UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Claire Enright scored the go-ahead goal in the third period Sunday, Ava McNaughton had 34 saves, and No. 2 seed Wisconsin beat top-seeded and Ohio State 3-2 at the Frozen Four to win its second consecutive national championship.
Wisconsin (35-4-2) leads all NCAA programs with nine NCAA titles — which includes four of the last six (the 2020 Frozen Four was canceled due to COVID) — and 21 Frozen Four wins.
The Badgers and Ohio State have faced off in each of the last four championship games and combined to win six consecutive national titles.
Enright, on the right side, darted toward net along the goal line and ricocheted a shot off the back post into the net to cap the scoring with 6:18 left in the game.
Kelly Gorbatenko had a goal and an assists, Laney Potter also scored a goal, and Adela Sapovalivova had two assists for Wisconsin. Gorbatenko has 50 goal contributions (28 goals and 22 assists) this season.
Kassidy Carmichael and Jocelyn Amos each scored a goal for Ohio State (36-5-0). Hailey MacLeod had 31 saves.
Gorbatenko opened the scoring almost 1 1/2 minutes into the game with a wrist shot from a few feet inside the blue line and Potter slammed home a pass from Gorbatenko to make it 2-0 about six minutes later.
Carmichael redirected a shot from the right side by Mira Jungaker past goaltender Ava McNaughton's glove side to get the Buckeyes on the scoreboard with 16:28 left in the game and, just more than two minutes later, Amos rammed in the rebound of a shot by Emma Peschel to tie it at 2-2.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated in the third round of the Miami Open on Sunday, losing to Sebastian Korda in three sets.
The 22-year-old Alcaraz, who completed the career Grand Slam when he won the Australian Open in January, dropped to 17-2 this season. The No. 1 player in the men's rankings also lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals at Indian Wells last weekend.
Korda served for the match at 5-4 in the second, but Alcaraz rallied by winning five consecutive games. The 25-year-old Korda then regrouped and closed out a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory in two hours, 19 minutes.
“It was a tough match, obviously,” Alcaraz said. “I think (Korda) was incredible today. Played such a great game. A lot of tied moments that I just didn't make the most of it, and I think he was better on (those) points and (those) moments.”
At No. 36, Korda became the lowest-ranked man to beat Alcaraz since No. 55 David Goffin accomplished the feat in the second round in Miami last year, according to the ATP Tour.
“A lot of tense moments, for sure,” Korda said. “But you know I think today, the ultimate thing was belief. Going back to just believing, committing into every shot, and luckily I got it done at the end.”
Next up for Korda is qualifier Martin Landaluce, who advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) win against 14th-seeded Karen Khachanov.
Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul joined Korda in the fourth round. The sixth-seeded Fritz beat Reilly Opelka 6-3, 6-4, and No. 22 seed Paul eliminated Raphael Collignon with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory.
No. 21 Jiri Lehecka, No. 24 Valentin Vacherot and No. 29 Tomas Martin Etcheverry also were among the winners.
On the women's side, top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 win against Catherine McNally. No. 3 Elena Rybakina beat No. 27 Marta Kostyuk 6-3, 6-4, and No. 5 Jessica Pegula posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 26 Leylah Fernandez.
No. 7 Jasmine Paolini, No. 9 Elina Svitolina, No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova, No. 15 Madison Keys and No. 18 Iva Jovic were eliminated. Paolini lost to No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, and Svitolina was knocked out by Hailey Baptiste in straight sets.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 21: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic look on during the game on March 21, 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 Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Considering that the Lakers beat the Magic in a dramatic game, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report was destined to be the center of attention the following day.
Well, the results are in and their findings leave a lot to be desired.
For starters, there was a lot of heat brought on Deandre Ayton. He had three calls that the league claims they missed that would’ve negatively impacted the Lakers.
According to the NBA, he should’ve been called for a three-second violation on two separate occasions and a foul call on Tristan da Silva in the final seconds of the game shouldn’t have been awarded. That foul led to two free throws for Ayton, who unsuccessfully attempted to recreate Austin Reaves’ intentional missed free throw heroics.
However, the biggest question for most was going to be the ruling of Paolo Banchero’s foul on LeBron James’ game-tying layup attempt.
Well, they claim it wasn’t even a foul, stating he made initial hand-on-ball contact first and that any incidental contact occurred after the block.
The video they shared doesn’t exactly give a great look to agree with them, and regardless, Paolo slapped LeBron’s entire arm, so it’s hard to understand how even the day after that’s still not a foul.
The NBA says Paolo Banchero didn’t foul LeBron James on his last second layup attempt. Deandre Ayton also should’ve been called for two defensive three seconds violations and a that he wasn’t fouled after getting a key offensive rebound pic.twitter.com/ikIQoymEmv
The only good news the Lakers got from this Last Two Minute Report is that LeBron didn’t touch the ball last on a late out-of-bounds play.
The NBA even brought out the Hawk-Eye camera during the initial challenge, which seems to be the LeBron Cam since it’s been used on him a couple of times now during key reviews. While the decision went against LeBron last year in the Lakers-Wolves playoff series, he was on the right side this time.
The NBA’s attempt to aim for transparency and accountability with these reports is a good thing, but there has to be a better way.
Not only does this report fail to change results, but it also leads to a confusing rationale for calls that still feel missed even after extended reviews.
It’s hard to see the point of this if teams on both sides will still be upset and unsatisfied with the ruling and reviews after the fact, even after the NBA has tried to clarify things.
The only solace Lakers fans have is that they still ultimately won the game, so it’s best to read the report, shake your head and move on.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -MARCH 21: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after basket against Indiana Pacers in the first half at Frost Bank Center on March 21, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night, head coach Mitch Johnson had high praise for Keldon Johnson, who led the team with 24 points.
“We are a team with an MVP candidate, multiple All-Stars, multiple All-Defensive NBA candidates, and every single one of our players has said he’s the heart and soul of our team,” Johnson said. “For the team that he is on and the circumstances that I just laid out, with the record that we have, I would find it very hard-pressed to find a better candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.”
KJ is just one of the many members of the team who should be considered for end-of-season accolades. Victor Wembanyama could be the MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Castle could join him on the All-Defensive team, Dylan Harper should be in the running for an All-Rookie team, and Johnson himself is in the running for Coach of the Year.
SB Nation polled readers this week on who should win some of the NBA’s most important awards.
The most interesting finding was that Wembanyama was the favorite to win MVP based on the poll. Wembanyama is averaging 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3 blocks while shooting 50.4% from the field, 35.6% from three, and 81.8% from the free throw line. Wembanyama’s offensive numbers don’t quite stack up with other MVP contenders like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, but his defensive impact is immeasurable. There is no perfect defensive stat, but Wembanyama leads the league in individual defensive rating per 100 possessions at 102. The Spurs have a 106.9 defensive rating when he’s on the court and a 117 rating when he’s off. Teams have to change their entire offensive strategy to account for Wembanyama’s presence.
Wembanyama would be the first MVP to average under 25 points per game since Steve Nash in 2005-06. If he gets the votes, his all-around defensive dominance and team success will be leading factors for voters.
The poll also displayed what could be the tightest race for end-of-season awards. Johnson and Detroit Pistons’ head coach JB Bickerstaff are neck-and-neck for Coach of the Year. Both coaches have similar candidacies. They took good young teams to another level, overcoming preseason expectations to establish them as championship contenders. Both teams have two All-Stars in Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Cade Cunningham, and Jalen Duren, and similar talent to build out their rosters.
Currently, the Spurs hold a better record than Detroit at 53-18, while the Pistons are 51-19. San Antonio also swept the season series, going 2-0 against the Pistons. You could argue that those factors give Johnson the edge. Bickerstaff is more likely to win his conference, with the Boston Celtics 4 games back in second place, and the Spurs still 3 games back, chasing the Oklahoma City Thunder for best in the West. As the poll indicates, it’s tough to decide who will win the honors when the season ends.
San Antonio has one of the best records in the NBA, so it makes sense that they will be top of mind for end-of-season award voters. There is a real chance the Spurs could take home serious individual hardware before they make their push for the biggest award of them all: the Larry O’Brien trophy.
The team with the best record in the NBA and on an 11-game win streak is about to get its second-best player back.
Jalen Williams is not on the Oklahoma City injury report and is set to return to the court on Monday when the Thunder face the 76ers. Williams has been out since Feb. 11 with a strained hamstring.
The Thunder's preferred starting lineup — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Lu Dort (also coming off the injured list), Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein — have played in just five games together this season, but are now getting healthy just in time for the playoffs.
Williams was an All-NBA player a season ago but has played in just 36 games this season due to injuries (he had wrist surgery last offseason). He has never found his rhythm this season and is averaging 17.5 points per game (the lowest since his rookie season), while shooting a 31.3% from 3-point range (a career low).
The last entrant into this year's Sweet 16 will either be Texas Tech or Alabama.
Both are dealing with major absences in their lineups -- for two very different reasons.
Texas Tech star JT Toppin, the 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year, tore his ACL on Feb. 18 and will miss the rest of the season. The Red Raiders went 3-3 entering the NCAA Tournament without him.
Alabama will be playing without its second-leading scorer Aden Holloway after he was arrested on two felonies on March 16, for possession 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his residence. The University of Alabama released a statement and said Holloway was removed from campus and won't return to the team until the university's office of student conduct finishes its investigation.
But even with those two missing, there's still a matchup of stars worth your attention: Texas Tech's Christian Anderson vs. Alabama's Labaron Philon.
The winner of tonight's game will advance to next week's Sweet 16 where it will face No. 1 Michigan in Chicago.
One thing Texas Tech has going for it is the plethora of offensive weapons beyond Anderson. Alabama, meanwhile, has to rely on Philon to carry much of the offensive burden without Aden Holloway. The Red Raiders do well when they can let one player do the damage and take everybody else out of the equation.
Why isn't Aden Holloway playing for Alabama? Latest arrest details on drug charges
Holloway was arrested on Monday, March 16 and charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp after the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his residence.
He was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail and was set with a $5,000 bond, according to The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The University of Alabama later released a statement and said he was removed from campus and won't return to the team until the university's office of student conduct finishes its investigation.
Duel between Labaron Philon vs Christian Anderson will be must-see
Texas Tech's Anderson averages 7.5 assists to rank No. 3 in the country, trailing just Braden Smith of Purdue and Jeremy Fears Jr. of Michigan State. Meanwhile, Philon's 4.8 assists struggle to crack the top 75. That being said, Alabama had one more elite option to dish out the ball in its nationally-acclaimed backcourt prior to the arrest of Aden Holloway on Monday, March 16.
Both sophomores can shoot, too. Philon touts a field-goal percentage of better than 51% to average 22 points per game, but Anderson isn't far behind, shooting 48% from the floor to average 19 points per contest.
Where is JT Toppin? What happened to Texas Tech star?
Toppin, a first team All-Big 12 pick, started 25 games before his season-ending ACL tear against Arizona State on Feb. 18. At the time, Toppin was averaging career-highs in points (21.8) and rebounds (10.8) per game, shooting 54.8% from the field.
This isn't the JT Toppin show anymore, and it hasn't been for a while. Texas Tech has had to move on. While Toppin is still very much part of the team — he was on FaceTime with several Red Raider teammates in the locker room after the Akron game — it's unfair to the players still on the floor to make it about the guy who isn't there.
"It's tough because we all care for JT," Petty said. "I love him. He's my brother. It's tough."Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reporter Nathan Giese contributed to this story.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket against Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on February 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Madison Square Garden. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
Lakers star Luka Doncic, left, controls the ball in front of Orlando's Jamal Cain during the Lakers' win on Saturday. (Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)
He’s the hottest player in the NBA. Not even the NBA’s technical foul rule can slow Luka Doncic down.
The NBA rescinded Doncic’s 16th technical foul, the league announced Sunday, allowing Doncic to avoid a mandatory one-game suspension that would have kept him out of Monday’s game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.
Doncic and the Lakers appealed the call after he was given a technical for taunting against Orlando Magic forward Goga Bitadze in Saturday’s Lakers win. Bitadze's technical foul was also rescinded after the European players were arguing while Doncic was shooting free throws. Doncic claimed Bitadze made a vulgar comment toward Doncic’s family in Serbian while Bitadze said he first heard inappropriate comments from Doncic and only repeated what he heard the Lakers guard say.
Often criticized for arguing with officials, Doncic remains at 15 technical fouls this season, second in the NBA behind Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks. In 2023, Doncic also had his 16th technical foul rescinded, avoiding a one-game suspension.
Doncic’s historic scoring run has fueled the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak, their best since the 2019-20 season that ended with an NBA championship. Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, is averaging 40 points per game during the winning streak while shooting 40.3% from three-point range. His 60-point outburst against the Miami Heat last Thursday was the first 60-point game in Lakers history since Kobe Bryant’s last game in 2016. He was just the seventh Lakers player to record a 60-point game, joining legends Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, Jerry West and Shaquille O’Neal.
The winning streak has vaulted the Lakers from sixth in the West to third. They have navigated the most difficult stretch of their schedule with seven wins over playoff-bound teams.
The Pistons, poised to earn the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since 2007, are without their own star player as guard Cade Cunningham is sidelined for at least two weeks with a collapsed lung. Detroit is 2-0 without him with wins over Washington and Golden State.
Note: Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness), Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) are questionable for Monday's game.
The 7th-seeded Wildcats of the Midwest Region were handed a 19-point loss by 2-seed Iowa State on Sunday in St. Louis in overtime, giving Kentucky its first exit in the first weekend under Pope, who helped lead the program to a national championship under Rick Pitino as a player.
Kentucky found some March magic in Friday's first-round overtime win over 10-seed Santa Clara with Otega Oweh getting off a game-tying 3-pointer from near the logo to tie the game and force overtime. Oweh, who hit a pair of key free throws in overtime, went off for 35 points in the win over the Broncos.
Coming off a Sweet 16 run in Pope's second season, the honeymoon stage of his return to Lexington was quickly ended this season, as the Wildcats had an up-and-down year that featured losses they "should not have" taken as a "blue blood", like Missouri, Georgia, and Auburn in SEC play. Kentucky went 1-4 against top-ranked opponents in the nonconference as well.
There were also wins — like Tennessee, Arkansas, St. John's and Vanderbilt — for the Wildcats that reminded the SEC (and the country) of the talent — that has come at the cost of well over $20 million in NIL value — that Pope has on his roster.
Here's what to know of Pope's buyout and contract information at Kentucky following the Wildcats' loss to Iowa State:
Mark Pope buyout at Kentucky
According to Pope's contract, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, Kentucky would owe the coach $$12,937,500 million if he were fired on April 1.
Mark Pope contract details at Kentucky
Length: Contract has three years remaining
Base salary remaining: $1.2 million
Supplemental compensation remaining: $16,050,000 million
According to Kentucky's contract with Pope, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, there are three additional years remaining. addition to his $1,250,000 annual base salary, he is earning $1,800,00 in supplemental pay for the 2026 contract year. In addition to the $1.2 million in base salary remaining ($400,000 per year), there is $16.05 million in supplemental compensation remaining.
All told, the total left on Pope's deal is $17,250,000. Kentucky would owe the buyout for the remaining 75% of his contract if it decided to fire Pope without cause at anytime.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Seattle's Andrew Thomas finished with two saves and Drake Callender did likewise as the Sounders and Minnesota United played to a scoreless draw on Sunday.
It was the third straight and fourth shutout in five starts this season for Thomas. The 27-year-old took the starting reins from mainstay Stefan Frei — now in a backup role. He hasn't allowed a goal since a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake in Seattle's road opener. He also blanked the Colorado Rapids 2-0 in the season opener at home. Thomas had the lone save of the first half.
Callender notched his second clean sheet in his first season with Minnesota United. Callender and Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Claire switched teams in the offseason. Callender made 92 starts for Miami beginning in 2022, but only five last season.
Jordan Morris saw his first action for the Sounders (3-1-1) since he was injured in the season opener. Morris entered in the 65th minute along with Jesús Ferreira and 18-year old midfielder Snyder Brunell.
Seattle was coming off back-to-back 1-0 road victories over St. Louis City and the San Jose Earthquakes.
Minnesota United (1-2-2) came in after being outscored 9-1 in two straight road losses to Nashville SC and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Minnesota swept Seattle during the regular season last year and then eliminated the Sounders in the best-of-three first round of the playoffs, winning twice at home on penalty kicks after 0-0 and 3-3 draws in regulation. Seattle posted a 4-2 victory at home in the middle match.
Up next
Seattle: Visits the Houston Dynamo on April 4.
Minnesota: Visits the Los Angeles Galaxy on April 4.
The No. 2 Huskies messed around a little bit No. 15 Furman before putting the Paladins away, 82-71. UConn was shorthanded without point guards Silas Demary Jr. and Jaylin Stewart.
Demary listed as questionable on the NCAA's availability report for today's game vs. the No. 10 seed Bruins, and the Huskies will hope to have their point guard back.
No. 7 UCLA beat 10th-seeded UCF in 75-71 in the first round. The Bruins controlled most of the game but had some nervy moments late. Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 20 points, with Trent Perry and Xavier Booker adding 15 each.
The winner of today's game advances to next week's Sweet 16 against No. 3 seed Michigan State in Washington D.C.
Will Dan Hurley, Mick Cronin control emotions or get technical fouls?
Hurley and Cronin are among the more volatile coaches on the bench. Put them together and there's a chance for a sideline explosion.
"It’s ridiculous. Everybody needs to get a life," Cronin said Saturday, March 21 when asked if he cares about how people perceive Hurley and himself. "You want to win big? Do you think Coach Hurley’s not supposed to be intense, but you want to win? We’re not coaching Little League."
Silas Demary Jr injury update: Will UConn guard play vs UCLA?
Why is Bill Murray at UConn vs UCLA March Madness game?
Murray's son Luke Murray is an associate head coach on the Huskies' coaching staff.
Luke Murray is in his fifth season on the UConn bench. Before taking the Huskies assistant job in 2021, he was an assistant at both Xavier and Louisville under now the College of Charleston coach Chris Mack. He is in his ninth season on Hurley's staff across three different stops.
Tarris Reid stats: Huskies big man's big night matches Elvin Hayes
Reid scored 31 points and pulled down 27 rebounds in the Huskies' first round win over Furman.
The 6-11 forward became the first player since Houston's Elvin Hayes in 1968 to finish with at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game.
"That's as good as you are ever going to see it," UConn coach Dan Hurley said of Reed's performance after his team's 82-71 win over Furman to a group of reporters outside the Huskies locker room.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame's Ahmed Hesham won the men's saber on Sunday, and the Fighting Irish men joined the women in winning the inaugural three-weapon national championship at the Joyce Center.
Hesham defeated St. John's Adham Moataz 15-12 in the final after a third-place finish last season.
Notre Dame finished with 91 points, 10 better than runner-up Columbia. St. John's (63), Harvard (62) and Pennsylvania (58) rounded out the top five.
Notre Dame's Chase Emmer fell short in defense of his foil title after losing 15-8 to Columbia's Sam Kumbla in the final.
Fighting Irish freshman Kruz Schembri made it to the épée final before losing to North Carolina's Youssef Shamel 15-7.
The Fighting Irish trio led all three disciplines after the first day.
Notre Dame won 14 co-ed championships, including six of the last eight. The Fighting Irish won last season's title in the final year of the combined men's and women's team championship.
Notre Dame edged Columbia 102-99 on Friday to win the first women's three-weapon title. Eszter Muhan won the épée for the Irish.
Arizona jumped out to a 27-point lead in the first half and got at least 14 points from three freshman starters and coasted to a 92-58 win over the Sharks.
The Wildcats are seeking their first Final Four appearance since 2001. They will get one step closer with a win over Utah State, although it won't come quite as easily as the win over Long Island.
John Leuzzi: Arizona
Jordan Mendoza: Arizona
Ehsan Kassim: Arizona
Blake Schuster: Arizona
Moneyline: Arizona (-800); Utah State (+550)
Spread: Arizona (-11.5)
Over/ under total: 153.5
Who is Jerrod Calhoun? What to know about Utah State coach and Aggies offense?
"This guy is an offensive genius," CBS commentator and former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy said of Calhoun during Utah State's first round win over Villanova.
CBS Sports analyst Jamal Mashburn, who played 11 NBA seasons, also had high praise for Calhoun and what he's done with the Aggies program.
"Just a masterful job of what he's been able to do," Mashburn said. "Teach these kids how to play that way, and also put them in a position to be aggressive and not be afraid to make mistakes."
Even TNT Sports host Adam Lefkoe had to admire Calhoun's coaching prowess.
"Many of you have not seen Utah State. But we sat here and went, 'Coaches around the country need to steal their plays.' Hopefully they don't steal their players," Lefkoe said. "Utah State's offense was phenomenal. ... Let's look at the highlights because almost every play you see is a masterclass from coach Calhoun."
Is Jerrod Calhoun a candidate for Cincinnati coach job?
Calhoun, who's in his second season as head coach at Utah State, is being linked with a number of power conference openings, including Cincinnati.
An Ohio native, Calhoun got his start in coaching as a student assistant on the Bearcats staff in 2003-04. He spent seven years as head coach at Ohio's Youngstown State before heading to USU.
"Calhoun is going to be great walking the sidelines at UC," former Bearcat great Nick Van Exel tweeted after Calhoun's Aggies defeated Villanova. "Offense is great. Lots of ball/body movement and paint touches. And he gets the history of the program and understands that the UC vs X is a rivalry and not just another game."
Koa Peat 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 19 overall to Miami Heat
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Miami Heat have drafted several prospects known for their athleticism, which means a player like Arizona forward Koa Peat will probably have some appeal to their organization. Peat is an ideal match for this franchise given his versatility as a playmaking forward. The All-Big 12 forward just needs a jumper to carve out regular minutes as a high-impact pro. Arizona plays at a significantly faster pace (4.6 extra possessions) when Peat is on the floor relative to when he is not, per CBB Analytics, which would fit very well with Miamis fastest-paced offense in the NBA.
Brayden Burries 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 10 overall to Milwaukee Bucks.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Arizona freshman Brayden Burries had two breakout games in January, which helped solidify his draft stock. But the All-Big 12 guard has continued to display his tantalizing talent, scoring 31 points with seven rebounds and five steals against Colorado on March 7 and 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists during a victory against No. 14 Kansas on Feb. 28. Burries has proven productivity and that he is able to defend, relocate, move the ball and make 3-pointers off the dribble.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 4: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics greets Paul Pierce after the game against the Phoenix Suns on April 4, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — Paul Pierce is no stranger to winning at TD Garden. So, when the 10-time NBA All-Star and Celtics champion took the parquet for a three-point competition on Sunday afternoon, it felt just like the good ol’ days.
Pierce competed in the Celtics’ first annual Causeway Classic three-point shooting competition, going up against former ‘08 teammates Brian Scalabrine and Leon Powe, as well as former Celtic Evan Turner. The event, presented by Ticketmaster and held in front of Season Ticket members at the Garden, began with a first round that included all four competitors, and a final round between Pierce and Scalabrine.
Despite a cold start in the finals, Pierce edged out Scalabrine to win the inaugural competition.
Then, in a postgame interview with 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell, Pierce jokingly shouted, “We did it!” and “Anything is possible!” an ode to the words he and Kevin Garnett yelled out as confetti fell, moments after the 2008 championship became officially theirs.
Paul Pierce after winning the first annual Causeway Classic, presented by Ticketmaster:
The former Finals MVP then spent his post-competition press conference advocating for this current group of Celtics, who have exceeded expectations.
He began with Jaylen Brown, who is averaging 28.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game this season — all-career highs. Pierce has been very impressed with Brown’s 2025-2026, which included setting a new franchise record for most consecutive 30+ point games (9).
“Brown is having an MVP season,” Pierce said. “Not enough is being said on how he’s held down the fort pretty much all year. To still elevate your game in your 10th year is pretty amazing, because most of the time, guys are who they are by the time they are in their 4th or 5th year.”
Paul Pierce on Jaylen Brown:
“Brown is having an MVP season. Not enough is being said on how he's held down the fort pretty much all year.”
“To still elevate your game in your 10th year is pretty amazing, because most of the time guys are who they are about time in their 4th or… pic.twitter.com/yPiTPuIQjm
“It’s just unfortunate that he’s not in MVP talks like he should be,” Pierce said.
Pierce also showed love to Joe Mazzulla, who has led the Celtics to a 47-23 record this season despite critical offseason departures and Jayson Tatum’s Achilles rupture.
“This is just a testament of who Coach Mazzulla; he’s hands down the Coach of the Year,” Pierce said. “Coach Mazzulla hasn’t gotten enough credit for what he’s done to develop some of these young guys.“
Many former Celtics have maintained they’re not surprised at how much success the Celtics have had this season, but Pierce is not in the camp. He’s happy to admit he did not see this level of success coming so quickly.
“A lot of us was like, you know, not this year, maybe next year,” Pierce said. “Now, we’re weeks away from the playoffs, talking about we can actually win the East and be in the Finals.”
Pierce said he’ll be seeing Tatum for the first time since his return on Sunday evening, when the Celtics face the Minnesota Timberwolves. He briefly checked in with Tatum during his recovery, but said he wanted to give Tatum his space as he worked toward his recovery, recalling how Kevin Garnett went about his rehab in 2009 when the two were teammates.
Paul Pierce continues to embody Celtics culture
Nowadays, Pierce lives in Los Angeles, but said he always likes to see Tatum, Brown, and others on the road when they come through his city. Staying connected to the Celtics organization feels important, and it’s something that Mazzulla has always encouraged during his tenure as head coach.
That’s how it was when Pierce was a player, too.
“When I was coming up, there’d be times when I’d always look up, and I’d see Bob Cousy, I’d see John Havlicek, JoJo White — so it’s always been like that,” Pierce said. “And these guys will come to our practice also. And it was always open arms to the former players who helped build this place, who helped decorate this place. And that’s what Celtic culture is – it lives on through our history, through our culture. That’s something that’s always gonna be, no matter who’s here, as players or coaches or owners — the former players who helped build this arena, they always will be invited back, no matter who’s here.”
Pierce also explained why he uses his platform to shine light on the current Celtics’ success. He feels that in recent years, Celtics athletes have been snubbed, and pointed to the 2024 US Olympic basketball team as the latest example. Brown was left off that team just weeks after winning Finals MVP, and Tatum largely fell out of the rotation, just weeks after the two led the Celtics to the 2024 championship.
“I feel like Boston players don’t get their just due, for the most part,” Pierce said. “Obviously, Brown not being in the Olympics, Tatum not getting the minutes. I’m always advocating and pushing for them and fighting for them.”
Why does he think Boston athletes are often overlooked?
Pierce laughed when posed that question, pointing to what he perceives as envy from other parts of the country.
“I’d be jealous! We have everything,” Pierce said, with a grin. “We got the most championships — probably the best sports city in all of America.”
LeBron James has added another NBA record to his resume.
With his appearance in the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Orlando Magic March 21, the 22-time NBA All-Star broke Robert Parrish's all-time games played record. Now, LeBron stands alone with 1,612 games played in his career.
While James has numerous iconic moments under his belt, any NBA fan can probably pinpoint one or two moments where the four-time MVP went off against their favorite team. It may not be a fond memory for them, but it's just another example of the type of legacy James has left on the league.
But which team has James played the most games against? Has he won a game against every team in the league? Has he won a playoff game against every team in the league? Here's a full breakdown of James' 1,612 career games (and 292 playoff games).
LeBron James' games played, regular-season record vs. each team
*- record against each team is listed in parentheses following total games played
NOTE: Teams no longer in existence (e.g. Seattle Supersonics, New Jersey Nets, etc.) are not listed, but are counted as part of the franchise's current location (e.g. Supersonics are counted with Oklahoma City Thunder).
