Category: Basketball

Follow all of Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

Now that Braden Smith has the NCAA assists record, the Purdue senior can focus solely on what brought the Boilermakers point guard back to West Lafayette: a chance at a championship.

Purdue got close in 2024, reaching the national championship game with Zach Edey anchoring the post. Three starters on that team remain, including Smith.

In-depth: Matt Painter, Purdue and the honest quest for March Madness glory

More: Miami's record turnaround reflects Jai Lucas excellent coaching job

The Boilers completely out-everythinged No. 15 seed Queens in the first round and get a second round matchup against No. 7 Miami.

The Hurricanes were almost equally impressive in their 80-66 first round win over No. 10 Missouri. Miami was led by a player all-too-familiar with the Boilermakers. Indiana transfer Malik Reneau scored 24 points in the Canes' win over the Tigers and has had plenty of battles with Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn. So that should be a fun matchup.

Miami have been a revelation in Jai Lucas' first year as coach. After going 7-24 last season, the Hurricanes are 26-8 and one win away from their first Sweet 16 since reaching the Final Four in 2023.

Here's more of what you need to know for today's game with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line. The winner will face No. 11 seed Texas next week in San Jose.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Purdue vs Miami live score

Purdue vs Miami live updates

Purdue-Miami March Madness score: Hurricanes 40, Boilermakers 38 (Halftime)

Purdue-Miami halftime stats

Halftime: Miami 40, Purdue 38

Miami holds a 40-38 halftime lead following a jumper from Tre Donaldson before the intermission. C.J. Cox hit three straight 3-pointers for Purdue to even the game before Donaldson's last-second shot.

At halftime, Trey Renn-Kaufman leads Purdue with 12 points, while Fletcher Loyer has added 10 points and Cox has nine points. Shelton Henderson leads Miami with 10 points, while Dante Allen has eight and three others have at least six points.

Miami jumps ahead at final media timeout of first half

Miami pulls ahead 31-29 with 3:59 left in the half on a dunk by Shelton Henderson, who is now up to 10 points for the game. Dante Allen also has eight points for the Hurricanes.

Trey Renn-Kaufman leads Purdue with 12 points, while Fletcher Loyer has added 10 points.

Purdue uses big run to take control early

Purdue uses a 13-2 run to take a 19-12 lead over Miami with 12:17 left in the first half. The Boilermakers are shooting 7-of-11 from the field, with six assists already.

Fletcher Loyer already has 10 points, while Braden Smith continues to add to his assist total with two more early on.

Miami leads Purdue early

Miami has jumped out to a 10-8 lead over Purdue following a pair of 3-pointers. The Hurricanes are 4-of-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers are 4-for-6 from the field.

Tre Donaldson hit Ernest Udeh Jr. for an alley-oop on the very first play of the game, eight seconds in.

Purdue-Miami is underway

The winner between the Boilermakers and Hurricanes advances to the Sweet 16. Miami last made the round in 2023, while Purdue was there last year.

Pregame

Purdue-Miami starters

Here's a look at the starting lineups for both Purdue and Miami for today's second-round game:

Miami:

• G: Tre Donaldson
• G: Dante Allen
• F: Malik Reneau
• F: Shelton Henderson
• C: Ernest Udeh Jr.

Purdue:

• G: C.J. Cox
• G: Fletcher Loyer
• G: Braden Smith
• F: Trey Kaufman-Renn
• C: Oscar Cluff

Who is Malik Reneau?

Miami forward Malik Reneau has been the team's leading scorer. He is an Indiana transfer who is playing his senior season with the Hurricanes.

Reneau leads Miami with 19 points per game, while also adding 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Announcers for Purdue-Miami

Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) will have the call for the Purdue-Miami second-round matchup on Sunday, with Jon Rothstein serving as the sideline reporter.

What time is Purdue vs Miami?

• Time: 12:10 p.m. ET, Sunday.

What channel is Purdue vs Miami? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.

March Madness conference records: Big Ten leads at 11-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?

Purdue vs Miami FL prediction, odds

Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 9:30 a.m., Sunday.

Nathan Baird, IndyStar: Purdue 73-65

"Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson will be difficult matchups regardless of their Big Ten backgrounds. If the Boilers keep attacking inside out and controlling the boards, though, they're headed for San Jose."

Sam King, Journal & Courier: Purdue 87-77

"The much-improved defense from the last four games will have to carry over. If Purdue can get production from the post, where Miami thrived defensively against Missouri, packaged with solid enough defense, it'll win. Purdue's guards are good enough to expose the Hurricanes otherwise."

• John Leuzzi: Purdue
• Jordan Mendoza: Purdue
• Ehsan Kassim: Purdue
• Blake Schuster: Purdue
• Moneyline: Purdue (-350); Miami (+275)
• Spread: Purdue (-7.5)
• Over/under total: 147.5

Braden Smith breaks Bobby Hurley NCAA assists record

Smith broke Hurley's record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Queens on Friday, March 20. The senior from Indiana got the record on a dish to Trey Kaufman-Renn in the first half.

Smith finished the game with 1,083 career assists in his four year career with the Boilermakers. Purdue fans at the game gave Smith a standing ovation for the achievement.

Smith told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the tournament he was "ready to just get it over with" so he could put all of the attention toward winning Purdue's first national championship. Now with that in hand, the decorated guard can go for the two goals he had for his senior season.

"That's one of the reasons I came back, was to win and to get the record," he said. "Obviously, wanted to do it at a place that I've been for the three years prior. For me, just to be around a great bunch of guys and obviously great coaching staff, and do it with them, I think it makes it more special."

Who is Jai Lucas? Miami FL coach leads remarkable turnaround

Lucas came to Coral Gables from a star-making turn as recruiting director and assistant coach at Duke. He replaced a legend in Jim Larrañaga, who led the 'Canes to the Final Four in 2023 but saw the program fall apart after that, leading him to resign amid a horrid 7-24 season in 2024-25.

A little more than three months later, Lucas was brought in to get Miami back into the NCAA tournament. And that he did, using his recruiting acumen developed from his time at Texas through his tenure under Jon Scheyer to build an instant contender in the ACC, finishing third in the premiere basketball conference's regular-season standings. The Hurricanes went 25-8, by far the best single-season improvement in the country.

Matt Painter's March Madness record

Matt Painter has a 25-17 career record in the NCAA Tournament. This is his 18th trip to March Madness, 17th with Purdue (he led Southern Illinois to the NCAA Tournament before becoming Purdue's coach-in-waiting).

He's led the Boilermakers to eight Sweet 16s.

Dan Rorabaugh of the Palm Beach Post contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Purdue vs Miami live score: March Madness game updates, highlights

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There are just five games on the NBA’s schedule today, but still plenty of intriguing NBA player props to choose from.

My NBA picks target Donovan Clingan, Jayson Tatum, and Maxime Raynaud. Keep reading for the full breakdown.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Donovan Clingan	Record a double-double	-135
Jayson Tatum	Under 2.5 threes	+105
Maxime Raynaud	Under 10.5 rebounds	-130

Prop #1: Donovan Clingan to record a double-double

-135 at bet365

The Portland Trail Blazers are just barely clinging onto a play-in spot in the Western Conference, but Donovan Clingan is doing his best to bring his team to the promised land.

The sophomore center has logged 31 double-doubles this season — good for eighth-most in the NBA — and he enters Sunday with a double-double in each of his last six contests.

Clingan is averaging 15.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this month, so I don’t see him slowing down in a big game vs. the Denver Nuggets.

• Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: BlazerVision, Altitude

Prop #2: Jayson Tatum Under 2.5 threes

+105 at bet365

Jayson Tatum returned to the Boston Celtics lineup earlier this month following a 10-month rehab from an Achilles tendon rupture.

Unsurprisingly, the C’s star has not looked quite like himself since getting back on the court. He's shooting just 29.4% from 3-point range, well under his career average of 36.9%. He’s also made Under 2.5 threes in three of his last four games. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves rank sixth in the league in threes allowed per game (12.5), so the treys won’t come easily for Tatum.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC/Peacock

Prop #3: Maxime Raynaud Under 10.5 rebounds

-130 at bet365

In my second fade of the day, I’m targeting Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud.

The rookie is averaging just 7.3 boards per game, so the line being set at 10.5 is a bit ambitious. Raynaud has also logged Under 10.5 rebounds in four of his last five contests.

The Brooklyn Nets are averaging just 84.6 field goal attempts per game — the third-fewest in the NBA. There won’t be many rebounds available, and Raynaud will hit the Under for a third straight game.

• Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCS-California, YES

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

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

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a new six-year contract with opening day starter Cristopher Sánchez.

The deal announced Sunday for last season's NL Cy Young Award runner-up begins in 2027 and will run through 2032 with a club option for 2033.

Terms were not immediately available.

Sánchez had been pitching under a $22.5 million, four-year contract that was through 2028.

He went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season and struck out a career-high 212 batters. He's 30-21 overall in four full big league seasons.

Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an amateur free agent in 2013, Sánchez was acquired in a trade by the Phillies on Nov. 20, 2019, for infielder Curtis Mead.

Mead played in just 41 games for the Chicago White Sox last season while Sánchez has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in baseball and helped key the Phillies' run to consecutive NL East titles in 2024 and 2025.

The Phillies want to keep their postseason run going — four straight appearances headed into 2026 — and have locked up all veteran members of their staff to long-term deals.

Jesús Luzardo earlier this month finalized a $135 million, five-year contract that starts in 2027. Zack Wheeler has a $126 million deal through the 2027 and Aaron Nola a $172 million, seven-year agreement through 2030. Rookie Andrew Painter is under team control through 2031 and earned the fifth starter spot in the rotation.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

KVITFJELL, Norway (AP) — Dominik Paris won his second race in two days Sunday as Italy went a perfect four-from-four at the World Cup finals.

A day after winning the downhill, Paris also was the fastest in the super-G, beating Austrians Vincent Kriechmayr by 0.07 and Raphael Haaser by 0.38 seconds.

“It's a surprise for me,” Paris said. “When I saw the green light at the finish line, I had to look twice because I couldn't believe it.”

Paris also won two World Cup races in one weekend in the Norwegian resort a year ago.

On the women’s side, Sofia Goggia and Laura Pirovano triumphed in the super-G and downhill races, respectively, and both secured the discipline title this weekend.

That, though, didn’t apply to Paris, as Swiss star Marco Odermatt had already been confirmed as the World Cup super-G and downhill champion a week ago, when he also locked up his fifth overall title.

Odermatt had a disappointing run in the last super-G of the season when he finished 1.97 seconds behind Paris in 19th, meaning he didn’t even score World Cup points.

“It’s always much cooler if you can collect another globe after a good performance, but today was my worst performance in many years,” he said.

Odermatt is the only skier with multiple super-G wins this season, and he singled out his triumph in Kitzbühel in January as his best one.

“It’s for me the biggest super-G we have on the World Cup tour, and to win there the second time now in a row was a really cool race for me, a lot of emotions,” said Odermatt, who added Olympic bronze a few weeks later.

The next men’s race at the finals is Tuesday’s giant slalom, where Odermatt can secure his fourth globe of the season. He leads the GS standings by 48 points over second-placed Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.

___

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

John Calipari, that clever ol’ dog. He just unleashed the oldest strategy in the book.

Calipari played possum his final few NCAA Tournament appearances at Kentucky. Jack Gohlke poked Cal with a stick, and there was no movement. Big Blue Nation took Calipari for roadkill, boxed him up and gladly shipped him off to Arkansas.

Enjoy your dead possum stew, Hog heads!

March Madness games today: Breaking down Sunday's NCAA Tournament matchups

March Madness conference records: Big Ten leads at 11-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?

Calipari continued the act and rolled over the first few months into his first season at Arkansas. Kentucky fans must have thought they’d suckered Arkansas with a Trojan horse, while the Razorbacks lost six straight games in January 2025.

Stick a fork in him, eh? Calipari’s been cooked to a crisp, right?

Bryan Hodgson's one-year tenure with South Florida men's basketball is leading to a bigger job.

The Bulls' head coach has been hired to become the next head coach at Providence basketball. Hodgson led USF to the NCAA Tournament following a 25-9 record during the 2025-26 season. Providence announced the hiring on Sunday, March 22.

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to be named the next head coach of the Providence Friars men's basketball program," Hodgson said in a news release from the school. "This is a program with a proud tradition, passionate fan base, and a city that truly embraces its team. We're going to build something that reflects that pride. We will be tough, disciplined, and relentless in our pursuit of excellence."

REQUIRED READING: College basketball coaches fired: Updated list of schools making changes

Welcome to Friartown! 🦈 pic.twitter.com/yzXUL5gWIy

— Providence Friars (@PCAthletics) March 22, 2026

Hodgson guided the Bulls to a 15-3 American Conference record, winning both the regular season and conference tournament with 12 wins to end the season to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a head coach.

"We are thrilled to have Bryan Hodgson join Providence College as the leader of our men's basketball program," Providence College President Fr. Kenneth Sicard, O.P., said. "Bryan brings a strong track record of leadership and a deep commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court. His dedication to integrity, hard work, and competitive excellence aligns closely with the values of Providence College. I am confident that the future is bright for Friar men's basketball, and I eagerly anticipate seeing the team reach new milestones under their new leader's guidance."

"We are very excited to welcome Bryan Hodgson and his family to Providence College," Providence College Athletics Director Steve Napolillo added. "Today we begin a new journey with Providence College men's basketball. It was my goal to find a head coach who would fit with our great athletic and academic institution. In addition, in this new revenue share/NIL landscape, I knew we needed a coach with the energy, passion and the skills to get us back to competing for championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament. Bryan has revived two Division 1 programs and it is our goal for him to bring new life into Friar men's basketball.  He has 18 years of college basketball coaching experience, including five as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama. Over the last three years, Bryan has successfully used analytics, his recruiting skills and coaching to win 70 games. Bryan is a winner and we need a winning culture at Providence College. We are looking forward to the start of a new era in Friartown as we enter the 100th year of Providence College men's basketball."

Providence fired head coach Kim English on March 13 following a 15-18 record this season. English went 48-52 in three years with the program, never reaching the NCAA Tournament.

How old is Bryan Hodgson?

Hodgson was born on April 11, 1987, making him 38 years old during the 2025-26 college basketball season.

Bryan Hodgson coaching record

Here's a look at Hodgson's record as a head coach. He has never led a team to fewer than 20 wins in a season.

• 2023-24 (Arkansas State): 20-17, 11-7 Sun Belt
• 2024-25 (Arkansas State): 25-11, 13-5 Sun Belt
• 2025-26 (South Florida): 25-9, 15-3 American
• Career: 70-37

Bryan Hodgson's coaching career

Here's a look at Hodgson's coaching career:

Head coach unless otherwise specified. Assistant role listed in parentheses

• 2007-10: Fredonia State (assistant)
• 2010-13: Jamestown Community College (assistant)
• 2013-15: Midland (assistant)
• 2015-19: Buffalo (assistant)
• 2019-23: Alabama (assistant)
• 2023-25: Arkansas State
• 2025-26: South Florida
• 2026-present: Providence

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Providence basketball hiring USF coach Bryan Hodgson

The Milwaukee Bucks made up for their stinker in Utah, beating the Phoenix Suns 108-105, mainly due to a bunch of huge plays down the stretch. The Bucks moved the ball more and turned it over less than they did against the Jazz, resulting in a much more polished performance. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

33 minutes, 26 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 10/19 FG, 3/7 3P, +6

Obviously, Ryan made the biggest shot of the night, but I thought this was one of his best all-around games of the year. Had significant usage with KPJ out, and made good decisions with the ball, creating for himself and others. Showed great ability to play with the drop-man in pick-and-roll, pulling up from three and the mid-range, whether it was off a snake or a straight pull-up. Made an impact defensively as well.

Grade: A+

Myles Turner

20 minutes, 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2/3 FG, 1/2 3P, -7

Made a massive three late, but was caught a tad too deep in the drop on a few occasions, allowing Oso Ighodaro too much space in the pocket to get that floater off.

Grade: C+

Kyle Kuzma

23 minutes, 20 points, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 7/12 FG, 3/8 3P, +7

I thought Kuz was solid in this one, especially in the first half. Not much impact outside of scoring, but he made all his two-point shots (along with some timely threes), which is a good sign for him.

Grade: C+

AJ Green

17 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3/6 FG, 2/5 3P, -8

Scored six of his eight points in the second quarter, but all came in a crucial stretch where the game could have gotten away from the Bucks. Also made an impact by rebounding and setting some of the grittiest screens I’ve seen from a dude his size.

Grade: C+

Ousmane Dieng

32 minutes, 11 points, 5/11 FG, 1/3 3P, -2

If you just looked at the box score, you might think Ous played just OK. No, he was really good. Dieng was given the primary assignment on Devin Booker, and held him to 4/17 shooting. Ous had him in hell, especially throughout the fourth quarter; his size seemed to bother Booker, and crucially, his foul discipline was excellent. Yes, it wasn’t Dieng’s night from a scoring standpoint, but his defence might have won them the game.

Grade: B+

Pete Nance

27 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2/3 FG, 1/1 3P, +1

Sneakily, Doc rolled with Nance over Kuzma to close this one, and it paid off in a huge way. It was him who located Myles Turner in semi-transition as the Bucks had a numbers advantage with just over a minute to go; ran down the middle of the lane and, without any wasted motion, caught it knowing he’d be swarmed, hitting Turner in the corner.

Grade: B

Jericho Sims

24 minutes, 5 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1/1 FG, +5

Back to his elite rebounding ways, eight of Sims’ 11 boards were of the offensive variety. Guess how many O-boards the team had? eight! Also had some great passes and, per usual, was great switching onto their guards and containing.

Grade: B+

Cam Thomas

15 minutes, 7 points, 3 turnovers, 2/5 FG, 0/1 3P, -6

Had some important buckets to start the fourth with Rollins resting, but still wasn’t great on the whole.

Grade: C-

Taurean Prince

21 minutes, 8 points, 3/8 FG, 2/6 3P, +6

Even ventured inside the three-point line for a dunk. Defence was solid.

Grade: C-

Gary Trent Jr.

23 minutes, 11 points, 4/10 FG, 3/6 3P, +13

Made two huge threes in the fourth—one self-created (which is rare for GT) and one out of an ATO. He’s been building lately.

Grade: B-

Doc Rivers

Thought Doc coached a solid game. Opting to use Ous on Booker was great thinking. He got the likes of AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. shots out of ATOs when the team was desperately looking for a basket. Closing with Pete Nance for some extra size helped on defence down the stretch (along with his connective passing). Finally, I liked the strategy to blitz ball screens involving Suns rookie Khaman Maluach, who, at this stage in his career, needs a lot of work as a decision-maker on the short roll.

Grade: B+

DNP-CD : Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Cormac Ryan, Andre Jackson Jr.

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Alex Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Gary Harris

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Dieng on being given the assignment to guard Booker:

“I just love the challenge of guarding those players. Wasn’t my best night offensively, so just trying to make winning plays on the defensive end. He’s great at getting those fouls and getting to the free throw line, so just trying to show my hands, guarding him with my chest, and that’s it.”

• Doc called this game “a team win,” highlighting how so many dudes contributed.
• The Bucks had no turnovers in the entire second quarter.
• The Suns had four fouls with 9:41 left in the fourth, which has to be some type of record.
• Wisconsin Badgers legend Frank Kaminsky joined Lisa and Marques on the broadcast to reminisce on his college days, among other topics.
• The game had nine lead changes.

Up Next

The West Coast trip rolls on tomorrow, when the Bucks face the LA Clippers. Catch the game at 9:30 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

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The Washington Wizards attempt to end a 15-game losing skid when they visit Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks.

Washington’s defense has been difficult to watch and easy to score on, and my Wizards vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks expect a fast-paced, high-scoring affair at MSG. 

Wizards vs Knicks prediction

Wizards vs Knicks best bet: Over 228 (-110)

This Washington Wizards defense is awful. Over the last 10 games, the Wizards rank 29th in defensive NET and 129 points allowed per game.

Washington plays at the third-fastest pace in the league, and the combination of a fast tempo and leaky defense is why Washington is 7-3 to the Over in their last 10.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks' offense has been mediocre recently, but they’ll get clean looks all night long, and the faster pace should provide enough possessions to push this game Over the total. 

Wizards vs Knicks same-game parlay

Mikal Bridges is in the middle of an eight-game scoring slump, thanks to a cold stretch from deep where he’s hit just 31% over his last 11 games.

That’s well below his season norm of 37%, but he’s been more productive at home, averaging nearly 14 points per game at MSG.

This sets up as a get-right spot, and I expect the 3-ball to fuel a strong scoring night for the former Villanova star. 

Wizards vs Knicks SGP

• Over 228
• Mikal Bridges Over 12.5 points
• Mikal Bridges Over 1.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Bombs away!

If NY has a defensive weakness, it's the perimeter. Across the past 10 games, opponents have connected on nearly 14 triples per night.

To that end, we’ll add Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson's 3-point props as Coulibaly has cleared his total in four straight, and Johnson averages two made threes in his previous 10 contests. 

Karl-Anthony Towns has hit 2+ triples in three of his previous five games and has the same good fortune as Bridges against this leaky Washington defense.  

Wizards vs Knicks SGP

• Tre Johnson Over 1.5 threes
• Bilal Coulibaly Over 1.5 threes
• Mikal Bridges Over 1.5 threes
• Karl-Anthony Towns 1.5 threes

Wizards vs Knicks odds

• Spread: Wizards +20 | Knicks -20
• Moneyline: Wizards +1250 | Knicks -2500
• Over/Under: Over 228 | Under 228

Wizards vs Knicks betting trend to know

The Wizards have gone Over the total in 17 of their last 24 games for +9.3 units and a 35% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. Knicks.

How to watch Wizards vs Knicks

Wizards vs Knicks latest injuries

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The Houston Rockets were locked into a close game with the Miami Heat in which they had given up a big Heat run, including a goaltend on Jabari Smith Jr. to give the Heat the late lead, but Amen Thompson tipped in the game winner at the buzzer off of a Kevin Durant miss to give the Rockets the 124-123 win.

The Rockets were led by Kevin Durant’s 27 points, as he passed Michael Jordan for fifth on the all-time scoring list. KD also added 3 rebounds and 3 assists. He was 9-for-17 from the field and 5-for-9 from three. Thompson had 24 points and 18 boards on 10-for-17 shooting, as well as the game-winner. He was even 1-for-1 from three.

Reed Sheppard came to play, as he once again was the Rockets starting point guard. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting and 5-for-8 from deep. He also added a game-leading 14 assists as well as 4 steals and turned the ball over zero times. Keep the kid out there, coach! The Rockets are now 10-2 when Reed starts.

Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 12 boards and Jabari Smith Jr. Had 13 points to send all five Rockets starters into double-figures.

The Heat were led by Bam Adebayo, who had a monster 32-points, 21-rebound night, but the Rockets were able to overcome that with a second straight night of quality team baskteball. They shot 52 percent and had 33 team assists to just 13 turnovers. What we’ve been learning is that the Rockets look way better with a point guard who can shoot in the lineup. It’s just a shame that it took Ime Udoke three-quarters of a season to figure that out as well.

The Rockets now move to 43-27 on the season and hold a half game lead over the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. They’ll be back in action on Monday, as they head over to Chicago to take on the Bulls.

Chances are, you no longer have a perfect bracket.

Well, scratch that: It's almost guaranteed you don't have a perfect bracket through three days of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament with half the field set for the Sweet 16 through Saturday, March 21.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness games today: Breaking down Sunday's men's NCAA Tournament matchups

Fans already faced impossibly long odds of creating a perfect bracket. So having upsets on Day 1 took out a massive chunk of brackets. However, the chalkiness of the ensuing games — with just one double-digit seed headed to the Sweet 16 — likely also eliminated a bunch of brackets.

Blame Texas. Blame Gonzaga.

Here's a look at how many perfect brackets remain in March Madness, with plenty more opportunities for upsets on the horizon:

Minnesota Timberwolves at Boston Celtics
Date: March 22nd, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CDT
Location: TD Garden
Television Coverage: NBC, Peacock, Telemundo
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

There’s a certain kind of loss that tells you everything you need to know about a team.

Not the buzzer-beater losses. Not the “we got unlucky” losses. Not even the “their best guy went nuclear” losses. I’m talking about the ones where you can rewind the tape, pause it in the middle of the second quarter, and say, “this is where it slipped away”, even if the final margin comes down to one possession and a corner three.

Friday night against Portland? That was one of those.

The Timberwolves had the opportunity sitting right there in front of them: finish the homestand 3–0, stack another win without Anthony Edwards, and create a little breathing room in the Western Conference standings. Instead, they walked away with a loss that dropped them from the fourth seed to the sixth. Minnesota now finds itself in a three-way tie with Houston and Denver, and, because the Wolves won’t allow themselves to have nice things, they hold none of the tie-breakers.

The worst part? You can’t even chalk it up to bad luck.

Yes, the final defensive sequence is what everyone will remember. Minnesota was clinging to a one-point lead and needed one defensive stop. Just one. And instead, they give up offensive rebound after offensive rebound, can’t secure the ball, can’t finish the possession, and eventually Jerami Grant is standing in the corner with six seconds left on the shot clock like he’s at an open gym, calmly drilling the go-ahead three.

Game over.

But if you think that’s why the Wolves lost, you weren’t paying attention. This game was lost long before Grant’s shot. It was lost on the glass. It was lost in the paint. And most of all, it was lost during a second quarter stretch that felt like watching a car skid off black ice in slow motion.

Portland scored on 10 of 11 possessions. It wasn’t just bad defense. It was a complete breakdown of structure, communication, and effort. The perimeter defense fell apart, which meant driving lanes opened up like automatic doors at a grocery store. The Blazers got uncontested looks at the rim. Minnesota couldn’t string together stops. And on the other end, the Wolves looked like five guys who had just met each other in the parking lot.

Ball movement? Gone. Shot selection? Questionable at best. Rhythm? Nonexistent.

By the time the dust settled, Minnesota was down 17 points, and the game had already tilted in a way that made everything else harder than it needed to be.

Now, to their credit, the Wolves did what they’ve done a handful of times this season. They fought back. They erased the deficit. They actually took the lead by the end of the third quarter and gave themselves a chance to win.

But that’s kind of the problem with this team, isn’t it? They’re constantly asking themselves to be perfect late because they weren’t disciplined early.

If they don’t dig that 17-point hole, they don’t need that final stop. If they don’t get outworked on the boards all night, maybe Portland doesn’t even have a chance to take that shot. If they defend with purpose for 48 minutes instead of 40, maybe we’re talking about a professional, workmanlike win instead of another postmortem.

At this point in the season, there are no moral victories. Not with the standings this tight. Not with the playoffs looming. Not when every game swings three spots in the bracket depending on how things break. Here’s the reality now: the Wolves have gone from flirting with the three seed to sitting in the six, tied with Houston and Denver, holding zero tiebreakers, and staring at a schedule that does them absolutely no favors. And oh yeah… Anthony Edwards is still out.

So now the conversation shifts from “can they climb?” to “can they survive?” Because coming up next is Boston, then Houston, and then Detroit. That’s not a stretch you ease into while trying to rediscover your identity. That’s a stretch that exposes you if you don’t have one.

Let’s start with Boston, because that’s the immediate problem. The Celtics are getting healthier. Jayson Tatum is back. Jaylen Brown is still Jaylen Brown. They’re one of the most complete teams in the league when they’re right, and unlike Minnesota, they’ve shown an ability to weather adversity without completely losing their footing.

And if we’re being honest, it’s not entirely clear how the Wolves match up with them right now without Edwards. Which doesn’t mean they can’t win. It just means the margin for error is basically nonexistent. So if they’re going to pull this off, it’s going to require a level of discipline and execution we haven’t consistently seen.

Here are the keys to the game…

#1 – Value every single possession.

The Wolves have had a bad habit lately of being careless with the ball and sloppy with their decisions, which often turn into easy transition opportunities. You cannot give Boston free points. Every possession has to mean something. Every pass has to have purpose. If Minnesota starts gifting the Celtics extra chances, this thing could get out of hand quickly.

#2 – Win the rebounding battle.

On Friday night, Portland outworked them, plain and simple. Boston doesn’t have a Donovan Clingan-type rim presence, but they absolutely will scrap, rotate, and crash when the opportunity is there. Rudy Gobert needs to be a vacuum. Julius Randle, who, let’s be honest, had a rough night against Portland, needs to be better. Nothing deflates a team faster than playing 20 seconds of good defense and then giving up an offensive rebound and a reset.

#3 – Hunt high-efficiency offense.

The second quarter against Portland was a masterclass in what not to do. Forced shots. Stagnant possessions. Hero ball without the hero. Against Boston, that’s a death sentence. This needs to be a connected offense. That means feeding Gobert around the rim, getting McDaniels and Randle downhill, and creating clean looks for guys like DiVincenzo, Bones, and Ayo. You’re not going to out-talent Boston without Edwards. You have to out-execute them.

#4 – Do not allow the avalanche. We’ve seen it too many times this season. A bad three-minute stretch turns into a bad five-minute stretch, which turns into a double-digit deficit that suddenly feels insurmountable. Boston is one of the best “run” teams in the league. They smell blood, and they go on those 12–2 bursts that flip games. Minnesota has to recognize those moments early. That’s on the players to stay mentally locked in, and it’s on Chris Finch to hit the timeout button before things spiral.

#5 – This has to be a Julius Randle game.

There’s just no way around it. Without Edwards, there isn’t a version of this game where the Wolves win and Randle is just “fine.” He has to be great. Not just as a scorer, but as a leader, a rebounder, a defender, a facilitator. Friday night was probably his worst performance of the week, and it showed. The engagement wasn’t there. The physicality wasn’t there, and it cost Minnesota the game.

The good news? We’ve seen the version of Julius that can carry this team. The one who attacks, who bodies people, who makes quick decisions, who bends the defense and opens everything up for everyone else. That version exists. Minnesota needs him to find it again… immediately.

This week isn’t about aesthetics. It’s not about style points. It’s not about proving anything to the national media or climbing some imaginary power rankings.

It’s about survival.

The Wolves had a chance to make things easier on themselves Friday night, and they let it slip. Now the margin is thinner, the schedule is tougher, and the stakes are higher.

They don’t have to be perfect, but they do have to be better.

And they have to figure it out quickly, because the standings aren’t going to wait for them to get comfortable.

Saturday night marked the fifth straight loss for the Phoenix Suns, and you can feel the frustration starting to seep in. On the surface, the reasons are clear. The team is banged up. The injury report before games reads like a CVS receipt. It is long, it is exhausting, and it impacts everything. But even with that, they are right there late. But their poor decisions are costing them the opportunity to win.

They are in the game, within reach, close enough to grab it, and then it slips. They run out of gas. They run out of options. They run out of answers. Execution fades, possessions tighten, and the game gets taken from them. That is where this frustration lives. Because it is not about being blown out, it is about being close and not finishing.

After the loss to San Antonio, I was not mad. I was disappointed. There is a difference.

This one hits different. Losing to Milwaukee without Giannis brings out something else. This is not a powerhouse version of the Bucks. This is a team that is navigating the end of its season with a different agenda, one that includes positioning for the future. You can see it, and you can feel it. And still, the Suns could not take advantage.

That is where the frustration comes from. Because the opportunity was there. Another winnable game, another moment to stop the slide. And once again, it slipped away.

And it keeps coming back to the same place late in games. Devin Booker.

He is the highest-paid player on the floor. He is the one who is supposed to take control when things tighten, when possessions matter most. That is the expectation and that is the responsibility. Right now, it is not showing up consistently. You watch Ryan Rollins (who?) attack the rim without hesitation, getting downhill, putting pressure on the defense. Then you watch Booker settle. Midrange looks that are not falling. Turnovers at the worst times. Situational decisions that leave you scratching your head, like taking a two when you are down three with under 20 seconds left.

Those are the moments. Those are the possessions that define games, and right now, they are not going Phoenix’s way. Booker is the one who has to change that.

Did he look hurt? Yeah, there were moments where you could see it. A slight hobble, a lack of burst, something that did not look quite right. And maybe that is part of the explanation for a 4-of-17 night and only 14 points. But if that is the case, then adjust. Dictate the offense, do not become it. Lean into the guys around you. Let Collin Gillespie organize. Let Jalen Green attack. Let Jordan Goodwin bring that energy and pressure. Use your gravity to create opportunities rather than forcing yourself into every possession.

Because when you try to carry it while not at full strength, it can swing the wrong way. And in this one, it did. Yes, the team is injured. That is real. But it cannot be an excuse for poor decision-making. That is what is fueling this losing streak.

You look at a moment like tonight, up 91–84, with control of the game starting to tilt your way. Jalen Green was rolling, feeling it, and instead of settling into a quality possession, he pulled up for a 27-foot three. A heat check. And it missed. Momentum gone. That is the difference. Those are the possessions that matter. Not the highlight plays, not the runs, the decisions in between. The ones that either steady you or derail you. Right now, they are derailing the Suns.

The injuries make everything harder. They shorten the margin and they force different lineups and roles. But the decisions are what swing games, and too often, Phoenix is making the wrong one at the wrong time.

We know help is coming. The troops are on the sideline, and at some point, the opportunity to turn this around should be there. The problem is that the clock is not slowing down. The season is entering its final stretch, and the runway is getting shorter.

We gave Jalen Green about 20 games to find his legs and get comfortable again. What does that timeline look like for Dillon Brooks or Mark Williams? That is where this gets tricky.

It is a strange place to be. This is a team that has overachieved relative to preseason expectations, and now it feels like it is drifting back toward them. Injuries are the primary driver, everyone understands that. Still, you need more from your max player. That is part of the deal. Because even with everything working against them, the Suns have been in these games. They are right there. They simply cannot finish, and that is where the frustration turns into anger.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

It is funny how this works. I sit here writing about different players and how the Suns could best utilize them, and then they hear it. I say Collin Gillespie should probably move to the bench now, start getting comfortable in the role he will have once Dillon Brooks returns.

His response? 24 points. 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.

So maybe there is a lesson in there somewhere. Maybe I should keep writing those pieces, keep pushing buttons, keep saying what players cannot do. Because every time it happens, it feels like they go out and prove the opposite. And Gillespie did exactly that against San Antonio.

That performance gave him his 11th Bright Side Baller of the season, second only to Devin Booker. That says a lot about this season, about who he is, and about what he is becoming.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 71 against the Bucks. Here are your nominees:

Jalen Green
24 points (9-of-17, 3-of-6 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, -14 +/-

Collin Gillespie
18 points (6-of-13, 4-of-11 3PT), 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, -1 +/-

Devin Booker
14 points (4-of-17, 2-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, +3 +/-

Ryan Dunn
12 points (5-of-9, 2-of-5 3PT), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 block, +1 +/-

Oso Ighodaro
12 points (6-of-8), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, -11 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
11 points (4-of-9, 2-of-6 3PT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -3 +/-

How’s about a ‘lil Sunday morning voting?

What’s the point of all this?

Not just the last 12 games of this Dallas Mavericks season. They’re probably going to lose a lot of those games, so you’re not watching for the thrill of victory. A lot of the players on the team right now will likely be gone after this summer, so you’re not seeing the beginning of some blossoming young team.

I’m going to watch at least half those games, if not more. Why?

It’s the same when the team is good, too, even when they’re great. Take a moment and think about all the great teams who didn’t win a championship, and then broke apart within five years. If you’re a Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs fan, you’ve seen four championships in the last 25 years. That means 21 years of disappointment for fans of the most successful teams. For fans of less successful teams…well, it’s a lot of disappointment.

But we keep coming back. We watch championship teams, mediocre teams, lottery teams. Mostly it ends badly, sometimes even heartbreak. So why do we do this?

One easy answer is to see Cooper Flagg’s development. It looks like he’s going to be a superstar, and it’s always fun to be there for the beginning of something like that.

There’s also the other young guys, Max Christie and Ryan Nembhard. They’ll likely be role players at best, but it’s fun to get to know players like that and see if they become more.

There’s the chance that Jason Kidd will awake from his slumber and show a human emotion once or twice during a game. Maybe he’ll even raise his voice and get ejected, just for fun or sheer boredom.

If Dwight Powell gets enough minutes, he might break the career record for getting hit in the face with a basketball. Or he might break a real Mavericks franchise record simply by being around for a while (he’s less than thirty rebounds away from passing Erick Dampier for eighth all time).

Maybe you’re in full tank mode and are rooting for them to lose every game for the rest of the season so they get a better pick. That’s one way to stay entertained! Make sure you’re staying up to date on all the mock drafts.

You might just like seeing Klay Thompson shoot 3-pointers. He likely won’t pass any more historical marks this season, but he’s got a great shot, and it’s fun to see him when he’s shooting the lights out. Maybe Thompson has a game where he goes on an absolute heater and hits double digit 3-pointers.

Maybe around mid-March the players will just be sick of this season and get in a fight with another team. It’s not what you’re watching for, obviously, but it would break up the monotony of one of the weirdest and blandest seasons in years.

Maybe the best reason to be here, watching these games, caring about what’s going on, is the relationships you build through this dumb team. It creates bonds with your parents, your kids, your brothers and sisters, your friends, that will likely never go away. It’s why we get so happy when this team succeeds, and why we get so despondent when a historically incompetent GM trades away a top five player for almost no return.

So we keep showing up to see them lose by twenty to a championship contender, or lose by two to a fellow lottery-bound team. We watch the good games and the bad, even if we turn it off and go to bed early sometimes (especially those West Coast games with late start times).

Maybe there’s no real legitimate reason to watch a soon-to-be deconstructed team finish out a miserable season, and we’re all some sort of addicts. Addicted to basketball, whether it’s in it’s best or worst forms. If you stop and think about it too long, it really doesn’t make sense. We’re going to watch this team finish out 2-10, together, for fun?

But here we are, getting excited about Flagg making a play way too advanced for someone his age, or getting mad about Daniel Gafford’s lack of rebounding, or just getting bored. But we’re in it together, in this basketball purgatory together, thinking about better days on the horizon.

The Jayson Tatum return has been riveting. Every shot attempt, rebound, pass, and even high-five over these first seven games has been scrutinized. The overall early returns on the Tatum comeback have been sensational; however, his performance against the Memphis Grizzlies is a good reminder that he still has a way to go before he fully regains his superpowers. 

Coming out of the game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, the Jayson Tatum and Boston Celtics Hype Train had left the station. The three-point efficiency, the explosive drives…it was easy to envision the Boston Celtics playing in the NBA Finals, with Jayson Tatum playing an integral role.

For at least another couple of days, the hype train has returned to the station for some maintenance.

Tatum’s performance against the Grizzlies doesn’t need to be belaboured. It was easily his worst game since returning – missed layups, sloppy turnovers, questionable shot selection, and a general lack of the intensity that has become a staple of the 2025-2026 Boston Celtics. I don’t want that assessment to be misconstrued. Tatum played poorly by his standards. We have to remember how incredible Jayson Tatum was before he ruptured his Achilles. In his final game before the injury, Tatum had 42 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks in what was one of the best games anyone on the planet played last season. It was a rough outing against the Grizzlies, but that doesn’t mean Tatum hasn’t already exceeded expectations since returning. 

It has been 313 days since Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles, and he is playing impactful NBA basketball for the two seed in the Eastern Conference. That’s the real story through seven games. In 29.6 minutes per game, Tatum has put up 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists. The headline from that stat line to me is the 29.6 minutes per game. And over his last four games, Tatum is playing 31.6 minutes per game. I think if you told Jayson Tatum on the night of his injury that he would be back playing 32 minutes a night in just 313 days, both Jayson and Celtics fans would be overjoyed. They might even be tempted to fire up the duckboats. 

The fact that Tatum being out there playing basketball is the biggest win of all, but Tatum isn’t just out there. The Celtics have been crushing teams while Jayson Tatum has been on the court through seven games. With Tatum on the court, the Celtics are beating teams by 14.1 points per 100 possessions. And that’s despite Tatum struggling to put the orange ball in the basket consistently.

How is Tatum impacting the game at such a high level despite not being able to score efficiently? A significant factor is Tatum’s impact on the team’s turnover rate. The 2025-2026 Boston Celtics already led the league in fewest turnovers. Tatum has only amplified that strength. When Tatum has been on the court, the Celtics’ turnover percentage has been 9.5%. When Tatum is off the court this season (now 2,718 minutes), the Celtics’ turnover percentage has been 12.6% — best in the league. This year’s Celtics success has been driven by their dominance on the margins. Jayson Tatum has been a margins machine for years. He suppresses the team’s turnovers, he limits opponents’ offensive rebounding rate, he creates three-pointers for himself and others, and he defends without fouling. It’s almost as if Jayson Tatum was built in a lab for Mazzulla Ball. 

The most encouraging aspect of Jayson Tatum’s return has been his driving. There is still a lack of burst relative to pre-injury times. However, Tatum’s ability to get to the basket this early in his return is encouraging. Through seven games, Tatum is averaging 9.7 drives per game and shooting 54.3% on them, not far off his 2024-2025 season (10.3 drives per game, 56%). Tatum already being able to collapse defenses consistently should be a terrifying sign for opposing teams. 

One aspect of Jayson Tatum’s game that has been a glaring struggle since returning has been his scoring efficiency. Tatum currently has a true shooting percentage of 51.3%. For context, Tatum had a true shooting efficiency of 59% over his previous four seasons. The lackluster scoring efficiency can be mainly attributed to his cold start from three-point range. That number currently sits at 29.4%.

I’m not sure if we can attribute this cold shooting to rust or the Achilles injury. Sometimes players, and specifically Jayson Tatum, go through cold stretches. Derrick White has been ice-cold for large stretches this season. Tatum himself had a true shooting percentage of 50.5% and a three-point percentage of 26.3% in the 2024 NBA Finals. It’s hard to say if Tatum is missing shots due to getting back into rhythm or due to standard shooting variance. 

Lastly, the answer to the question that everyone was waiting for: could Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a duo who have played over 14,000 minutes together, co-exist after Jaylen Brown submitted his resumé for the All-NBA First Team? A huge surprise to no one who has been paying attention to the previous eight years of Jays era basketball, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been slaughtering opposing teams when they share the court through seven games. In 94 minutes on the court together, the Celtics are beating teams by 17.7 points per 100 possessions. Death, taxes, and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum winning basketball games. 

It seems like a foregone conclusion that the NBA will lean toward adding more teams to its league.

The league's board of governors will meet next week to further discuss an expansion to a 32-league team and approve moving forward on bid offers for a future market in Las Vegas and returning to Seattle, according to ESPN.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said during a February news conference that in the March meeting the league won't be officially voting, but "will likely come out of those meetings ready, prepared to take a next step in terms of potentially talking to interested parties."

"It doesn't have to be a two-team expansion. Frankly, it doesn't have to be any number of teams. I think the logical next move would be to say, all right, we've had those discussions internally, we've made decisions about cities to focus on and what the opportunity is, and now we've got to go out into the marketplace," Silver said. "I think that's probably the most important step, to find out who is potentially interested in owning a franchise in particular cities, what's the value of that franchise. There's some work to do in terms of potential conference realignment. That's the next step there."