Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Washington Wizards guard Sharife Cooper (13) dribbles against New York Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan (20) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Right now, the Washington Wizards have lost 16 games in a row and have a 16-55 record. With 71 regular season games done this season, the Wizards, in theory, could lose out and finish with a 16-66 record. That would mean that Washington could lose 27 games in a row to finish the 2025-26 season. Then, if the Wizards start out the 2026-27 season 0-2, that losing streak, combined with the 27 game losing streak to end the 2025-26 season, will give the Wizards a 29 game losing streak, the longest in NBA history?
Mar 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) dribbles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks returned to winning ways — and an 11th consecutive victory at home — with a lopsided 146-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night at State Farm Arena.
The Hawks — without Jalen Johnson — were led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 28 points, while Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga both added 16 points. For the Grizzlies — who are injury hit/running for the lottery — GG Jackson scored 26 points with Tyler Burton adding 20 points.
We’re at a point in the season where teams who are gunning for the playoffs, jostling for playoff seeding, meet teams whose have a very different objective at this time of the year — and there’s more teams than usual who fit this criteria this season. As a result, some games are more so formalities than contests; box-ticking exercises.
In this case: did the Memphis Grizzlies show up to the game? Yes, yes they did. They took a 5-0 lead, hung around in the first quarter (trailing by just 10 points to end the first quarter), and that was their general team contribution to this game.
The Hawks — who by no means played a sexy first quarter (eight turnovers, forcing passes that were a bit too far out of reach) — were extremely comfortable in this game, and while this game was never really a contest (leading by double digits in the first quarter, running the lead to 26 points in the second quarter, 30 points — and quickly 40+ points — in the third quarter) the Hawks remained professional throughout, and their first quarter play was a microcosm for how the rest of the game essentially unfolded, so we’ll look at some of the plays from last night.
From the outset, the Hawks’ ball movement was excellent, this three-pointer finished by CJ McCollum one such example of the Hawks’ willingness to pass, move, relocate, and find the open man:
Even when the Hawks were absolutely blowing the Grizzlies out in the third quarter, they still committed to this style of play when the ball moved around to find Gabe Vincent for a three-pointer with 1:41 remaining.
The Hawks tallied 37 assists and would only register three more turnovers for the remainder of the game following their eight turnovers in the first quarter.
“That’s the possession game,” said Hawks head coach Quin Snyder of cleaning up the turnovers. “The fact that we did that to be able to clean that up against a team that was denying passes and trying to extend pressure up the floor. I thought our guys settled into that and were much more secure with the ball, and that takes more than just one player. You’ve gotta work to get open, sometimes you’ve got to ball fake, you got to be spaced if someone needs help. It was good to see.”
Alexander-Walker scored 13 points in the first, and with Memphis’ lack of size inside the paint Alexander-Walker was able to consistently get to the rim and finish.
The Grizzlies did their share to help the Hawks at times, and a breakdown on the switch with Taylor Hendricks allows Alexander-Walker to turn the corner, attack the paint where he takes the bump, adjusts, and finishes for the ‘and-1’ play:
Coming off the curl from the corner and off the dribble hand-off from Jock Landale, Alexander-Walker is able to burst into the paint where he is uncontested for the dunk:
And, of course, the pick of the bunch. Kuminga intercepts the pass, does well to twist and turn to get the ball to the streaking Alexander-Walker, who charges to the rim and finishes the left-handed poster dunk, plus the foul:
“From when I got the ball, I could see the defender was timing me,” said Alexander-Walker of the play. “So, I knew I had to go aggressively. If I tried to lay it up, I think like the more aggressive guy wins in that situation. For me, it was just like, ‘All right, let’s just go for it,‘ mentality. I wanted to battle that one. I was just surprised. It’s funny because the guys get on me to dunk all the time. I tell them, like, ‘That’s just not what I like to do,’ you know. For me to go get one in that fashion was pretty funny.”
This play — and the Kuminga three the possession prior to this — were a big swing to end the first quarter as the Hawks had allowed Memphis to creep back towards them after a sloppy first quarter. With these two plays, the Hawks never really looked back.
Memphis did their best to help the Hawks with their turnovers and shot selection, such as this turnover where DeJon Jarreau loses the handle for the turnover:
On the drive, Walton Clayton Jr. attempts to throw a lob for Hendricks, only for Hendricks to have already fanned out to the corner, resulting in a turnover:
Memphis’ shot selection, however, was their greater issue. The early recipe to try attain a foothold in this game was Ty Jerome, and from the early exchanges this did yield success.
Jerome is well defended on the drive by Dyson Daniels, and forces him to take a turnaround jumpshot, which is short:
In transition, the Grizzlies find Clayton Jr. in the corner, but with 18 seconds remaining on the shotclock there’s likely a better shot than a fading three-point attempt in the corner:
The Hawks did their part to limit the Grizzlies, too, with some good Alexander-Walker defense preventing Clayton Jr. fro getting to the rim, and forcing a tough turnaround airball:
The Grizzlies would take many jumpshots in this game, indicative of both the Grizzlies’ lack of quality to create offense and the Hawks’ ability to limit penetration (and defend the rim when the Grizzlies got there) and keep Memphis in front of them.
Looking at some other team stats, the Hawks scored a whopping 39 points off of 23 Memphis turnovers, which also contributed to 26 fastbreak points. Nickeil Alexander-Walker pointed to the team’s defense in contributing to the Hawks’ fastbreak scoring, crediting Mo Gueye for his contributions (starting in place of Jalen Johnson).
“Just defense, active gaps,” said Alexander-Walker postgame of the fastbreak scoring. “Mo Gueye has been tremendous in terms of bringing activity for us, deflections. If you notice, he always racks them up whenever he’s playing. I think that’s just been big for us, what he has been able to do defensively. Dyson’s going to be him, he’s going to be disruptive, challenging passing lanes for everybody. I think it was a collective unit; we felt like we were on a string with rotations, with shifts, cycles, etc.”
The Hawks enjoyed a rare advantage on the offensive glass, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds leading to 19 second chance points; an efficient conversion. Efficient would be a good adjective to describe the Hawks in this game: 53% shooting from the field, 46% from three (making 25 in total), and shooting 23-of-25 from the free throw line.
The Hawks took care of business, which was the theme of the night in the postgame availability.
“I think it’s a collective thing where guys are just putting the team first,” said Snyder when asked about the maturity of his side taking care of business.“ When you say that, the things that those guys are doing right now demonstrate that. That’s got to be our focus, and when it is we’re crashing the offensive glass, we’re sharing the ball, getting in the lane, breaking the paint, and then sharing the ball. The focus on the defense is the most important thing when you see everybody bought into that, that says a lot about the guys in our locker room. Their maturity, but also just their focus. Whether you’re 22 or 32.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, as ever, summed up the matter very eloquently, saying the Hawks were very much aware of who they are playing, and who they should beat.
“I think as a group, we’ve been professional and that’s what it’s about, doing your job,” said Alexander-Walker. “It doesn’t matter who they put out in front of you. We were very conscious of who we were playing against tonight. We’ve seen the Boston game, we’ve seen the Denver game, and those are teams playing their full roster. Those are teams trying to get wins for seeding in the playoffs. Those guys, they’re winning games. One thing I learned is that if you lose to a team like that, it’s bad. If you beat a team like that, ‘Oh, you’re supposed to blah, blah, blah, blah’. You don’t really win in that situation. So, you kind of got to drown out the noise. You just got to be professional. It’s my job to play the game, it’s my job to play hard, it’s my job to try to win and do what I need to do for the team. Everyone showed up tonight to do that, and I think that’s been the one consistent thing that’s shown over time.”
“At the end of the day, these are the 450 best players in the world,” added Onyeka Okongwu. “Those guys over there, the Grizzlies, are dealing with a lot of injuries, a lot of guys in and out of the lineups. Those guys are just getting opportunities; you see guys like Prosper and Hendricks, they’re all just playing so hard and giving their all. Still got to respect it, but we still do what we do and take care of business at the end of the day.”
Aside from taking care of business, Snyder was pleased with the Hawks’ ball movement, crediting CJ McCollum’s contributions in the first quarter in setting the standard early, then Alexander-Walker’s efforts in the third quarter.
“It’s terrific. I thought CJ set the tone early, where he was just in the lane, had his eyes out finding people,” said Snyder of the Hawks’ unselfishness. “Then, Nickeil had a stretch, beginning the third quarter, where those guys playing that way, it raises everybody’s level, it sets a tone. It wasn’t just the two of them but, to me, they stood out because they’re both capable scorers and they get in there too. For them to be looking for their teammates, and they do. but it was noticeable tonight in those two situations, I thought, in a very obvious way. We were obviously unselfish, which I like to be able to say that.”
The nature of this game meant there was a lot of garbage time in the fourth quarter, and every player who checked into the game scored for the Hawks, including eight players in double-digit scoring. Alexander-Walker led the way with 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, and 4-of-6 from three, scoring 22 points in the first half. Jonathan Kuminga enjoyed a stronger game, also hitting four threes en route to 16 points off the bench, while Okongwu was an ever-present threat inside the paint on both ends of the floor.
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was a second consecutive game where Dyson Daniels hit multiple three-pointers in a game, shooting 2-of-3 from behind the arc.
“He’s done that before,” said Syder of Daniels’ shooting. “If you look, maybe not as much this year, but that’s who he is, and we don’t want him to not be aggressive in any situation. His aggressiveness offensively can manifest itself a lot of ways, just being prepared to shoot. I’ve talked to you guys before about just space, and then read, and if he’s got the shot, take the shot. He’s pretty good getting in the paint, too.”
As Snyder said, this is not new for Daniels overall — and those threes he took and hit last night looked like the threes he made last season — but for this season, it is an enormous boost. In 10 games in March so far, Daniels is shooting 31% from three; obviously not a high percentage but in the context of Daniels’ season it’s an enormous step forward.
All-in-all, a very professional game from the Atlanta Hawks, who won with ease in a spot where victory was expected. What was most impressive was the how the Hawks didn’t ease off the throttle in the third quarter, playing in a similar manner than in the first quarter with their ball and man movement when they could have easily began to ease up and play in a carefree manner. It speaks to a focus and a recognition of the seriousness of where the Hawks are in their season, now with a clear opportunity to make the top-6 in the East.
It was a very good night in that regard; Orlando inexplicably broke the Pacers’ 16 game losing streak, while Miami and Philadelphia suffered heavy home losses against the top two in the West. The Hawks need as much margin as they can get, as they have the fourth most difficult schedule remaining in the NBA.
The Hawks (40-32) are back in action on Wednesday, when they’ll take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, and while it’s a great time to play the Pistons in that sense, they should not be underestimated having just snapped the Lakers’ nine game winning streak without Cunningham.
Zion Williamson is putting in work since the All-Star break, pushing the New Orleans Pelicans out of the Western Conference basement with 10 wins in their last 16 games.
With no first-round draft pick, New Orleans lacks an incentive to tank down the stretch, and Williamson is stacking the box score with points, rebounds, and assists.
Our Pelicans vs. Knicks predictions single out that latter stat — assists — with my NBA picks calling for Zion to pump up his playmaking at MSG tonight.
Pelicans vs Knicks prediction
Pelicans vs Knicks best bet: Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists (-115)
Since coming off a minutes restriction in January, Zion Williamson has been a force, but he’s done so with the New Orleans Pelicans being selective about his usage, running the offense through him — not necessarily for him.
For all his sound and fury at the rim, Williamson is an underrated passer.
He generates 6.3 potential assists per game, trickling down to an average of 3.3 dimes. He’s dished out 3+ assists in 21 of his last 34 outings, including four helpers in the loss at Cleveland on Saturday.
Tonight’s player projections range between 3.4 and 4.4 assists for Zion.
Pelicans vs Knicks same-game parlay
The New York Knicks are in pursuit of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, which would earn them home court if they run into Boston in the playoffs. Game models have the Knicks getting by the Pelicans tonight.
Mikal Bridges is one of the streakiest scorers in the NBA. New York's small forward seems to have snapped another cold shooting slump with a 6-for-11 night and 14 points in the win over Washington. He’s projected for a similar stat line tonight.
Pelicans vs Knicks SGP
Knicks moneyline
Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists
Mikal Bridges Over 12.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Zion’s Garden Party
Superstars tend to get up to play at MSG. Zion’s projections lean toward 21 points and three assists, and let’s not forget how explosive a shot blocker he is. The Pelicans have also been one of the better ATS bets over the past month and a half.
Pelicans vs Knicks SGP
Pelicans +8.5
Zion Williamson Over 20.5 points
Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists
Zion Williamson Over 0.5 blocks
Pelicans vs Knicks odds
Spread: Pelicans +8.5 | Knicks -8.5
Moneyline: Pelicans +280 | Knicks -360
Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Pelicans vs Knicks betting trend to know
The Pelicans have covered the spread in 20 of their last 30 games for +10.10 units and a 31% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Knicks.
How to watch Pelicans vs Knicks
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
GCSEN, MSG
Pelicans vs Knicks latest injuries
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 23: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket as Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game...
Two clutch teams walk into a bar…
And instead of ordering drinks, they start trading daggers.
Not the loud, reckless kind that comes early in games when legs are fresh and defenses are polite. No, these are the quiet, suffocating possessions that define reputations — the kind that happen when the clock bleeds, the crowd leans, and every decision carries weight.
That’s who the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons have been all season. Not just good teams. Not just surprising teams. Clutch teams. Cold-blooded, mathematically undeniable closers.
Detroit’s Ronald Holland shoots against LA’s Luka Dončić at Little Caesars Arena, March 23 in Detroit, Michigan. Getty Images
Entering Monday night in Detroit, the Lakers owned the best winning percentage in clutch games in the NBA at 22–6 — a staggering .786 mark that isn’t just elite, it’s historic. We’re talking about the best clip in over two decades.
Across the floor stood a Pistons team with a different but equally dangerous profile. Detroit had 25 clutch wins — now 26, the most in the league — and a .676 winning percentage in those same moments.
Advanced metrics only reinforced the inevitability. The Lakers ranked No. 1 in clutch offensive rating and No. 1 in net rating. Detroit sat comfortably in the top tier at No. 7 and No. 5 respectively. Zoom out even further, and it gets almost absurd: Los Angeles was 24–6 in single-digit games; Detroit 27–7. In games decided by three points or less, the Lakers were 8–2, the Pistons 9–5.
So when these two collided inside Little Caesars Arena, there was no mystery. No guesswork. This wasn’t going to be a blowout. This wasn’t going to be decided by halftime, even though Detroit thought it would be.
This was always going to come down to one possession.
And it did.
Dončić is the very embodiment of why the Lakers have owned late-game situations all year. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers, short-handed without Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, spent the first half looking like a team that forgot its identity somewhere over the Midwest. Down 16, disjointed, a step slow. But here’s the thing about teams that live for those clutch moments — they don’t panic. They bend but don’t break.
“We’ve been able to bend and not break, and tonight was another example of that,” head coach JJ Redick said. “We’re a good basketball team and we have to continue to play together.”
They bent all the way back into the game, erased the deficit, and with just over 30 seconds left, even stole a one-point lead.
Without Cade Cunningham — their All-NBA engine — the Pistons leaned on Daniss Jenkins, who authored the kind of night that turns role players into folk heroes. Thirty points. Four free throws in the final stretch. No hesitation. No fear.
And suddenly, the narrative tightened like a noose.
Because on the other side stood Luka Dončić, the very embodiment of why the Lakers have owned late-game situations all year. Western Conference Player of the Week. Ten straight games with 30-plus points. Forty-one such performances this season. The first player this season to eclipse 2,000 total points. A human avalanche who had just poured in 100 points across two nights like it was a casual inconvenience.
This is the part where the script usually is written by him.
Down one, 12 seconds left, ball in his hands — a 14-foot pull-up from the left wing. The kind of shot Dončić makes in empty gyms, crowded arenas, probably in his sleep.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about clutch teams: Being clutch doesn’t mean you always win. It means you live on the edge so often that eventually, gravity wins one.
Even your best player misses from time to time. But on this night, it was the Pistons with the steadier hand — without their best player, no less.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the east, even without their All-NBA player being out,” LeBron James said. “We gave ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Maybe that’s true. Maybe.
LeBron James and Dončić walk off the court after their loss to the Detroit Pistons. Getty Images
But for a Lakers team that has built its identity on finishing games, “a chance” feels like a consolation prize.
Because when you’re the best clutch team in basketball, expectations don’t stop at the opportunity. They demand the result.
And Monday night in Detroit, against a team cut from the same late-game cloth, the Lakers learned something brutal and simple:
Sometimes, the other guy is just as clutch.
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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods has put himself into the lineup Tuesday night for his Jupiter Links team in the TGL final, waiting until the last day to make his first appearance in the tech-infused indoor league.
Woods has been at every match as a captain and a cheerleader while recovering from a seventh back surgery last October. He has gone more than a year since competing anywhere because of a ruptured Achilles tendon in March 2025.
Jupiter Links lost the opening match Monday night in the best-of-3 final against Los Angeles and now has to win two matches at the SoFi Center.
Wood said last week after Jupiter won to reach the finals he has been trying to play the matches.
“I’ve been trying to come back. But it just hasn’t worked out that way,” he said. “I’ve had a bad run of injuries last year. I think it’s been a year and a few days since I blew out my Achilles. And so then I’ve had two back operations. So it’s been a little rough go. But the guys here, this team, we have so much fun, I really don’t want to screw up the lineup, I just want these guys to keep playing.”
Woods will be replacing Kevin Kisner, who was on the losing end of the decisive hole in singles. Jupiter had a 5-4 lead when Los Angeles threw the hammer — meaning the hole was worth two points — for the par-5 closing hole.
Sahith Theegala had the length to easily reach the green in two and set up a two-putt birdie. Kisner, who has spent most of March in the booth for NBC's coverage of the PGA Tour, drove into the rough, laid up in the rough and hit wedge that didn't quite reach the green. His birdie chip from 20 feet to tie the hole — and win the match — narrowly missed to the left.
Woods joins Tom Kim and Max Homa for Jupiter Links. Akshay Bhatia had been filling in as an alternate, but he is in New Delhi this week on a sponsor invitation to play the Hero Indian Open.
Because, even though the Lakers fought back from down 16 points and led within the final 30 seconds against the Pistons, there were multiple moments throughout the game where it was evident they missed Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura.
Lakers’ Marcus Smart (L) and forward Rui Hachimura high-five at Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hachimura’s perimeter shooting (43.8% on 3s for the season for the league’s seventh-best mark) and ability to quickly create shots for himself would’ve been an ideal release valve for the Lakers’ offense that struggled to score like it normally does against the Pistons defense that ranks second in the NBA.
Smart’s ability to not only match physicality, but also dish it out, was missed against an ultra-aggressive Pistons team that regularly pushed the Lakers around on the perimeter.
The Lakers still hung in despite the absences from Smart, who was dealing with a bruised right ankle and right hip tightness, and Hachimura, who was sidelined because of right calf soreness.
Timberwolves’ Julius Randle (L) drives the ball against Lakers’ Hachimura and guard Marcus Smart, March 10 in LA. AP
And Jarred Vanderbilt, the player who saw the biggest increase in his playing time, going from out of the rotation to being on the floor for 15-and-a-half minutes, played his role as well as expected. He finished with four points, four rebounds and two assists.
But nearly 30 minutes of Smart’s ball-handling and playmaking would’ve made it more challenging for the Pistons to key in on Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. And the perimeter defense would’ve been handy when it came to trying to slow down second-year Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins, who scored a career-high 30 points in his third straight start for injured All-Star guard Cade Cunningham.
“Not having Smart [on Monday] killed us,” coach JJ Redick said. “Vando did a great job. When he had his minutes, he was ready to play, but the way our team works, you need Smart for his ball handling, you need Smart for his defense, you need Rui for his shooting. Those pieces are important to complement everybody.”
L–R: Hachimura, Luka Dončić and Marcus Smart during the game against the Timberwolves in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
So much of the Lakers’ season has been focused on their stars, in good or challenging times.
Dončić’s recent hot streak.
Reaves being established as the second option in the offensive hierarchy.
LeBron James adapting to what this version of the Lakers need from him.
But Monday was a reminder of the little things everyone can provide — from Deandre Ayton’s offensive rebounding physicality on the interior to Jaxson Hayes’ low man presence on defense — and how the usual nine-man rotation of Dončić, Reaves, Smart, James, Ayton, Hachimura, Hayes, Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard complement one another.
The Lakers have an 8–2 record when all nine rotation players have been available since the All-Star break.
“That’s important for us: That we can get healthy and we can play our rotation,” Redick said. “Post-Luke trade, I think when all nine guys have played, we’ve been a good basketball team. We need to finish the season strong, but we also need to finish the season healthy.”
But for now, the Lakers’ focus will be on finishing the six-game trip on a high note when they play the Pacers on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Pacers, who are nine months removed from playing in the NBA Finals, have the league’s worst record (16–56) in light of All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton being sidelined for the season after tearing his Achilles last June.
And it’s no secret they benefit from tanking, giving themselves a better chance of securing a higher draft pick in the summer’s draft.
But the Pacers also ended their franchise-record 16-game losing streak on Monday with a road victory over a Magic team that’s fighting for a playoff spot.
“They play extremely hard, extremely fast, and they’re super well-coached,” James said of the Pacers. “So we got to be ready for that. It’s the last game of the road trip. I know everybody’s trying to get home, but we got business to take care of, so we’ll be ready.”
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 23: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder hugs Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers after a game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 23, 2026 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. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was well after 10 Monday night, well after Jared McCain’s new team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, had beaten his old one, the 76ers. And still McCain, in street clothes by then, lingered in Xfinity Mobile Arena’s lower stands, visiting with friends.
A handful of people hovered about the place. Workers folded up chairs and pulled up ratty carpeting, the beginning stages of the changeover for Tuesday’s Flyers game. Some kids romped around the court, firing shots in the general direction of the rim.
“Jared,” one of them yelled up to McCain, “can we get a picture, please?”
“Yeah, I gotcha, buddy,” the second-year guard said.
A minute or two later he made good on his promise, posing with four youngsters in various Sixers jerseys – two Joel Embiids, one James Harden, one Dr. J.
It was almost as if McCain didn’t want to leave.
He played just 60 games for the Sixers, spread out over a season and a half. He performed really well for a really bad team last year, not so well for an improved one this year. In between he was injured, twice. He even did some time in the G-League this winter.
But if he struggled to find his place on the court, that was never the case off it. As had been the case elsewhere (and as is the case in OKC), the 22-year-old Californian very clearly made some strong connections, very clearly made himself at home. Which is why the crowd greeted him so warmly when he entered Monday’s game, and why, from the beginning of the night to the end, he always had time for one more photo, one more hug, one more handshake.
“I really believe in, you put good energy out and it comes right back to you,” he said. “And I really feel like I was able to do that with the Sixers and with the fans, with the organization.”
It can be said with certainty that while the Sixers have traded better players than McCain during their long, tortured history, they have seldom traded a better human being. Sixers coach Nick Nurse was saying before the game that McCain’s approach and attitude always stood out as much as his ability as a shooter and scorer – that he is, in Nurse’s words, “a tremendous person, worker and competitor.”
And, the coach added, “That’s always good to have on your team.”
That McCain is not is something that seems likely to stick in the craw of Sixers fans for years to come. He was shipped to the defending champs for four draft picks on Feb. 4, and he has fit like a glove. After averaging 6.6 points a game on .385/.378/.880 shooting splits in 37 games with Philadelphia, he has raised those numbers to 12.3 on .468/.439/.862 accuracy in 20 games with OKC. That includes his 5-for-11, 13-point effort in over 25 minutes off the bench in Monday’s 123-103 victory.
The Thunder had scouted McCain during his lone season at Duke, and thought highly of him. Coach Mark Daigneault alternately called him a “gym rat,” a “self-made player” and a “craftsman” on Monday, and said that while the newcomer has been respectful of the holdovers, he has hardly been deferential.
“He’s been who he is, and has played aggressively and confidently,” Daigneault said, adding that it says as much about the rest of the team as it does McCain – that the other players have “gone out of their way to try to make sure that we’re getting the best version of him.”
The bottom line?
“It’s felt,” the coach said, “like he’s been here longer than he has.”
Still, McCain was more or less on his own when it came to Monday’s homecoming. He had not been back in Philadelphia since the trade, which came in the middle of a road trip, and admitted he felt “a lot of anxiety” about his return.
“When I was meditating this morning, it was a lot of just acceptance of, it’s going to happen,” he said. “You’re going to have those feelings, you’re going to have those emotions” – including, he added, “that subtle feeling of you want to prove the team wrong that traded you.”
He said he tried to put that aside, but he nailed two three-pointers soon after entering the game midway through the first quarter. After the first, from the left corner, he talked some smack to veteran center Andre Drummond – “It’s all love,” McCain said with a grin – and seemed no less emotional after drilling the second, from the top of the circle.
He missed his next five attempts from the floor, but made three of his last four. McCain, who went 3-for-7 from the arc in all, was one of six players to crack double figures for the Thunder, who won their 12th straight to improve their league-best record to 57-15.
McCain said the night provided him “a little bit” of closure. Mostly, though, it had been weird. Weird to walk onto the court before the game and see veteran guard Kyle Lowry, who gave him a big hug, as well as assistant coach Rico Hines and so many others. (“It felt like I was on the Sixers again,” McCain said.) Weird to go to chapel with former teammates Justin Edwards and Adem Bona. And weird not to be able to drive by his old house, which he had loved but was too far from the Thunder’s hotel.
“It had a sauna,” he said. “It was really nice.”
Others had cleaned the place out, under the supervision of his mom. So it was that the cord had been cut, and the page turned.
But the connections remain. As the night wound down, McCain signed one of his old No. 20 Sixers road jerseys for two men, right outside the visiting locker room.
“Next year,” he said to them in parting.
Indeed, that will likely be the next time he is in town – next season. But after thinking it over for a moment, he chose to look at it another way.
“See you guys in the Finals,” he told the men.
Still spreading the positive vibes. Still true to himself. And this night of all nights, feeling it all come back to him, in waves.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 21: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 21, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Several former Rutgers basketball players have made their mark on the NBA this season. Dylan Harper has looked good coming off the bench for the San Antonio Spurs, while his brother, Ron Harper Jr, has contributed solid minutes to the Celtics when he was called up from the G-League. After taking some time to adjust to the NBA in the first half of the season, Dylan’s former teammate and good friend Ace Bailey is starting to prove why he was drafted so high.
Over the past few games, Bailey has scored 95 points for the Utah Jazz. He recorded 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists in the team’s 128-96 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He followed that up with a 25-point game in a losing effort to the Philadelphia 76ers before scoring 37 points in a losing effort to the Toronto Raptors. He is the fifth-youngest NBA player to score 25 points per game in three straight games. The four ahead of him are LeBron James, Cooper Flagg, Carmelo Anthony, and Devin Booker.
While it is stunning how well he has done in this recent set of games, this reflects an overall trend that shows him starting to adjust to the league overall. In the 10 games the Jazz have played since the start of March, Bailey has scored at least 20 points in five of them and has had 15 or more points in all but three. His average of 21.2 points this month is his highest monthly average since joining the league. His overall shooting percentage has gone up drastically as well, as he is hitting 46.6 percent of his shots from the floor and 43.8 percent of his shots from three.
Bailey will look to continue his streak of dominance as the Jazz are set to play a very vulnerable Washington Wizards team next on their schedule.
In addition to Bailey, Dylan Harper has had a few solid outings in his last few games, recording 24 points against the Indiana Pacers and 21 points against the Miami Heat. He is still being used largely in a reserve role, recording just over 20 minutes per game in most of his appearances, while Bailey, on the other hand, has been playing around 30 minutes on average. This is largely due to the teams that each of them is on, rather than their overall skill.
The hope is that Bailey will finish the season strong and give the Jazz faithful a reason to be excited for the future while both Harper brothers continue to contribute meaningful minutes on a playoff contender.
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 23: Pete Nance #35 of the Milwaukee Bucks goes up for the rebound during the game against the LA Clippers on March 23, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Down a fair few key guys, the Milwaukee Bucks got an almighty butt-whooping in their second visit to LA this season, falling 129-96 to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Bucks tried hanging in there, but their lack of offensive juice became too much against the Kawhi-led Clippers. Funnily enough, this was the first game between these two sides this season; they meet on Sunday in Milwaukee for the second. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Started well, going 5/8 in the first half (which included him taking Kawhi one-on-one and winning), but tailed off in the second half. Looked pretty fatigued, which is reflected in his turnovers. Also had nothing to slow down Darius Garland.
I liked the looks he took from three, but they just didn’t go in. He seems to play worse without KPJ being there to get him open looks. That said, his defensive awareness was poor, losing his man a few times. Moreover, it’s not good enough to get no boards when the team gave up 11 offensive rebounds for the game. Brook Lopez dominated this matchup, ironically.
Scored multiple times from his trusty wing post-ups, but looked a step slow against some of their athletes, getting burned at the rim by the likes of Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders. He did well when he was guarded by Isaiah Jackson, though.
Way more of a mixed bag for Ous than the last game. Unlike the case with Booker, he had nothing for Kawhi (then again, it’s freaking Kawhi). Also, he was bothered by physicality, giving the ball away way more than he should have.
Like Rollins, Nance started well but tailed off in the second half. Had a nice back-cut for the dunk, as well as a slam in transition (dude sneakily has bounce). And although his second half wasn’t great (3/8 shooting), it should be taken in context as to who he was out there with for most of that half.
His first bad game in a minute. Jericho seemed bothered by the amount of physicality they were using, and simply wasn’t as effective as a switch defender as he had been, getting roasted by Garland in one instance. Had butter fingers catching the ball on a few occasions.
Missed most of his shots and had some poor possessions guarding Kawhi. On one occasion, guarding him in the corner, he didn’t really even try to move his feet, instead reaching for the ball and allowing the blow-by.
Grade: D+
Gary Trent Jr.
31 minutes, 20 points, 7/13 FG, 6/10 3P, -12
A real breakout game for Gary. Granted, many of his makes came in garbage time, but still, he took each shot with the confidence of someone who’s been a regular in the rotation.
Credit where it’s due, AJax came into the game and made a positive imprint, primarily through his passing. He even had a few hockey assists (when they pass to the guy who gets the assist), which he won’t get credit for. On one occasion, he made a really nice lefty hook pass off the roll-replace action to AJ Green. Even took (and made) a three with confidence, as his defender went under the screen.
Grade: A-
Doc Rivers
Eh. With what Doc had at his disposal, I can’t poke too many holes in his game; the team looked worn down, both physically and emotionally. Continuing to give Trent more minutes has been a good move. I get the decision, but starting Prince over Green isn’t the move to make if you’re looking at this from a future-focused POV. Again, not saying it’s necessarily the “wrong” decision, though.
Grade: C
Garbage Time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo,
Inactive: Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr., Cam Thomas, Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gary Harris, Cormac Ryan
Bonus Bucks Bits
Doc referenced the team losing in Utah and then bouncing back in Phoenix as a sign that one bad night doesn’t mean they are a bad team.
As I wrote in the rapid recap, the Bucks began the third quarter shooting 1/11 from the floor; they also shot their first free throw at the 3:59 mark (on a technical foul) since the first quarter. Yikes.
Per Eric Nehm, This is the Bucks’ 10th loss by 25 or more points.
The Bucks had 22 turnovers, 14 of which came in the first half.
Darius Garland looked so much better than he did when he first came back.
Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders have been godsends for the Clippers.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, who obviously has an interesting history as it relates to the Bucks, has fallen out of Ty Lue’s rotation for most of this season.
Up Next
The Bucks finish out the road trip tomorrow night in the PNW against the Blazers. Catch the game at 9:00. p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 23: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on March 23, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, 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 Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
San Antonio is on a heater! They have now won six in a row and 22 of 24, making them the best team in the NBA over the last couple of months by a notable margin. Furthermore, many of these wins have been against good-to-excellent teams, and had last night’s game occurred a couple of weeks ago I would have counted Miami in that set.
However, the Heat’s outlook has dimmed considerably since their win over Milwaukee on March 12th, and – even though they have plenty of incentive to fight for wins over the next couple of weeks – Miami was clearly overwhelmed last night, allowing the Spurs to take firm control by halftime. Even so, the game produced a number of box score highlights, including several rare occurrences:
San Antonio followed up its dominant rebounding performance against Indiana with an even better showing against the Heat, including a +24 edge in total rebounds and +10 margin on the offensive glass. One result of this was that the Spurs had notable advantages in offensive opportunity, including seven more field goal attempts and eight more free throws.
Speaking of free throws, San Antonio was also excellent from the line, going 25-of-28. Even so, Miami generated a FT% margin of +5.71 percentage points by missing just one free throw in 20 attempts. Unfortunately for the Heat, their only award for this achievement is joining an ignominious club: In the 16,743 regular season games since the start of 2012-2013, this is just the 16th contest in which a team has lost by 25+ points while having a FT% of at least 95% on 20+ attempts.
The margin of victory also seems remarkable when one considers that Miami made 16 threes, one more than the Spurs. In the same set of 16,743 regular season games this is just the 17th case in which a team lost by 25+ points while having a positive 3PM differential and making 16+ shots from distance. Of course, the reason this combination is so rare is that teams that make this many threes tend to be shooting well, which was absolutely not the case for Miami last night.
As I already mentioned, offensive volume was a big part of the Spurs’ easy victory last night; for example, San Antonio still outscored the Heat by six at the free throw line despite Miami’s edge in FT%. Volume and efficiency were also important from the field, where the Spurs’ extra shots and +7.52 percentage-point FG% margin helped them earn a +10 FGM differential.
Including this game, only 153 winners have had FGM and FTM differentials of at least +10 and +6 (respectively) in the 16,743 regular season contests since the start of 2012-2013. The average margin of victory in this set is just over 36 points, and only 14 other members of the group have won by 25 or less. As such, San Antonio’s win last night can be seen as an underachievement, though I won’t be losing any sleep over it.
What are Team Graded Box Scores?
Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).
Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 13: New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis looks on during the first quarter of the 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament between New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs at Smoothie King Center on April 13, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 01: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns pressures Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Clippers defeated the Suns 117-93. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Ten games left. That is all that separates the Phoenix Suns from the end of the regular season, and it brings them to a place they have never been before as a franchise, staring down the reality of the Play-In Tournament.
It is still a relatively new wrinkle in the NBA, introduced in 2021, and Phoenix has managed to avoid it up to this point. The closest they came was in 2024, when they landed in the sixth seed and were promptly swept by Minnesota in the first round. Now it feels inevitable. The numbers back it up, with Basketball Reference giving the Suns a 91.8% chance to finish seventh in the Western Conference, which plants them firmly in Play-In territory.
A lot can shift over ten games. The NBA has a way of bending expectations when you least expect it, but the runway is short and the direction feels set. Phoenix is trending toward hosting a Play-In game, one night with everything on the line, a chance to secure the seventh seed and earn a date with the second seed out West. That reality starts to shape the way you look at the standings, because it is no longer about climbing; it is about positioning and survival. You begin scanning the teams circling that eighth spot, wondering who you would rather see, who presents the cleaner matchup, who carries the kind of chaos you want no part of.
So let’s take a look at the group fighting for that final Play-In position, and what each potential opponent could mean for the Suns.
Los Angeles Clippers
Odds of 8th seed: 62.4%
The Clippers sit under .500 at 35–36, 4.5 games back of Phoenix for that seventh seed, and with only 11 games remaining, it is a steep climb to make up that kind of ground. It can happen – the league has a way of tightening and twisting late in the year – but the math is not in their favor. Still, they sit squarely in the conversation as a potential Play-In opponent, and they are not a team you casually dismiss.
Since December 20, the Clippers are 29–15, the sixth-best record in the NBA over that stretch, and it speaks to how they have reshaped themselves on the fly. They moved on from a significant portion of their core, sending James Harden to Cleveland and Ivica Zubac to Indiana. And instead of folding, they found a rhythm. There is structure to what they do, there is confidence in how they play, and it shows up night after night.
The Suns split the season series 2–2, although the timing of those games matters. Three of those matchups came in the opening weeks of the season, back when everything still felt fluid and undefined, and only one has come since the calendar flipped to 2026. That game, February 1, was a 117–93 Clippers win that never felt competitive.
In March, the Clippers are 8–5, a notch above the Suns at 6–6 over the same stretch, and it reinforces the idea that this is a team playing with purpose as the season tightens. If this is the matchup that materializes, it would not be comfortable and it would not be forgiving.
Portland Trail Blazers
Odds of 8th seed: 26.2%
The Portland Trail Blazers sit a half-game behind the Clippers, which sets the stage for a tight race between those two teams as the season winds down. Every night carries weight for them, every result nudges the standings, and it feels like that eighth seed could swing back and forth all the way to the finish line. They have already dropped two games to the Clippers this season, and with two more matchups remaining, including that 81st game on April 10, there is a built-in pressure point that could decide who stays afloat and who slips to ninth.
Phoenix holds a 2–1 edge over Portland this year, although the lone loss tells a story of its own. That 92–77 defeat on February 22 came under some strange circumstances. The Suns were without Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, and rolled out a starting group of Collin Gillespie, Jalen Green, Ryan Dunn, Royce O’Neale, and Mark Williams. It never found a rhythm. The offense stalled possession after possession, the shots did not fall, and the numbers reflect it. Phoenix shot 36.5% from the field, one of their roughest nights of the season, and finished with their lowest scoring output in nine years.
It is the kind of game you log, you remember, and you try to contextualize when projecting forward. Because while the Suns have had success against Portland, they have also seen how quickly things can get muddy against them, especially when the roster is stretched and the margin for error disappears.
Golden State Warriors
Odds of 8th seed: 7.5%
Golden State feels like a team running on fumes right now. They are 2–9 in March as injuries have chipped away at their rotation, and they are hanging on more than they are building anything sustainable. From a Phoenix perspective, there is a quiet sense of relief in that, because a healthy Warriors team has a way of turning every possession into a problem. The Suns are 1–2 against Golden State this season, with their lone win coming in a tight 99–98 game on December 18.
The Warriors sit at 33–38, two games back of the eighth seed, and the path forward is narrow. It would take a real push over their final 11 games to climb into position, and they are fighting uphill in the tiebreaker scenarios as well. Portland holds the edge after taking three of four in their season series, and the Clippers have won two of three so far, with one more meeting still on the schedule.
That final Clippers game, the last game of the regular season, lingers as a potential swing point. If the standings stay tight, it could carry real weight. For now, Golden State remains in the mix, but it feels fragile, a team searching for stability at the exact moment the season demands it.
Those are the names on the board, the paths that could cross with Phoenix when the Play In lights come on. And with the Suns essentially settled into their spot, the lens shifts a bit. It is no longer about chasing, it is about watching, about tracking the chaos unfolding beneath them and seeing which version of it rises up to meet them.
So the question becomes simple, even if the answer is not. Who do you want?
That is where we are. Ten games left, and instead of scoreboard watching above, it becomes about the teams below, about rooting for outcomes that shape the cleanest path forward. Not an easy path, because nothing about this team has been easy, but the one that gives you the best chance to survive and move on.
Is your fantasy team alive and thriving in the playoffs? Hanging on for dear life and needing some tips? Or is your team out, and you’re simply here for the love of the sport? Either way, we've got you covered in this week’s column. Check out these three players whose stock is up, and the three whose stock is not.
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No Paul George. No Tyrese Maxey. No Joel Embiid. Just lots of Quentin Grimes lately. The wing scorer had fully taken advantage of his opportunities before missing Monday’s game with an illness. His most recent stat lines have gone like this: 25/5/4, 27/5/7, 12/2/1, 31/3/2, 28/8/4 — quick math shows that’s an average of 23.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists for Grimes over the past five games. The only thing to escape him over this stretch is the subpar 29.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc, which has been a weakness throughout the season. Nonetheless, Grimes is playing as good basketball as anyone on the Sixers at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see what happens once the Sixers’ top guys return. But until then, the production should remain.
Darius Garland — PG, Clippers
No hidden gem here. Garland, now 10 games into his tenure with the LA Clippers, has tallied at least 20 points and six assists in six of those games, with one of his most recent appearances being a 41-point, 11-assist outing against the Mavericks to help the Clippers end a four-game losing skid. Along with the points and assists, the one-time NBA All-Star has provided value as a three-pointer shooter, making at least four triples in half of his games since being traded. Injuries have been a concern for Garland over the past couple of seasons, but he’s currently healthy and making a huge splash on the offensive end, which has come at the perfect time for those fantasy managers currently in the playoffs.
Perhaps no one on the Timberwolves has benefited more from Anthony Edwards’ absence (knee) than Hyland. In under 30.0 minutes per game, he’s posted averages of 20.0 points and 3.3 three-pointers in the four games that have taken place since Edwards has been sidelined. Those numbers may not be extraordinary, especially since there hasn’t been much impact in other statistical categories; however, they could certainly be useful off the waiver wire for those fantasy managers needing to stream scoring and three-pointers during the fantasy playoffs. Edwards' return date is still unclear, meaning Hyland should remain a priority on offense for the time being.
STOCK DOWN
Jonathan Kuminga — SF/PF, Hawks
The start to Kuminga’s Hawks tenure was a fun one. He debuted with a 27-point, seven-rebound outing against the Wizards, which he followed up two days later with a 17/9/3 line in the rematch before a 20-point outing against the Trail Blazers in Game 3 of his tenure. However, knee inflammation took him out of the lineup for three straight games, and his impact has not been nearly the same in the five games since returning. Specifically, Kuminga has been held to single digits in three of those games, in which he combined to shoot 3-of-20 from the field with zero three-pointers. He did, however, post 16 points and four three-pointers in the Hawks’ 39-point win over the Grizzlies on Monday — perhaps this couldn’t be the performance that gets him back on track. However, it’s hard to assume his stock will rise enough to become a reliable contributor in fantasy leagues before the playoffs conclude.
Myles Turner — C, Bucks
It’s not inaccurate to say the Bucks have had a tough season. From injuries to underperforming players, the season has gone south, and it doesn’t appear to be in a salvageable place with less than a handful of weeks left in the season. One of the players who has really struggled to find his way throughout the season is Myles Turner. Across his 12 appearances in March, Turner’s minutes per game are easily at his lowest of any month, and the 8.3 points per game also certainly are. The first-year Buck has reached double figures in scoring only two times this month, while shooting 39.0 percent from the field. It’s hard to imagine things going much worse than they currently are for Turner, but given Milwaukee’s place in the Eastern Conference standings with less than a few weeks left in the season, I can’t actually see things getting much better. By this point, there likely aren’t too many fantasy managers leaning on Turner for production in the fantasy playoffs.
Immanuel Quickley — PG/SG, Raptors
Following an exceptional February — arguably Quickley’s best month from a production standpoint — March hasn’t been nearly as kind. He’s shooting 39.2 percent from the field through 10 games this month and has had some noteworthy struggles from behind the 3pt line during that stretch. Continued success as a passer has kept his floor from lowering even more in terms of nightly fantasy production, but a safe floor may not be what fantasy managers need at this point in the season. Quickley is battling a foot injury, which caused him to miss Monday’s lopsided win over the Jazz — perhaps the ailment has been at the root of recent unspectacular play. Regardless, more production is preferred around this time of the year.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 29: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks looks to pass the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 29, 2025 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Tonight, the Knicks (47*-25) host the Pelicans (25-47) at Madison Square Garden. New York has won six straight, including Sunday’s blowout of the Wizards, while New Orleans went 6-4 over their last 10.
The teams last met December 29, 2025, with the Knicks winning 130-125 at the Smoothie King Arena. Brunson led New York with 28 points and 10 assists, while Zion Williamson paced New Orleans with 32 points.
James Borrego’s team has the league’s 20th offensive and 24th defensive rating. They score 115.6 points per game but allow 119. Trey Murphy III averages 21.8 points on efficient shooting and stretches the floor. Zion delivers 21.3 points, dominating inside when healthy and alert. Herb Jones locks down wings with elite defense and hustle, rating in the 97 percentile for deflections. And Dejounte Murray has averaged 18.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in 10 games this season.
Expected starters tonight are Murphy, Saddiq Bey, Williamson, Jones, and Murray.
On the injury report, New York lists Miles McBride and Landry Shamet (knee, bone bruise) as OUT, and Kevin McCullar, Jr (knee/quad). as questionable. The Pelicans have Bryce McGowens down as questionable (toe).
Prediction
ESPN win probability sits around 77% for the Knicks. Okie dokie. These Pelicans are a tougher team now that Murray has recovered from a torn right Achilles, and they’ve split the games he’s played this year. Expect New York to have some trouble with these birds, but to pull away in the second half. The Pels are a 35% shooting team from the perimeter and do most of their scoring within the arc. Key to victory: dominate the boards, force turnovers in transition for easy points, and let Towns exploit mismatches inside. Knicks win by eight for their second seven-game win-streak of the season.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (47*-25) vs New Orleans Pelicans (25-47) Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC TV: NBC / Peacock Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins smell like fish.
