Clippers to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jarace Walker is scoring 11.6 points per game and averaging 5.2 rebounds for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith is averaging 14.9 points and 2.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Kris Dunn is averaging 7.7 points, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 22.0 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 55.1% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 1-9, averaging 114.9 points, 37.8 rebounds, 30.3 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.3 points per game.

Clippers: 5-4, averaging 121.6 points, 38.1 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 10.9 steals and 6.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

Clippers: Jordan Miller: day to day (back), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Brooklyn Nets (17-56, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (47-26, third in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Friday, 10:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles plays the Brooklyn Nets after Luka Doncic scored 43 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 137-130 win over the Indiana Pacers.

The Lakers are 23-12 on their home court. Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference with 14.7 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.8.

The Nets are 8-30 on the road. Brooklyn averages 15.3 turnovers per game and is 4-18 when winning the turnover battle.

The Lakers are shooting 50.0% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points higher than the 49.4% the Nets allow to opponents. The Nets' 44.3% shooting percentage from the field this season is 4.1 percentage points lower than the Lakers have given up to their opponents (48.4%).

The teams play for the second time this season. The Lakers won the last meeting 125-109 on Feb. 4. James scored 25 points to help lead the Lakers to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Reaves is scoring 23.6 points per game and averaging 4.7 rebounds for the Lakers. Doncic is averaging 39.1 points and 8.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Terance Mann is averaging 7.2 points and 3.1 assists for the Nets. Ben Saraf is averaging 10.2 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 44.0% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 9-1, averaging 120.9 points, 41.0 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 9.6 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.9 points per game.

Nets: 1-9, averaging 102.6 points, 36.4 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.2 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Deandre Ayton: day to day (back), Marcus Smart: day to day (ankle), Adou Thiero: day to day (knee), Rui Hachimura: day to day (calf).

Nets: Noah Clowney: out (wrist), Nolan Traore: out (rest), Danny Wolf: out (ankle), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: out for season (thumb), Michael Porter Jr.: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Miami Heat (39-34, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (45-28, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Cleveland; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat visit Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

The Cavaliers are 29-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference in rebounding with 44.3 rebounds. Evan Mobley leads the Cavaliers with 8.9 boards.

The Heat are 23-20 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is 19-27 against opponents with a winning record.

The Cavaliers are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Heat allow to opponents. The Heat average 13.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers give up.

The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Heat won 120-103 in the last meeting on March 25. Norman Powell led the Heat with 19 points, and Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 28 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is averaging 28.3 points, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists over the last 10 games.

Adebayo is averaging 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 6-4, averaging 118.1 points, 43.6 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.6 points per game.

Heat: 5-5, averaging 121.3 points, 42.9 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 8.5 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.7 points.

INJURIES: Cavaliers: Max Strus: day to day (injury management), Craig Porter Jr.: day to day (groin), Dean Wade: day to day (ankle), Jaylon Tyson: day to day (toe), Jarrett Allen: day to day (knee).

Heat: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New Orleans Pelicans (25-48, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Detroit Pistons (52-20, first in the Eastern Conference)

Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pistons -5.5; over/under is 226

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans visits Detroit looking to break its three-game road skid.

The Pistons are 28-9 on their home court. Detroit is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 17.9 fast break points per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 3.5.

The Pelicans are 9-26 on the road. New Orleans averages 13.4 turnovers per game and is 14-22 when winning the turnover battle.

The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points higher than the 47.5% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans score 5.7 more points per game (115.5) than the Pistons allow their opponents to score (109.8).

The teams play for the second time this season. The Pistons won the last matchup 112-104 on Jan. 22. Jalen Duren scored 20 points to help lead the Pistons to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Duren is averaging 19.3 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Pistons. Daniss Jenkins is averaging 12.3 points and 5.6 assists over the past 10 games.

Trey Murphy III is scoring 21.7 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 69.7% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 7-3, averaging 121.7 points, 43.1 rebounds, 31.4 assists, 9.8 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.

Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 119.4 points, 44.6 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points.

INJURIES: Pistons: Cade Cunningham: out (lung), Isaiah Stewart: out (calf), Marcus Sasser: day to day (hip).

Pelicans: Trey Murphy III: day to day (ankle), Dejounte Murray: day to day (achilles), Bryce McGowens: out (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Chicago Bulls (29-43, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (57-16, first in the Western Conference)

Oklahoma City; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago travels to Oklahoma City looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.

The Thunder are 29-7 in home games. Oklahoma City ranks second in the Western Conference with 34.5 defensive rebounds per game led by Chet Holmgren averaging 7.0.

The Bulls are 11-23 on the road. Chicago is seventh in the Eastern Conference scoring 116.3 points per game and is shooting 46.9%.

The Thunder are shooting 48.2% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points higher than the 47.6% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field, 3.4% higher than the 43.5% the Thunder's opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Thunder won the last matchup 116-108 on March 4. Jared McCain scored 20 points to help lead the Thunder to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cason Wallace is scoring 8.5 points per game and averaging 3.1 rebounds for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 29.8 points and 4.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Josh Giddey is scoring 17.6 points per game with 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis is averaging 20.3 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 44.9% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 115.4 points, 43.6 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.1 points per game.

Bulls: 4-6, averaging 120.3 points, 47.1 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.6 points.

INJURIES: Thunder: Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

Bulls: Anfernee Simons: day to day (wrist), Jalen Smith: day to day (calf), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: day to day (knee), Nick Richards: day to day (elbow), Zach Collins: out for season (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

BOSTON — Baylor Scheierman never doubted he could do this.

Not when he fell out of the rotation early on this season, not when he had a tough shooting stretch last Summer League in Las Vegas.

The 25-year-old Celtics forward always saw this kind of success coming.

“I’m super confident in my abilities,” Scheierman said after the Celtics’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.

That much has been evident from the first time he donned Celtics green.

In his two years in Boston, Scheierman has blown kisses and concocted a myriad of new celebrations. Last year, he invented Jayson Tatum’s wrist celebration. This year, he’s rocked his own ‘thumbs up’ celebration in an ode to the fact he’s playing with a broken thumb.

Scheierman has probably talked more trash to opposing teams’ benches than any player on the team, and carried himself with a swagger more reminiscent of a perennial All-Star than a role player trying to break through.

That seemingly unwavering confidence has translated to plenty of on-court success. And, Wednesday’s win over the Thunder was the latest example of just how successful a season it’s been.

In a 119-109 Celtics win, Scheierman tallied 11 points in 20 minutes, hitting 3 of his 7 three-point attempts. He grabbed 5 rebounds and forced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into a turnover. The Celtics outscored the Thunder by 11 points in his minutes, tied with Payton Pritchard for the best plus-minus on the team.

Still, as per usual, Wednesday’s box score doesn’t begin to capture Scheierman’s impact on the ball game.

“I thought Baylor was great — his shot making,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He was great defensively on his match-ups. He’s a guy that just makes plays.“

Those winning plays can be difficult to quantify and even harder to explain. But, you watch Scheierman play for just a few minutes, and it becomes evident: when he’s on the court, he makes the Celtics better.

His teammates have taken notice, too.

“He can do a little of everything,” Sam Hauser said last month. “At times, it’s really hard to take him off the floor.”

Scheierman’s ability to create chaos on the offensive glass has been a major strength — nearly every time a shot goes up, Scheierman is in the action, whether he’s trying to tip the ball out to a teammate, deflect it off an opposing player, or simply wreak havoc.

There’s no perfect science to crashing the offensive glass, and Scheierman just follows his instincts.

“Shoot, it really just comes down to a feel thing,” he said. “You’re not perfect all the time, but that’s one area they give you a lot of freedom to be able to just crash or stay — so it’s really just a feel thing.”

Mazzulla doesn’t know exactly how to explain Scheierman’s penchant for winning plays, either.

“It’s just who he is,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He just has a knack for making plays. He doesn’t want to be defined by one thing. He doesn’t care if he shoots, he doesn’t care if he has to play defense, crash, take care of the ball. He just has a knack for making basketball plays. It’s a huge strength of his.”

How does Scheierman explain that knack?

“Playing hard, I guess,” he said with a smile. “Just having a little bit of a feel for the game, and a nose for the ball, I guess. And then just competing super hard on both ends of the floor.”

Amazingly, Baylor Scheierman’s impact hasn’t diminished since Jayson Tatum’s return

On the outside, it wasn’t clear what kind of season Baylor Scheierman was going to have.

Last year, he spent most of the season with the Maine Celtics. This year, he began the year on the outskirts of the rotation but became increasingly important as the season progressed.

Scheierman averaged 7.4 minutes per game in October, 14.3 minutes in November, 16 minutes in January, and 24.3 minutes in February, his on-court opportunities steadily climbing as the season progressed.

With Jayson Tatum back in the lineup, one would assume Scheierman’s minutes would be significantly reduced.

But, he’s actually played more in March than any month this season; he’s averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 27.5 minutes of action. His shooting numbers have actually increased since breaking his thumb late last month; Scheierman is shooting 39.2% from three this month, up from 32.7% in February.

Scheierman is no longer starting — Jayson Tatum reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup when he made his season debut on March 6th — but he’s continued to play a pivotal part in the Celtics’ success.

That might be a surprise to some, who saw him struggle in Las Vegas in July and begin the season toward the bottom of the depth chart.

But Scheierman smiled when asked if he was surprised at the success he’s had this season. The answer was an obvious ‘no.’

“The work I put in coming into my rookie year, coming into this year, has prepared me for this,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s just taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. I’m super blessed and grateful for the opportunity, and I just try to take advantage of that. But to answer your question, no, I’m not surprised. I’m super confident in my abilities.”

Washington Wizards (17-55, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (35-38, 10th in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Brandin Podziemski and the Golden State Warriors host Alex Sarr and the Washington Wizards in non-conference play.

The Warriors have gone 20-15 at home. Golden State is fourth in the league with 29.0 assists per game led by Draymond Green averaging 5.3.

The Wizards are 6-29 on the road. Washington gives up 123.9 points to opponents while being outscored by 11.1 points per game.

The Warriors average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 13.5 per game the Wizards allow. The Wizards average 112.8 points per game, 2.0 fewer than the 114.8 the Warriors give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. In the last matchup on March 16 the Warriors won 125-117 led by 30 points from Kristaps Porzingis, while Trae Young scored 21 points for the Wizards.

TOP PERFORMERS: Podziemski is shooting 44.6% and averaging 13.1 points for the Warriors. LJ Cryer is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Bilal Coulibaly is scoring 11.3 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 15.0 points and 3.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 3-7, averaging 114.5 points, 40.7 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 10.4 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points per game.

Wizards: 1-9, averaging 116.4 points, 38.7 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.4 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Seth Curry: out (adductor), Al Horford: out (calf), Quinten Post: out (foot), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Malevy Leons: out (illness).

Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Tre Johnson: day to day (foot), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.