A familiar face is heading back to Syracuse, as former assistant coach and player Gerry McNamara is finalizing a deal to become the Orange's next coach, USA TODAY Sports has confirmed.
McNamara, whose No. 3 jersey is retired at Syracuse, led No. 16 seed Siena to the Men's NCAA Tournament in his second season at the helm after leaving his post as an assistant under former Syracuse coach Adrian Autry, who was fired after the ACC tournament. The Saints led No. 1 overall seed Duke by 11 points at halftime before eventually falling 71-65 in the first round.
McNamara was an assistant at Syracuse for 15 seasons under legendary coach Jim Boeheim, whom he played for, and Autry.
McNamara made 135 career starts at Syracuse and averaged 13.3 points as a true freshman on the school's most recent national championship team in 2003. He's the school's all-time leader in 3-pointers and minutes played.
New Syracuse athletic director Bryan Blair, who was introduced March 19, is taking a swing with a fan-favorite — albeit inexperienced — coach. McNamara only has two seasons of head coaching experience, and has a 37-30 record across two seasons at Siena.
Syracuse finished with losing seasons for the first time since 1968-69 after going 14-19 in 2024-25 and 15-17 in 2025-26. Autry failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in his three seasons at the helm. Syracuse last made the big dance in 2020-21.
Just a few weeks ago, Siena was the No. 2 seed in the MAAC tournament, taking down No. 1 seed Merrimack in the conference championship game. After the Saints' strong end to the season, including scaring Duke in the NCAA Tournament, McNamara has landed the job at Syracuse with the purpose of building back his alma mater.
What started as the usual NBA posturing and pushing quickly escalated into a fight Saturday, leading to suspensions.
Oklahoma City's Ajay Mitchell and Washington's Justin Champagnie each have been suspended one game for "fighting and escalating an on-court altercation which spilled over into the spectator stands," the league announced Sunday. Additionally, the Thunder's Jaylin Williams was fined $50,000, while Oklahoma City's Cason Wallace and Washington's Anthony Gill were each fined $35,000.
Everything happened with just 27 seconds left in the first half. After a Washington Bucket, Oklahoma City's Williams had the ball in motion to inbound it, bumped into Champagnie, and the two quickly exchanged words and began shoving each other under the basket. Then Ajay Mitchell jumped in and took everything to the next level.
At the time, Champagnie, Williams, Mitchell and Cason Wallace of the Thunder were ejected.
Financially, the suspended players got off lighter than the fined players. Missing one game without pay will cost Mitchell $17,241, while Champagnie will lose $13,503 (numbers via ESPN's Bobby Marks).
Champagnie will sit out tonight (Sunday) when the Wizards visit the New York Knicks. Mitchell will serve his suspension on Monday when the Thunder visit the Philadelphia 76ers.
The defending national champions didn't need a warm-up to get going in their title defense.
Florida scored an NCAA Tournament program record 114 points in its first round demolition of 16-seed Prairie View A&M. The Gators also set team NCAA Tournament marks in assists (29), field goals made (45) and field goals percentage (.643). UF's 59-point margin was also the second-largest in NCAA Tournament history.
Iowa is coming off a 67-61 win over No. 8 Clemson in Friday's first round. The Hawkeyes' All-Big Ten guard Bennett Stirtz struggled from the field (4 of 17) but still led with 16 points as Iowa won Ben McCollom's first March Madness game in black and yellow.
The winner of today's game will advance to next week's Sweet 16 to face No. 4 Nebraska in Houston.
The storyline of this matchup will be the two contrasting tempos between Iowa and Florida. The Gators play a much faster pace compared to the Hawkeyes. Look for Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland to have big games as this matchup will be a test for the duo. Even with Iowa playing at a slower tempo, Florida's front court has a clear advantage.
While Iowa has had a solid first season under Ben McCollum, the dream of a deep March run ends here. The Gators are simply too deep and too consistent. The loss to Vandy in the SEC Tournament was a bit of a wake-up call, plus this is essentially a home game for the Gators, since it's being played in Tampa. Expect the reigning champs to come out determined to repeat and send the Hawkeyes home.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -MARCH 21: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket against Aaron Nesmith #23 of the Indiana Pacers in the second half at Frost Bank Center on March 21, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Coming off a nail-biting win against the Phoenix Suns, the Spurs wrapped up their mini homestand against the Indiana Pacers. The Spurs would be without Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell due to their respective injuries. As a result, Dylan Harper made his first career start. The Spurs started with their foot on the gas pedal, outscoring the Pacers 42-29 in the first quarter. After taking a 13-point lead into halftime, the Spurs led by 15 after the third. The Pacers, ironically enough, were able to keep pace with the Spurs’ scoring, but could not get a stop on defense. The Spurs ultimately won 134-119.
Dylan Harper made his first career start and dropped 24 points (9-13 FG, 5-5 FT), four rebounds, and three assists. Dyl stepped up in Castle’s place in the starting lineup and played like a starting veteran guard. He looks unguardable in transition, and always seems to make the right dribble and slasher moves. He also got to the free-throw line and made all of his free throws. Shooting 69% from the field is more than an encouraging sign for this team. The 20-year-old continues to show that he has the talent to interchange with De’Aaron Fox or Castle to command the floor.
EUROSTEP AND-ONE! Dyl pulls out the crossover dribble in transition, creates space, and then eurosteps into an and-one finish over Aaron Nesmith!
Keldon Johnson dropped 24 points (10-12 FG), four rebounds, and four assists. Like Harper, KJ led the team in scoring. In just 25 minutes, KJ shot 83% from the field, including 67% from three-point land. No matter what the Pacers’ defense threw at him, KJ was simply on fire. 16 of his 24 came in the first half off of bully ball and three-point splashes. Sixth Man of the Year? Spurs fans seem to think so.
Victor Wembanyama dropped 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five blocks, and a steal. Wemby shot 44% from the field, grabbed both offensive and defensive boards, dished out lob dimes, and shut down the Pacers in the paint. Wemby is such an anomaly that even when he misses a shot, he easily grabs his own miss and puts it back in, sometimes in one motion. With 11 games remaining, Wemby’s case for MVP and DPOY continues to heat up as the highlights keep adding up.
Smooth ball movement! Wemby cuts to the paint and receives a pinpoint dime from Harrison Barnes for the easy slam! HB finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and a dime.
FRENCH VANILLA IS SERVED! Wemby dominates this sequence by stuffing Jay Huff’s shot attempt and then lobbing it up for Luke Kornet in transition for the alley-oop connection! Kornet finished with nine points, eight rebounds, four assists, and a block.
All in all, this was another take-care-of-business game for the silver and black. Even when they started slacking with a lead, the Spurs were able to keep a sizeable lead for the entire game. Even when several starters are out, this team is still dangerous and tough to guard. With only 11 games remaining, the Spurs will look to lock up the second seed, or barring an OKC Thunder collapse, possibly take over the first seed. This young, contending team has already made lifelong memories for Spurs fans everywhere, and the playoffs will add even more.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs travel to Miami to take on the Heat this Monday at 6:00 P.M. (CST) on Peacock/NBCSN/FDSN-SW.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Connecticut basketball looks to advance to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the last four years under Dan Hurley on Sunday with a win over UCLA.
But the 2-seed Huskies may have to do it without point guard Silas Demary Jr., who was listed as "questionable" for the March 22 second-round game against the 10-seed Bruins in the NCAA's initial player availability report.
The loss of Demary — and his backup, Jaylin Stewart — was notable in UConn's offensive flow against Furman, as the Huskies weren't able to pull away against the Paladins. UConn finished with 22 assists on 32 made shots from the field, shooting 49% from the field.
The Huskies and the Bruins are set for an 8:45 p.m. ET tipoff from Philadelphia. Demary's official status for the game will be known at 6:45 p.m. ET when the next player availability report is released.
Here's the latest on Demary's status:
Will Silas Demary Jr. play tonight in NCAA Tournament? Status vs UCLA
Demary was once again listed as questionable by UConn in its NCAA player availability report on Saturday. The next availability report will come out at 6:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, two hours before tip-off.
If he is unable to go against UCLA on Sunday, it would be the second straight game he misses with that ankle injury. Stewart, who is also dealing with a lingering injury that precedes Demary's, was also listed as questionable on the Huskies' injury report.
Silas Demary Jr. injury update
The Huskies point guard sustained an ankle injury in the second half of UConn's Big East Tournament championship game loss to St. John's on Saturday, March 14. The injury came when St. John's forward Zuby Ejiofor blocked Demary's transition layup and then was stepped on by the Big East Player of the Year.
Demary told assembled media on Thursday, March 19, that he was continuing to rehab his ankle as much as he could and that he was good to go to play in the Huskies' opening round game vs. Furman.
Instead, he was listed "questionable" on the Huskies' injury report for the game before being downgraded to "out." Following the Huskies' 82-71 win vs. the Paladins, Hurley said Demary was "close" to playing against the Paladins.
"I don't want to make any more predictions. The information that I shared in New York (at the Big East Tournament) was the information that I was provided with," Hurley said. "It was close. He tried. He couldn't get himself to the point where he felt like he could go. He's got two more days. ... We'll see where that goes."
NEW YORK (AP) — Washington forward Justin Champagnie and Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell each received a one-game suspension for fighting and escalating an on-court altercation that spilled into the seating area during a game, the league announced Sunday.
Both were suspended without pay. Thunder forward Jaylin Williams was fined $50,000, while Oklahoma City guard Cason Wallace and Wizards forward Anthony Gill each received $35,000 fines for their roles in the altercation that took place late in the first half of the Thunder’s 132-111 victory on Saturday night.
Following a basket by Gill, Williams and Champagnie began shoving each other under the basket. Gill and Mitchell became involved and the quarrel quickly escalated. After a lengthy review by the officials, Champagnie, Williams, Mitchell and Wallace were all ejected.
Champagnie will sit out Sunday as the Wizards face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mitchell's suspension takes place Monday when Oklahoma City plays at Philadelphia.
The Vols did so with little contribution from their star freshman Nate Ament, who went scoreless in just 18 minutes, as he was rested dealing with soreness from a high ankle sprain he suffered in late February.
Nate Ament drains a 3-pointer from the corner on his first shot attempt of the game. He extends Tennessee's lead to 6-2 with 18:30 to go in the first half. Vols are 2-for-2 from beyond the arc to start.
Underway in Philly, Tennessee wins tip
The Volunteers win the opening tip-off with Ja'Kobi Gillespie getting the ball, and we are underway at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Volunteers are wearing their Tennessee Orange road uniform, while the Cavaliers are wearing their home whites.
Tennessee scores quickly with a 3-pointer from Bishop Boswell. Thijs De Ridder responds with a second-chance layup inside the paint for Virginia. It's 3-2 Vols early.
He was named to the All-ACC first team and all-rookie teams, and entered the Men's NCAA Tournament as the Cavaliers' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game. Though De Ridder hails from Brasschaat, Belgium, he did know a little bit about March Madness before Virginia’s first-round win over Wright State. … Including the great tradition of filling out brackets.
"When I was 17 and younger, I thought it was another tournament like others. I did some brackets when I was younger, but that was just for fun," De Ridder told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "Every time (there was) an American guy on my team (overseas), they always talked about March Madness. Now that I'm here, it's such an organization, and it just made me really excited to play here. Hopefully, we can do some great stuff."
He finished in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds in addition to two assists in Virginia’s win vs. Wright State.
The Cavaliers held off a potential upset and defeated 14-seed Wright State in the first round of the Men’s NCAA Tournament on Friday, 83-72.
Jacari White led the way for Virginia with 26 points, while Sam Lewis added 12 and Malik Thomas added 11. De Ridder also finished in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds in addition to two assists.
Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 11:30 a.m., Sunday.
∎ Wynton Jackson, Knoxville News Sentinel: Virginia 71, Tennessee 66
Ament's questionable status swings our prediction towards Virginia. The Cavaliers had one of the best defenses in the ACC, and if Tennessee's star freshman isn't at his best, it's tough to see how the Vols continue their hot shooting. They shot 53% from the floor and 45% from 3-point range against the RedHawks. Tennessee's defense always keeps games close, but it may not have enough offensive juice to make a fourth straight Sweet 16.
John Leuzzi: Tennessee
Jordan Mendoza: Virginia
Ehsan Kassim: Virginia
Blake Schuster: Tennessee
Moneyline: Tennessee (-115); Virginia (-105)
Spread: Tennessee (-1.5)
Over/under total: 137.5
Nate Ament injury update: Will Vols freshman star play today vs Virginia?
All-SEC freshman Nate Ament had his first scoreless game of the season in the 78-56 win against Miami (Ohio) in the first round.
Ament is still dealing with soreness from the high ankle sprain he suffered against Missouri on Feb. 24. He still expects to play against Virginia and throughout the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
"There's no chance I'd sit out a March Madness game," he said. "It's about what can we do to get back to 100%, or as close to it as we can."
Nate Ament 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 11 overall to Portland Trail Blazers
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After a relatively slow and inefficient start to the season, Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is starting to realize some of his lofty expectations. The freshman averaged 21.6 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent on 3-pointers during a 13-game stretch before an injury against Alabama on Feb. 28. The All-SEC forward then had 27 points (4-of-6 on 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal against Auburn on March 12. It will only take one team to fall in love with Ament and given so much of what he brings to the table cannot be taught, that team is probably picking fairly early in the lottery.
What channel is St John's vs Kansas ? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.
Kansas vs St. John's prediction, odds
Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 10:30 a.m. ET, Sunday.
John Leuzzi: St. John's
Jordan Mendoza: St. John's
Ehsan Kassim: St. John's
Blake Schuster: Kansas
Moneyline: St. John's (-170); Kansas (+140)
Spread: St. John's (-3.5)
Over/under total: 143.5
Why did Zuby Ejiofor transfer from Kansas to St John's
Zuby Ejiofor, a 6-9 forward, started his college career at Kansas in 2022, where he played for Hall of Fame coach Bill Self. Then he transferred to St. John’s in 2023 to play for Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.
“We didn’t want him to leave,” Self said Saturday. “We’re really happy for his success. We just don’t … We just hope it doesn’t come against us.”
What happened at Kansas and why did he choose St. John’s?
“I had a fun time at Kansas,” Ejiofor said. “I wouldn’t lie: I didn’t really want to leave. But I knew that in order for my future to keep progressing the way I wanted to go, that I had to probably look elsewhere for a bigger opportunity.”
Darryn Peterson 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction
Pick No. 2 overall to Washington Wizards.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
While he is no longer perceived as the near-certain No. 1 overall pick that he once was due to relative inconsistency and injury issues, many scouts and evaluators feel that Darryn Peterson is the most talented player in this class. The Wizards would put the All-Big 12 guard in a strong position to begin his career alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis. It is incredibly rare to find a prospect who is able to score as efficiently as Peterson while holding a usage rate as high as his has been this season.
What Rick Pitino said about Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson
“He gets to the foul line, he’s got great size, got a beautiful looking jump shot with great arc,” Pitino said Saturday about Peterson. “His size presents a problem. When he uses the pick and roll, he’ll reject it, and his size getting to the rim’s great. He’s a great scorer. He’s going to be a great NBA player because he has an NBA game, and we’ve got our work cut out for him, trying to stop him. But, they have a well-rounded team.”
Rick Pitino NCAA Tournament history: When was Rick Pitino's last Sweet 16 appearance?
Rick Pitino has been to 13 Sweet 16s. His last trip to the Sweet 16 was in 2014-15 with Louisville.
Bill Self NCAA Tournament history: How many Sweet 16 appearances
Bill Self has been to 12 Sweet 16s in his coaching career.
Any hopes for the chaos that makes this event so raucously entertaining are officially over, buried under a pile of chalk dust. For the third consecutive year, no seed 12 or higher will make the Sweet 16. For the fourth consecutive year, only one-double digit seed will survive the first weekend.
“I don’t think we ever want to sign up to be the Cinderella story because we are the University of Texas,” Miller said after his 11th-seeded team beat Gonzaga on Saturday, March 21. “We represent the SEC as well.”
The beauty of March Madness has always been, well, the Madness. Little schools no one’s heard of knocking off teams from the power conferences. Kids who won’t go further than the local rec center when their college careers are done knocking down shots that would be the envy of NBA players.
There was one glorious stretch from 2008 to 2014 when three or more double-digit seeds reached the Sweet 16 in all but one year. Four years ago, 15th-seeded Saint Peter’s crashed the party into the Elite Eight.
But whether it’s NIL, the great players getting even greater, or simply the cycle of things, March Madness has been more March Mildness of late.
Sure, an 11 seed made the Final Four in 2024, but it was NC State, a team from the mighty ACC. For the last time a true little guy made it to the Final Four, you have to go back to 11th-seeded Loyola of Chicago — and everyone's favorite nun — in 2018.
Things have gotten so chalky that all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four last year for only the second time since the tournament began seeding teams in 1979. While it remains to be seen if that happens again this year, all the teams remaining are from power conferences (except Utah State, who plays No. 1 Arizona later Sunday). Where’s the fun in that?
There was, for about half a day, eagerness that this year’s tournament might be headed sideways. In the best way possible, of course.
High Point, a 12th seed making only its second appearance in the NCAA tournament, knocked off Wisconsin. VCU, an 11 seed, dug its way out of a 19-point hole to stun North Carolina in the largest comeback ever in the first round of the men’s tournament.
Siena even threatened to pull off the upset of all upsets against overall No. 1 seed Duke. But Duke hung on, and the tournament returned to its chalk-outlined form.
Boooorrrring.
That’s not to say there haven’t been good, and entertaining, games. Kentucky’s OT win over Santa Clara in the first round was a straight shot of adrenaline. Nebraska’s win over Vanderbilt in the second round was all kinds of fun.
Even Arkansas’ win over High Point in the second round was way more of a nail-biter than the score indicated.
“We competed with the SEC champs, lottery picks, guys who are the best of the best. Our university, our team showed out. We showed out,” High Point coach Flynn Clayman said. “We were expected to be good, but I don't think anybody expected to do what we did here, win 31 games, get to the Tournament, advance, push the SEC champs.
“We made history,” Clayman added. “And I just couldn't be more proud of these guys. What a ride.”
It’s just too bad it didn’t last longer.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
Randy Arozarena has apologized to Seattle Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after Arozarena cursed out the catcher for not returning a handshake at the World Baseball Classic.
“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction. Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game," Arozarena said in a statement issued by the Mariners. “Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”
The incident between the two took place on March 9 when Arozarena reached down to greet Raleigh in his catcher’s squat at home plate, and Raleigh declined to offer his hand back in a game in which the Americans beat Mexico 5-3.
Arozarena, speaking to Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish, said Raleigh “has to thank God that he has nice parents, well educated,” and added he recently hugged them during a friendly greeting at the team hotel.
He then used profane Cuban and Mexican slang to insult Raleigh before pivoting to English and saying Raleigh could shove his “good to see you” in his rear. Arozarena was born in Cuba but defected to Mexico to pursue an MLB career.
“I love Randy, I do,” Raleigh said. “I hate that this is a thing. There’s no beef when we get back to Seattle. He’s my brother. We’re family.”
On Saturday night after their spring training game, Raleigh reiterated his feelings.
“We talked it out, and everything went great,” Raleigh said, according to MLB.com. “Randy knows that I love him, and he’s a brother, and it’s in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We’re in a good spot.”
The Mariners open the season Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.
Seattle is coming off a season in which it won the franchise’s first AL West title since 2001. Raleigh helped lead the way by becoming the seventh different player in major league history to hit 60 homers in a season.
The sophomore guard drove for a layup early in the second half, was fouled on the attempt, and quickly went down grabbing his knee. Replays appeared to show Cox's knee buckling as he went up for the layup, before he was fouled.
Cox was down for a couple of moments, uttering expletives heard on CBS mics. He was helped off the court by the Purdue trainers, but was able to walk off on his under his own power to the locker room.
According to CBS sideline reporter Jon Rothstein, Cox is questionable to return to the game. He was reported to be running lightly in the locker room to determine whether he could return. Cox was able to return to the Boilermakers' bench, per the CBS broadcast.
Cox had 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting at the time of his injury. He hit three 3-pointers in three possessions for the Boilermakers to end the first half, to keep them within two points of Miami at halftime.
On the season, Cox is averaging 8.4 points per game on 44.8% shooting from the field and 37.4% from 3-point range. He is third on the team with 58 3-pointers entering play on Saturday.
The No. 2 seed Cyclones will take on No. 7 Kentucky on Sunday, March 22, and all eyes are on whether star forward Joshua Jefferson will be available against the Wildcats after suffering an injury in the first round. Jefferson hurt his left ankle early into the contest against Tennessee State, and wasn't able to return to the game.
It will be a key storyline with Iowa State trying to reach the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years. Here is the latest on Jefferson's status:
It's a tough break for the Cyclones as they hoped he would be able to suit up. A day prior, coach T.J. Otzelberger said it appeared unlikely he would be able to play. On Saturday, Jefferson in a boot and using a knee scooter.
"We've got so much confidence in this group and guys that can step up on a given night. Obviously when you have a guy like Joshua out, it's going to be imperative that other guys step in," he said.
What happened to Joshua Jefferson?
Jefferson was injured less than three minutes into the first round game contest, appearing to twist his ankle as he landed after going for a layup. He was helped off the floor by support staff as he was unable to put any weight on his left foot.
He was later seen on crutches and didn't return to the game.
Jefferson is a major contributor for the Cyclones, averaging 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He also has two triple doubles on the season.
The Portland Trail Blazers finish a five-game road trip at Ball Arena against the Denver Nuggets, looking to continue their hot streak.
Portland has won four of five, including the last three on the road. The Blazers have moved into eighth place and are looking to improve their seeding for the postseason Play-In tournament.
My Trail Blazers at Nuggets predictions and NBA picks look for the Blazers to cover as a road dog on Sunday, March 22.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets prediction
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets best bet: Trail Blazers +9 (-110)
In addition to winning three straight, the Portland Trail Blazers have covered their last two as underdogs.
The Blazers can get back to .500, highlighting their improvement since the calendar flipped to 2026. They started the year six games below .500, but have been revived by Donovan Clingan, who leads the NBA in rebounds and is second in blocks since January 1.
While the Denver Nuggets could have their lineup intact for the first time since Nov. 12, Peyton Watson might not be at 100%, and Nikola Jokic has struggled with turnovers and poor shooting with the constantly changing cast around him.
Denver may win, but it'll hardly be a blowout.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets same-game parlay
Portland has the No. 8 pace in the league, but things have slowed down on this trip. Three of the Blazers’ four games have had totals of 212 or less, and Portland has gone Under in three of them. Denver is 22nd in pace, so it won’t be pushing the tempo.
Deni Avdija is averaging 7.0 rebounds and has 19 in the last two games. He hasn’t had fewer than six boards in the last five. The odds for his rebounding prop seem unusually generous, so we’ll jump on that low-hanging fruit.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets SGP
Trail Blazers +9
Under 239.5
Deni Avdija Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Joker's Wild
With the starting five finally intact again, look for Jokic to be more comfortable on the floor. Before the injuries started in November, he was averaging 13.1 rebounds, 10.9 assists, and had scored 30 or more in five of six games.
Since then, he’s down half an assist and more than half a rebound per night, and he’s topped 30 just 17 times in 30 games. Getting the gang back should help him find his old form.
His turnovers, up to 4.7 a game in March, should come down, and he’ll be more productive. His 3-point shooting didn’t fall off as much as his 2-point accuracy, and he’s had three games with multiple threes in the last five.
His rebounding also didn’t fall off. He’s had eight games with a dozen or more in his 11 March contests, and he’s averaging 13 over the last five games.
Over/Under: Over 239.5 (-110) | Under 239.5 (-110)
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Portland Trail Blazers have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 21 away games. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Nuggets
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Tip-off
5:00 p.m. ET
TV
BlazerVision, Altitude
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets latest injuries
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PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 21, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We thought the Phoenix Suns had turned a corner coming out of the All-Star break. The start was shaky — they dropped three of their first five — but then things started to click. They put together a four-game winning streak, and over one stretch they took six of seven. It felt like they were finding something, like the version of the team we had been waiting on was finally showing up after a rough February.
And then it stopped. All at once, it felt like everything came back down to earth. Five straight losses, the longest losing streak since last season. The momentum is gone, replaced by the same frustrations that had been lingering earlier in the year.
It is worth noting, though, that last year’s team had multiple losing streaks of five games or more, and that group was largely healthy. This version of the Suns is not. That context matters as we watch poor execution and questionable decisions continue to cost them games.
When the injury report dropped prior to Saturday’s game against the Bucks, there was a sense of helplessness that came with it. You look at the opponent, and Milwaukee is a team that is not exactly pushing for wins right now. It is a group that has openly leaned into shutting down Giannis Antetokounmpo and embracing the chaos that comes with that decision, and you think this might be an opportunity. Then you look at your own roster and reality sets in.
Half the team is in street clothes. Three of your five starters are unavailable. Multiple rotation players are out. At some point, it becomes less about strategy and more about survival. And we got the answer to the question that follows. How are you supposed to win like that? You are not.
That does not erase the frustration, especially when it comes to Devin Booker and late-game execution. That has been a theme during this losing streak, and it is not new. It has shown up at different points throughout his time in Phoenix. There are levels to being an All-Star. There are players who can elevate everything around them when the pressure rises, and there are players who carry you through the flow of a game but can waver when it tightens.
Booker has lived somewhere in between. He has had those moments where he takes over and lifts the team, and others where the consistency fades late. At the same time, he needs help. That part cannot be ignored. He is not without fault, but when the roster is this depleted, when the margin is this thin, asking one player to carry it all becomes unrealistic.
Injuries do not excuse everything, but they make winning feel a lot harder.
“We just want everyone back,” Suns head coach Jordan Ott said after the 108-105 loss to the Bucks on Saturday. “In a rhythm would be a blessing. We just want everyone back. Said it constantly. Tried to stay away from it the last couple of weeks. That’s what we’d like to do.”
And that is where the frustration lives, and you can feel it internally with this team as well. They are not healthy enough to win these games. They are healthy enough to compete, and that says something about the depth that has been built, but competing is not the same as finishing. Right now, it feels like the Suns are stuck in that in-between space. Not bad enough to fall apart, not whole enough to take the next step.
It feels like purgatory.
You can see where this is heading. The seventh seed is sitting there unless everything collapses, and the postseason is still out in front of them. So these final stretch of games become something else entirely. A waiting period. A place where frustration builds, even while knowing the version of the team on the floor is not the real version.
Because when this group is whole, it looks different. Dillon Brooks brings disruption and edge. Mark Williams changes the geometry of the floor. Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale space everything out and punish defenses from the perimeter. That version of the Suns is not something teams are excited to see in a playoff series.
This version is different. This is a team leaning on depth, playing guys in roles they were not originally meant to carry, trying to survive until reinforcements arrive. And those reinforcements still feel a week or two away.
So yes, the frustration is real. At the same time, it is tied to a version of the team that is incomplete. We are analyzing something that is not whole, watching a group grind through a brutal stretch that includes five games in seven nights.
The goal now is simple. Get to the other side. And when they do, it might not be perfect, it might not be everything, but it will at least feel like the version of this team you can believe in again.
