LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki had another rough spring training start Monday night.
Sasaki issued six walks while allowing five runs in two-plus innings against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. He threw 66 pitches, 32 for strikes.
The Japanese right-hander has a 15.58 ERA over four exhibition starts for the defending World Series champions. He has walked 15 in 8 2/3 innings, raising questions about his preparedness for the beginning of the regular season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers when they host Arizona in their opener on Thursday night.
Sasaki failed to get an out in the first. He hit Zach Neto with a 3-0 fastball before Mike Trout reached on a fielder's choice. Sasaki then walked three consecutive batters before he was replaced by Ronan Kopp.
The 24-year-old Sasaki returned for the start of the second. He hit Neto again and walked Trout before escaping the jam on a pair of grounders.
He issued a leadoff walk to Yoán Moncada in the third before striking out Jo Adell and Josh Lowe. Logan O'Hoppe then lined to second for the final out of the inning.
Sasaki was replaced by Ben Casparius after he walked Adam Frazier leading off the fourth. Frazier ended up scoring on Nolan Schanuel's sacrifice fly.
Sasaki signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January 2025, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus because he was under age 25 and subject to international signing bonus pool rules. He had spent the previous four seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.
Sidelined for much of last season because of a right shoulder impingement, Sasaki went 1-1 with a 4.46 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances.
He returned in September and became a key piece of the bullpen during the postseason, giving up just one earned run over 10 2/3 innings and earning three saves to help the Dodgers win their second straight championship.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The mound visit Carter Baumler received from Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wasn't to take the rookie right-hander out of his last spring training game, but rather to let him know he made the opening day roster.
Schumaker came out of the dugout after Baumler retired the first two Kansas City Royals batters in the fifth inning Monday night. Texas catcher Danny Jansen and all four infielders were also on the mound when the new Rangers manager told the 24-year-old reliever he will start the season in the Texas bullpen.
“I wasn’t expecting it. I was like, why is he coming out here? And he got on the mound and told me I made the team,” Baumler said during an in-game TV interview on the Rangers Sports Network. “I mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game. ... Obviously, whenever the manager comes out, you’re usually done.”
Jansen patted his catcher's mitt on Baumler's chest and the infielders offered their congratulations. Baumler, looking to make his major league debut after never pitching above Double-A, had a big smile on his face but composed himself to strike out Isaac Collins swinging on a 96.8 mph fastball to end the inning.
In his eight spring training games, Baumler allowed one earned run and struck out 10 over 9 1/3 innings.
Baumler hugged Schumaker when he got back to the dugout after the third out, then was greeted by high-fives from teammates.
Baumler was selected by Baltimore in the fifth round of the 2020 amateur draft out of high school in Iowa and had Tommy John surgery soon after that. He pitched in the Orioles organization from 2022-25, but was left off their 40-man roster last fall. He was scooped up by Pittsburgh in the first round of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in December and traded to Texas the same day.
“A few years ago I never would have expected this,” Baumler said. “Looking back ... I’m glad I kept my head down and kept hammering away.”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, Jalen Williams added 18 in his return to the lineup and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 12th game in a row Monday night with a 123-103 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.
Jared McCain had 13 points for the Thunder in his first game in Philadelphia since last month’s trade. The defending NBA champions improved to 57-15, the best record in the league.
VJ Edgecombe scored 35 points for the 76ers, who played without Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George. Philadelphia began the day as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament but was just a half-game back of fifth-place Toronto.
Williams was back in the lineup after missing 16 games with a right hamstring strain.
PACERS 128, MAGIC 126
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 37 points and blocked Paolo Banchero’s attempted layup in the final seconds to help Indiana end their franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a win over Orlando.
Banchero scored 39 points for the Magic, who have lost five straight.
Banchero drove to the basket with a chance to tie the game after Orlando won a jump ball with 6.4 seconds left. But 7-foot-1 Jay Huff and the 6-9 Siakam were under the basket, and Banchero could not get the shot over them.
Jarace Walker had 20 points for the Pacers, and Aaron Nemith added 19. Andrew Nembhard, who hit a 3-pointer with 1:33 remaining for Indiana’s final points, finished with 13 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds.
PISTONS 113, LAKERS 110
DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins scored a career-high 30 points, including six in the final 34 seconds, and Detroit ended Los Angeles' nine-game winning streak.
The Pistons overcame 32 points from Luka Doncic and 24 from Austin Reaves to win their fourth straight and seventh in eight games. Jalen Duren added 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Doncic was cleared to play Sunday after the NBA rescinded his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers a one-game suspension.
LeBron James went scoreless in the first half, but finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
SPURS 136, HEAT 111
MIAMI (AP) — MIAMI (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points as San Antonio beat Miami Heat for their sixth straight win.
Wembanyama added 15 rebounds and five blocks for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson scored 21 points while adding six rebounds. Dylan Harper went 9 of 14 from the field (3 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 21 points.
Norman Powell led the Heat with 21 points. Tyler Herro had 18 points.
HAWKS 146, GRIZZLIES 107
ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed Memphis.
Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.
Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.
Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.
GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.
BULLS 132, ROCKETS 124
CHICAGO (AP) — Matas Buzelis’ layup in the final seconds put Chicago ahead to stay and Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 25 points as Chicago beat Houston Rockets.
Houston’s loss, combined with San Antonio’s 136-111 win over Miami, allowed the Spurs (54-18) to clinch the Southwest Division.
The Bulls (29-42) led by as many as 22 points after scoring a season-high 41 points in the first quarter. But, Chicago trailed by four points late and needed Buzelis’ basket with 10.2 seconds remaining to move ahead to stay and post their first win over Houston in the teams’ last five games.
Kevin Durant fueled the Rockets’ (43-28) comeback by scoring 15 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth quarter. Durant was 15 of 23 from the field, marking the ninth straight game he shot 50% or better, which is the third-longest streak of his career.
Mar 23, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) falls down as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The Spurs are showing no signs of slowing down as the regular season nears its end. They went into Miami and dominated en route to an easy 136-111 win, their sixth victory in a row. Victor Wembanyama impacted the game on both ends in a way that few players have this season to help put the slumping Heat away early, finishing with an impressive stat line that somehow doesn’t represent how great his performance was.
Before the Spurs ran away with it, there was an entertaining opening quarter, in which both teams seemed to be sticking to their plan. Wembanyama walled off the paint, leading the Heat to rely on jumpers and their normal breakneck pace to avoid half-court offense, while the Spurs tried to get into the paint by using Wemby’s gravity to open up shots near the rim or open threes. The intensity was there from two squads that are known for playing hard. The differences were made at the edges. San Antonio dominated the glass, which helped them survive a zone defense that baffled them at times, and Miami got points in transition. It was a close, physical, occasionally sloppy but always entertaining first 12 minutes that ended with the Silver and Black up eight.
After that, the Spurs completely took over. While Wembanyama had a huge impact in the first quarter, mostly by deterring and changing shots and making the defense focus on him while his teammates feasted, he didn’t get the stats to show for it. It changed to start the second, as he blocked a couple of shots that allowed the Silver and Black to push the pace, finished a couple of dunks, and found Carter Bryant for an alley-oop dunk. Miami did its best to stick around, but the lead reached double digits, and there was no counter run. The Spurs did well to survive the minutes without Wembanyama and Fox on the floor, as the second unit vastly outplayed the Heat’s subs, and once Wemby returned, San Antonio found itself up 20 points. It was an impressive effort against a well-coached team that tried different lineup approaches to no avail.
The 18-point lead the Spurs had heading into the break was a nice buffer, but a slow start on offense opened the window for Miami to get back into it. The problem for the home team is that they had no way of scoring on an active San Antonio defense that had Wembanyama contesting everything close to him, and his teammates flying around to close out on jumpers. The Heat started the second half missing their first nine shots, the Silver and Black got their offense back on track, and the lead got to 30 midway through the third. The second unit wasn’t as good as it had been early, but it still found ways to get enough stops and buckets to prevent a run. The difference between the two teams was as big on Monday as the box score showed, as the visitors headed into the fourth up 27 and looking like they had an extra gear they could access if needed.
The Heat just didn’t have it in them to even attempt a fake comeback, which is understandable considering their recent struggles and San Antonio’s relentless play even while up big. There were some strange and sloppy moments in garbage time, mostly because Wembanyama seemed to be looking for new ways to torture Miami, but the Spurs largely took care of business, making sure the win was secured before emptying the bench.
Game notes
Wembanyama is reaching a new level. Ever since he understood that he doesn’t need the ball to make an impact on offense, he’s been as good as anyone, considering his defensive dominance. Wemby had four assists, but his mere presence got others open consistently. The threes weren’t falling, he made some wild drives, and he was still the best player on the floor by a huge margin. A true superstar.
The Spurs were at full strength and showed how deep they are. Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, two starters, had quiet scoring games, and it didn’t matter, as the team had scored over 100 points by the end of the third quarter. Miami is in a bad stretch, especially defensively, but that’s still impressive.
De’Aaron Fox was solid, as usual, but the young guards were impressive. Stephon Castle had more free-throw attempts than field goal attempts, showing once again that it’s hard to keep him from getting to his spots without fouling. With Castle playing, Harper went back to the bench but scored over 20 for his second game in a row, bullying his way to the rim and hitting three three-pointers. All three guards had six assists. The three-headed monster is a problem.
Keldon Johnson completely outplayed fellow Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jaime Jaquez Jr. Keldon finished with 21 points and six rebounds while Jaquez really struggled to score. The Heat’s forward did have six assists, but some of those came after drives in which he refused to challenge Wembanyama. One game shouldn’t determine who gets an award, but hopefully the voters were paying attention.
Is Harrison Barnes slowly getting back to being a helpful player? The veteran forward is shooting 42 percent from three since the All-Star break, and the Spurs are outscoring opponents with him on the floor. He had 13 points after going 4-for-7 from beyond the arc and pitched in four rebounds. Carter Bryant, who had a highlight block, is there to step in for a few minutes if HB regresses, but having both as viable options would be ideal.
Play of the game
Some Wembanyama plays are demoralizing. Myron Gardner here runs back, reads that the alley-oop is coming, gets to Wemby to try to at least foul him and make him miss, but still ends up in a poster. Brutal.
The three-game road trip continues with a visit to the Grizzlies, currently on a three-game losing streak and already thinking about next season. If the Spurs play with the appropriate fear, the win streak should reach seven.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 23: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 23, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks delivered one of their most complete performances of the season Monday night, rolling past the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 behind a balanced offensive attack and relentless pace at State Farm Arena.
Atlanta (40-32) seized control early and never let up, outscoring Memphis in every quarter but the fourth while shooting efficiently and spreading the scoring load across the roster. The Hawks led by double digits before halftime and blew the game open with a 45-point third quarter that turned a comfortable lead into a rout.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced Atlanta with 26 points on an ultra-efficient 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, while adding six assists. Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga each contributed 16 points, combining for 10 rebounds and providing energy on both ends.
Veteran guard CJ McCollum orchestrated the offense with nine assists to go along with 15 points, helping Atlanta rack up a high assist total and maintain constant ball movement. The Hawks finished with multiple players in double figures, including Dyson Daniels (12 points), Corey Kispert (11), and Zaccharie Risacher (11 points, eight rebounds).
Atlanta’s depth proved overwhelming. The bench unit kept the pressure on throughout, with strong contributions from Jock Landale (11 points), Keaton Wallace (nine), and others as the Hawks shot over 50 percent from the field and knocked down 3-pointers at a high clip.
Memphis (24-47) was led by GG Jackson’s 26 points, while Tyler Burton added 20 and Ty Jerome chipped in 17. However, the Grizzlies struggled defensively and could not keep pace with Atlanta’s scoring bursts, particularly in the second and third quarters.
The Hawks built a 32-22 lead after one quarter and extended it to 71-46 by halftime. Their 45-point third quarter effectively ended any chance of a Memphis comeback, pushing the margin beyond 30 points.
Atlanta’s performance showcased its offensive ceiling crisp passing, efficient shooting and contributions from throughout the lineup while also highlighting improved defensive activity, forcing turnovers and limiting Memphis’ rhythm.
Mar 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic (77) shoots a free throw against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit:...
LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Luke Kennard and Bronny James stood alongside Lakers’ assistant coaches and trainers on a golf course on Sunday.
They were engaged in some friendly competition under the blazing Orlando sun.
All season, James has talked about golf as his happy place. Reaves’ hand-eye coordination has become legendary around the Lakers’ locker room. Doncic is relatively new to the sport, but apparently is picking it up quickly. And Kennard was hanging out with his teammates hours after they had screamed, jumped and picked him up in celebration of his game-winning shot against the Magic in their 105-104 win on Saturday.
Doncic smiles while attempting a free throw. David Reginek-Imagn Images
Yes, Detroit snapped the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak. Yes, the Pistons’ suffocating second-rated defense in the league held them to 27.6% shooting from beyond the 3-point line.
But the Lakers once again showed heart, forcing a nail biter. They clawed their way back from a 16-point deficit with a 20-8 run in the third quarter to tie the score at 87-87 with 32.9 seconds left in the period.
Then, in the fourth quarter, they went on a 7-0 run to once again knot the game at 105-105 with 2:39 left. The Lakers even took the lead after Reaves made a five-foot floater with 30 seconds remaining, 110-109. But Daniss Jenkins, who had a career-high 30 points, answered with a jumper and a pair of free throws down the stretch.
With the Pistons up 113-110 and 0.3 seconds remaining, Doncic couldn’t get a clean look at the basket and attempted a heavily-contested game-tying 3, but he missed.
But none of that really matters.
The vibes around the Lakers are good right now, a stark turnaround from where they were just a short time ago. This loss won’t impact that.
Some pundits are going to point to the Lakers’ loss to the Pistons as proof they can’t hang with the most elite teams in the league. The Pistons are in first place in the Eastern Conference and they were without their star guard Cade Cunningham, who was sidelined for his third straight game because of a partially collapsed lung.
The next few weeks will tell if that narrative has any merit, considering two of the Lakers’ next 10 games are against the Thunder, who are atop the Western Conference and are favored to win the championship.
But the Lakers’ loss to the Pistons should be a question mark, not a red flag, especially since they’ve recently beaten multiple contenders, including the Rockets, Nuggets, Knicks and Timberwolves.
James hits a fadeaway against Jalen Duren. David Reginek-Imagn Images
The Lakers believe in themselves. They believe in each other. Over their winning streak, there were so many times when they could’ve dropped the rope, but instead they showed a deep trust in each other, coming closer together.
There was Kennard’s game-winner against the Magic. There was Reaves’ incredible purposely missed free throw and made field goal as time expired against the Nuggets, followed by Doncic’s game-winner in overtime.
There was James’ 30-point performance on 13-for-14 shooting against the Rockets, followed by his 19-point, 15-rebound and 10-assist triple-double against the Heat. Oh, and over the Lakers’ winning streak, Doncic averaged 40 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.6 steals a game, including 51-point and 60-point performances.
There’s a winning vibe around the Lakers.
It’s a far cry from where things were just a short time ago. One moment in particular stands out as the nadir of the season: When the Lakers lost to the Thunder on Feb. 9, 119-110. Reaves was slumped in his chair as he talked to reporters. James sounded and looked exhausted. “That’s a championship team right there,” he said. “We’re not.”
Things felt off.
Over the last few months, there were a lot of tough moments. James was forced to answer questions about his relationship with Lakers’ governor Jeanie Buss after an ESPN story claimed she was frustrated with him for a myriad of reasons, and even “privately mused” about trading him.
There were weeks on end in which Doncic, James and Reaves had to field questions about the dysfunctional Big Three, who had only played 11 games together before the All-Star break and looked disjointed when they shared the court.
There was the narrative that Doncic wasn’t a winner. And the narrative that the Lakers were better without James after LA won three in a row with him sidelined earlier this month, improving to 10-2 when Reaves and Doncic shared the court without him.
During all of that drama, retirement seemed like a real possibility for James. Doncic seemed unhappy. The Lakers’ locker room felt tense.
Now, things couldn’t be more different.
LeBron James daps up Dalton Knecht before the game against the Pistons. NBAE via Getty Images
How could James retire when the Lakers are contenders? Doncic has skyrocketed to the top of the MVP conversation. The Lakers’ locker room is fun.
One loss to the Pistons isn’t going to change that.
It may have let out a little air from the tire. But the tire was so well-inflated over the last few weeks that the car isn’t going to feel a thing.
The Lakers’ loss to the Pistons was greatly overshadowed by all of their winning moments over the last nine games. By their newfound trust in each other.
By their time on the golf course, which made all of the recent negativity surrounding them seem like a long-lost nightmare under the Florida sun.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After having a relatively long stretch in which their entire rotation was available, the Lakers took the floor in Detroit on Monday without a starter in Marcus Smart and key reserve Rui Hachimura.
Both were listed as questionable in the initial injury report. Prior to the team’s loss to the Pistons, head coach JJ Redick provided updates on both, starting with Rui’s right calf soreness.
JJ Redick says Rui Hachimura was hit in his right calf in the Miami game and it tightened up on him in the Orlando game. He had a MRI that came back clean. He is day to day, per Redick.
Ironically, Rui missed the last game against the Pistons with right calf soreness in late December. It was, however, a short-term injury that Rui returned from in about a week. However, it does show that there’s a bit of a history with this injury.
As for Smart, he has taken a beat recently and while he was listed on the injury report with right ankle soreness, he was also dealing with a hip injury.
Redick added that Marcus Smart is dealing with a right hip issue from the Orlando game as well as the right ankle from the collision with Goga Bitadze. Redick said Smart is also day to day. https://t.co/HW2u9cgdmi
The collision in question was one of the most absurd calls of the season for the Lakers in which a fairly innocuous coming together with Goga Bitadze ended with Smart receiving a technical foul.
The refs just gave Marcus Smart a tech foul for this play.
Given his injury history and the beating he takes on a game-to-game basis, having him sit out for a night or two to heal up isn’t the worst thing. Especially given the Lakers’ upcoming schedule, which includes games against Pacers, Wizards and Nets, sneaking in some rest for players wouldn’t be a bad strategy.
As for Rui and Smart, it appears neither injury is serious. The Lakers should be able to welcome them back soon and potentially in their road trip finale on Wednesday in Indiana.
ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 on Monday night.
Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.
Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.
Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.
GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.
The Grizzlies lost for the 11th time in 12 games. Memphis' only victory in that span was a 125-118 decision over the Denver Nuggets on March 18.
The Hawks were without Jalen Johnson due to left shoulder inflammation.
Memphis was without Cedric Coward, who missed his third straight game due to personal reasons. The Grizzlies were also without Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke and Jahmai Mashack , who are recovering from injuries. And, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Scotty Pippen Jr. are out for the remainder of the season with injuries.
Up next
Grizzlies: Host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 10: Pete Nance #35 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the first half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum on March 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ahead of their matchup with the Clippers, 110 minutes prior to game time, the Bucks announced one expected move and one somewhat unexpected. First off, they are converting forward Pete Nance from his two-way contract to a standard, multi-year deal. But in order to do that, they needed to open up a slot on their 15-man roster (two-way players aren’t included in that number), so they elected to waive guard Cam Thomas. That one’s a bit surprising.
Let’s begin with Nance: he had just one game remaining of his 50-game eligibility given to two-way players, so if Milwaukee wanted to make him active in any NBA game after tonight, he would have to be converted to a standard deal before the deadline for doing so on April 12th. He’s impressed a fair bit since first seeing rotation minutes in mid-January: while he averages just 4.5 MPG in 12.1 MPG, he shoots a stellar 56.4% from the field and 47.9% from deep. That comes with what appears to be capable perimeter defense; I’ve heard his athleticism compared unfavorably to his older brother Larry Jr. and his father, a former All-Star, but he moves his feet quite well and stays in front of his mark. His playing time ebbed a little bit in February, though he’s since been pretty consistently above 15 each contest.
All that considered, the 26-year-old looked a lot like part of Milwaukee’s future, and he seemed a near-lock to be promoted from his two-way. While contract terms haven’t been reported yet (we’ll update this story when they are), it will likely be a minimum deal, and include team options and/or non-guaranteed salary after this year. This is typical of late-season two-way conversions, so he may still have to earn his 2026–27 roster spot during camp, if not in Summer League.
The 6’9” Northwestern alum will make about $277k the remainder of the year; his minimum salary is projected to be just under $2.6m in 2026–27, which will be his cap hit if it is a three-year deal. If this is a two-year deal expiring in summer 2027, his cap hit will be just under $2.5m. Milwaukee technically opened a two-way spot converting Nance, but the deadline to sign two-way players was March 4th, so it’ll remain open into summer.
Now onto Thomas. After four-plus years in Brooklyn, the high-scoring 24-year-old was waived mere minutes after the NBA trade deadline on February 5th. And not long after, the Bucks were reported as interested, so he signed on February 8th. According to Thomas himself, Milwaukee had been interested in him for years and apparently sold him as being a part of their future. No reason to believe Thomas was lying about this, but it appears their calculus changed.
The results looked good early, with a 34-point outing in his second appearance with the Bucks on February 11th, then 27 two games later. Since then, however, he’s struggled to make a similar impact. He was in double-digits in just five of his following 14 games and shot a poor 37.8% from the field. A slightly below average three-point shooter (34% for his career), he dipped to 25% on 32 attempts after that February 20th game. All told, he put up 10.7 PPG as a Buck on .431/.275/.754 shooting, all beneath his career averages.
At 6’4”, he’s too small to play anywhere but guard, and doesn’t have any defensive chops. While he can sometimes create for others and move the ball, he’s mostly a ballstop, though one really good at creating his own shot and getting to the line. His free-throw rate jumped in Milwaukee, but he sank them 10% less often than his career 85.8% as a Net.
Thomas will return to the free-agent market in search of a new home, but can’t play in the postseason, which he may have thought he was doing when signing with the Bucks. Since he was waived after March 1st, he is ineligible to appear in any playoff games, so he may opt to play in a non-NBA league and/or sit out to try again this summer. Last summer, he picked up his qualifying offer from the Nets in order to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026, rather than restricted free agency a year early. His $845k cap hit will stay on the Bucks’ ledgers until the end of June, but Milwaukee is far beneath the luxury tax line and can afford to keep that while adding Nance’s $277k.
What’s surprising here is that Milwaukee is waiving Thomas just over a month-and-a-half after signing him instead of Andre Jackson Jr. These were always the two most logical release candidates when it became clear Nance should be converted because they could be the Bucks’ only two unrestricted free agents this summer outside of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who obviously wasn’t getting cut. Jackson has a fully $2.4m non-guaranteed team option for 2026–27, so waiving him or Thomas, who has no money due to him next year, means Milwaukee would owe $0 to either after the season. Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., and Taurean Prince each have player options for next year worth $3.8–3.9m; if the Bucks waive one of them, that $3.8m would need to be stretched over three years, so $1.3m in dead cap every season through summer 2029.
However, I got some intel last week that Jackson was the release candidate, echoed by some comments from Doc Rivers during a pregame presser. Jackson was a key rotation piece much of last season, even starting 43 games, but has been relegated to garbage time in 2025–26. In 37 games, he’s averaging just 2.7 PPG on a stinky .258/.176/.900 shooting in 5.9 MPG. Strictly a defensive player at this point, he’s never broken into this year’s rotation and has played upwards of 10 minutes just five times. He’s had 33 DNP-CDs and saw no on-court action for over two weeks surrounding New Year’s.
Rivers’ reticence to play him during a lost season seemed to spell doom for his NBA future, but he’ll survive for now. In fact, Thomas had increasingly been on the outs lately too, with two DNP-CDs last week after just three minutes on March 12th. So it’s not exactly out of the blue, and you’ll certainly find fans who agree with Doc benching him, given some of his struggles in Milwaukee. With Giannis injured again, Thomas got back on the floor for 23 then 15 minutes since Thursday, but a 14-point outing followed up by seven on Saturday wasn’t enough to save him.
Nevertheless, signing him was a low-risk endeavor, and with Nance looking the part of a future rotation piece, there is nothing to be mad about moving on from Thomas. Sure, maybe some preferred Jackson and would have given Thomas a new contract this summer, but in either case, the Bucks assure themselves of keeping Nance, which is the more important part. All that’s actually changed here is the decision between retaining Jackson or retaining Thomas into 2026–27. Best of luck to Thomas elsewhere, and we’ll always appreciate that first week.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 23: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 23, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 22 VJ Edgecombe – 11 Joel Embiid – 9 Paul George – 6 Justin Edwards – 4 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Philadelphia 76ers — well, still the Hospital Sixers — fell 123-103 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening.
The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) and Quentin Grimes (illness). This was the final game of PG’s suspension and he is set to return to action on Wednesday.
So, VJ Edgecombe and company against the best team in the NBA, coming in on an 11-game win streak. It pretty much went as expected. In fact, I actually think it could have went much worse. The Sixers were never really in this one but they also didn’t let themselves completely fall out of it without a fight for the majority of it. Edgecombe was able to put up a floor-leading 35 points with a career-high seven threes. That part was fun at least.
The Sixers are off Tuesday before hosting the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night. As stated, PG is expected to return for that one.
Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. Take a guess.
<p>(Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
VJ Edgecombe got the Sixers’ night started with a triple on their first possession. He would end up knocking down a new career-high seven three-pointers in this one. That being said, it didn’t start as his most efficient night, shooting just 3-for-10 in the first frame, but he didn’t let it slow him down in the long run.
As this one played on, Edgecombe was really the main factor in the Sixers staying even relatively within the Thunder range throughout the night. The rookie was commanding the offense, stayed aggressive in transition to take any easy bucket the Sixers could get, took advantage of any open looks and hit a number of really difficult shots against a tough OKC defense.
Oh, and any inefficiency that affected him in the first half did not carry over to the second. Before halftime, Edgecombe shot 5-for-14 from the floor (3-for-8 from long range). After the break, the rookie shot 9-for-14 for field goals and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
I honestly think this was one of the very few best-case scenarios in this matchup. The reality was that the Sixers, sans four starters, were not likely going to beat the NBA-leading Thunder. Getting to see the rookie not only get more experience as the leader of the Sixers’ squad but to also look pretty damn impressive against a team like OKC individually is probably as good as it was going to get.
Edgecombe finished this one leading the field with 35 points on 14-for-28 (50.0%) field goal shooting and 7-for-15 (46.7%) from beyond the arc. He also had six rebounds, four assists and one steal.
VJ Edgecombe with his fifth triple of the evening. The rookie's up to 25 points and counting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EXi0K0QOF9
Tyrese Maxey’s reaction to Jared McCain back-to-back threes
I may never stop laughing at this.
Just as we all knew would happen, Jared McCain wasted no time getting on the board when he was subbed in for Oklahoma City in the first frame. McCain quickly sank a triple on one possession before hitting a second triple right after off a pass and screen. The former Sixer, very fairly, had some things to say as he ran back up the court for defense.
And Tyrese Maxey, on the bench in plain clothes as he continues to recover from a tendon injury in his pinky, reacted like this:
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 11, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely finish fourth in the Eastern Conference, but we don’t know who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs, given how tight spots five through 10 are in the Eastern Conference standings. One of the many teams that they could play is the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs won the first two meetings of the year against the Magic before Orlando defeated them 128-122 a week and a half ago behind a phenomenal game from Desmond Bane.
The Magic have struggled since that win. They’ve lost five games in a row coming into this one, including on Monday at home against a bad Indiana Pacers team. We’ll see if they can rebound against the Cavs on Tuesday.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Cavs injury report: Jaylon Tyson – OUT (toe), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Tyrese Proctor – QUESTIONABLE (quad), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League)
Magic injury report for Monday’s game vs. Pacers: Jalen Suggs – OUT (illness), Franz Wagner – OUT (ankle), Jonathan Isaac – OUT (knee), Anthony Black – OUT (abdominal strain)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley
Magic expected starting lineup: Desomond Bane, Jevon Carter, Tristan da Silva, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
Lakers stars LeBron James, left, and Luka Doncic walk off the court after a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
The brush from a fingertip toppled the Lakers’ longest winning streak in six seasons.
The Lakers’ nine-game win streak ended Monday with a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons when Luka Doncic missed a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer after LeBron James’ inbounds pass was deflected by Tobias Harris.
Doncic had 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but was three for 13 from three and missed two big shots in the final seconds.
The superstar guard had been on a historic heater, averaging 40 points over the previous nine games. With nine seconds left, James tried to inbound the ball over Harris and across the court to Doncic, who had to chase down the deflected pass that also went off forward Maxi Kleber’s arm. Doncic collected the ball and danced with Detroit forward Jalen Duren, pump faking, spinning and stepping back before launching a sky-high three.
Doncic had made those types of circus shots look easy during the Lakers’ winning streak, their longest since the championship-winning 2019-20 campaign. Though the dramatic run ended, it reintroduced the Lakers (46-26) as a legitimate playoff threat as they rose from sixth in the Western Conference to third. Lakers coach JJ Redick believed that all along.
“I thought we could be a good basketball team the entire season,” Redick said. “We saw flashes of it. We saw short stretches of it, but we're a good basketball team, and I think we have to continue to play together.”
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt dunks over Detroit's Jalen Duren in the first half Monday. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
Austin Reaves had 24 points, dueling with Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins in the final moments. Reaves put the Lakers ahead by one with 29.7 seconds left with a driving layup, bullying Jenkins toward the basket. Jenkins got revenge by hitting a midrange baseline jumper over Reaves to put the Pistons back in front with 25 seconds left. In the back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Lakers blinked first as Doncic missed a go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds left.
Without star guard Cade Cunningham, who was out with a collapsed lung, Jenkins led the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons (52-19) with 30 points and eight assists. Forward Jalen Duren had 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers won five consecutive clutch time games before Monday, three requiring late comebacks. They had to repeat the process after the Pistons built a 14-point advantage in the third quarter.
The Lakers looked disjointed early as James, Doncic and Reaves combined on seven-for-28 shooting in the first half. James was held without a point in the first half for just the third time in his career and for the first time since Dec. 20, 2010.
The 41-year-old didn’t hit his first shot until the 5:54 mark of the third quarter, draining a three from the wing. It sparked a 20-6 Lakers run that James fueled on both ends. He blocked a shot from Paul Reed on the next possession. He then assisted a three-pointer from Reaves. He finished a layup in transition off a steal by Doncic and an assist from Reaves.
James finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“I thought he did a good job of not just trying to score, but make the right play like he always does,” Redick said.
The Lakers were without Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart. Both are day-to-day. Hachimura got imaging on his right calf and it came back clear, Redick said, after he took a hit against Miami on Thursday. Smart injured his right ankle Saturday when an Orlando player fell on his leg. Smart is also dealing with right hip soreness from another fall in that physical game.
Smart leads the Lakers in overall plus-minus, a quiet cog who connects the Lakers’ constellation of stars. Not having him “killed us,” Redick said.
The Lakers’ winning streak coincided with the team’s best run of health this season, Redick said. The Lakers hope that staying healthy and maintaining the level of play they discovered during the stretch can carry them through the final 10 games.
“We were able to stay resilient and come back,” James said. “So we’re a tough-minded [group].”
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 23: Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game against Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers on March 23, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers’ win streak finally came to an end on Monday, but not without a valiant fight.
Despite trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half against the Pistons, the Lakers surged back to tie the game in the fourth before eventually falling down the stretch, losing 113-110.
The loss ends their win streak at nine games.
The two teams traded the lead multiple times in the final 40 seconds. Deandre Ayton and Daniss Jenkins each knocked down free throws. Reaves and Jenkins then traded jumpers. A miss by Luka allowed Jenkins to put Detroit up three before Luka’s desperation three off a broken play came up well short.
Both sides were shorthanded on the night, though Detroit more notably than LA. The Pistons are still without Cade Cunningham due to a collapsed lung while the Lakers saw both Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura miss the game due to minor injuries.
Unlike the previous meeting between the two teams, the Lakers held their own in the paint, outscoring the Pistons 58-48 in the paint. They also scored 16 fastbreak points to Detroit’s eight. The Pistons negated some of that by knocking down 11 threes to LA’s eight and turning 12 Lakers turnovers into 17 points.
Luka Dončić got things started with a midrange shot off the glass. Ausar Thompson responded with a wide-open dunk on the other end after a defensive collapse from the Lakers. Jake LaRavia, who was put into the starting lineup for the injured Marcus Smart, picked up two early fouls.
LA was one for nine from behind the arc.
Both teams were struggling to find consistency offensively. Detroit was shooting 22% from the field and Los Angeles was shooting 23%. Luka was leading the Lakers with five points and Austin Reaves had two points.
The Pistons had three players with two points with 6:26 left in the quarter.
The offenses started to pick up late in the frame as Luka was now in double figures with 17 points. Jaxson Hayes came in and was playing excellent defense with two blocks. Luke Kennard also drained his first triple of the game from the same spot he won Saturday’s contest in Orlando.
At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by four.
Jarred Vanderbilt, who's been out of the rotation the last several games, got the Lakers two extra possessions late in the 1st, helping LA go up by 7 prior to a last-second 3 from Detroit to end the quarter.
Caris LeVert started the second period with a shot in the paint for the Pistons. On the other end, Jarred Vanderbilt had an easy dunk for LA. Detroit went on a 13-2 scoring run, giving them a seven-point lead.
Reaves stopped that run by converting on a three-point play.
In the quarter, the Lakers were shooting 42%, while Detroit was shooting 54%. Daniss Jenkins knocked down back-to-back triples, leading to a 10-point deficit for LA. Jenkins was leading all Pistons with 15 points.
With 3:25 left in the half, Los Angeles still only had one player in double figures.
LaRavia converted on a layup that stopped some of the bleeding. Duncan Robinson responded with two 3-pointers, giving the Pistons an even bigger cushion. The Lakers struggled through the end of the half, leaving them with a 13-point deficit at halftime.
Detroit had 5 made 3's in the 2nd Q, to 0 from the road-weary Lakers, helping the Pistons push to a 65-52 lead at the half.
Robinson started the third period with a quick six points off two triples. Reaves began this quarter with five points for LA. Luka started cooking with six points, trying to keep Los Angeles in it.
At the 6:50 mark, the Lakers were down by 11 thanks to the efforts of Luka and Reaves.
Jenkins knocked down his fourth 3-pointer of the game. LA went on an 8-0 run, led by LeBron as he started to heat up with his first points of the night. Reaves had 12 points in a big quarter of his own.
LeVert converted on a midrange jumper to slow LA’s surge.
It didn’t work, though, as the Lakers’ scoring run was up to 12-4, leading to a six-point deficit. They had gotten it to four before Jenkins scored on a layup. The Pistons were 8-20 from the field in the period.
The Lakers have been fantastic in the second half on this trip, and they start the 3rd Q here on a 27-18 push to cut a 13-point margin down to as few as 4.
LaRavia drained a 3-pointer that was much-needed both for himself and the team. LA ended the third on a 20-8 scoring run to make it just a two-point deficit. Luka and Reaves combined for 21 points in that quarter.
The final frame began with Jalen Duren getting fouled and converting on both free throws. After a flurry of turnovers and missed shots, the Lakers eventually got on the board with a layup by LeBron.
At the nine-minute mark, the game was tied.
Duren converted on a pair of free throws to give the Pistons the two-point edge to start a 6-0 run. LeBron cut the deficit in half with three free throws. With 5:50 left, Detroit was up by seven. LA went back and forth cutting the deficit from seven to five multiple times.
With 2:55 left, the Lakers were now within three.
Kennard was fouled from behind the arc and converted on all three free throws to tie the game. Harris then scored on the other end on a midrange jumper, giving the Pistons a two-point lead again.
Ayton was fouled and converted on a free throw to make it a one-point deficit with 1:56 left. With 39 seconds left, Ayton was fouled again and converted on both to give LA the lead by one.
Los Angeles did not manage to get the stop, sending Jenkins to the charity stripe where he converted on both to put Detroit back up by one with 34.6 seconds left. Reaves immediately scored on a shot in the paint, putting LA back up by one with 29.7 seconds left.
Jenkins then scored on the other end as Detroit took the lead again. Luka had the opportunity to put Los Angeles back ahead with an elbow jumper but missed. Jenkins was fouled and converted on both free throws to give the Pistons the lead by three with 9 seconds left.
The Lakers had the opportunity to tie it, but a broken play on the ensuing inbound led to a contested deep three from Luka falling short.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists. LeBron was held scoreless in a half for the first time since 2010. Still, a big second half saw him end with 12 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. Reaves notched 24 points with five assists.
Ayton scored 13 points with 10 rebounds. Hayes logged 11 points with three rebounds and four blocks.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at 4:00 PM PT.
Mar 23, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) stretches before coming back into the game against the Miami Heat during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
San Antonio bludgeoned the once-vaunted Miami defense with three straight quarters of 30+ point scoring on their way to a 136-111 road win. The Heat and Spurs began this late season matchup with the proper respect and went after each other with a physicality resembling a conference semifinals game. But with matching 38 point bursts to counter all of the physicality that the Heat threw at them, the Spurs put up nearly 80 points in a first half that just missed the mystical 50/40/90 mark (52% FG, 45% 3-Pt, 88% FT). San Antonio did not let off the gas from there, as they started the second half with a white-hot 13-0 run to put the game away and make it five straight games where the Heat have given up 120 points or more.
Wembanyama (26 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks) had himself an all-around brilliant night along with too many highlight plays to keep track of. Stephon Castle (19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), and 2 steals and De’Aaron Fox (14 points and 6 assists) provided plentiful support of their MVP and DPOY candidate. San Antonio’s bench demonstrably showed up, as Keldon Johnson (21 points and 6 rebounds) and Dylan Harper (21 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds) bullied their Heat counterparts, while Carter Bryant (6 points and 7 rebounds) continued to impress with his dogged on-ball defense. Miami’s veterans led the way in defeat and were the only ones to get into double digits – Tyler Herro (18 points and 5 rebounds), Bam Adebayo (18 points and 4 assists), and Norman Powell (21 points).
The starting guards were front and center in a highly competitive and physical first 12 minutes – Fox for the Spurs and Herro for the Heat. There was much offense to be had all around, as the teams put up 40+ points combined by the halfway mark. San Antonio was able to create some separation late in the quarter through the playmaking of Fox and Harper. Herro, Wiggins, and Adebayo supplied roughly 70% of the team’s output until Kasparas Jakucionis hit two late threes to close Miami within seven.
After some quiet moments, Wembanyama figured on the next five San Antonio baskets – four baskets and one assist – and made the second quarter his own personal playground. Undeterred, Norman Powell and Adebayo closed the gap with some needed scoring for Miami. More important than the persistently impressive offense, the San Antonio’s rookies, Bryant and Harper, made their presence known by hounding Miami’s ballhandlers. In a game seemingly made for him, Johnson’s eight point flurry (which drove Austin Rivers to repeatedly call him ‘bowling ball’) drove the Spurs to 76-58 going to the break.
An opening 13-0 run done with frightening fervor, including two lobs to Wembanyama, pushed San Antonio ahead by as much as 29 and put them in the driver’s seat. Miami did start finding their collective shooting stroke later in the third, but there was too much distance between the teams by then.
Observations
‘Still competing hard’ sequence of the game: Late in the fourth quarter, Luke Kornet turned away a Jakucionis floater after his teammates had forced several other misses.
The Kings have littered with the league with so many quality guards that they’ve given up on – Davion Mitchell being another one of them.
NBC sideline reporter Jordan Cornette sounds like actor Anthony Anderson.
As of now, the Spurs’ best zone busters (occupying the soft center of the defensive zone): Vassell, Johnson, Harper, and late 2025 Harrison Barnes.
These are the types of games that Andrew Wiggins could have made a greater impact on, but that’s been his career in a nutshell.
Sequence of the Game #1: Midway through the opening stanza, and right after he entered the game, Harper drove his defender right beneath the hoop, and then flipped a pretty reverse over his head for his first points. (He repeated that same move late in the half off a pretty wraparound pass from Wembanyama).
Sequence of the Game #2: Late in the opening frame, Harper saved a Spurs turnover by swatting away Jaime Jaquez’ lay-up attempt, and Johnson rewarded that hard-nosed defense by converting a lay-up at the other end.
Sequence of the Game #3: Acknowledging that words don’t describe how great this was to watch live…. partway through the second period, Bryant lofted a feathery lob to Wembanyama on one possession, and the center returned the favor on the next one. After forcing an Adebayo miss, Wembanyama took a feed from the free throw line and threw down a one-hand slam to which Mike Tirico could only scream “GET OUTTA HERE! GET OUTTA HERE!”
Game Rundown
Both teams traded buckets over the first couple of minutes. Fox scored from all three levels to get an early eight points. Miami was able to pester San Antonio on their drives and crowd their spaces, and Wiggins’ two jumpers helped them stay on the Spurs’ heels. Vassell hit a left corner three, and moments later, had a chance for a rightside leaner but instead fed Johnson at the same spot for a swish. After snaring an offensive rebound, Castle took a vicious hit to the side of his head from Jaquez’s knee and immediately exited. Fox got to double digits on a floater to put San Antonio ahead five. Jakucionis connected on two triples, but Barnes’ handful of points kept the Spurs ahead 38-31.
Wembanyama blocked two Heat attempts – one on each side of the rim(!) – to keep the Heat momentarily off the scoreboard. On what might be the greatest 6-0 Wemby-era run, Wembanyama and Bryant fed each other lobs, and those actions were punctuated by the Defensive Player of the Year forcing a brutal Adebayo miss on one end and cramming a thunderous jam in transition. Castle’s personal 5-0 run helped put San Antonio 18 and the team passed 60 points with 5+ minutes to go. Consecutive threes from Johnson helped preserve that advantage and the Spurs went to the half up 18.
Miami got and missed countless wide open perimeter attempts to start the third period but the Spurs went scoreless for nearly two minutes themselves until Wembanyama’s floater. Devin Vassell’s catch-and-shoot and-1 put San Antonio up 21, and San Antonio never looked back from there.
For the Heat fan’s perspective, please visit Hot Hot Heat.
San Antonio takes on GG Jackson and the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday night at 7:00 PM CDT.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 22: Ben Saraf #77 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Nets lost (or won) depending on how you look at it against the Kings. We’re in the final stretch and guys are going down. Egor Demin is done for the year, Michael Porter Jr. is out at least 2-3 weeks, and Danny Wolf left the game with an ankle sprain. We’ll see what these guys got on the second night of a back-to-back.
This is tonight’s injury report:
Wolf: OUT – Left Ankle Sprain
Powell: OUT – Left Knee Injury Management
Mann: OUT – Rest
Porter Jr.: OUT – Left Hamstring Strain
Clowney: OUT – Right Wrist Sprain
Sharpe: OUT – Left Thumb Surgery
Dëmin: OUT – Left Plantar Fascia Injury Management
Enjoy the Late Night Nets™️
🏀 KEY INFO
Who: Brooklyn Nets (17-54) at Portland Trail Blazers When: 10:00 PM ET Watch: YES Network
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