Category: Basketball

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As the Western Conference playoff race nears its end, it’s once again going to come down to the wire.

With just seven games remaining, the Lakers can finish as high as the No. 3 seed or as low as sixth. The good news is the Lakers have their destiny in their own hands as they currently sit in the three spot and have the tiebreakers over the opponents they’re competing with for a playoff spot.

While their seeding and whether they will have homecourt or not are unknown, the teams they could face are known. LA will play either Denver, Minnesota, or Houston in the postseason.

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask which team you would most like them to play in the first round of the playoffs between the Wolves, Rockets and Nuggets.

The Lakers have beaten this trio in head-to-head matchups, so a case can be made for each being a desired opponent. The team with the current worst record among the three is Houston.

The Rockets haven’t been able to dominate this year, even with the acquisition of Kevin Durant. The Lakers recently beat the Rockets in back-to-back games in Houston, making a matchup against them in the postseason an enticing proposition.

Last season, the Wolves eliminated the Lakers in five games in the opening round. But this year, LA controlled all three contests against Minnesota and swept the season series.

Sure, they still have Anthony Edwards and a defensive titan in Rudy Gobert, but this iteration of the Lakers has proven they can handle them.

Perhaps facing them in the playoffs again can make advancing to the second round by beating them that much sweeter.

And last but certainly not least is the Nuggets. The Lakers won the season series 2-1, but all the games were close. In fact, Denver is the only team to have pushed Los Angeles into overtime this year.

The Lakers came out on top, but it certainly looked like things could have easily gone a different way.

Similar to Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić is also an MVP candidate, and with a player that good on a team that’s beaten the Lakers a couple of times in the playoffs during this decade, maybe that’s not the first opponent you want to have as one begins a playoff run.

But what do you think? Who do you want the Lakers to face in the playoffs? Share your opinion by voting and letting us know down below!

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

All season — and especially the last month — the Utah Jazz have been playing G-league and overseas-level players in an effort to lose games. Some of them made their NBA debuts for the Jazz and some are trying to make their NBA comebacks. Without being too critical, there’s a reason that most of these players have not made a real impact on the world’s best basketball league.

Let’s take a look at every two-way or 10-day contract player to suit up for Utah this season, and see if I would like them to dawn the purple mountains in the future.

Mo Bamba

Games played: Two

Contract: Signed to multiple 10-days, but released before the last contract was up.

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

I was always elated every time the Jazz signed Mo Bamba this past year, simply for how much of a pop culture icon he is. However, in the two games he played for Utah this season — and the seven years of previous NBA play — he did not inspire confidence that he could be a legitimate player for the Utah Jazz. But thanks for the song! I imagine I’ll show it to my future kids in 20 years, and explain why a former Jazz player is the title of one of the most popular hits of my generation.

Andersson Garcia

Games played: Five

Contract: One 10-day. Was not re-signed after.

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Andersson Garcia’s brief time in a Jazz uniform was very reminiscent of Jarred Vanderbilt’s. Both had tremendous hustle and grit, diving for loose balls, snagging boards and playing great defense. Vanderbilt’s play during the first part of the 2022-23 season was a stark contrast to the lackadaisical effort of the 2021-22 team, and Garcia’s drive felt the same exact way. Offensively, Garcia wasn’t great, only shooting 31.0% from the field, but the 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals were nothing to scoff at. As excited as I am about JJJ, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George and Walker Kessler next season, none of those players are known for their tenacity and hustle, so I’ll take as many players with those attributes as I can get.

The Jazz didn’t re-sign him after his 10-day was up, so the odds that he’ll play for the organization again are slim, but I would love it if somehow he wound up on the training camp roster next season. Plus, being one of the few Dominican NBA players ever was a wholesome story.

Kennedy Chandler

Games played: Six (and counting)

Contract: One 10-day

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

Looking at Chandler’s counting stats, they aren’t terrible (14.2 ppg and 6.8 apg), but considering that the only two point guards on the roster are Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier, and there’s an abundance of intriguing guards in the lottery, if the Jazz were to add a non-draft point guard to the roster this summer, I would much rather it be a solid, proven player with a few years under his belt — just look at how great of an addition Ayo Dosunmu has been for Minnesota. Chandler also had nine turnovers in the last two games and stands at only 6-feet tall. The Jazz don’t need another one of those.

Bez Mbeng

Games played: 10 (and counting)

Contract: Multiple 10-days

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

The former 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year has seemed to have a tough time scoring in his opening stint against NBA competition. He’s failed to score five points in five of the 10 games that he’s played and has only shot 16.7% from deep. Not to compare him to another Yale Bulldog who played for the Jazz, but like Miye Oni, he can disappear at times on the court. Unfortunately for Mbeng, he’s not made a lasting impression for the Jazz front office.

Blake Hinson

Games played: 11 (and counting)

Contract: two-year, two-way contract signed on Feb. 9

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Long story short, Hinson shoots 50.1% from three on over 5.2 attempts per game. If you can shoot that well from long distance consistently, you’ll have an NBA job for years to come. He doesn’t do much besides shooting, only averaging 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists and totaling three stocks in 11 games, but man… that 50% 3-point shooting. I’m happy he’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot next season with the contract he signed.

Elijah Harkless

Games played: 26 (and counting)

Contract: Second year of a two-year, two-way contract

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Elijah Harkless didn’t play for all of December and January, but I immediately noticed his impact when he rejoined the Jazz from the Stars in February. He is a defense-first player, and while his steals numbers aren’t other-worldly (1.2 spg), his on-ball pressure is elite. On March 2, 6-foot-3 Harkless guarded one of the greatest players ever in Nikola Jokic for over six minutes, and he actually bothered the 3-time MVP. Harkless is never going to be a scorer, but he is a good playmaker (2.9 apg) and I think is good enough for another two-way contract.

Oscar Tshiebwe

Games played: 21 (and counting)

Contract: One-year, two-way

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

This is less about Tshiebwe’s performance, and more of a reality check about Utah’s roster construction. The Jazz’s front court rotation — when healthy — is not an easy one to crack. Tshiebwe would have to compete with Markkanen, JJJ, Kessler, Kyle Filipowski and maybe Nurkic if the Jazz and the Bosnian big man come to an agreement for next season. That’s not to mention the possibility of the Jazz ending up with Cam Boozer, or players who can play power forward like AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson in the draft. Sorry to Tshiebwe, but if he does sign with Utah again, he’ll be lucky to see the floor even in garbage time.

Bobby Marks (no relation, as we occasionally note) has an analysis of key decisions lottery teams will have to make beyond the NBA Draft at the end of June.

After the celebratory press conferences after the draft, Starting at noon on July 6, teams will be able to sign their own free agents as well as other free agents. It, along with the Draft, is also when Sean Marks does his best work. Indeed, Marks has made a trade, often a big one, within 48 hours either side of the Draft in nine of the 10 years he’s been Nets GM.

Bobby Marks believes that the Nets big decision in that timeframe will be whether to extend Michael Porter Jr. beyond next season when he will earn $40.8 million and at what price.

Porter’s first season in Brooklyn — Denver sent the forward and a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to the Nets for Cameron Johnson this past July — has featured a career-high 24.2 points per game and a fourth straight season of better than 36% 3-point shooting.

And prior to a strained left hamstring suffered March 19, Porter had missed just 14 games since the 2023-24 season, a trend in the right direction after injuries hampered him early in his career.

His impact on the court, durability and age — Porter will turn 28 in June — should warrant discussions on a new contract. He will be eligible to sign a four-year, $234 million deal.

Those figures — both the total money and length of the contract — are the maximum the Nets can pay MPJ. It seems highly unlikely Brooklyn will him at that level, as Yossi Gozlan told us last month.

“In reality I think he’s looking at something in the 20-25% of the salary cap range.” Gozlan told ND, citing the lack of competition for him. “As great as he’s been, he’s not going to replicate this production elsewhere since any good team that acquires him probably makes him their second or third option. I could see him getting something closer to four years, $160 million, but it’s way too early to project his next contract.“

And in these times, his podcast misadventures aren’t going to help his cause. For the record, the projected salary cap for 2027-28 is going to be around $174 million, meaning a starting salary around $44 million.

If history is any judge, the contract talks are likely to be amicable. Twice in the last four years, the Nets had big decisions on two other key players – Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson – that got done early. In both cases, they got contracts that were front-loaded, giving Sean Marks & co. more cap space and leverage in the future.

There seems little doubt the two sides want to make a deal, at least as of now. The Nets had multiple opportunities to at least talk trade around Porter before the February 5 deadline but chose not to, letting other teams know they saw the 6’10” shot-maker as part of their master plan going forward. For his part, Porter has said all the right things about the organization, calling Jordi Fernandez a “genius” and praising the team’s professionalism.

Bobby Marks also lays out some draft strategy and lists of 2026 free agents beyond MPJ.

It’s important to note that Brooklyn has no incentive to tank next season, as Houston has the right to swap first-round picks in 2027. Brooklyn will enter free agency with a high lottery pick and could have between $45 million and $55 million in cap room heading into free agency.

Free agents: Ochai Agbaji (restricted), Josh Minott ($2.6 million team option), Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.3 million team option), Ziaire Williams ($6.3 million team option), Jalen Wilson (restricted), EJ Liddell (restricted), Tyson Etienne (restricted), Chaney Johnson (restricted)

Of course, things are subject to change and judging by Sean Marks’ calendar, we may not have to wait too long for things to change.

• NBA draft: One big question facing every lottery team’s offseason ($) – Bobby Marks – ESPN

The NBA announced the six finalists for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award on Tuesday. The award is given to the player who “exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity.” The league names one finalist from each division. Golden State Warriors big man Al Horford was among the finalists, representing the Pacific Division. Horford has not previously won the award. He would be the first Warrior to win the award since Steph Curry won following the 2010-11 season.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, Miami Heat big Bam Adebayo, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes comprise the other five nominees for the award. The award has historically gone to All-Star caliber players or popular veterans late in their careers. While Horford fits the latter category, Adebayo and White seem like stronger potential candidates.

In his first season with the Warriors, Horford has appeared in 43 games (12 starts), averaging 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game. The 39-year old has shot 42.4% from the field (53.5% from two and 36.0% from three) and 84.6% from the free-throw line.

The first round is done. Here’s the full accounting:

Jordan Poole ran through Alen Smailagic 85% to 15% in the first matchup, and James Wiseman crushed Ryan Rollins 80% to 20% in the second. Jonathan Kuminga cruised past Patrick Baldwin Jr. 74% to 26%, followed by an upset when Trayce Jackson-Davis knocked off Eric Paschall 66% to 34%.

The bracket’s down to four, with Wiseman and Kuminga fans duking it out in the other poll. Today we’re talking Poole vs TJD.

Before we get into this one, a quick reset on what this bracket actually is. This isn’t about who was better, or who disappointed you more. It’s about which version of belief stayed with you longer; the player you kept holding onto, even when it stopped being easy.

Jordan Poole — The Chosen Son

This isn’t a question about Jordan Poole’s career. You already know how it went. It’s whether you can put yourself back in the moment before all of it, back when the belief was clean and the ceiling felt limitless, and feel what that was like.The Poole era, before the complications set in, was one of the most alive things Dub Nation felt in the two-timelines stretch. He wasn’t a project you were squinting at through the fog of hope. You could already see it.

I was in Las Vegas for Summer League 2019 when he first suited up as a Warrior. KD had just left. The dynasty that everyone outside the Bay had been praying would end had finally started to wobble. And right in the middle of all that noise, this 19-year-old kid from Michigan was out there attacking closeouts, drawing fouls, playing like the moment owed him something.

The G League bubble in 2021 is where it clicked for everyone. Pre-bubble, he was averaging 5.5 points on 42.6% shooting in under 10 minutes a game. Post-bubble: 14.7 points on 43.3% in 23.5 minutes. Same player, just more rope. Give him space to operate and he’d make you look like a genius for believing in him.

Then 2022 happened. Four 20-point games off the bench in the playoffs at 22 years old, on a team that went on to win a championship. He was serving up Poole Parties on the biggest stages in the sport and doing it without hesitation. The shimmy was fully loaded. The free throw line had become a personal ATM. And Dub Nation didn’t just decide he was good, we saw him as the answer to the question nobody was ready to ask yet: what happens to all of this after Steph?

It wasn’t in the stat lines. It was in the feeling that the dynasty didn’t have to die when Steph’s career eventually wound down, because the kid right next to him could keep it breathing.

Then Draymond Green punched him in practice, and the whole thing started to shift.

The season that followed was genuinely complicated to watch and even harder to write about. He showed moments of Steph-like brilliance. And turnovers that made your eyes water and a 2023 playoff shot chart against the Lakers that looked like a crime scene. Steph threw his mouthguard in frustration at a Poole decision in a must-win game. That image said more than anything I could put in a season review.

That summer, he was traded to Washington for Chris Paul. He was 23 years old.

That’s the Poole story. The bracket seeded him first because the peak belief was the highest of anyone in this field, and the fall from that peak was the sharpest. It wasn’t that he failed. It was that we watched him arrive, watched him ascend, watched him win a ring, watched it come apart from the inside, and then watched him leave at 23 with the best basketball of his life allegedly still ahead of him somewhere else.

That unresolved feeling is why he’s still here.

Trayce Jackson-Davis — The Quiet Revelation

Trayce Jackson-Davis was the 57th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He was a four-year college big man whom the conventional wisdom had already written a clean, tidy obituary for: too slow, too limited, too old-school for the modern NBA.

He showed up to Chase Center and immediately looked like he’d been running pick-and-rolls with Stephen Curry his entire career.The screen timing was perfect. The roll angles were textbook. The finishing around the rim, with either hand, in traffic, on the short roll, was seamless. Warriors fans started falling for TJD without consciously deciding to. One game he was the guy you were cautiously pleased about. A few weeks later, you were actually upset when he didn’t play.

That’s the quieter version of basketball love. No single moment where the fanbase collectively lost its mind. Just a gradual accumulation of evidence until one day you realized you were already fully invested.

The fit wasn’t something you had to project forward or hope would develop. It was already functional. Already real. You could watch him in the second quarter of a random regular season game in January and feel good about things.

Then they traded him to Toronto.

No incident. No drama. No complicated feelings about turnovers or locker room dynamics or shot selection. Just a clean, sharp loss of something that was had legs, packaged into a deal and shipped out before it ever got to breathe. Warriors fans processed it mostly in silence because the grief was too specific to be loud. This wasn’t a projection that didn’t work out. This was a fit that did work, and they let it go anyway.

That’s the TJD story. Not heartbreak in the traditional sense. More like reaching for something on the shelf and realizing someone already moved it.

The Matchup

This one isn’t about who gave you more. They gave you different things entirely.

Poole made the post-KD era feel like it could be spectacular. The belief he generated wasn’t cautious or qualified, it was the full version, the kind where you’re already writing the next chapter in your head before the current one is finished. There’s something irreplaceable about that feeling, even knowing how it ended. Maybe especially knowing how it ended.

TJD made the present tense feel survivable. Not spectacular, not dynasty-level, but real and functioning and worth showing up for. The fit was so clean it hurt when it was gone. There was no what-could-have-been with him because you could already see exactly what it was. That clarity is its own kind of grief.

One version of believing in a player is screaming at the TV in 2022 because this kid is built different. Another version is quietly updating your expectations upward game by game until one day you realize you’d be pretty upset if he wasn’t here. Both are real and legitimate.

The question isn’t which player was better. Instead, it’s which version of hope you hold onto longer.

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban says he regrets selling the team to the Adelson and Dumont families. Cuban made the deal in December 2023, maintaining a minority share within the organization, but now says that he wishes he could take it back.

During an interview on the "Intersection" podcast Tuesday March 31, Cuban said, "I don't regret selling," then clarified, "I regret who I sold to. I made a lot of mistakes in the process, and I'll leave it at that."

At the time of the deal, Cuban was adamant that he would remain involved with the team's basketball operations. However, that hasn't happened. It is well-known how furious Cuban was with former GM Nico Harrison's decision to trade away star guard Luka Doncic in February 2025. ESPN reports that Cuban was also among the people telling Dumont to fire Harrison after the deal was done.

How much did Cuban sell the Mavericks for?

The deal was for $3.5 billion. While Cuban maintains that he believed he would still be involved in basketball operations and action within the organization, there have never been reports that Cuban's continued involvement was part of the deal for the sale.

Why did Cuban sell the team?

Cuban sold the team amid pressure to build a contender, something he didn't believe he could do as a "middle-class billionaire." He also believed his "emotional commitment" to the team had become too much of a burden.

Cuban said on the podcast, "You hear the passion and everything. Now imagine going up and down like that every single game. That's hard."

At the time of the deal, Cuban believed the real estate expertise brought by the Adelson family would be a huge boon to the team, while still keeping Cuban's basketball savvy on for advice. Of course, the latter part of that deal never amounted to anything.

How have the Mavericks done since Cuban's departure?

Immediately following Cuban's sale, the Mavericks reached the NBA Finals, nearly winning their first title since 2011. Since then though, the team has struggled mightily.

That said, between trading away superstar Luka Doncic and a 24-51 record this season, the team did get rather lucky, securing the No. 1 overall pick despite only a 1.8% chance to earn that pick via the lottery and selecting Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft. Clearly though, Flagg's presence has not led to the win totals that Harrison and company had hoped for after they traded Doncic to Los Angeles.

Furthermore, the key piece the Mavericks got in return for Doncic, forward Anthony Davis played just 29 games for Dallas before being traded to Washington at this year's trade deadline.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Cuban regrets selling Mavericks to Adelson, Dumont families

While the Mavericks haven’t given much to dig into over the last several weeks through their play, the development of Cooper Flagg remains priority. Along with that priority is a focus from the organization on securing the Rookie of the Year award for Flagg. Head coach Jason Kidd spoke about it pregame recently:

“I think it’s a big priority that the organization pays attention to this. But it’s not just the organization. This is a partnership, and Cooper has to be able to do his part. And he’s doing his part. He’s having a historic year as a rookie. When you put his numbers up against past rookies who have won the award, it’s clear-cut that it’s not even close that he is the one that will win Rookie of the Year.”

There’s been a back and forth between media and fanbases about this year’s rookie race. Flagg is averaging 20.3 points (1st among rookies), 6.5 rebounds (3rd), and 4.6 assists (1st) in 63 games this season. Those numbers have improved over the season, especially after a slow start while playing full time at point guard for the first time in his career. Since the end of January Flagg has boosted his scoring average to 23.6 points over 20 games, increasing across the board including a steal and a block per game.

But Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel has many fans across the league. He’s impressive, no doubt, having a historically efficient season offensively on a team currently in the play-in picture. His win-share outpaces the rest of the rookies considerably. And he’s second, seventh, and eighth in the above categories.

Knueppel also has a very defined role. He does not carry the burden Flagg does to generate offense for others, who often plays out of position and without a true point guard. So it’s really a “both things can be true” debate. Both players are playing at historic levels. Both players project to have monster careers. Kidd said as much:

“Everybody has their opinion on the vote, of popularity, of what the trend is. And so nothing against Knueppel. He’s having a heck of a season, too. But when you look at the numbers, just the strict numbers, Cooper’s are as good as anybody’s.”

It remains to be seen how the voting shakes out. A close race will not be surprising, and could go either way. And the result will not define either player’s career. But it’s encouraging to hear Kidd’s stance on the organization’s accountability to support Flagg.

With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.

As we enter the final days of the NBA regular season, plenty remains to be decided, even as the picture is getting clearer.

The Suns are all but out of the playoff race. They need just one more loss to be cemented as a play-in team. Considering that there are seven games left and the Suns have gone 4-6 over their last ten games, they are no longer a team the Lakers, Wolves, Nuggets, or Rockets have to worry about.

Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
3. Lakers — 49-26, 10.5 GB
4. Nuggets — 48-28, 12 GB
5. Wolves — 46-29, 13.5 GB
6. Rockets — 45-29, 14 GB

The Nuggets have been in top form, winning six straight games. With the Rockets also going undefeated this past weekend, the pressure on the Lakers to keep winning has only increased.

Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.

Tuesday

Knicks at Rockets — Cheering for a New York win isn’t a bad place for Lakers fans to be in. The Knicks are a top team in the East and the Rockets have been up and down this season. If Jalen Brunson goes off and Karl-Anthony Towns plays well, they can walk out of Houston with a win.

Wednesday

Nuggets at Jazz — Utah isn’t going to win this game. This is why NBA commissioner Adam Silver is focused on discouraging tanking. This season, though the incentive is there for the Jazz to lose, so that’s what they’ll do.

Bucks at Rockets —  Milwaukee is a disaster zone, with Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors dominating their coverage and the on-court product mustering up just 29 wins. So, don’t expect them to beat Houston, even though they are playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Thursday

Wolves at Pistons — Detroit has been the best team in the East all season long. They always play hard, which the Lakers recently witnessed first-hand. This time, the Pistons’ quality can help the Lakers create some distance from the Wolves.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Jayson Tatum and Derrick White have each been nominated for an end-of-season award. Tatum was one of 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award, while Derrick White was one of 6 finalists for the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award. The league announced both nominations on Tuesday afternoon.

The finalists for the 2025-26 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

The annual honor recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on and off court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.… pic.twitter.com/C8S3uEiObG

— NBA (@NBA) March 31, 2026

The Teammate of the Year honor recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to the team.

In addition to Tatum, three former Celtics were also nominated: Houston Rockets forward Jeff Green, Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart. Holiday won the award last year in Boston.

Tatum was sidelined for most of this season, but returned from a torn Achilles on March 6th. But he was around the time during the entirety of his recovery, attending nearly every shootaround, practice, game, and film session.

Derrick White nominated for the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award

White was nominated for the league’s annual sportsmanship award, which recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. In addition to White, former Celtic center Al Horford was one of six finalists.

The finalists for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award.

The annual honor recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. Current NBA players will select the winner from these six finalists (one finalist from each NBA division). pic.twitter.com/POopjlj9m5

— NBA (@NBA) March 31, 2026

Current NBA players will vote on their final selections from both categories. A Celtics player has never won the Sportsmanship Award, while Jrue Holiday became the first Celtic to win Teammate of the Year last season in Boston.

Speaking of awards: Tatum was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday. Tatum averaged 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while leading the Celtics to a 3-0 week. The team posted wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets, and Atlanta Hawks.

“It’s a good, small affirmation that he’s continuing to chip away at just getting better and better,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So, it’s a credit to the work that he’s put in, his team, that everybody that’s helped him get back to where he is now and what he’s doing. And so, a good, small affirmation and we can keep getting better.”

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The Orlando Magic have quietly plummeted while no one was paying attention.

They may seem like a competitive peer to the Phoenix Suns, but only one of these teams is playing quality basketball these days — and it’s not tonight’s home team.

My Suns vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks have absolutely no faith in Orlando on Tuesday, March 31.

Suns vs Magic prediction

Suns vs Magic best bet: Suns moneyline (+105)

The Orlando Magic sat in the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference on Jan. 20. Going 16-16 since then has knocked them within half a game of the final Play-In spot, possibly needing to win two road games to reach the playoffs proper.

Even on March 1, Orlando sat No. 7 in the East, three games clear of the Hornets in the 10 spot in the loss column. However, the Magic cannot find any version of sustained winning, largely due to a -0.4 net rating in March.

By the end of the evening, expect Orlando to be tied with Charlotte, as the Phoenix Sunshave been six points better per 100 possessions than Orlando has been in March, enjoying the No. 11 net rating in the NBA at +5.7. Both offensively and defensively, the Suns have been better than the Magic.

Orlando is favored because Phoenix is on the second night of a back-to-back, but only one Suns player saw more than 32 minutes last night. 

Phoenix will be in better shape than most teams are on the second night of a back-to-back.

Suns vs Magic same-game parlay

When recognizing Phoenix’s relatively under-the-radar success, it comes as no surprise that Devin Booker has keyed most of it. He has cleared this prop in nine of 15 games this month, scoring 36 points last night.

Surrounding Booker with stars in years past was a mistake; his scoring can occur so organically that the Suns have few other offensive worries.

Booker should feast against Orlando, which has gone Over its total in four straight contests.

Suns vs Magic SGP

• Suns moneyline
• Over 224.5
• Devin Booker Over 26.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Booker in the Paint

Although Booker is one of the best shooters in the NBA, he has not been reliant on his deep shot lately. 

In fact, in March’s 15 games, Booker has both cleared this points prop while falling short of three 3-pointers in five of them.

Suns vs Magic SGP

• Suns moneyline
• Devin Booker Over 26.5 points
• Devin Booker Under 2.5 threes

Suns vs Magic odds

• Spread: Suns +2 (-110) | Magic -2 (-110)
• Moneyline: Suns +105 | Magic -125
• Over/Under: Over 224.5 (-110) | Under 224.5 (-110)

Suns vs Magic betting trend to know

Orlando is 1-7 outright in its last eight games, despite being favored or an underdog of less than one bucket in three of those losses. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Magic.

How to watch Suns vs Magic

Suns vs Magic latest injuries

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CLEVELAND (AP) — The home of the Cleveland Cavaliers is part of what could be the largest-ever listing on a real estate site.

Rocket Arena was put up Tuesday on Redfin as a home listing. The 823,000-square-foot facility in downtown Cleveland has a capacity for 19,432 spectators, includes 118 bathrooms and “an open-concept design built to bring people together.”

The arena opened in 1994 and is also the home of an American Hockey League franchise and a WNBA team beginning in 2028.

Redfin and the Cavaliers are using the listing to promote an open house and garage sale scheduled at the arena on Thursday, but the arena is not for sale. A 46-foot-tall yard sign announcing the open house stands outside the arena.

Redfin became part of Rocket Companies last July. Cavaliers owner and chairman Dan Gilbert is the founder and chairman of the board of Rocket.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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The Phoenix Suns’ fate in the regular-season standings is looking set. Three games ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers in 8th and 3.5 back from the Houston Rockets in 6th with seven games to play, it’s looking like the Suns will be finishing in the seventh spot to end the regular season. Whether the Clippers stay in 8th or the Golden State Warriors or Portland Trail Blazers catch them, Phoenix looks like they’ll be hosting the 7/8 Western Conference play-in game.

If they win the Play-In game, they’ll face the two seed in the first round of the playoffs; if they lose it, they’ll host the winner of the 9/10 game, with the winner playing the one seed in the first round of the playoffs and the loser going home.

Out in the West, we know who the top two seeds will be—we just don’t know the order. The San Antonio Spurs sit 2.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place. Against both the Thunder and Spurs, Phoenix has had some of its best and worst performances of the season.

In arguably the Suns’ best win of the year, the team came back from down 18 to beat Oklahoma City, with Devin Booker hitting a game-winning three over two defenders.

DEVIN BOOKER HITS THE TRIPLE AND WINS IT FOR THE SUNS 🚨

PHOENIX COMPLETES THE 18-PT COMEBACK TO DEFEAT THE THUNDER! pic.twitter.com/JNPazjMXTz

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2026

Against the Spurs back in November, Phoenix held Wembanyama to a season-low nine points on 4-of-14 shooting and snapped San Antonio’s undefeated start to the season.

Conversely, in a knockout round of the In-Season Tournament, Oklahoma City gave the team its worst loss in franchise history, beating them by 49 points.

Back in February, the Spurs beat the Suns by 27 points, and less than two weeks ago ripped the hearts out of Phoenix fans when Victor Wembanyama hit a game-winning jumper with a second left after Phoenix had been leading for the majority of the game.

The Suns are 1–3 against Oklahoma City this season, with one more game against them, and they split the season series with the Spurs.

While Phoenix looks to have Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks back by the time the regular season ends, both San Antonio and Oklahoma City would be tough first-round matchups. The two teams have the best records in the NBA, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama are the favorites to win MVP.

Who would you rather the Suns play in the First Round, and why?

Coming off a blowout win against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Spurs returned home for one home game against the Chicago Bulls. After getting off to a slow start, the Spurs managed to take a one-point lead into the second quarter. They dominated the Bulls in the second quarter, outscoring them 35-19 for a 17-point halftime lead. In the third, both offenses were clicking, but the Spurs extended their lead to 20 heading into the fourth. Every time the Bulls kept chipping away at the lead, the Spurs always had a counter. The Spurs ultimately won 129-114.

Victor Wembanyama dropped his best performance of the season: A season-high 41 points (17-27 FG, 3-6 3PT), 16 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal. Wemby recorded the fastest double-double in NBA history by dropping one in eight minutes. He was truly unstoppable in the paint. Whenever there was a missed shot, Wemby always stayed active for the offensive rebound. Of his 16 rebounds, six were offensive. He always got open for a lob opportunity or for a three-pointer. His 41 points are the highest he’s scored in a game since Christmas Day 2024 against New York, in which he scored 42. There has been chatter on how Wemby does not average similar scoring numbers to Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic in terms of the MVP. Once again, he puts the critics on notice with this performance.

LOB COUNTER: ONE. Julian Champagnie finds a skyscraping Wemby for the alley-oop connection!

JU ↗️ VIC

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/wjdCYyGrcl

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

POWER BLOCK! Wemby swats Matas Buzelis’s shot so hard it bounces off the floor for a rebound!

SNATCHED 🖐

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/LmcoIyijUH

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

POWER BLOCK x2! Wemby swats Rob Dillingham’s shot off the backboard for his second block of the game!

NOT IN HIS HOUSE ❌

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/DLcar2XyBT

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

Pinpoint accuracy! On the fastbreak, Julian rifles a laser pass to an open Wemby, who slams it down!

Found him 👽

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/DY8nUG9yEP

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

Just tap it! After Devin Vassell’s pass gets deflected, Dev tips it in the air to a wide-open Wemby, who takes his time on the slam!

just as planned 🤣

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/g4bye63X7z

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

FOX TO THE ALIEN! De’Aaron Fox comes off the screen set by Wemby, catches the ball in the paint, and feeds it back to Wemby for the alley-oop slam!

JAMMIN' 🔨

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/FJouqP4feZ

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

GET OUT OF HIS WAY! Wemby goes to work on Leonard Miller and drives through him for the poster slam to clinch his season-high 41!

JUST NASTY 🤧

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/73xmpRf0ce

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

Stephon Castle dropped a near second straight triple-double: 21 points (6-12 FG, 3-6 3PT), 10 assists, and eight rebounds to go along with a steal. Steph was two rebounds away from another triple-double, but still made an impact on both ends of the floor. He shot 50% from the field and 50% from three. He also fought his way to the free throw line, but missed four of his 10 free throws. Nonetheless, Steph’s passing ability, especially on lobs, has been exceptional and reminiscent of Chris Paul.

AREA 51 ALERT! On the fastbreak, Wemby dishes a sweet dime to a cutting Castle, who slams it down with force!

⚠️ CAUTION: ENTERING AREA 51 ⚠️

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/BNoUAxaFJB

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

AREA 51 AGAIN! This time, it is Steph who feeds Wemby on the lob connection!

Area 51 starting right back where they left off 😎

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/WmXxJWYq1H

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

Keldon Johnson dropped 15 points, two rebounds, one assist, and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench. KJ brought the spark that the offense needed when the threes weren’t falling. In his usual cowboy play-style, KJ barreled his way to the cup and bodied defenders who dared to stop him. In recent weeks, KJ has emerged as a favorite for Sixth Man of the Year. In two weeks, the voters will decide to reward him for his excellent and efficient season off the bench.

CYCLONE FINISH! KJ spins off of Miller on the fastbreak and finishes at the rim with ease!

KJ comin' through 🌪️

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/mlNVEnuza6

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

Easy dime! KJ gets doubled in the paint and finds an open Luke Kornet under the basket with a sweet dish and dunk!

Wiiiiide open 👀

📺 @FanDuelSN_SW, @NBAonNBCpic.twitter.com/yCzfsnr6dN

— San Antonio Spurs – x (@spurs) March 31, 2026

This game was close early, but as soon as the Spurs put up a sizeable lead, the Bulls could not stop the MVP candidate’s offensive explosion. It is clear that after Wemby grabbed the fastest double-double ever, his teammates made it a mission to feed him the ball by any means necessary. Even when Wemby was doubled, he found the open shooter or cutter and put the Bulls’ defense in a blender. The Spurs have an upcoming West Coast road trip with two play-in teams and one contender. With the Spurs’ offense clicking on all cylinders, they are sure to put up NBA2K numbers this week.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs travel to San Francisco to take on the Golden State Warriors this Wednesday at 9:00 P.M. on ESPN.

LOS ANGELES – Deandre Ayton wins the opening tip against Washington on Monday, sending the ball to Austin Reaves. The fifth-year guard, without backcourt mate Luka Dončić, who’s suspended after his 16th technical, dribbles into LA’s first possession.

LeBron James initiates the action by setting a ball screen for Reaves in the middle of the floor with the rest of the starters spaced out. The Wizards, the 29th-ranked defense in the league, open a canyon-sized pocket for Reaves as he finds the rolling LeBron in stride.

​Reaves was nowhere near done, as he collected eight more assists before the end of the second quarter. The purple and gold used a 21-point halftime lead to cruise to victory, taking care of business against one of the bottom dwellers of the Eastern Conference.

​The win exhibited another playmaking clinic from Reaves, who’s grown into one of the best pick-and-roll ball handlers in basketball. He achieves this in large part by making teams pick their poison against a bevy of screeners he’s grown comfortable partnering with.

​“Anytime in a ball screen, if you run it the right way, you are going to have some sort of advantage,” Reaves said after a recent practice. “Just trying to make the right play every single time.”

​Watch him execute that advantage as the ball handler for Ayton in the clip below from Monday’s game. Reaves comes around to use the screen and sees the opposite big man defender, who’s in a traditional drop coverage, overextend toward him, allowing a roller behind.

Ayton catches in the short roll, his preferred operating area, and barrels to the basket for the floating finish. His 1.22 points per possession as a screener puts him in the 74th percentile league-wide, per NBA’s tracking data.

​“We got great playmakers,” Ayton said after practice while standing next to Reaves. “Our job is not that hard. Get the opponent off their body and they got it.”

​LA not only utilizes their bigs to get guys off their bodies, but they also consistently run guard-to-guard actions in their sets to create misdirection. Watch below as sharpshooter Luke Kennard comes to set the on-ball pick for Reaves. The Wizards opt to switch the coverage, and that one second of separation gives him the step he needs to go downhill.

He draws the contact and heads to the foul line, where he would go 9-10 in the half. He’d head to the break with 11 points and nine assists while being a plus-17 on the court.

Beyond his pocket passes to the screener and scoring punch, another major step in Reaves’s playmaking evolution is his ability to read the correct skip pass. In the clip below, Reaves receives a screen from Bronny James at the top of the key.

LA is set up in their double screen formation, and Ayton follows up by diving to the rim while the Wizards tag his roll. This leaves Rui Hachimura, a 43% spot-up 3-point shooter, wide open on the weak side.

Numbers and impressive games can get overshadowed at times when performed next to Luka’s historic offensive season. Still, this team needs a peaking Reaves to go anywhere this year.

It bears out in the wins as the Lakers are 35-14 (58-win pace) with Reaves and 14-12 (44-win pace) without him. With LeBron fully embracing his adjustment in role and overall play style, Reaves is now firmly established as the No. 2 ball handler on the team after Luka.

It’s a role he’s excelled at so far this season, and one the Lakers hope will push them much farther in the playoffs than it did a year ago.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu