HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — South Africa won the toss and elected to field Tuesday in the second Twenty20 cricket international against New Zealand at Seddon Park.
Allrounder Wiaan Mulder has replaced Jordan Hermann in the South Africa lineup.
New Zealand has made two changes, drafting in osh Clarkson and Lockie Ferguson in place of Bevon Jacobs and Zak Foulkes. Jacobs injured his knee while fielding in the first match.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Mitchell Santner (captain), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson.
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, Wiaan Mulder, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman.
Golden State Warriors (33-35, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (45-23, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Boston plays the Golden State Warriors after Jaylen Brown scored 41 points in the Boston Celtics' 120-112 win against the Phoenix Suns.
The Celtics have gone 23-10 at home. Boston is seventh in the NBA with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game led by Neemias Queta averaging 3.0 offensive boards.
The Warriors are 14-20 on the road. Golden State ranks seventh in the Western Conference shooting 35.7% from 3-point range.
The Celtics average 15.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Warriors allow. The Warriors are shooting 45.9% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 44.1% the Celtics' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Celtics won the last meeting 121-110 on Feb. 20. Payton Pritchard scored 26 points to help lead the Celtics to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brown is scoring 28.4 points per game with 7.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Derrick White is averaging 17.6 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 41.8% over the last 10 games.
Brandin Podziemski is averaging 13 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Warriors. Gui Santos is averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 7-3, averaging 113.7 points, 47.8 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.7 points per game.
Warriors: 3-7, averaging 113.6 points, 43.1 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.5 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: Nikola Vucevic: out (finger).
Warriors: Quinten Post: day to day (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Seth Curry: out (adductor), Al Horford: out (calf), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Moses Moody: day to day (wrist), LJ Cryer: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Phoenix visits the Minnesota Timberwolves after Devin Booker scored 40 points in the Suns' 120-112 loss to the Boston Celtics.
The Timberwolves are 25-20 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota has a 15-17 record against opponents over .500.
The Suns are 25-18 in conference games. Phoenix ranks last in the Western Conference scoring 42.7 points per game in the paint.
The Timberwolves average 13.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 more made shots on average than the 12.2 per game the Suns give up. The Suns average 14.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 12.5 per game the Timberwolves give up.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Suns won the last matchup 108-105 on Dec. 9, with Mark Williams scoring 22 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels is averaging 12.2 points over the last 10 games.
Royce O'Neale is scoring 9.9 points per game and averaging 4.9 rebounds for the Suns. Booker is averaging 24.7 points and 3.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 112.3 points, 41.5 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points per game.
Suns: 6-4, averaging 111.9 points, 40.5 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: out (knee), Naz Reid: day to day (shoulder).
Suns: Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Clippers (34-34, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (23-46, 12th in the Western Conference)
New Orleans; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans hosts Los Angeles looking to continue its five-game home winning streak.
The Pelicans are 14-30 in conference play. New Orleans is 7-34 against opponents over .500.
The Clippers are 21-21 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles ranks third in the Western Conference shooting 36.3% from 3-point range.
The Pelicans average 11.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 fewer makes per game than the Clippers give up (13.3). The Pelicans average 113.5 points per game, 6.2 fewer points than the 119.7 the Pelicans give up.
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on March 2 the Clippers won 137-117 led by 23 points from Kawhi Leonard, while Jeremiah Fears scored 28 points for the Pelicans.
TOP PERFORMERS: Trey Murphy III is averaging 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Kris Dunn is scoring 7.7 points per game with 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Clippers. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 19.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 45.0% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 120.5 points, 47.2 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 8.6 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.8 points per game.
Clippers: 7-3, averaging 123.8 points, 40.5 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 11.0 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.2 points.
INJURIES: Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (illness), Bryce McGowens: out (toe).
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard: out (ankle), 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.
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City is looking to extend its eight-game win streak with a victory against Orlando.
The Magic are 22-12 on their home court. Orlando ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference with 16.2 fast break points per game led by Franz Wagner averaging 3.8.
The Thunder are 24-8 on the road. Oklahoma City averages 118.5 points and has outscored opponents by 10.8 points per game.
The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up (14.2). The Thunder average 118.5 points per game, 4.3 more than the 114.2 the Magic allow.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Thunder won the last meeting 128-92 on Feb. 4, with Isaiah Joe scoring 22 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Desmond Bane is shooting 48.9% and averaging 20.6 points for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 24.2 points over the last 10 games.
Chet Holmgren is averaging 17.3 points, nine rebounds and 1.9 blocks for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20.9 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 51.8% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 118.7 points, 45.6 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points per game.
Thunder: 9-1, averaging 113.1 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.5 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Anthony Black: out (back), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).
Thunder: Branden Carlson: out (back), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Washington enters the matchup against Detroit as losers of 12 in a row.
The Wizards are 11-31 against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington has a 2-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Pistons have gone 32-11 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit leads the Eastern Conference with 13.3 offensive rebounds per game led by Jalen Duren averaging 3.8.
The Wizards are shooting 46.0% from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 44.2% the Pistons allow to opponents. The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field, which equals what the Wizards' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Wizards won the last meeting 126-117 on Feb. 6. Will Riley scored 20 points to help lead the Wizards to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bub Carrington is averaging 9.7 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Bilal Coulibaly is averaging 14.7 points over the last 10 games.
Cade Cunningham is averaging 24.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 0-10, averaging 115.5 points, 39.0 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.1 points per game.
Pistons: 5-5, averaging 116.1 points, 44.7 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 10.0 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.1 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring), Leaky Black: out (ankle), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: day to day (quad).
Pistons: Isaiah Stewart: out (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento plays the San Antonio Spurs after DeMar DeRozan scored 41 points in the Sacramento Kings' 116-111 win over the Utah Jazz.
The Kings are 12-34 against conference opponents. Sacramento gives up 120.6 points and has been outscored by 9.8 points per game.
The Spurs are 29-14 in Western Conference play. San Antonio ranks second in the Western Conference with 46.6 rebounds per game led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 11.2.
The Kings average 10.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer makes per game than the Spurs give up (12.9). The Spurs average 118.8 points per game, 1.8 fewer than the 120.6 the Kings give up.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Spurs defeated the Kings 139-122 in their last matchup on Feb. 22. Wembanyama led the Spurs with 28 points, and DeRozan led the Kings with 20 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: DeRozan is shooting 49.8% and averaging 18.8 points for the Kings. Daeqwon Plowden is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is scoring 19.1 points per game and averaging 3.7 rebounds for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 5-5, averaging 114.0 points, 46.3 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.0 points per game.
Spurs: 8-2, averaging 121.8 points, 46.5 rebounds, 30.3 assists, 6.8 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.2 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Devin Carter: out (calf), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
Spurs: Dylan Harper: out (calf), David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Luke Kornet: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Lakers (43-25, third in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (41-26, fourth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles looks to keep its six-game win streak alive when the Lakers take on Houston.
The Rockets are 23-20 against Western Conference opponents. Houston averages 14.7 turnovers per game and is 16-7 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents.
The Lakers have gone 29-16 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles has a 7-2 record in one-possession games.
The Rockets are shooting 47.4% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point lower than the 48.4% the Lakers allow to opponents. The Lakers score 6.5 more points per game (116.3) than the Rockets allow their opponents to score (109.8).
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last meeting on March 17 the Lakers won 100-92 led by 36 points from Luka Doncic, while Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points for the Rockets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LeBron James is averaging 21.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists for the Lakers. Doncic is averaging 33.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 49.4% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 5-5, averaging 108.5 points, 46.9 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.3 points per game.
Lakers: 9-1, averaging 120.7 points, 41.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Jae'Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Alperen Sengun: out (back), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
Lakers: Maxi Kleber: out (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Toronto Raptors (38-29, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (28-40, 12th in the Eastern Conference)
Chicago; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Toronto will try to break its three-game road skid when the Raptors visit Chicago.
The Bulls are 17-26 in conference play. Chicago ranks sixth in the NBA averaging 14.6 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.3% from downtown. Anfernee Simons leads the team averaging 2.7 makes while shooting 38.5% from 3-point range.
The Raptors are 28-16 in conference games. Toronto is 7-4 in one-possession games.
The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 46.5% the Raptors allow to opponents. The Bulls average 113.6 points per game, 6.4 fewer points than the 120.0 the Bulls give up to opponents.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Raptors defeated the Bulls 110-101 in their last meeting on Feb. 20. Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points, and Simons led the Bulls with 20 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Giddey is averaging 17.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.9 assists for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games.
Immanuel Quickley is shooting 44.4% and averaging 17.1 points for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 4-6, averaging 115.4 points, 47.2 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.6 points per game.
Raptors: 4-6, averaging 112.3 points, 39.4 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Anfernee Simons: out (wrist), Isaac Okoro: out (knee), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: out (knee), Zach Collins: out for season (toe), Collin Sexton: out (leg).
Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 16: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game against the LA Clippers on March 16, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Following a 5-1 home stand, the Spurs kicked off their road trip Monday night against a Kawhi-less Clippers team, narrowly escaping with a win.
The Spurs got off to a sluggish start, falling behind 17-3 in just the first four minutes of the game. It didn’t help that LAC started hot from deep, hitting three triples and directing their offense away from Wemby’s Go-Go Gadget arms. Following a timeout, San Antonio went on an 8-0 run to calm the Clippers’ storm. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle got to the basket and scored at will, as they took advantage of LA’s lack of rim protection. The Spurs went 11-15 from two in just the first quarter, but 1-12 from deep kept them from blowing the doors wide open.
Defensively, the good guys weren’t bad, but LA’s hot shooting helped them score 37 in the opening frame alone. Thankfully, they soon grew cold, allowing San Antonio to go on a 15-0 run and lead for the first time. With Wemby back in the game, the Spurs also dominated the glass: San Antonio finished the first half with 12 offensive rebounds, and their inside dominance helped them turn a 14-point deficit into a 66-52 lead at halftime.
The Silver & Black continued to control play to start the third. LA couldn’t generate any offense with their shooting going cold and Wemby sealing off the basket, while the Spurs kept up their assault at the Clippers’ rim. As a result, San Antonio went on another run to push their lead to 24, which seemed like an insurmountable deficit for LA. Unfortunately, the good guys seemed to think the same, as they took their foot off the gas after Wemby subbed out. The Clippers began scoring from inside the arc, which coincided with San Antonio getting careless with the ball and chucking up bad shots. In the blink of an eye, the home team had cut the lead down to 8, forcing Mitch Johnson to play Wemby and his starters more minutes than expected.
As soon as the Alien came back in the game, the Spurs went on another run to regain their double-digit lead. However, LA would not go away, making it a two-possession game once again following a four-point play from Darius Garland. San Antonio’s late-game offense went into the gutter, forcing up bad shots and giving LA numerous chances to make a comeback. The Spurs needed two fortuitous foul calls from the refs and an unsuccessful challenge from Ty Lue to finally seal a 119-115 victory.
Game notes
The Spurs trailed 17-3 just four minutes into the game before going into halftime up 66-52. In other words, they outscored the Clippers by 28 in under a half, and also conceded just 15 points in the second quarter after giving up 37 in the first. San Antonio levelled up at will — a hallmark of an elite team — but they’ll need to maintain focus and hold on to big leads in order to truly have a chance at winning the title this year.
Wemby tweaked his right ankle in the second quarter after inadvertently stepping on Castle’s foot. That’s the same ankle that forced him to sit against Denver last week, but another angle seemed to show that it was his shoe that came off and twisted at an odd angle, and not his actual foot. Wemby did stay in the game, but it’ll be interesting to see if he’s on a minutes restriction against Sacramento given that it’s a back-to-back.
Carter Bryant’s confidence is growing every game. In the second quarter alone, he took a self-created step back three, attacked the basket and put in his own rebound, and drew a foul going downhill in transition. The decision-making is still spotty (like the three, which he missed), but that will improve with time. At the rate he’s grown this season, Bryant might see some legitimate minutes in the playoffs — a scenario that was unfathomable in October.
Play of the game
Defense —> offense from Area 51. What more can you ask for?
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 16: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers on March 16, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs got their 50th win of the season against the Clippers in Los Angeles. They dominated the glass and got significant contributions from Area 51 plus more. It’s their first time reaching that many wins since 2016-17, and they still have 14 games left.
They came out stumbling like they had the Venice Beach flu, missing their first seven shots and were behind 14 points in fewer than five minutes. Their offense was getting out of the mud by the end of the first quarter, in part because of De’Aaron Fox’s rim pressure and Carter Bryant’s hustle, but they were slow to get back in transition and cover the 3-point line.
The Spurs’ ball movement and persistence to break into the lane closed the distance quickly in the second quarter. The other factor was that the Clippers’ half-court offense couldn’t sustain its production, and they weren’t allowed to advance on the break anymore. It was turning into a massacre going into halftime as the Spurs outscored them by 22 in the period.
They subsequently returned to blasting the paint like a wild ball and chain leveling a building. On top of that, Devin Vassell made sure to sprinkle in two 3-pointers, and they led by as much as 24 points.
Naturally, they got comfortable, and a Clippers surge followed when Castle checked out. By the fourth, Wemby’s length wasn’t the same intimidation factor since the Clippers were getting inside, and the frustration on the Spurs was palpable. They were hanging on for much of the period and even when they were about to pull away, Darius Garland nailed a four-point play to keep LAC in it.
The Spurs had to play the free-throw game in the last minute, and Vassell plus Fox delivered. They also got some help by the Clippers taking too long to shoot before fouling, and they weren’t 3-pointers, which played into the Spurs’ hands.
Observations
No Kawhi Leonard for the Clippers meant that they couldn’t bend the defense at mid-range, yet the Spurs still took them lightly and were a step slow to recover after helping. Stephon Castle’s top assignment became Garland. The latter’s shot creation caused the Spurs to over-help, as he set up 3-pointers, and he burned them with multiple of his own, yet he slowed down in part by his own hand, making lazy passes that ended in turnovers.
Luke Kornet’s absence opened the door for Mason Plumlee and Bryant to get minutes as the backup center. Bryant even got some time checking the burly Brook Lopez and was trying to front the entry pass to the post. He did well and played a key stretch of center in the fourth, but these types of challenges won’t always have positive results this early in his career. What counts is that he plays every game like it’s his last.
The Spurs can crank up the intensity with any squad. Bryant and Castle each recovered an offensive rebound after a free throw in the first half, and Johnson forced a turnover in Clippers territory while in full-court press. Yet they can also suffer terrible drop-offs, like six third-quarter turnovers, that reinvigorate the opponent, and sometimes the team has to win twice.
The threes weren’t falling in the first half, so the Spurs detonated in the paint for 42 paint points despite seeing more bodies up close because of a zone, and finished with 64. Their reinforcements, led by Johnson, were not effective in the second half, and it took major work in the trenches to get away. Keep in mind that the team had 22 offensive rebounds, a new season high, and those turned into 25 second-chance points.
Multiple penetrators next to the Wemby in the rotation ensure a high level of read-and-react offense in which opponents mostly pick the wrong poison. Castle was fearless when he put his head down, and even showed off some fancy dribbling. Most impressively, he finished with a 2.67 assist-to-turnover ratio.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Kristaps Porzingis #7 and De'anthony Melton #8 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate in the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was the stoppable force meeting the movable object Monday night in Washington, D.C. The Golden State Warriors had lost five straight games and played without Al Horford and both Curry brothers. The Washington Wizards had lost 11 straight and was starting WNBA star Angel Reese’s brother and three players who weren’t alive yet when “Anchorman” was released.
But Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points against his old team, De’Anthony Melton scored 27, and Gui Santos scored 18 in 28 minutes in a foul-plagued effort as the Warriors won, 125-117. It was a welcome win for the slumping Warriors, who have four games left on a cross-country road trip that heads to Boston Wednesday.
Was it a sloppy game of basketball? Yes it was, as seen when Pat Spencer and Jamir Watkins traded no-look passes to no one in the first quarter.
I regret to inform our readers that both players were definitively Shaqtin’ A Fool on that play.
Porzingis was the star, shooting 8-for-13 and making 13 of 14 free throws. He added five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, two steals, and a partridge in a pear tree. KP’s prettiest basket came on a great pass from Gary Payton II, who had 15 points off the bench.
Melton remains one of the NBA’s best signings this year, putting up 20+ points for the third time in four games. He shot 12-for-17 for the game and delivered one of the Warriors’ best dunks of the season when he elevated for an emphatic dunk over Sharife Cooper.
Golden State took a 17-point lead early in the second quarter, after Bub Carrington was called for a technical foul. Six minutes later, Trae Young and rookies Tre Johnson and Will Riley had brought the Wizards to within two points, though two free throws from new Warrior Omer Yurtseven gave them a seven-point halftime lead.
The Warriors got a huge break in the third quarter after another Shaqtin-adjacent play from Spencer. Second-year guard Bub Carrington broke Spencer’s ankles and dropped him, before sinking a jumper. Carrington appeared to continue chirping at the other end, and Scott Foster ejected him.
🔥 Bub Carrington breaks Pat Spencer's ANKLES – Scott Foster Ejected bub because it was too cold 🥶 pic.twitter.com/PQVfrT858B
It’s very rare that Scott Foster holds a grudge or makes an NBA game all about him instead of the players, so Carrington clearly said something bad like, “Say hi to your old friend Tim Donaghy” or “You were pretty unfair to Chris Paul.”
That was the story of the game: The Warriors took a big lead, the Wizards chipped away at it, but couldn’t quite catch up. The Dubs didn’t have the players to put away the Wizards, while the Wizards didn’t have the players, at all, especially with Young and the rookie Johnson staying on the bench for the whole final quarter.
The game wasn’t locked up until the Wizards started playing Porzingis like he was Bam Adebayo and sending him to the line every Warriors possession. The final dagger came when Brandin Podziemski (10 quiet points) rebounded a Porzingis miss and Gui Santos found Payton for a layup.
Young, Riley, and Bilal Coulibaly all scored 21 points for the Wizards, who seem like they could be a dangerous team soon, if their coach was actually trying to win. But Washington is more concerned with preserving their top-8 protected pick in June than winning games, even when you’d think you’d want a No. 6 overall pick like Johnson to play in fourth quarters in close games.
But unlike the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz in recent games, the Wizards simply refused to let the Warriors blow a win they effectively handed to them. Getting 65 bench points (versus 29 for the Wizards) went a long way, as did Santos’ four three-pointers and 16 energetic minutes from Malevy Leons (8 points, two offensive rebounds).
The Hawks are 5-0 in Kuminga’s games. Golden State is 1-4 with Porzingis.
The Warriors remain a half-game ahead of the 10th-place Portland Trail Blazers and somehow only one game back of the Los Angeles Clippers. At this point in the season, the Warriors can’t take any games for granted or let any win pass without savoring it. Monday, they stopped a skid and grabbed a win that would have been awful to let slip away.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 16: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks to pass against Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center on March 16, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks took on the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night to close out a seemingly endless road trip. The Pelicans dealt Dallas a 129-111 loss, resulting in a potentially meaningful impact on each team’s draft chances this offseason. With the loss, Dallas and New Orleans are now tied in the standings, but the Pelicans have a 3-1 season series advantage (or disadvantage) over the Mavs.
Let’s get to the grades!
Ryan Nembhard: C-
2 PTS / 4 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN
A 1-for-8 shooting night drives Nembhard’s grade down despite a solid assist total and even a few rebounds. He didn’t have much playing time, but regardless, there was very little to write home about Monday night.
Max Christie: B+
12 PTS / 4 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN
Christie may just be finding his form again, with the second night of a back-to-back looking much like the first night. Christie didn’t light up the box score, but he hit his shots (4-for-7 overall; 4-for-6 from deep) and even played a bit of defense in a solid game where Naji Marshall and Cooper Flagg (rightfully) got a ton of touches, leaving him to make the most of what he could. Fewer three-point attempts and more drives or mid-range shots would have been nice, but you can’t argue with the results from deep in this one.
Naji Marshall: A+
32 PTS / 8 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Although he wasn’t as blazing hot from the field as he was on Sunday, Marshall was by far the best player for the Mavs on Monday night and converted on half of his 24 shot attempts. He did just about everything right, and it’s a struggle to find anything to be unhappy about. Maybe no steals or blocks, but that is a nit-picky stretch. Marshall was just awesome across the board.
Cooper Flagg: B+
21 PTS / 7 REB / 8 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 30 MIN
While not as dominant as Marshall was, Flagg had a great game in his own right. This is the second game in a row his turnover total was high (four), but his assist total was quite high as well. Once he refines that part of his game just a bit, he’s likely going to maintain those high-assist nights with low-turnover performances and it’s going to be amazing.
P.J. Washington: A-
18 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN
Washington has been showing glimpses of the player so many fell in love with. His grade drifts a bit high, in part because he re-established his baseline somewhat low of late. Monday night, he was 7-for-13, including 4-for-8 from deep, had zero turnovers, and committed only a single foul in a very nice complementary game.
Marvin Bagley: A-
9 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN
Bagley has largely won me over at this point (if not many games ago). He was 4-for-7, including hitting his only three-point attempt and sniffed a double-double in under 20 minutes. Even better, six of his nine boards were on the offensive end. This was an efficient game where Bagley, like Christie, made the most of his minutes and touches.
Khris Middleton: C-
6 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 18 MIN
It’s not immediately clear what happened with Middleton Monday night, but it wasn’t exactly pretty. He did a little bit here and there, but was only 2-for-9 in a game where he just never got comfortable.
Final Thoughts
The Mavericks have lost three of four matchups with the Pelicans, with whom they are now tied in the standings. The Pelicans are trending in the opposite direction as Dallas over the past few weeks, so the Mavs may just secure a lower place in the standings when all is said and done. While this obviously isn’t the goal, the silver lining to a tough season is a potentially better draft pick come summertime.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 16: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans plays defense during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 16, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks lost 129-111 to the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night in New Orleans. This was the Mavericks fourth game in five nights, a rarity in the modern NBA, and the team certainly looked sluggish.
New Orleans waxed the Mavericks from about midway through the first quarter and never truly looked back. The Pelicans had a double-digit lead for most of the game and were never threatened after taking a six point lead at the end of the first quarter.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 27 points on only 13 shot attempts. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks and all scorers with 32 points. The Mavericks will now take on the red-shot Atlanta Hawks next, winners of 10 straight games.
Here are the numbers we noticed.
68: Pelicans points in the paint
The easiest number to look at after a blowout is how much paint points did the team give up, and Dallas didn’t disappoint there: the Pelicans nearly notched 70 points in the paint and rampaged toward the basket with ease all night.
Dallas started PJ Washington at center for the second straight game and this time got punished for it. The Cavaliers basically had just Evan Mobley as the only threatening big on Sunday, and couldn’t do much to punish the Mavericks small ball lineup. New Orleans plays a ton of bigs — Williamson, Yves Missi, Karlo Matkovic, and rookie Derik Queen. All four of those guys had positive impacts on the game, with Williamson shooting a nearly perfect 11-of-13 from the floor.
New Orleans as a team shot 29-of-41 from the restricted area. The makes and attempts are really bad for the Mavericks there, and they had zero juice on the their second back-to-back in five days.
2: Cooper Flagg free throw attempts
Cooper Flagg is getting a rookie whistle, which is going to drive Mavericks fans nuts, but it’s OK. It happens. Tonight’s game was particularly egregious though: Flagg shot 17 shots in the paint and only had two free throw attempts to show for it.
The highlight (or really lowlight) was in the second half when Flagg got the rim, got his shot blocked, but the Pelicans player in his follow through came down across Flagg’s face and whacked him in the head. I get it, NBA players are allowed to commit felonies as long as they get the ball first, but this was silly. Even if it’s not a shooting foul it felt like it should have been *something*, and it was just an a bad moment.
It’s annoying that this really only gets solved with Flagg not being a rookie anymore, and that doesn’t change for seven or so more months. Sigh.
39: Fastbreak points for the Mavericks
This was a wickedly fast game, both teams got up and down the floor a bunch. It’s not very often you’ll see a team score nearly 40 points in transition and get blown out.
This was just such an weird game. I don’t have much more to say about this stat other than it caught my eye. It’s hard to score 39 transition points and lose, and not only lose, but lose by a lot!
Lakers star Luka Doncic, left, shoots over Houston's Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of the Lakers' 100-92 win Monday. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
In their first meeting of the season on Christmas Day, Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were “punked” by the Houston Rockets and vowed not to let it happen again.
On Monday, the Lakers displayed their toug to hness in a 100-92 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center.
Even when they missed 14 comsecutive shots at one point in the fourth quarter, the Lakers showed their resilience with a gritty defensive effort that kept them in the game. The Lakers scored only 17 points in the fourth, but they held the Rockets to just 12 points en route to their sixth consecutive win.
“They're a really good basketball team and they make you either play hard and match their physicality, and how they muck the game up, or you can lay down,” Redick said. “And we didn't lay down tonight. Had a deficit there in the third quarter. Our guys just kept playing.”
But three big baskets from Deandre Ayton (seven points, 11 rebounds) and a big three-pointer by Marcus Smart (11 points) helped the Lakers open their six-game trip with a win.
Sitting third in the Western Conference, the Lakers (43-25) will take a 1½-game lead over the Rockets (41-26) into their rematch on Wednesday night.
“Obviously, we have another one on Wednesday, but it was a very important game," said Doncic, who shot 14 for 27 from the field. We've been playing very good. Our defense has been pretty good, so just gotta continue that way.”
The Lakers threw double teams at Houston's Kevin Durant all game, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven of the Rockets' 24 turnovers.
Durant shot only 16 times yet made eight. He was one for three in the fourth quarter and had just as many turnovers as points (two) in the final 12 minutes. One of those turnovers was on an eight-second violation.
“He’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen play," James said. "Obviously you got to try to show him different looks, try to keep him off-balanced and when he shoots, hope he misses. So, I thought we did a good job of having a game plan but also just switching up our pitches.
"You can’t show a great like that too many of the same coverages throughout the whole game. He’ll get a feel for it."
Doncic got off to what has become his typical first-quarter starts, scoring 16 points on seven-for-10 shooting. But Houston took a 58-51 lead at halftime after taking control of the boards in the second quarter. The Rockets turned six offensive rebounds into 13 points.
The Lakers also had a hard time scoring, shooting only 32% from the field and 13% (one for eight) from three-point range in the quarter.
After trailing by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, the Lakers surged and took an 83-80 lead heading into the fourth. After what happened in L.A. back in December, the Lakers were determined not to let Houston run away with the game.
After taking an 85-80 lead, the Lakers struggled to find consistent offense until Ayton checked back into the game with 4:52 left. Ayton scored on a tip shot to give the Lakers an 89-88 lead, then scored off a pair of offensive rebounds in the final 90 seconds to help keep the Lakers ahead for good. He finished with six points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter.
“He was amazing,” James said. “I mean, just the fact that he was sitting over there for as long as he did and stayed locked in on the game and came in and finished the game. He was able to get a tip-dunk, a couple of jump hooks around the rim, and a couple of rebounds. He helped us finish the game.”
Note: Lakers backup center Maxi Kleber did not play as he continues to recover from a lumbar back strain. "He's basically been shut down for five days to sort of heal,” Redick said. “He's not with us right now, and we hope he's able to join us later on in the trip."
