Flagg made his NCAA tournament debut a mere eight days after suffering a sprained left ankle in the ACC quarterfinals.
March Madness: Cooper Flagg shows no signs of rust in commanding return as Duke dominates Mount Saint Mary’s
Cooper Flagg returned to the lineup after missing two-plus games with a sprained ankle and looked no worse for wear as No. 1 seed Duke went on to a commanding win.
Blue Devils blow past Mount St. Mary’s
Everything about Duke’s first game of the NCAA tournament went according to plan. Cooper Flagg returned from a two-game absence and had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 22 minutes, an all-around impressive performance in the Blue Devils’ 93-49 victory against Mount St. Mary’s on Friday at Lenovo Center. Duke will play Baylor on Sunday in the second round.
Kyan Evans and favored No. 12 seed Colorado State beat short-handed Memphis 78-70 in March Madness
Kyan Evans made a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead No. 12 seed Colorado State past fifth-seeded Memphis 78-70 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.
VIDEO: Preview press conferences – Arkansas vs. St. John’s
Video of Arkansas' John Calipari, players previewing the Round of 32 matchup against the St. John's Red Storm
#12 Colorado St. wins 11th straight, eliminates #5 Memphis
Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and basketball analyst Isis ‘Ice’ Young react to the Rams 78-70 win over Memphis in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Doctor explains why Steph's injury update is ‘good sign'
Doctor explains why Steph's injury update is ‘good sign' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Dub Nation experienced a collective fright when Steph Curry exited the Warriors’ win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday after suffering an injury in the third quarter.
On Friday the Warriors announced Curry would be re-evaluated Monday after an MRI revealed the superstar point guard suffered a pelvic contusion, but not structural damage, which is a good sign according to Stanford Medicine’s Dr. Todd Alamin.
“So that’s really good news,” Dr. Alamin told NBC Sports Bay Area regarding Curry’s MRI results. “He landed directly on his tailbone, and the worry is that he might have a more significant injury to his tailbone such as a fracture or a dislocation of one of the joints within it. The fact that he had a contusion, which is basically a little bit of bleeding between the back of the bony part of the tailbone and the skin overlying it. It’s a really good bit of news because it tells us it’s more of a soft-tissue injury than a bone injury.
Following Thursday’s game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr shared that Curry wanted to come back into the game after suffering the injury. Dr. Alamin shared why that is an encouraging development in Curry’s eventual return to action.
“That’s also a really good sign. I think the team did exactly the right thing though in getting an MRI scan to really be able to understand the significance of his injury,” Dr. Alamin said. “Obviously he’s a competitor and an incredible athlete, sometimes incredible athletes can do things that might not be great for them in the longer term. But with this knowledge they’ll be able to use how Steph is feeling to determine when he’s able to get back to the game.”
While Curry missed five games toward the end of the 2020-2021 NBA season after suffering a tailbone injury, it’s unlikely that history would play a role in his most recent ailment.
“The only situation we’d be worried about is a situation in which he broke his tailbone and then re-broke it, which clearly did not happen based on the information we have available,” Dr. Alamin explained. “So, I think his previous injury and this one are not going to be affecting each other in any signifcant way, which is really good news.
While it’s hard to place an exact timetable on Curry’s eventual return, Dr. Alamin exuded confidence in the Warriors’ ability to assess whenever the two-time NBA MVP will be ready to return to action.
“Well, it’s a little variable from one person to the next. But soft tissue injuries like this can take a week to six weeks to heal. And it just sort of depends on how he feels,” Dr. Alamin said. “Again, I have not seen the imaging studies directly, but how significant the contusion was. I think he’s going to have a pretty good sense as to when he’s able to get back in. I think the [Warriors] training staff and the coaches will be able to have a pretty good idea of when it’s safe to get him back based on how he’s feeling and how he’s moving aorund the court.”
As the Warriors gear up for a stretch run entering the NBA playoffs, Dr. Alamin believes Curry’s pelvic contusion isn’t a significant concern when it comes to re-injury or additional ailments directly caused by it.
“No I don’t think so. Although, clearly basketball players are susceptible to direct falls ont heir back, on their tailbone. These things happen in games,” Dr. Alamin said. “If it were to happen again, it might take longer to heal from a secondary episode if it was within, hard to say exactly, but two to six weeks of the original injury here that he has just had.”
Doctor explains why Steph's injury update is ‘good news'
Doctor explains why Steph's injury update is ‘good news' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Dub Nation experienced a collective fright when Steph Curry exited the Warriors’ win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday after suffering an injury in the third quarter.
On Friday the Warriors announced Curry would be re-evaluated Monday after an MRI revealed the superstar point guard suffered a pelvic contusion, but not structural damage, which is a good sign according to Stanford Medicine’s Dr. Todd Alamin.
“So that’s really good news,” Dr. Alamin told NBC Sports Bay Area regarding Curry’s MRI results. “He landed directly on his tailbone, and the worry is that he might have a more significant injury to his tailbone such as a fracture or a dislocation of one of the joints within it. The fact that he had a contusion, which is basically a little bit of bleeding between the back of the bony part of the tailbone and the skin overlying it. It’s a really good bit of news because it tells us it’s more of a soft-tissue injury than a bone injury.
Following Thursday’s game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr shared that Curry wanted to come back into the game after suffering the injury. Dr. Alamin shared why that is an encouraging development in Curry’s eventual return to action.
“That’s also a really good sign. I think the team did exactly the right thing though in getting an MRI scan to really be able to understand the significance of his injury,” Dr. Alamin said. “Obviously he’s a competitor and an incredible athlete, sometimes incredible athletes can do things that might not be great for them in the longer term. But with this knowledge they’ll be able to use how Steph is feeling to determine when he’s able to get back to the game.”
While Curry missed five games toward the end of the 2020-2021 NBA season after suffering a tailbone injury, it’s unlikely that history would play a role in his most recent ailment.
“The only situation we’d be worried about is a situation in which he broke his tailbone and then re-broke it, which clearly did not happen based on the information we have available,” Dr. Alamin explained. “So, I think his previous injury and this one are not going to be affecting each other in any signifcant way, which is really good news.
While it’s hard to place an exact timetable on Curry’s eventual return, Dr. Alamin exuded confidence in the Warriors’ ability to assess whenever the two-time NBA MVP will be ready to return to action.
“Well, it’s a little variable from one person to the next. But soft tissue injuries like this can take a week to six weeks to heal. And it just sort of depends on how he feels,” Dr. Alamin said. “Again, I have not seen the imaging studies directly, but how significant the contusion was. I think he’s going to have a pretty good sense as to when he’s able to get back in. I think the [Warriors] training staff and the coaches will be able to have a pretty good idea of when it’s safe to get him back based on how he’s feeling and how he’s moving aorund the court.”
As the Warriors gear up for a stretch run entering the NBA playoffs, Dr. Alamin believes Curry’s pelvic contusion isn’t a significant concern when it comes to re-injury or additional ailments directly caused by it.
“No I don’t think so. Although, clearly basketball players are susceptible to direct falls ont heir back, on their tailbone. These things happen in games,” Dr. Alamin said. “If it were to happen again, it might take longer to heal from a secondary episode if it was within, hard to say exactly, but two to six weeks of the original injury here that he has just had.”
Stephen A. Smith: 'I might have been wrong' about Bronny James' NBA readiness
Stephen A. Smith isn't quite ready to admit he was wrong about Bronny James.
But the ESPN personality did lay the groundwork for such an admission on "First Take" the morning after the son and teammate of Lakers superstar LeBron James played his best NBA game.
Two weeks earlier, after Smith was confronted by an angry James over comments the TV analyst had made about his son, Smith had taken to the same airwaves to assert that he wasn't being disrespectful in saying he felt Bronny James belonged in the G League as a rookie.
On Friday, however, Smith told viewers, "I might have been wrong" about Bronny James' NBA potential this season.
Read more:Stephen A. Smith says LeBron James confronting him was 'weak': 'I was talking about you,' not Bronny
That acknowledgment came after Bronny James stepped up in the absence of a multitude of his teammates — including his father, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Dorian Finney-Smith — against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The result of the game might have been a blowout loss for the Lakers, but Bronny James had a breakthrough performance. His 17 points and five assists in 30 minutes were all career highs, and his three rebounds tied his NBA best.
“I was very impressed," Smith said of Bronny James' performance. "I was very impressed because I saw an elevation in his level of confidence and poise. It was like it didn’t really faze him. He didn’t look as nervous as he had looked in previous appearances on the basketball court. He looked like somebody that belonged. …
"I might have been wrong. Are you listening, LeBron James?" 🤯 @stephenasmith reacts to Bronny James' career-high performance against the Bucks 👀 pic.twitter.com/3GMW05zbwR
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 21, 2025
"There were some moves that he put out on the court — ball-handling skills, getting to the basket, finishing at the basket, pulling up for jumpers, hitting a three, 17 points, 7-of-10 shooting from the field — I was impressed."
He added: "And if that kind of stuff continues, then indeed he’ll be in the league as a bonafide player sooner than later. One game doesn’t make that determination. You need to do more than that. But I wanted to make sure I emphasized that point."
Smith was sitting courtside at Crypto.com Arena for the Lakers-Knicks game March 6 when James approached him during a timeout and angrily addressed him face to face. Smith said the next day that James had come up to him “to confront me about making sure I mind what I say about his son.”
Read more:Bronny James credits focus on his game for career-best 17 points during loss to Bucks
On Friday, Smith reiterated what he has said numerous times since the incident, that he had never disrespected Bronny James.
“But I did believe that he belonged in the G League to get himself honed for the NBA level," Smith said. "What may have been wrong about that is that evidently being around JJ Redick and that staff and being around Pops and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers — combined with the G League, going back and forth — may be doing wonders for him sooner than we anticipated. Because I liked what I saw last night.
"And I’m gonna keep the same energy. When he plays well, we gonna give him props. When he doesn’t play well, we’re going to say so. That’s what happens with covering the league. Maybe his Pops didn’t tell him that, but I’m gonna tell him that. Congrats on a good performance last night. I hope it continues. I believe it will.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
March Madness upsets continue as Colorado State tops Memphis in men’s NCAA Tournament
Another double-digit seed has advanced in the NCAA men's tournament. No. 12 Colorado State knocked off Memphis in their first-round game in Seattle.
March Madness 2025: No. 12 Colorado State takes down No. 5 Memphis with big second half
The Rams were favored before the game despite being the lower seed.
Mark Sears and Alabama survive scare and beat 15th-seeded Robert Morris 90-81
All-America guard Mark Sears scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half and second-seeded Alabama pulled away late to escape 15th-seeded Robert Morris 90-81 on Friday.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Quentin Grimes should be added in shallow leagues
Depending on the league's settings, many fantasy managers will compete for a championship during Week 21. The "silly season" has been in full effect for a few weeks, meaning some players on lottery-bound teams have firmly established themselves as worthwhile additions to fantasy rosters. The lingering concern is a player performing so well that they lose out on playing time to protect- or improve- the team's lottery odds. This week's Waiver Wire begins with a player who could find himself in that situation, but fantasy managers must operate under the assumption that he'll continue to play starters' minutes.
Priority Adds
1. Quentin Grimes (shallow leagues)
2. Toumani Camara
3. Kyle Filipowski
4. Jeremy Sochan
5. Aaron Nesmith
6. Kyshawn George
7. Cason Wallace
8. Keon Ellis
9. Kevin Huerter
10. Ziaire Williams
SG/SF Quentin Grimes (63%), Philadelphia 76ers
Usually, this list is limited to players rostered in no more than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues. But an exception must be made for Grimes, who has been elite recently. According to Basketball Monster, he's ranked fifth in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. The 76ers have been willing to let Grimes play heavy minutes, and he has made the most of his opportunities. Even if the team cut Grimes' minutes, that should not be a significant concern for fantasy managers.
SG/SF/PF Toumani Camara (46%), Portland Trail Blazers
Camara is still rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues, meaning he can help some managers compete in 12-team leagues. While he has only been a 12th-round player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks, the percentages (41.5 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from the foul line) have been the problem. Camara continues to provide excellent defensive production, making him worth the risk in category leagues.
SF/PF/C Jeremy Sochan (43%), San Antonio Spurs
Sochan's production hasn't been great, as he's ranked outside the top 200 in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. However, he has played 31 minutes or more in two of his last three outings, most recently logging 38 as the starting center in a March 19 win over the Knicks. Also, Sochan has hit double figures in five straight appearances, his longest streak since mid-December. And with the Spurs playing four games during Week 21, he'll be worth the risk, even if Bismack Biyombo returns to the starting lineup.
PF/C Kyle Filipowski (32%), Utah Jazz
Even though the franchise was fined $100,000 in early March due to its handling of Lauri Markkanen, the team continues to take steps to limit the playing time of its more established players. That frees up additional minutes for players like Filipowski, who has been an 11th-round player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. Utah doesn't have the best schedule for Week 21, as its three-game week concludes on Friday, but Filipowski is one of the youngsters who will not lack opportunities to perform.
SF/PF Aaron Nesmith (31%), Indiana Pacers
Over the past two weeks, Nesmith has provided seventh-round value in eight-cat formats, averaging 15.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.9 three-pointers per game. He reclaimed his place in the starting lineup just before the All-Star break, and Tyrese Haliburton's recent absence has raised Nesmith's offensive ceiling slightly. And even if the star point guard is available for the start of Week 21, the Pacers will play four games.
SG/SF Kyshawn George (26%), Washington Wizards
The Wizards have a four-game schedule for Week 21, and George was removed from the injury report after missing the team's March 19 loss to the Jazz. Over the past two weeks, the rookie wing has provided top-60 value in eight-cat formats. Along with Alexandre Sarr (62 percent), Tristan Vukcevic (13 percent) and Jordan Poole, George is one of four Wizards who has provided top-100 value over the past two weeks. And the Wizards may look to trim Poole's minutes in the final weeks in favor of the team's younger players getting more minutes. Although he's already a starter, George may benefit from an offensive usage standpoint if the team takes that approach.
PG/SG/SF Keon Ellis (23%), Sacramento Kings
While Zach LaVine's return after missing one game for personal reasons pushed Ellis back to the bench, he has a higher fantasy ceiling due to the Domantas Sabonis ankle injury. With Jonas Valanciunas now in the starting lineup, there's a greater need for Ellis to provide consistent production off the bench, even if they don't play the same position. He's worth a look for category league managers needing steals, as Keon has averaged 1.5 per game over the past two weeks.
SG/SF Kevin Huerter (21%), Chicago Bulls
Josh Giddey returned from a sprained ankle on Wednesday, playing 31 minutes off the bench in a loss to the Suns. He'll likely return to the starting lineup before Week 21, but there will still be minutes available to Huerter. He logged 32 minutes against the Suns and has been a top-75 player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. While Huerter has been most valuable in the points, rebounds, and three-point categories, he has also averaged 1.7 steals per game over the past two weeks.
PG/SG Cason Wallace (20%), Oklahoma City Thunder
While he was one of the Thunder rotation players who did not play in the team's March 19 rout of the 76ers, Wallace could be given more opportunities as the regular season approaches its conclusion. He's played 27 minutes or more in each of his last four appearances, and the second-year guard would have added value if the team were to give Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the occasional night off in preparation for the postseason. And even if that would not be Oklahoma City's approach, Wallace has been a sixth-round player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks.
PG/SG Scotty Pippen Jr. (17%), Memphis Grizzlies
While Ja Morant's absence due to a shoulder injury did not result in Pippen moving into the starting lineup (Luke Kennard did), his fantasy value has increased. Over the past two weeks, the Grizzlies' backup has been a top-50 player in nine-cat formats. Pippen is still playing just under 26 minutes per game, and the steals production (2.4 per game) has been noteworthy. Averaging 1.3 per game on the season, he's recorded two or more steals in eight straight outings. The Grizzlies only play three games during Week 21, but Pippen will be worth a look if Morant remains out.
SG/SF Ziaire Williams (16%), Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are effectively playing out the string, and Williams is one of the team's younger players who hasn't lacked opportunities. And over the past two weeks, he has provided sixth-round value in nine-cat formats. With Cam Thomas done for the season, there's no reason why Williams won't continue to surpass 30 minutes consistently. While Brooklyn's Week 22 schedule isn't good, the team will play four games during Week 21.
SF/PF Brice Sensabaugh (8%), Utah Jazz
As mentioned in the Filipowski portion, the Jazz are in a situation where their younger players will see plenty of time as the season winds down. Over the past two weeks, Sensabaugh has averaged 13.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 three-pointers per game. While he doesn't provide much value in the rebound or defensive stat categories, the second-year forward is worth rostering due to his opportunities and scoring ability.
V.J. Edgecombe and Baylor hold off Mississippi State in final seconds to win 75-72 in March Madness
The athletic Edgecombe finished with 16 points, including two clutch free throws down the stretch, to help the ninth-seeded Bears hold off the eighth-seeded Bulldogs 75-72 on Friday.
Why Draymond earned Pippen, Rodman comparison from Kerr
Why Draymond earned Pippen, Rodman comparison from Kerr originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors coach Steve Kerr showered Draymond Green with more two-way praise just days after labeling the veteran forward the “best defender in the world.”
Golden State’s coach compared Green to two of the NBA’s all-time great defenders in talking to reporters on Thursday before the Warriors’ 117-114 win over the Toronto Raptors at Chase Center.
Kerr first cited similarities between Green and his former teammate and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Scottie Pippen.
“I have a top two, and that’s Scottie Pippen and Draymond,” Kerr told reporters. “And I think what makes Draymond different from Scottie is that Draymond is physically stronger and more capable of guarding low-post players.
“I’ll give Scottie a break because, back then, the low-post guys were [Shaquille O’Neal] and Patrick Ewing and Hakeem [Olajuwon]; it was a very different game back then where it was very low post-centric, and now hardly anybody goes down to the block.”
Pippen made 10 NBA All-Defensive teams over his 17 seasons and held his own around the rim despite being his best around the perimeter.
Kerr gives Green, 6-foot-6, the edge versatility-wise because he consistently has defended well against some of the league’s top bigs. But as the coach noted, there aren’t any Shaqs in today’s NBA compared to Pippen’s era, which nullifies Kerr’s point.
Still, Green is as strong as they come. But strength is just one of many things the eight-time All-Defensive honoree can bring to the table, as Kerr has seen for himself for over a decade and four NBA championship runs.
“What I see with Draymond when he’s guarding the post, it’s incredible when you then add on top of that his ability to guard [the] pick-and-roll all the way at halfcourt; I think Dennis Rodman is actually a great [comparison] for Draymond in that regard,” Kerr added.
“I should definitely have Dennis in that conversation too, probably those three: Dennis, Scottie and Draymond. And you can see the parallels – the length, the physicality, the speed, the versatility – but ultimately it’s up here, the brain. And Dennis and Scottie were two of the smartest defenders I’ve ever been around, and Draymond is amazing in that regard, just his ability to process.”
Rodman, another of Kerr’s former teammates in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, would suffocate opposing offenses from halfcourt, as reflected by his eight NBA All-Defensive Team selections and two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Green can guard James Harden’s pick-and-rolls from halfcourt as much as he can a Victor Wembanyama back-to-the-basket situation – that says a lot about the Warrior’s defensive versatility.
Throughout his career, Green also has demonstrated one of, if not the, smartest basketball minds the game has ever seen. It is no secret why Kerr, who has played with and coached the best for generations, sees parallels between Green, Pippen and Rodman.