Category: Basketball

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The Los Angeles Lakers overcame a six-point halftime deficit to deliver a win over the Houston Rockets on Monday, but Houston will look to get back on track in tonight's rematch.

Amen Thompson has been on a heater, and my Lakers vs Rockets predictions expect him to stay hot and lead Houston to a much-needed victory.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this star-studded Western Conference matchup on Wednesday, March 18.

Lakers vs Rockets prediction

Lakers vs Rockets best bet: Amen Thompson Over 31.5 points + rebounds + assists (-110)

Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson is enjoying a breakout campaign with a PRA average of 30.8.

He’s reached 32+ PRA in 33 of 65 games, including 18 of 31 appearances at home. In nine games since posting a dud against the Orlando Magic, he’s averaged 35.3 PRA and hit the Over on this combo line eight times.

Thompson finished with 36 PRA on Monday, and he went for 38 PRA in his first matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers. Thompson can use his length and athleticism to get to the rim and clean the glass, just like he did on Monday.

Lakers vs Rockets same-game parlay

The Rockets are just 12-18 ATS as the home favorite but 23-7 straight up in that situation. The Rockets are an NBA-best 19-6 straight up after a loss, and the Lakers will have a difficult time beating them twice in a row on the road.

Houston led through two quarters despite a poor showing from Kevin Durant and the absence of Alperen Sengun, and I expect them to close the deal tonight.

Both teams have hit the Under in six of their last 10, including Monday, in which the teams combined for just 192 points. The Rockets are 10-19-1 to the Under as the home favorite, and the Lakers are 7-8 to the Under as the road underdog.

Lakers vs Rockets SGP

• Amen Thompson Over 31.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Rockets moneyline
• Under 222.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Combo Craze

Durant is averaging 34.7 PRA on the season, and he’s reached 35+ in two of his last three at home. He finished with just 25 on Monday, but he went for 37 in his first matchup with L.A. and can bounce back tonight.

Sengun is back in action after two games on the sideline with a back injury. He’s averaging 36.3 PRA at home this season, and he finished with 30 when he faced the Lakers in December. 

Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 30 PRA on Monday and 23 PRA in his first matchup with the Lakers. He’s averaged 25.6 across his last five games, hitting the Over on this line four times in that span.

Lakers vs Rockets SGP

• Kevin Durant Over 34.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Amen Thompson Over 31.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Alperen Sengun Over 31.5 points + rebounds + assist
• Jabari Smith Jr. Over 22.5 points + rebounds + assists

Lakers vs Rockets odds

• Spread: Lakers +2.5 (-110) | Rockets -2.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Lakers +120 | Rockets -140
• Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)

Lakers vs Rockets betting trend to know

The Houston Rockets have hit the Game Total Under in 29 of their last 40 games (+16.90 Units / 38% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Rockets.

How to watch Lakers vs Rockets

Lakers vs Rockets latest injuries

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The Golden State Warriors’ road trip continues Wednesday as the Dubs travel to TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics.

Warriors vs Celtics prediction

Warriors vs Celtics best bet: Under 214.5 (-110)

Wednesday’s matchup at TD Garden will be a slow and methodical slugfest between hard-nosed defenses.

The Boston Celtics sport the slowest pace in the Association, and the Golden State Warriors own the sixth-slowest pace across their last 10 games. 

Warriors vs Celtics same-game parlay

Neemias Queta is averaging 9.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in his breakout campaign, and he's got a strong matchup on tap tonight.

Warriors vs Celtics SGP

• Under 215.5
• Neemias Queta Over 8.5 points
• Neemias Queta Over 8.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Celtics dominate down low

Warriors vs Celtics SGP

• Neemias Queta to record a double-double
• Jayson Tatum to record a double-double
• Jaylen Brown Over 30.5 points + rebounds

Warriors vs Celtics odds

• Spread: Golden State +12.5 (-115) | Boston -12.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Golden State +450 | Boston -600
• Over/Under: Over 215.5 (-110) | Under 215.5 (-110)

Warriors vs Celtics betting trend to know

The Celtics have hit the Under in 32 of their last 45 games (+17.70 Units / 36% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Celtics.

How to watch Warriors vs Celtics

Warriors vs Celtics latest injuries

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Nine games are on the slate tonight across the Association, and I’ve found the very best NBA player props for all the action. I’ll include big games from Jalen Johnson, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Wednesday, March 18. 

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Jalen Johnson	Over 8.5 assists	+102
Nikola Jokic	Over 10.5 assists	-105
Luka Doncic	Over 31.5 points	-112

Prop #1: Jalen Johnson Over 8.5 assists

+102 at bet365

Jalen Johnson is having a phenomenal campaign for the red-hot Atlanta Hawks. He’s doing it all, averaging 23 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per night. 

I’ll focus on his playmaking here because the Duke product has hit the Over in assists in three straight, dishing out 13 and 12 dimes, respectively, across his previous two games.

The Hawks take on the Dallas Mavericks this evening, and he had eight assists against them earlier this month. The Mavs have also allowed the fifth-most assists in the NBA.

Both teams rank in the Top 5 in pace, meaning more possessions across the board and more opportunities for Johnson to up his assists total.

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FDSN SE-Atlanta, KFAA

Prop #2: Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists

-105 at bet365

Nikola Jokic is possibly the best passing big man we’ve ever seen in the NBA, and the Serbian is averaging a league-best 10.6 dimes in 2025-26. 

Jokic has hit the Over in five straight for the Denver Nuggets, and he’s dished out 28 assists across his last two contests alone. The Joker had 14 dimes on Tuesday against the 76ers. 

The Nuggets face the lowly Memphis Grizzlies this evening, and Jokic is averaging 12.5 assists against them across two meetings this season. Memphis is also allowing 27.4 assists per game.

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ALT, FDSN SE-Memphis

Prop #3: Luka Doncic Over 31.5 points

-112 at bet365

Luka Doncic is showing this season exactly why the Los Angeles Lakers traded for him. The Slovenian leads the Association with 32.9 points per game. Doncic is averaging 34.3 PPG in March so far, with a few massive outings. 

The former Mav has cashed the Over in four of his last six, and he just erupted for 36 points on Monday versus the Houston Rockets, who the Lakers are set to face again tonight. 

Doncic is averaging 32.6 PPG on the road as well. He’s hot at the moment, and all signs point to Luka cooking again here.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ESPN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Down key guys, the Milwaukee Bucks, once again, battled diligently but ran out of gas, this time losing 123-116 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bucks went a sizzling 20/45 (44.4%) from three, but shot only 17 free throws to the Cavs’ 34, which was the swing stat that lost them the game. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

33 minutes, 19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 fouls, 6/13 FG, 2/7 3P, -5

Got in foul trouble again, but continued his streak of solid games. Was able to break down most everyone on the Cavs and get to his shot, whether it’s the trusty stepback or hesitation to the rim. Also had some really good defensive possessions when he wasn’t fouling. Wish he’d shot better from three, though.

Grade: B+

Kyle Kuzma

16 minutes, 3 points, 0 rebounds, 2 assists, 1/6 FG, 1/4 3P, -6

You could tell from the first quarter that this wasn’t going to be a Kuz game against Cleveland’s bigger frontline. Was forced into playing as a jumpshooter, and that didn’t work. Had a few nice connections with Sims, at least.

Grade: C-

AJ Green

26 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2/7 FG, 2/7 3P, +6

AJ took the shots he had to take, and they just didn’t go down—that is the life of a specialist in the NBA. I thought his defence was still solid, particularly his ability to stand his ground against bigger bodies.

Grade: C

Ousmane Dieng

29 minutes, 19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7/12 FG, 5/8 3P, 0/2 FT +2

Wow. I was super impressed with Ous. The majority of his threes were self-created, as he isolated on perceived mismatches and got to that tursty rocker stepback a la James Harden (who he played, ironically), knocking it down with relative ease. He also had some great defensive possessions, battling through physicality and giving it right back, which might’ve been the part of his game I loved the most. The only demerit is that he still never gets to the line.

Grade: A

Bobby Portis

32 minutes, 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 8/19 FG, 3/7 3P, +8

The shooting efficiency makes Bobby’s game look worse than it was. He kept the Bucks close throughout key parts of the game with some ridiculous shot-making. Portis has truly become a great shooter under duress; the issue was that it was really the only form of shot he got all night. BP did get lost a good number of times in pick-and-roll coverage as well.

Grade: B

Pete Nance

29 minutes, 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5/6 FG, 3/4 3P, +7

Man, watching Pete’s evolution throughout the year has been great. His release has gotten so much faster, and he just gets in the right spots. Had an awesome crash in transition for the putback last night, all built on pure effort.

Grade: A

Jericho Sims

16 minutes, 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2/3 FG, -18

I don’t think Jericho played all that badly; Doc just seemed to opt for more spacers given the circumstances of the game. Sims did his job when he was in there.

Grade: C

Kevin Porter Jr.

32 minutes, 25 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 8/15 FG, 1/4 3P, -9

Really solid game from KPJ. The three-ball wasn’t falling, but the mid-range was. On multiple instances, he had the rock with a low shot clock and did one of his signature shimmy step-backs for the bucket. He was also working defensively, stonewalling the Cavs guards a few times, in addition to getting two blocks. Plus, don’t forget about the 10 helpers for just one giveaway.

Grade: A

Taurean Prince

22 minutes, 8 points, 3/6 FG, 2/4 3P, -20

Not many notes from TP’s game; like AJ, he did his job. I’m a little shocked, honestly, that he looks so smooth from a movement standpoint, given what he’s coming back from.

Grade: C+

Doc Rivers

I really believe Doc coaches better when Giannis is out. This has been a theme since his Clipper days; he’s better with a rag-tag crew than a superstar-laden one, and last night was an example of that. Rivers shortened his rotation, and as you can see from my grades, I don’t think anyone he put on the floor performed all that poorly; they were just outmatched by a team with way more firepower. But to be in that game right until the final few minutes is a testament to the job Doc did. They hit a lot of the pressure points in Cleveland’s defence, but it just wasn’t enough.

Grade: B+

DNP-CD: Gary Harris, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Gary Trent Jr., Cormac Ryan, Cam Thomas, Andre Jackson Jr.

Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Just more on the Dieng “rocker step-back”: it’s the same move Harden does where it’s not really even a step-back from where the player is standing; it’s more like a step-forward with one foot and then a step-back to where they were in the first place. Ous had two or three of them last night.
• Dieng also said postgame that he was still feeling pretty sick the morning of this game. Obviously, he missed the last two with illness and went out early in the game before that.
• The fact that the Bucks keep losing the free-throw game so badly needs to change if they are ever to become serious. Currently 29th in FTAs on the season.
• But hey, at least the Bucks got up nine more threes than the Cavs did.
• Another DNP for Cam Thomas. Yikes.
• I believe last night was the first time Cormac Ryan dressed.
• Pete Nance hit a three, and his brother Larry was seen smiling on the Cavs’ bench.
• Jaylon Tyson—who carried Cleveland earlier in the season—was ineffective last night. Tough for him to find his place with them bringing in Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, though.
• Sporting a new haircut, Max Strus played in just his second game of the year for the Cavs.

Up Next

The Bucks kick off a four-game trip to the West Coast in Utah tomorrow. Catch the game on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 8:00 p.m. CDT.

I get it: when people think of the most cursed NBA franchises of all time, the Sacramento Kings are at the top of mind. No one can blame them. Never forget how Mike Bibby ate an elbow to the face from Kobe Bryant, and was called for a blocking foul in Game 6, or how they picked Marvin Bagley over Luka Dončić. (Although, there is also the Phoenix Suns, who have been hosed by luck, and a lot of it started when they lost the coin flip, which had they won, would’ve allowed them to draft Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.)

Additionally, the poor fans in Sacramento have endured painful years leading to nowhere. At some point, they started going to the games and tuning into their broadcast with the intention of watching the other team. What else could it be? 

Nonetheless, it was another San Antonio Spurs road adventure, and bless them. These Pacific Coast weekday games with a 9 PM or later tipoff times are rough on lot of their supporters back in Central Daylight Time (why is that still a thing again?) who have to work early in the morning, and they came out with the intention to break spirits by turning it into a slaughter before the first quarter ended. 

Mission accomplished.

Russell Westbrook passed Steve Nash for fifth all-time in NBA assists, which is a huge deal, but it felt like an afterthought. I was nearly expecting by that point for the Spurs to yell at them to get off the court while they waited for their next opponent, like some savage scene at LA Fitness. 

Some of the Kings’ efforts on loose balls or to close out to shooters were so bad that it had one questioning if the incognito tank was in full effect. As we all know, sometimes, you have to do what you have to do; this upcoming draft is supposedly deeper than the Atlantic, with great talent at the top. 

The Spurs set a season high in assists with 41, plus another franchise record (more on that below), and they have a few tune-ups like this left on the schedule, which means they’ll have just as many opportunities to surpass that mark (the Miami Heat and New York Knicks tied for the most assists in a game this season with 44), as well as keep finding that perfect form as they prepare for their first playoffs appearance since 2019. 

Takeaways

• This is exactly how one expects a contender team to perform against a basement team. The main rotation was so devastating that the third-string players got plenty of time, which they must have been very pleased about. This allowed Lindy Waters III, who has not played since March 8, to tie with Carter Bryant for second-most minutes of the night.  
• Speed doesn’t last forever, but my gosh, Westbrook is still loaded with burst. De’Aaron Fox is a speedster in his prime, but it might be a good idea for him to consult with Westbrook on what the secrets are to extending youth. Furthermore, Tuesday’s game was against his old team, and Fox has clearly won the divorce. 
• Domantas Sabonis hasn’t played since Feb. 4, so second-round pick Maxine Raynaud from France was in over his head against his best friend Victor Wembanyama (although he did look very impressive when Wemby was off, totaling 32 points on the night). Nonetheless, not enough of the public talks about how the Kings trading Tyrese Haliburton for Sabonis is one of the worst trades in recent memory. Granted, it’s the Kings, so maybe they would’ve wasted his talents like Fox’s anyway, but it’s striking when comparing the impact of both players. 
• Not to keep dragging on the Kings, but Precious Achiuwa, the Kings forward who has started the last 16 games, signed with the Heat at the start of the season before they quickly dropped him after four preseason games. Whoever the Kings deployed in the front line was always going to be in trouble. In fact, Sacramento‘s front line had an uphill challenge like Peter McNeeley, who only lasted a minute and a half against Mike Tyson. 
• The way Castle can effortlessly rack up assists, makes me think he could be the league leader or get pretty close. Despite only playing 22 minutes, it was the 13th time he’s logged double-figure assists this year. It’s a shame the leap he’s made in that department won’t get him more consideration for the Most Improved Player award because it seems voters use points as the most important metric. Keep in mind that Castle raised his assists by 73 percent, and he is logging a 2.28 assist-to-turnover ratio. A 2.0 and above is excellent for a high-volume playmaker. And this is all despite often sharing the floor with Fox, who is just behind him at second on the team in assists per games.
• It was initially funny that associate head coach Sean Sweeney appeared to have a semi-conniption on the bench after a poor sequence when the game was probably already out of reach. But that moment says a lot about his diligence. He has “future head coach” written all over him — not that I’m anxious to see him leave the Spurs’ sideline.
• The Spurs set a franchise record of three-pointers made by hitting 25-49. The snowball effect started with Harrison Barnes making two of the team’s seven treys in the first quarter. He started with Devin Vassell sitting this one out but had come off the bench for his last 12 outings. This was his ninth time making at least four 3-pointers in a game, and he has started it on each of those occasions. He’ll probably return to the bench, but it would be a huge development for the already surging Spurs if his shot is returning to form.

Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.

Look, I’ve been slacking the past month or two on these articles – that’s on me.

I got a new job, we rescued a new puppy, and I get married in October so life has been busy in the Buckets household (shoutout Tony?). I had to take a halftime break halfway through writing this article because the puppy went to the bathroom in my office – fun!

No excuses, though – let’s hoop.

Firing on All Cylinders

Jalen Duren played 32 minutes last night and finished with 36 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and a block.

What I’ve found to be interesting with Duren’s recent play post-All Star break is Detroit’s offense focusing on getting the ball to JD down low when he has a good seal on his defender. As fundamental as it seems, teams that don’t have bigs that can handle Duren really struggle preventing this action.

We really see the growth in JD’s game when he decides to put the ball on the floor. Somebody that strong and that big shouldn’t be able to move the way he does, but he uses those advantages to overpower defenders on his way to the rim.

And sometimes, you’re just too big for everyone else on the court.

Transmission Trouble

If you take away Cade’s minutes last night after his injury, JB Bickerstaff played 11 guys. I don’t mind him playing that many as it seems apparent to me that he’s trying to figure out who’s going to be in his playoff rotation when he has to cut it down to eight or nine players. It’s worth noting in this one that Marcus Sasser, Kevin Huerter, Daniss Jenkins, and Caris LeVert all played more than 20 minutes off the bench.

If you’re rooting for Huerter to make the playoff rotation, last night didn’t help him, at least from a shooting perspective – he missed all five of three-point attempts while Sasser, Jenkins, and LeVert combined to shoot 8-for-12. Huerter did snag four rebounds and had three assists so he found other ways to get involved, but that shot needs to fall.

He did have this bizarre circus layup last night, though:

Mechanic’s Note

Back to JD – how about his passing?

While this is a great shot by Sasser, seeing Duren grab the rebound and immediately go behind his back to start the transition opportunity looks like something a point guard would be doing.

Even after he got his 36th point, he was still looking for his teammates and found Tobias open down low to force a Wizards timeout late with the game out of reach.

Last, even though this wasn’t an assist, this is the read that makes me the most excited about JD’s processing ability.

In the playoffs, teams are going to be focusing their defense around stopping the Cade/Duren pick-and-roll. As Duren attracts attention on the roll, it’s important for him to make a quick read to the other side of the court when a teammate is open. Because three Wizards end up guarding him in the paint, both Robinson and Harris are wide open from three.

NCAA history is set to made in March Madness.

Purdue guard Braden Smith is about to be a new assists king. The senior is two assists away from breaking Bobby Hurley's career record of 1,076 assists set in 1990-93.

Tthe record will likely be broken in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, when the No. 2 seed Boilermakers play No. 15 Queens on Friday, March 20.

Bold predictions: : Best March Madness upset picks, Final Four dark horse

When it happens, Smith can finally put it past him.

"I'm ready to just get it over with, so we can kind of put that kind of behind for a little bit" Smith told USA TODAY Sports.

The Washington Wizards lost to the Detroit Pistons last night, 130-117. Let’s take a step back from the emotion (negative or … very negative) about the loss and look at the numbers. Kevin Broom is traveling this week, so you have to deal with me again.

Four Factors

The pros

• Washington actually had the better effective field goal percentage, just like Monday against the Golden State Warriors. There’s no guarantee that a team will win when it has the better eFG% of course, but it’s encouraging that the offense is showing signs of life.
• Bub Carrington’s 30 point night — The output was great, but he also shot 12-of-16 from the field and 6-of-8 from the three point line. I’m not going to compalin about that.
• Three point shooting — The Wizards made 16-of-37 threes which boosted their eFG% as mentioned before.

The cons

• Free throw disparity — The Wizards attempted 19 free throws, but the Pistons attempted 32. Considering that both teams committed 23 personal fouls each, this contributed to why this game was out of reach. Furthermore, while Carrington scored 30 points, he also attempted NO free throws.
• Rebounding disparity — Washington was behind, 50-35 on the boards. This proved to be the difference maker in a game where Washington otherwise had a solid night on offense.
• Jalen Duren’s monster double double night — Well, he didn’t score 83 like Bam Adebayo. But Duren scored 36 points on 13-of-17 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds. Yes, Duren averages nearly 20 points and 11 rebounds a game. But Washington still let him have a field day though Anthony Gill at least tried to make Duren work for those points.

The Wizards play this same Pistons team on Thursday night. Hopefully … the score is closer and we won’t see Washington get closer to a franchise record losing streak. Or worse — get toward the NBA’s record losing streak of 28 games, which the Pistons (yes, the Pistons) did just two seasons ago, or the Philadelphia 76ers from the end of the 2014-15 through 2015-16 seasons.

SYDNEY (AP) — By the time Saki Kumagai scored to make it 3-0 on Wednesday, it was clear her Japan team was going to beat South Korea and feature in a final against Australia for the third time in four Women’s Asian Cup tournaments.

Riko Ueki opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Maika Hamano squeezed a right-foot strike between the near post and the goalkeeper in the 25th to give Japan a 2-0 halftime lead. Kumagai and Remina Chiba added second-half goals as Japan converted a glut of possession and field position into a lopsided 4-1 semifinal win at Sydney’s Stadium Australia over the 2022 runner-up.

South Korea edged the Australians on goal difference in the group stage but struggled from the outset against Japan, the top-ranked team in Asia.

Japan could have gone ahead 3-0 before halftime with Aoba Fujino finding the back of the net in the 43rd minute, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for a handball much earlier in the attacking movement.

Japan increased its tally to 27 goals in the continental championship when Kumagai headed in from Momoko Tanikawa's swinging corner kick in the 75th. It was just her fourth goal in a long international career.

The Nadeshiko finally conceded a goal in the tournament when Kang Chae-rim turned and fired in a right-foot shot from close range in the 78th.

But Chiba restored the three-goal buffer with a powerful strike to make it 4-1 in the 81st, giving Japan momentum ahead of Saturday's final in Sydney.

“Please don’t tell Australia, but we have played better than we did today — but we were good today and I was happy with them,” Japan coach Nils Nielsen said. "Because it is not easy, you sort of get into a rhythm, and it wasn’t that rhythm. We needed to find more, we needed to find a gear more, and we did.”

Japan beat Australia in back-to-back finals in 2014 and ’18 but neither team reached the championship decider in 2022, when China edged South Korea in the final.

Australia has reached the championship match four previous times since joining the Asian confederation but has only won the title once, in 2010. Japan lost four finals before finally clinching the title in 2014 for the first time.

Japan is the only Asian team to have won the Women’s World Cup — beating the U.S. on penalties in the 2011 final.

Advancing Australia

Sam Kerr scored the winner in the 58th minute to secure Australia’s 2-1 win in the first of the semifinals over defending champion China, two years after losing in the World Cup semifinals on home soil.

All four semifinalists here have qualified automatically for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

In playoffs Thursday for two more spots in Brazil, Taiwan will take on North Korea and Philippines faces Uzbekistan at the Gold Coast.

___

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

From the moment Derrick White joined the Celtics, there hasn’t been a more seamless fit alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. You could see it in his debut, when his first two plays created a layup and a dunk for the Jays. Right away, it was clear he’d fill the gaps and support Boston’s stars.

White does role player things at an All-Star level, all while playing on one of the league’s best value contracts. His ability to scale his role up or down depending on what the lineup needs has left much of the NBA searching for their own version of him.

Boston, however, may have already found the solution.

Rather than searching for the next Derrick White, the Celtics have quietly begun using him as the blueprint for developing more.

Over the years, White’s game has expanded as he’s taken on a larger role as a creator. He’ll always be a connective player, but his impact is now far more visible within Boston’s offense.

As White has more responsibility to create advantages, someone else has to extend them. Fortunately for the Celtics, their growing army of Derrick Whites is up to the task.

Boston’s newest wave of role players — Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. — aren’t being asked to manufacture offense on their own. That responsibility already belongs to Boston’s stars.

Instead, they’re asking them to do something far more specific: attack advantages and keep the ball moving. The guiding principle is simple. When the ball finds you, decide immediately. Shoot. Drive. Pass. Just don’t let it stick.

It’s the idea of “.5 offense”, which refers to making a decision within half a second of the catch. It has become a defining trait of Boston’s role players this season.

White brought that philosophy with him from San Antonio, and it’s a significant part of what’s made him so effective throughout his career. He always knows exactly how to kill a defense in rotation. 

Now Boston is asking its young role players to operate the same way. When teams are in scramble mode, instant decisions lead to breakdowns and open looks.

The amount of true one-to-one comparisons is small. It is not my goal to argue that any of these players are the same, or project to be as good as White. But they are pulling from the area of his skill set that makes him a perfect complement to any lineup.

The results often show up in smaller moments, but that fast processing is a large reason why the Celtics have maintained a top-two offense in what many expected to be a down year.

This possession starts with Payton Pritchard beating the closeout, getting a deep paint touch, and kicking out to Gonzalez. Hugo and Harper Jr. effectively have a 2-on-1 as Brandon Podziemski tries to cover both until a teammate rotates. Hugo’s quick pass sends Podziemski to the corner, but Harper Jr. doesn’t wait a beat before giving it right back. Kristaps Porzingis is the closest defender in rotation, but Gonzalez made up his mind right away that he’d attack while they’re on their heels.

The margins are thin in the NBA. If Harper Jr. or Hugo hold the ball a touch longer, the advantage falters. Being decisive is the key to a more dangerous offense. When you have Tatum, Brown, White and Pritchard leading the attack, the game doesn’t need more isolation.

This is a similar circumstance as the previous clip. Brown draws several defenders on the drive, and his kick out forces the defense to rotate. Like Podziemski, Keon Ellis attempts to cover two to buy his team time. He rotates, but keeps himself in the passing lane, ready to fly back toward Simons. Scheierman, identifying that immediately, holds Ellis in no-man’s land with a brief glance and ball fake before pulling the open shot.

When you have an edge this significant, hesitating is the only bad choice.

Here, it’s a situation in the clutch against the Knicks that features a comparable rotation by Miles McBride. Jordan Walsh may have had a brief window to shoot, but McBride commits fully to the closeout. As quickly as it arrives, the ball is out of Walsh’s hands and off to White. Walsh simply keeps the advantage alive, trusting the next decision in the chain.

The right play can be fluid in these cases, but it boils down to how fast you can identify and attack a defense under pressure. There’s rarely a bad time to shoot in Mazzulla’s offense, though if you’re passing up a shot it should be for an option that keeps things humming.

There is simplicity in good execution, and it can be destructive for defenses when it leads to repeated breakdowns.

Whenever a Celtics role player has a breakout moment, the reaction tends to be the same. How do they keep finding these guys? Where do they keep coming from?

For years, Derrick White has been the Celtics’ ultimate advantage extender. The player who understands exactly how to punish a defense that’s already rotating. Now that same philosophy is showing up across the roster.

Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. aren’t being asked to become Derrick White. But they are learning to play the part of the game that makes him so valuable. Fast, confident decisions will take them a long way.

According to Sports Info Solutions, the Celtics currently rank 1st in the NBA in Advantages Reduced per 100 possessions. Essentially, this measures how often a team’s edge stalls out through hesitation or poor decision-making. While their creators spark the initial scramble, the young role players help to ensure that an advantage is rarely wasted.

The Celtics may never find another Derrick White. By teaching his brand of basketball, they might not need to. The organization’s attention to detail has already helped develop several new connective pieces into real contributors.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry remains out for Wednesday's game against the Boston Celtics with a lingering right knee injury that has sidelined him for six weeks.

Curry has averaged 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 46.8% field goal shooting this season, but missing the last 18 games for Golden State has been a huge blow for the Warriors. In that 18-game span, Golden State has gone 6-12 and has slipped to the No. 9 spot in the NBA Playoffs and Play-In Tournament race.

And the growing concern is whether Curry could miss more games as the remainder of the regular season winds down. No timetable for a return has been set. In a March 11 statement, the team said that Curry would be re-evaluated in 10 days.

The good news for the Warriors is that their star is coming along with his progress.

"Steph is back working out on the court and increasing his workload," the team told USA TODAY Sports. "Hopefully he'll be back (playing) in the near future."

His injury was described as "basically runner's knee" with "no structural damage," the team adding that the four-time NBA champion, who just turned 38, simply "just needed rest."

One of the greatest sports events of the calendar year is set to tip off this week with the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments.

It’s the chance for hoops fans to see the intense drama of March Madness, but it’s also the chance for them to catch the future stars of pro basketball before they reach the next level.

And, on the men’s side, the 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be a deep class loaded with elite talent at the top. From the very top names like Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa to perhaps lesser known players like Bennett Stirtz.

Here are the top NBA prospects to watch in the men’s NCAA Tournament – ranked from most to least ready in each regional – and who their skills most compare to among current NBA players:

NBA MOCK DRAFT: Projecting the first round of the 2026 draft

Out of the mouths of babes …

When measuring the furiously growing buzz around the Lakers, one need only heed the hopeful cries of one of their most rabid fans.

A 6-year-old.

Wearing a Shaquille O’Neal jersey that nearly drapes to his knees.

Leading 20,000 fans in a Saturday night cheer that has swept through a city.

“Yeaaaaaah!,” Jackson Tuyay screamed, and now all of Lakerland screams with him.

It happened in the second half of the Lakers’ steal of a victory against the Denver Nuggets.

The videoboard at Crypto.com Arena announced the regular competition for Fan of the Game, and while searching the stands for the usual dancing fools, the cameras focused on a child who had been cheering the entire night.

Not just cheering, but screaming. Not just rooting, but flexing. Not just clapping, but pounding his fists against his chest.

It was Jackson Tuyay, and he was doing it all with one word in a tiny voice that spoke for a massive fan base.

Yeaaaah indeed. Tuyay was captured on the giant videoboard, he was awarded a $100 gift card for being Fan of the Game, and afterward none other than LeBron James credited him with the comeback win.

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“That little kid on the Jumbotron was definitely … I looked up there … I think he’s, yeah, he’s the reason why we won tonight for sure,” James told reporters afterward, and everyone laughed, but there’s something to this.

On what many onlookers credited with being the loudest night of the season, a kindergartner perhaps epitomized what many of this city’s oldest and most die-hard fans are finally feeling.

Everybody is screaming about the Lakers. Everybody is flexing about the Lakers. Everybody is pounding their chest about the Lakers.

They have won nine of the last 10 games, cutting into winning records of the New York Knicks, Minnesota, Denver and Houston in the last 10 days, moving up to third in the West, sprinting toward the potential for greatness.

Did you see them in their fourth quarter comeback win in Houston on Monday night? The Rockets committed nine turnovers, made four baskets and Kevin Durant was held to one garbage-time layup in the entire second half. Once a gaping wound, the Lakers have the league’s sixth-ranked defense during these last 10 games. Combined with its deftly collaborative offense, one can only imagine the heights this team can reach.

Read more:Are the Lakers the hottest team in the NBA?

They’re playing unselfish basketball, witness James throwing himself through the air while chasing down a loose ball against Denver.

They’re playing tough basketball, witness everything growling Marcus Smart does down the stretch, from steals to treys.

They’re playing redemptive basketball, witness Deandre Ayton finally showing up and proving he is truly the X factor on this team.

And, of course, they’re playing Luka and A.R. basketball, the two best players on this team throwing down one dagger after another, even playing better with James on the court alongside them.

“I think they’re gonna win a lot of games,” predicted Jackson this week, and I think this child genius might be right.

The kid’s impact Saturday night might have been brief, but it’s real, as he received props not just from James, but from Doncic on Instagram.

“I just wanted the Lakers to win because I thought it would be cool,” Jackson said.

Cooler still is that this was the first Lakers game of Jackson's young life, as his father, Byron, bought four tickets online for him; his mother, Katherine; and his younger sister, Emilia.

“I saw it on the schedule and just figured it would be a fun afternoon for the kids,” said Byron, a South Pasadena lawyer who grew up during the Shaq-Kobe era and is passing his Laker fandom on to his family.

Like any good Lakers fan, the couple bought souvenirs for the kids before the game, including purchasing a jersey and a foam finger for Jackson. The jersey was the smallest size possible, but appropriately celebrated the biggest man imaginable. Jackson swam in it, but was inspired by it.

“We had to get the Shaq jersey,” said Byron. “We’re old school.”

Once the game started Jackson lived up to a nickname given to him because he runs everywhere, including out of his house in the mornings and around the corner to his nearby school.

Read more:Lakers surge late and defeat Rockets for their sixth consecutive win

A friend’s parent calls him “Turbo,” and he was doing all kinds of turbo things when the cameras caught him in the act.

“He has this crazy aura and energy about him,” said Byron. “He was cheering like that all game.”

Once the fans at Crypto.com Arena saw his flexing and chest beating, they couldn’t get enough. He was not only named Fan of the Game, but he was shown on the videoboard several times during the rest of the game, igniting a huge ovation every time and establishing himself as the team’s new talisman.

After the game ended with the Lakers stunning overtime victory, fans lined up to give him high-fives and cheer for him as his family descended a stairway.

He might be hearing more cheers in the future. He’s already been invited to their next home game by somebody from Doncic’s camp, and future invitations are sure to follow.

C’mon Lakers, get this kid in the building for a playoff game. Show that the sophisticated following of the world’s most glamorous sports franchise is actually rooted in the heart of a child.

After all, Laker fans know a hero when they see one, and the postgame chants for Jackson Tuyay were unmistakable.

“M-V-P … M-V-P … M-V-P!”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Pacers (15–54) limped into Madison Square Garden on a 13-game losing streak, but they always bring the fire against the Knicks (45*-25). After Indy shot brilliantly through the first half, they crashed back to Earth in the second. Behind Josh Hart’s 33 points, a Knicks career high, our heroes celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a 136-110 win.

Starting the 35th game of his career, Jose Alvarado (16 PTS, 10 AST, 2 STL, 4-of-7 3PT) covered for the absent Jalen Brunson, nursing a sore neck. Alvarado had shot poorly since going off against Philly in February, but swished his first two attempts from yard. His energy powered the offense, and he logged three assists and a steal before yielding the floor to Tyler Kolek. Indiana countered with T.J. McConnell (10 PTS, 10 AST) in its starting five, filling in for Andrew Nembhard (who’s been filling in for Tyrese Haliburton all season).

Karl-Anthony Towns (22 PTS, 11 RBS, 2-of-7 3PT) scored early, but Josh Hart set the tone—back-to-back steals on Jarace Walker (16 PTS), a pull-up jumper, and a putback through contact ignited the Knicks. OG Anunoby (26 PTS, 8 RBS, 10-of-13 FG) carried the scoring load with a layup and two threes on his way to 15 points in the quarter. Mikal Bridges (10 PTS, 5 AST, 4-of-12 FG) quietly dished four assists, even if he took a while to score. He turned an ankle on a missed layup, and for a moment, his 626-game iron man streak seemed briefly in jeopardy.

The Pacers made their first four three-pointers, while the Knicks went 5-of-7 to go ahead 27-20 late in the first quarter. Thrice the Knicks pushed their lead to seven, and thrice the Pacers answered. OAKAAKUYOAK Obi Toppin (15 PTS) led Indiana with seven points off the bench. When the buzzer rang, the Knicks were ahead 38-34, having shot 5-of-9 from deep and allowing Indiana to shoot 5-of-8.

The quarter opened with Anunoby knocking down another three, but Indiana swung back. Walker hit from deep, Quenton Jackson attacked the paint, and McConnell kept the beat as the Pacers found a groove. Towns worked the glass and got to the line but missed a few easy looks, while Bridges still couldn’t get his burner lit. Indiana took advantage, with Keita Brown and Aaron Nesmith (14 PTS) hitting threes to claim a six-point lead midway through the frame.

Quoth Jaybugkit, “Incredible game for Josh.” Yessir! Hart swung the momentum late in the second quarter. He hit a three to stop the bleeding, then added another late, standing out as the Knicks’ most impactful player. Alvarado pushed the pace with a string of assists and a timely three off a steal, while Bridges finally connected, chipping in a late jumper. Indiana got buckets from Nesmith, Jackson, and Sheppard, but couldn’t string together stops. When intermission arrived, the hosts had gone ahead, 72-64.

Through the half, Indiana shot 63% from the field and 61% from three, while the Knicks had shot 56% and 55%. The home team had won the glass 21-18 and turned the ball over just three times. Hart led all scorers with 19 points at the half, and Alvarado had 13 points and seven assists. For the Pacers, Kobe Brown and Aaron Nesmith had 11 points each.

To start the second half, New York surrendered five easy points, and Mike Brown called a timeout after just a minute. From there, the Knicks straightened up, going on a 19-10 run and gradually extending their advantage to 17. Hart, having his best offensive game of the season, had made 12 of his first 13 shots, 5-of-5 from deep, and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line before sitting late in the third. His 33 points were the most he’d scored in his career as a Knick.

Indiana’s hot first-half shooting cooled, and an excess of turnovers cost them. Furthermore, most of the Knicks were enjoying the freedom of a half-hearted Hoosier defense. Anunoby chipped in a dunk and a transition finish, and both he and Towns eclipsed 20 points.

The middle stretch bogged down with misses and turnovers. Indiana’s bench briefly supplied some offense with a dunk from Jay Huff, a putback by Sheppard, and a triple from Toppin, but they couldn’t cut their deficit to single digits. With three quarters gone, New York sat on a comfortable 105-91 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Mitchell Robinson (8 PTS, 8 RBS) spanked the Pacers’ frontcourt. Indiana had their opportunities to climb back into the game (Toppin drilled a trey, Walker got to the line), but they packed it in early. For the Knicks, Towns and Anunoby added to their point totals, Jordan Clarkson made his way to 10 points, and Bridges swished two encouraging threes. The lead reached 27 points. Around the middle of the period, Coach Brown sent in Jordan Clarkson, Jeremy Sochan, Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, Mohamed Diawara, and Kevin McCullar, Jr. to finish it off.

Up Next

New York takes the subway to Brooklyn on Friday for a night with the Nets. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but NBA Cups have leaks.

‘Like old times': Tatum-Brown duo off to a dominant start for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

For all the over-caffeinated consternation about how Jayson Tatum might reintegrate with his Boston teammates, the Celtics have thrived in Tatum’s 146 minutes of floor time since he returned from a nine-month absence. 

The Celtics have outscored opponents by 14.8 points per 100 possessions in Tatum’s limited time, which would be the best mark on the team if maintained over a larger sample. Even as Tatum shakes rust and fights his 3-point shot (27.1 percent beyond the arc on 9.6 attempts per game), the Celtics have outscored opponents by 45 total points in Tatum’s floor time. 

After Euro-stepping his way to a layup off a feed from Jaylen Brown in the fourth quarter of Boston’s gritty win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, Tatum remarked how “felt like old times” operating with his All-Star running mate.

The Jays have now shared the court for 101 minutes through five games together. Boston is outscoring opponents by a robust 24 points per 100 possessions during that span.

For context, Boston’s best high-volume two-man pairing (at least 1,000 minutes together) is the Derrick White-Neemias Queta combo at +13.8 net rating. The best two-man pairing in the entire league with 500-plus minutes together is the Oklahoma City Thunder duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell at +20.5.

In other words, the Jays are trending toward some of the best numbers in the NBA, at least in early returns. Boston has outscored opponents by 53 points in 213 possessions with the Jays together on the floor. A five-man pairing featuring the Jays with White, Queta, and Payton Pritchard is +30 in 21 minutes, having outscored opponents 67-37 in that span.

The Celtics have played solid competition during that span, too. A good chunk of the Brown/Tatum minutes came against Cleveland and San Antonio, then against a Phoenix team nestled just outside the top six in the West.

The Celtics have outscored opponents by 7.8 points per 100 possessions in each of the past two seasons during Brown and Tatum’s shared floor time. A larger sample might pull their net rating back to earth a bit, but the success while Tatum is still reacclimatizing is rather remarkable. 

Some wondered how the team would find shots for everybody upon Tatum’s return. But even as Brown operates as a bona fide MVP candidate, there have been plenty of looks to go around.

Tatum has averaged a team-high 18.6 shots per game in his five games back, while Brown is at 16.7 shots. What’s more, the combined averages for the Jays puts them in line with their output in recent seasons:

Tatum averaged just 26 minutes per game in his first four games back before bumping up to 31 minutes in each of the last two games. He’s still well below his career average of 34.5 minutes per game and last season’s minutes average (36.4 per game). His output will increase as he shakes more rust and gets extended run on the court.

It was fair to expect some bumps in the road as Tatum worked his way back. But, for the most part, it’s been smooth sailing. In fact, what’s been most obvious is how Tatum’s presence has made things easier for Boston’s supporting cast. All the attention the Jays draw is creating opportunities for others.

Queta and White have each finished seven of Tatum’s 22 total assists since returning. Queta is figuring out pick-and-roll tendencies after limited reps with Tatum the previous two seasons, while White has routinely thrived off Tatum feeds. White is shooting 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) on all Tatum feeds, and Tatum’s presence should help White push his 3-point efficiency back up this season. 

The continued attention on Brown is helping Tatum, too: Tatum is shooting 55.6 percent on all Brown feeds. 

Boston’s biggest priority over these final 14 games is getting Tatum reps with the core that he’ll share much of his floor time with in the postseason. That the Celtics have enjoyed as much success as they have in the infancy of his return is a rather tantalizing indication of where this team could go by the time the playoffs arrive.