Who: Phoenix Suns (39-28) vs. Boston Celtics (44-23)

When: 4;30 pm Arizona Time

Where: TD Garden — Boston, Massachusetts

Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports

Listen: KMVP 98.7

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The Phoenix Suns look to shake off their tough loss vs the Toronto Raptors as they travel to Boston. With this six-game road trip meaning a lot to the standings, they must take advantage of every contest. So far, the team is 2-1 on this trip, but with another back-to-back on the horizon, they must get a win here. This year, they played the Celtics on their home court, and it did not go their way. Both teams also dealt with injuries to key players, whereas now the injury report is a bit cleaner for this contest.

For the Celtics, they are looking to keep this rhythm going. Fueled by the motivation from Joe Mazzulla, they have not skipped a beat this year. Now adding Jayson Tatum back makes them an even more lethal juggernaut, one that the Suns want to dethrone on the road.

In this game, though, one thing that will be fun to watch is the stars playing against each other. Tatum has not played the Suns since 2024, and this game between him and Devin Booker should be another classic. Will Booker find his offensive groove in the building, and will he have his career high? Only time will tell for the Suns fans who anticipate a great game.

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Suns

• Dillon Brooks – (Left Hand Fracture) – OUT
• Mark Williams – (Left Foot Third Metatarsal Stress Reaction) – OUT

Celtics

• Nikola Vucevic – (Right Ring Finger Fracture) – OUT

What to Watch For

One thing to watch for in this one is how the Suns continue to use the rookies in this matchup. With the Suns still having injuries to Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams, it is still evident that both Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach will see some time in this one. That being said, they are both coming off a great week, with Fleming having a career-high 3 blocks in the last game and going 3/3 from behind the arc.

He was so impressive that head coach Jordan Ott even trusted him to start the fourth quarter with the Suns in a close game. Not to mention, he has also seen plenty of minutes at the center position, playing some small-ball five. This is where he has been able to get these incredible blocks and continues to prove he deserves to be a part of this rotation when fully healthy.

With him going up against a scrappy Celtics team that has plenty of players fighting for spots like his, I only hope this brings the best out of the young wing. He has something to prove to the team and has some good matchups against Tatum and Brown to keep an eye on.

Key to a Suns Win

The big key to his game is going to be dominating the rebound game. Last time these two played, Phoenix was outrebounded 61-34, and it was a major factor in their loss. Only having 9 offensive rebounds compared to Boston’s 22 basically sealed the deal, as they dominated in paint scoring and second chances. This also all happened with no Brown and Tatum in their lineup. Baylor Scheierman and Neemias Queta had 24 boards on their own, which is alarming if the Suns as a team only had 10 more.

Making sure they can limit those second-chance opportunities for Boston while creating their own fast break in transition should be the plan to help them execute a much-needed victory.

Prediction Time

The Suns get the revenge they need against a top-tier team in the Eastern Conference.

Suns 102, Celtics 99

Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!

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Week 20: From a massive blowout in Philadelphia to close the Rodeo Road trip with an 8-1 record, to another competitive win over the Pistons in the return home, an emotionally draining 25-point comeback against the Clippers, and finally a comfortable blowout of their rival Rockets, it was a fun week that had it all as the Spurs played in San Antonio for the first time in a month.

Week 21: 2-1 (49-18, 2nd in West)

125-116 win vs. Boston Celtics

With Jayson Tatum back from a ruptured Achilles suffered last season, the Spurs traded leads with the Celtics in a highly competitive first half, but things took a turn in their favor when Jaylen Brown got himself ejected late in the second quarter for volatilely arguing for a foul on a Stephon Castle “push” (that looked much more like a flop on Brown’s part). The Spurs held the lead for the entire second half, countering a 34-point outing from former Spur Derrick White with a 39-point one from Victor Wembanyama, which included tying his career high of 8 made three-pointers.

131-136 loss vs. Denver Nuggets

With Wemby a late scratch due to a sore ankle, at first the Spurs didn’t miss a beat without him, leading by has much as 20 points and in control for the first 2 1/2 quarters of the game while using Castle’s second career 30-point triple-double to offset a 30-20-12 night from Nikola Jokic. Unfortunately, the offense went cold late in the third quarter, and combined with Jokic’s pleading for calls finally getting in the refs’ heads and Jamal Murray going nuclear on offense, the Nuggets rallied back to hand the Spurs just their second loss since January 31 and end their five-game winning streak.

115-102 win vs. Charlotte Hornets

Speaking of January 31, the Spurs were ready to get revenge for that winter debacle that involved gametime changes and getting stranded in the snow in Charlotte. With Wemby back from his one-game absence, the Spurs returned to their February/March selves with a steady beatdown of the Hornets. They led for the final 45 minutes and always had an answer whenever Charlotte threatened to make things interesting. Wemby remained hot from three with five more makes and just missed his own triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists.

Power Rankings

John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 2 (last week: 1)

OffRtg: 117.7 (4) DefRtg: 110.5 (3) NetRtg: +7.2 (4) Pace: 100.9 (12)

Victor Wembanyama missed a game for the first time since early January and the Spurs blew a 20-point lead to the Nuggets. But they’ve won 17 of the last 18 games that Wembanyama has played in, with the last five having come against the Pistons, Clippers, Rockets, Celtics and Hornets.

Three takeaways

1. The Spurs have outscored their opponents by an amazing 23.6 points per 100 possessions in Wembanyama’s 540 minutes on the floor over those 18 games. That’s the best on-court mark among 339 players who’ve played in at least 10 games since Feb. 1. And 13 of those 18 games he’s played in have come against teams currently at or above .500.
2. The Celtics dared the Spurs to shoot 3-pointers, and they did, registering their highest 3-point rate (55% of their shots) of the season on Tuesday. They shot 20-for-46 (43%) from deep, but also outscored the Celtics at the free throw line, with Wembanyama going 8-for-15 from beyond the arc and 9-for-12 from the stripe. Stephon Castle (who had a 30-point triple-double in the loss to Denver) still isn’t shooting a lot of 3-pointers, but he’s 18-for-45 (40%) from beyond the arc since the All-Star break, up from 29% prior.
3. The Spurs have been at their best (plus-12.3 points per 100 possessions) in the first quarter and have led by double-digits in 13 (72%) of their 18 losses. That would be, by far, the highest rate for any team in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data, with only one other team in that time (the 2019-20 Heat, 55%) having had double-digit leads in at least half of the games it lost.

Coming up: The Spurs will play eight of their next 11 games on the road, with a potential first-round preview at the Intuit Dome on Monday. They came back from 25 points down to win their first meeting with the Clippers 10 days ago.

Law Murray, The Athletic — 2 (last week: 1)

2025 draft class: PG Dylan Harper (second pick), SG Carter Bryant (14th pick)

San Antonio went 5-1 on its homestand, with the loss coming in the game that Victor Wembanyama missed; the Spurs also blew a 20-point lead to the Nuggets, and their defense was horrible. If the intent was to help Wembanyama get a Defensive Player of the Year trophy, it did the job. Harper has a calf contusion, but he has been a helpful part of a San Antonio team that has arguably the most enviable guard depth in the league. Harper isn’t in a position to shine while sharing the ball with starters Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, and Harper has to iron out his jumper. But he is an assignment-sound rookie, while Bryant is the 10th man in the rotation due to his strong defense.

Brett Siegel, Clutch Points — 2 (last week: 1)

The only reason the San Antonio Spurs dropped a spot behind the Thunder is because of their loss to Denver this past week and Oklahoma City’s win over the same team. Still, this doesn’t impact the Spurs’ chances of competing for a championship, as they are still widely expected to meet the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

After some key tests at home, all of which (except Denver) the Spurs passed comfortably, this team now enters a stretch where five of their next eight games are against teams below .500 on the season to close out March.

With Victor Wembanyama continuing to elevate his play on both ends, as well as the Spurs’ youngsters in Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant becoming more comfortable in their secondary roles, San Antonio looks very strong heading into the postseason.

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Coming up: Mon. 3/16 at Los Angeles Clippers (34-33); Tues. 3/17 at Sacramento Kings (15-51); Thurs. 3/19 vs. Phoenix Suns (39-28); Sat. 3/21 vs. Indiana Pacers (15-53)

Prediction: 4-0 — Are the Spurs unbeatable when Wemby plays right now? That may be a stretch, but this is a relatively friendly schedule after that gauntlet of a six-game homestand in which they still went 5-0 when he played. They have a couple of match-ups with potential first-round opponents, along with two games against teams that are already eliminated from playoff contention and have nothing but draft odds to play for. As they showed last week, the Clippers will be the hardest matchup of these games (especially with Dillon Brooks out for the Suns), but the Spurs won’t be at a rest disadvantage this time, plus they now know what to expect from Kawhi and Co.

Alabama basketball star Aden Holloway was arrested on Monday, March 16, four days before the Crimson Tide is scheduled to play in the Men's NCAA Tournament.

According to the Tuscaloosa News — part of the USA TODAY Network — Holloway was charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp. More than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash were found inside the residence on the 400 block of 30th East Avenue on Monday morning by the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness Cinderella predictions: VCU, Akron top NCAA Tournament upset picks

Holloway, 21, was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail and had his bond set for $5,000, according to the Tuscaloosa News. He was no longer listed as an inmate, which indicates he was released on that bond.

With Alabama as a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament, it is scheduled to open the tournament against at 3:15 p.m. Friday, March 20, from the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.

It is unclear if Holloway will face a suspension from the program following the arrest and felony charge. The junior guard was second on the Crimson Tide with 16.8 points per game, while also adding 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama basketball guard Aden Holloway arrested, charged with felony

There’s no doubt in Steve Kerr’s mind that Steph Curry will return this season.

“We expect him back,” the Warriors coach told NBC’s Bob Costas in an on-court interview before their 110-107 loss to the Knicks on Sunday.

Curry, who turned 38 over the weekend, missed his 17th consecutive game with inflammation in his right knee, commonly known as runner’s knee. He has been ruled out for at least three more contests but joined Golden State as it began a six-game road trip.

The loss to the Knicks dropped Golden State to 9-19 without Curry this season and 5-12 over his current absence. Their current five-game losing streak is the Warriors’ longest of the season.

Curry will be re-evaluated again Saturday, before the Warriors visit the Mavericks. The team said in its last update that he had made “good progress” and was intensifying individual work but had not begun doing anything with the rest of the team.

“He’s trending in the right direction,” Kerr said. “It’s been a tricky injury. But I think he’ll be back, for sure.”

Curry also appeared on the broadcast for an in-game interview with Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford. He wasn’t asked about his status, but they did ask about playing with his younger brother, Seth, a 13th-year vet who the Warriors signed in December.

One problem: Injuries have prevented the Curry brothers from sharing the floor yet this season.

“We’ve been the rehab brothers,” Curry said. “That’s not a good title to have.”

A miracle comeback that ended the way people wanted it to. The Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 28 point deficit to take a lead in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. However, they couldn’t bring it all the way home and lost in the end.

The opponent tonight will be competing in the postseason for the first time in a long time. At the very least, the Portland Trailblazers will be in the play-in tournament this spring. It will be their first postseason game of any kind since the 2021 Playoffs. They were in Philadelphia last night and lost to a shorthanded 76ers team, 109-103.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 7:30 PM.

🤕 Injuries

The following are out:

• Michael Porter Jr
• Day’Ron Sharpe
• Noah Clowney
• Egor Demin
• Terance Mann

Ben Saraf is questionable. The three two-ways — Tyson Etienne, E.J. Liddell and Chaney Johnson – remain with the big team as does 10-day Malachi Smith.

Shaedon Sharpe and Damian Lillard are out. Night two of a back-to-back so we’ll see who else sits for Portland. Hansen Yang remains with the Remix, the Blazers G League club.

🏀 The game

Amazingly, this is the first meeting between the two teams this season.

This is the second night of a back-to-back and game two of a six game road trip for the Blazers.

Former Nets assistant coach Tiago Splitter is coaching the Blazers these days. And it feels like a lifetime ago, but Splitter got the job because the feds got Chauncey Billups in a sweep. If he can get them into the playoffs, there’s a chance he’ll be there permanently.

So where’s the scoring going to come from for the Nets? With no MPJ and Clowney out, perhaps Nolan Traore will be the guy? The Nets could use all the punch that they can get and Traore can stand to up the aggressiveness when he’s on the court. He’ll likely have Jrue Holiday assigned to him, so it will serve as a great learning lesson either way.

Without Day’ron Sharpe, the Nets are even more compromised on the glass. This is especially painful against a Blazers team that is top ten in the league in rebounding this season. Donovan Clingan is third in the NBA in rebounds at close to 12 per game, and Nic Claxton is going to have his hands full battling him and perhaps Robert Williams III on the inside tonight.

As for the NBA lottery, the Nets are back in third going into tonight’s game by percentage points over the Kings. They’re two and a half games back of the Pacers who remain in the top spot, and two and a half ahead of the Utah Jazz. The Nets have 15 games left and considering they were 2-13 in their last 15, it’s getting harder to imagine the Nets winning enough games to fall back to fifth prior to the May 10 Draft Lottery.

👀 Player to watch: Deni Avdija

Slow and steady wins the race. Avdija got better each season he’s been in the league, and it paid off with the first All-Star appearance of his career this season. He’s averaging career highs across the board and is taking on new roles. Over at Blazers Edge, Dave Deckard took a look at where Portland could get the most out of Deni:

I’m calling this right now. As long as he’s on the team, Deni Avdija needs to be the point guard. Things go better for him and his teammates when he runs the show. He’s the spiritual captain of the squad already, also its leading scorer right now. Taking the reins is a natural step. His vision and passing just keep getting better. Frankly, the team plays differently when Deni has the ball up top than they do with anybody else, even Jrue Holiday. The Blazers get better looks too.

I know Portland has approximately 56 true point guards right now. I’m not trying to insinuate what will, or should, happen with any of them. But I am saying that this is almost certainly Deni’s best destiny. The way the team is built now, that also makes it the Blazers’ best destiny.

Deni at point. Book it.

That’s the good thing about being a team that’s on the rise. You have room to explore, try stuff out, and see what works. And if you land on something, you can take it with you into an exciting future. Win-win!

Danny Wolf has gotten the start in each of the last two games and figures to do so as long as Porter Jr is out. He’s been filling up the box score in recent games and similar to Traore, will have all the opportunity in the world to figure things out and do more with an increased role.

📺 From the Vault

The last time the Blazers were in the playoffs, this happened

Also, it’s 3:16!

More reading: Blazers Edge, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Portland Trailblazers Game Notes – Portland Trailblazers
• Nets face the Trail Blazers on 3-game skid – AP
• Nets’ Josh Minott hoping career night can be first building block for future – Brian Lewis – New York Post

On today’s episode, Ryan Eichten and Leo Sun discuss the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 116-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the brutal last week for the team, and much more:

— The Wolves’ loss to the Thunder on Sunday afternoon was their fourth loss in five games, ending a truly awful four-game road trip.

— Julius Randle has his best performance since the All-Star break, putting up 32 points on 11-18 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, six assists, and only one turnover. Minnesota will need to see this version of Randle come the Playoffs if they want to make it back to the Conference Finals.

— Rudy Gobert had a rough night against OKC, something that has become a bit of a trend against higher-caliber opponents. The issue might speak to a team-wide issue more than a Gobert-specific problem, as the ball movement that helps Gobert’s offense has been severely lacking of late.

— Jaden McDaniels had one of his worst games of the season, scoring two points in just 16 minutes. How can the Wolves find a more consistent offensive role for Jaden?

— Anthony Edwards has had an up-and-down past few games. He’s had a pair of incredibly high-scoring performances in between two inefficient nights where his jumpshot has been unreliable. With his defensive production even more inconsistent, the Wolves need more from their star player on both ends of the court.

— The Wolves are now 12th in offensive rating, 11th in defensive rating, and 11th in net rating. While being top-ten on both sides of the ball signals a team’s status as a contender, the Wolves being 11th or worse on both sides of the ball makes for a tough sell that Minnesota is one of the league’s best.

— Ayo Dosumnu has been outstanding since the Wolves acquired him at the trade deadline. He scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers, against OKC and projects to be a sizeable part of the Timberwolves’ future if they can re-sign him this summer.

It's time to get those brackets filled out.

In just three days, the Men's NCAA Tournament will officially get underway with TEAM 1 vs. TEAM 2 at XX p.m. ET inside LOCATION, the first of 16 Round of 64 games set to be played out across Thursday's slate of March Madness games.

Filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket is one of the all-time great March Madness traditions, and a viral one at that.

Think you can beat our experts? Join USA TODAY’s Bracket Challenge today!

There are several ways to approach making NCAA Tournament bracket picks — either randomly by choosing the better mascot in a matchup or by overanalyzing bracketology metrics — that make it a fun event for all involved. Then there is the fun (and stress) of hoping to have that perfect bracket — or what later becomes the best bracket — in a bracket group.

Here's what you need to know on whether there has been a perfect March Madness bracket before and more:

Has anyone ever had a perfect March Madness bracket?

No, there have not been any confirmed perfect March Madness bracket entries in the history of the NCAA Tournament, according to the NCAA.

The NCAA notes that the longest a bracket has remained perfect — or at the very least verifiable through one of the bracket challenge websites — has been 49 consecutive games. This took place during the 2019 NCAA Tournament, and was snapped when 3-seed Purdue beat 2-seed Tennessee 99-94 in overtime in the Sweet 16. The previous record was 39 consecutive correctly picked games.

The longest streak in last year's sets of men's brackets submitted was 42 games, the best run for a bracket user since 2019. Per the NCAA, the bracket was named "#RoadToPerfection" and was a part of ESPN's bracket challenge, and was snapped when 3-seed Kentucky upset 6-seed Illinois in the round of 32.

Ready to win March Madness? Join USA TODAY’s Survivor Pool today!

Longest surviving March Madness bracket streaks

Here's a look at the top five longest surviving NCAA Tournament brackets, according to the NCAA:

Round busted in parentheses

1. 2019: 49 games (Sweet 16)
2. 2025: 42 games (Second Round)
3. 2017: 39 games (Second Round)
4. 2014: 36 games (Second Round)
5. 2015: 34 games (Second Round)

March Madness bracket deadline: When do NCAA Tournament picks need to be submitted?

Though specific times vary depending on which bracket challenge you enter, you have to get your bracket entry (or entries) in before the start of the first set of first-round games on Thursday, March 19. Here's a breakdown of deadlines for Men's NCAA Tournament bracket entries, including the USA TODAY Sports Men's Bracket Challenge.

• USA TODAY: Thursday, March 19 at noon
• CBS: Thursday, March 19 at noon
• Yahoo!: Thursday, March 19 at 12:15 p.m.
• ESPN: Thursday, March 19 at 12:15 p.m.
• NCAA: Thursday, March 19 at noon

Click here to enter the USA TODAY Sports Men's Bracket Challenge.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness: Has there ever been a perfect NCAA Tournament bracket?

For some reason, the Knicks have decided to play down to the level of their opponents.

Nearly lost in Indianapolis. Damningly close to dropping one to a G League-like Warriors. Will it finally happen when the Pacers visit MSG on Tuesday?

Here’s what the protagonists had to say, including Steve Kerr.

"I was not happy with the way that we started the game and the way we played most of the game…we have to figure out how to start games better"

Mike Brown's thoughts following the Knicks' 110-107 win last night over the Warriors: pic.twitter.com/CVkQj6fWy5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 16, 2026

Mike Brown

On whether he will change the starting lineup before or for the playoffs:

“Right now I don’t feel the need to. But like I said, if I felt the need to, I would. I don’t feel the need to right now.

“It’s not too late to do anything. And if I feel the need, I will. I’m not thinking that right now. I’m not concentrating on each individual because, like you said, we’ve started different people at different times.”

On demanding better starts despite the recent wins:

“We have to figure out individually, collectively, how we can start games better…. I’m not talking about the outcome, win or loss, I’m talking about the start of the game. (We need to start games) with a level of focus, a level of physicality, so that they’re feeling us to start the game. This group knows it. They understand it. Now we’ve just gotta go do it.”

On Mikal Bridges’ overall impact on the game:

“It’s no secret Mikal has not shot the ball well. But he’s given us life at times, and he’s given us life at the right time at times. I thought he was fantastic in Indiana. On both ends of the floor. So it’s not just Mikal. It’s us collectively as a group.”

On expecting more from the team despite the strong defensive numbers:

“I’m sitting here bitching about this and somebody told me from the first of January on, we had the No. 1 defense in the league. Something like that. We can play better. I know for myself and every man in that locker room, every person in that locker room, expects more. And somehow, someway, we got to figure it out.”

On Steve Kerr’s pregame warning text:

“Steve texted me and he said he came up with some killer plays that were going to make us spin backwards and forward. I believe him. Situations like this, we faced it in Utah. We faced it to a certain degree in Indiana. They’re tough. But if you expect to be who you think you are at the end of the day, you will approach this in a business-like manner.”

On not skipping details against undermanned teams:

“The biggest thing is making sure you don’t skip any details. I think in games like this, the details or the small things are huge. And playing with a sense of urgency while making them feel you on both ends of the floor — that doesn’t mean going out and blowing them out, but if you’re lackadaisical at any point in the game for any stretch, they’re NBA players. A lot of these guys are hungry and some of them have proven that they belong on this level and in a pretty good spot in terms of a rotation. If you relax at any moment in time and they see one, two, three go in, like the guys did in Utah, it can be a climb back up the hill to get back in the game.”

On road trip fatigue not being an excuse:

“I think every game can be challenging for a lot of different reasons. Mainly, all teams are in the NBA, and they’re here for a reason. That stuff’s above my head. A lot of times they say, ‘it’s because of your clock’ or whatever. You win some, you lose some, and I don’t see rhyme or reason for it.”

On prioritizing playing the right way over seeding:

“It’s tricky because let’s say we were in second, and we were a game in front of somebody. Are we just gonna play better because of that? I hope at this point of the season we’re playing the right way regardless of seeding, and sometimes, you’ll lose while playing the right way, but you’re playing the right way all the time—not just to try to catch Boston. That’s part of the equation, but that’s not the end-all, be-all.

“I want us to play the right way because it’s time to do that. We’re going into the playoffs. Play the right way. Again, you’ll lose sometimes playing the right way, but you want to go into the playoffs doing this, not just with your play but with your confidence or your belief, and so I think that’s just as much of it as opposed to — hey let’s find a way to win just to catch these guys. No, no: handle all the small details, embrace the details, embrace the journey. All that stuff and go get a win. So there are a lot of factors, not just those guys are ahead of us by a game-and-a-half and the guys are behind us by two games.”

Josh Hart stops by the NBA Showtime desk before Sunday Night Basketball tips off!

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/Hd3YYmCvVb

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 16, 2026

Josh Hart

On the possibility of the NBA reducing the 82-game schedule:

“I probably be retired before that happens. So I don’t care. Nah, do I think it will be probably be better for the game and the quality on the court? I think so. Do I think it will happen? Probably not because everybody is so money-hungry and money-driven. I think everybody puts that above everything else.”

On the need for respecting undermanned opponents:

“At the end of the day, you got to respect everybody. And if you’re in a situation like this against a team without its starters, you never want to play with a game or anything like that because you’ll never what’ll happen at the end of a game. You don’t want to put yourself in that position for someone to make a shot, someone to miss a shot or a ref to call a call you don’t agree with. So we got to approach this like any other game. And if that’s the case, then we should handle business early and it should be a game where everybody gets to play. But these guys are good. They’re in the NBA for a reason.”

On his knee soreness leaving him out of two games of late:

“It was just a play in the Laker game where I did my normal fastbreak finish, but just the landing on it kind of irritated it. So I think that kind of flared it up.”

On whether the knee will linger:

“I hope not. We’ll see. Time will tell.”

On not making excuses based on the injury:

“Ehh. I was out there. If I’m out there and able to play, there’s no excuses.”

Karl-Anthony Towns says the final call in tonight's WBC game against his Dominican Republic team was "some bulls–t" pic.twitter.com/iuDTV9ypP5

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 16, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns

On avoiding slow starts:

“Don’t play like that. I think it’s pretty simple.”

On Brown’s frustration even after the win:

“Yeah, he was frustrated. Obviously, the win’s everything, but we don’t want to win games like that, especially this late in the year when we should have better standards and a better execution in playing. I understand it.”

On Jordan Clarkson’s impact off the bench:

“Special. The stats don’t lie. One of the best players coming off the bench in NBA history. He does one thing better than almost anybody in the league, and that’s put the ball in the basket. When he’s doing that, he’s playing with that fire and that passion he has; there’s not many players in the NBA coming off the bench you feel better about.”

On the Dominican Republic’s elimination from the WBC at the hands of the USA:

“Hell yeah, that was a ball, man! That was some bulls**t. They should have had a chance. They had Tatis Jr. coming up. Come on, man.”

"A win is a win, definitely not the prettiest."

Jalen Brunson talks with Zora Stephenson after the Knicks' win over an undermanned Warriors team. pic.twitter.com/P5nrc60ufR

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) March 16, 2026

Jalen Brunson

On the need to avoid playing catch-up every damn game:

“If we play better from the start, we don’t have to play catch-up. It’s definitely something that we need to get better at and it has to be our focus.”

Steve Kerr wants the NBA to shorten the 82-game regular season by 10 games to prevent injuries:

“I’m well aware fewer games would mean less revenue which means everybody takes a pay cut and I’m willing to stick my neck out and say I’m all for that because I think the quality of… pic.twitter.com/rfY2KhRuOE

— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) March 16, 2026

Steve Kerr

On shortening the NBA season:

“I’m willing to stick my neck out and say I’m all for that because I think the quality of the product is the most important thing.”

On managing player workloads:

“In talking to performance people, looking at the data, hearing the experts in our own group talk about the load that these guys are facing and then you get older players like Steph or Al or Jimmy – we have to manage them through 82 games. So there are nights where you just have to say, can’t play this guy. I get emails all the time from fans saying ‘I spent $2,000 on tickets to go to this game and Steph didn’t play.’ And it wasn’t an injury designation and I held him out. Shouldn’t we reconcile that somehow? Maybe it’s stretching the season out a little bit. If you can’t give up 10 games, can you extend the season by two weeks and give players more time in between games? I don’t know. I know there’s no guarantee that players are going to be out there every night, but I know that we have enough issues all clumped together that if we put our heads together – we’ve got a lot of really smart people in this league. I think we can address a lot of them and satisfy the fans, the owners, the TV partners. I believe that’s possible. Maybe I’m naïve. But I think it’s important to put it out there just for discussion and see where it goes.”

On advocating for a shorter season:

“I’m just saying what I see with all the injuries. The soft tissue injuries. I see all the data about how fast the guys are running, how much distance guys are covering now compared to 20-30 years ago. I see all the injuries, the tanking. I see everything. I’ve been in the league a long time. I’m well aware fewer games would mean less revenue, which means everybody takes a pay cut, and I’m willing to stick my neck out and say I’m all for that because I think the quality of the product is the most important thing. So I don’t say these things flippantly. I say these things because I mean them. I think there’s a meaningful discussion to be had, and I love the league, I’ve loved the NBA my whole life. My whole adult life has been spent in the NBA in some form and it’s an amazing league. We have incredible people in this league and great fans. I just want to make sure we give our fans the very, very best product we can and try to satisfy all of our corporate partners, and I just think there’s probably a way to do that without just completely ignoring some of the obvious issues we’ve established.”

USA beats the Dominican Republic on a really really bad call and the stream is dead quiet pic.twitter.com/sCBRTm322M

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 16, 2026

Two days after announcing he would return, Butler announced on Monday, March 16, that men's basketball coach Thad Matta is retiring.

The school announced the news in a press release on Monday. Matta, 58, had been the Bulldogs coach since the 2022-23 season. He will remain with the university with a role as a special assistant to the president and athletics director.

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"After taking some time to reflect following the end of the season, I have decided that the time has come for me to step away from the sidelines," Matta said in the news release. "The love my wife, my daughters and I have for Butler is what brought us back four years ago, and it feels especially meaningful that I conclude my coaching career here. Butler has always meant more to us than just basketball—and that connection is why I'm grateful to continue working with the University and offering my help in any way I can. 

"My commitment to Butler and to the future of this program remains as strong as ever. I want this program to compete at the highest levels of the BIG EAST and national landscape, and I am excited to be part of what we continue to build here."

Matta finishes his head coaching career with a 502-223 overall record. He won a combined eight conference regular-season championships at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State, while also appearing in the NCAA Tournament 13 times, earning two berths in the NCAA Final Four and one appearance in the national championship game in 2006-07 with the Buckeyes.

"It is hard to fully capture in words what the Matta family has meant to Butler University and to our men's basketball program," Butler athletics director Grant Leiendecker said. "As a student-athlete, two assistant coaching tenures and then twice as head coach at Butler, Thad has given so much to our university and his impact on our student-athletes has been life-changing.

"Today is bittersweet in that Thad will no longer be leading our program on the sidelines but we are grateful that he has accepted President (Jim) Danko and my offer to remain at Butler University to continue to elevate the institution, as his wisdom and experience are invaluable and will help maintain stability in our program."

In his first stint with Butler, the Bulldogs went 24-8, won the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and advanced to the Round of 32. After stops at Xavier and Ohio State, Matta returned to Butler ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Matta finished his second stint with the Bulldogs with a 63-69 record, failing to make the NCAA Tournament in any of the four years.

"I want to sincerely thank (President) Jim Danko, (Vice President and Athletic Director) Grant Leiendecker, and (former Athletic Director) Barry Collier for their trust, leadership and friendship," Matta said. To our players, coaches and staff, past and present, thank you for everything you've poured into this program and for living The Butler Way. To our fans and the countless people who support us, you are what makes this place so special.

"I will always be grateful for the experiences, the relationships, and the memories Butler has given me and my family. I'm proud of what we've built together, and I look forward to staying connected and contributing in a new way as the next chapter begins."

Before his head coaching career, Matta served as a Butler assistant twice before being named head coach of the Bulldogs in 2000. He was a two-year starter with Butler after he transferred in as a player from Southern Illinois.

Thad Matta career record

Here's a look at Matta's coaching career with Butler, Xavier and Ohio State:

• Butler (2000-01): 24-8, 11-3 MCC
• Xavier (2001-02): 26-6, 14-2 Atlantic 10
• Xavier (2002-03): 26-6, 15-1 Atlantic 10
• Xavier (2003-04): 26-11, 10-6 Atlantic 10
• Ohio State (2004-05): 20-12, 8-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2005-06): 26-6, 12-4 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2006-07): 35-4, 15-1 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2007-08): 24-13, 10-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2008-09): 22-11, 10-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2009-10): 29-8, 14-4 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2010-11): 34-3, 16-2 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2011-12): 31-8, 13-5 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2012-13): 29-8, 13-5 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2013-14): 25-10, 10-8 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2014-15): 24-11, 11-7 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2015-16): 21-14, 11-7 Big Ten
• Ohio State (2016-17): 17-15, 7-11 Big Ten
• Butler (2022-23): 14-18, 6-14 Big East
• Butler (2023-24): 18-15, 9-11 Big East
• Butler (2024-25): 15-20, 6-14 Big East
• Butler (2025-26): 16-16, 7-13 Big East

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thad Matta to retire from coaching Butler basketball

Over the next few weeks, 68 different Division I men's college basketball teams will go head-to-head in March Madness at different venues and arenas around the country in the hopes of winning a national championship.

But for two nights before the Round of 64 begins on Thursday, March 19, the Men's NCAA Tournament will tip off the very same way it has for all but two years since 2011: with the First Four, hosted on the campus of the University of Dayton.

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It's part of the pageantry of what has made the First Four a tradition like no other in March Madness, as it takes place across two nights on a college campus in winner-take-all games to kick off one of the best postseason tournaments in all of sports.

Action gets underway on Tuesday, March 17 with UMBC vs. Howard in the 16-seed game at 6:40 p.m. ET and Texas vs. North Carolina State in the 11-seed game at 9:15 p.m. ET.

No. 16 Prairie View A&M will take on No. 16 Howard at 6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 18, with the winner advancing to play No. 1 seed Florida in the South Region. But perhaps the biggest game of this year's First Four is the March 18 nightcap as No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio) takes on No. 11 seed Southern Methodist.

Will one of these teams go on a March run that is talked about for years? Time will tell as they look to punch their official ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Here's your guide on the history of First Four teams, and their success in March Madness:

What’s the furthest a First Four team has gone in NCAA Tournament?

The furthest a First Four team has advanced in the NCAA Tournament has been the Final Four. Two teams have achieved this feat: VCU in 2011, and UCLA in 2021.

The Rams, coached then by a young Shaka Smart and featuring players Joey Rodriguez, Bradford Burgess and Jamie Skeen, defeated USC in the First Four and then knocked off three top-10 seeds — No. 6 Georgetown (first round), No. 3 Purdue (second round) and No. 10 Florida State (Sweet 16) — to make the Elite Eight. To make the Final Four, VCU knocked off a Kansas team that was the No. 1 seed in the tournament and featured the talent of Markieff and Marcus Morris. The run ended against Butler in the Final Four.

The Bruins went on a similarly magical run from the First Four to the Final Four in the Indianapolis COVID-19 bubble. It started with a comeback from an 11-point halftime deficit against Michigan State at Mackey Arena, and then led to wins over No. 6 BYU, No. 14 Abilene Christian, No. 2 Alabama and No. 1 Michigan to get to the program's first Final Four since 2008. The run came to an end in the national semifinal in a March Madness thriller against No.1 Gonzaga.

According to the NCAA, at least one team that played its way into the 64-team field advanced to at least the second round in 12 of the last 14 editions of the First Four.

Some examples include LaSalle winning its First Four game in 2013 and then going on a Sweet 16 run that featured upsets of No. 4 Kansas State and No. 12 Ole Miss. No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson also won its First Four game in 2023 and then upset No. 1 seed Purdue in its first-round game.

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Has any First Four team won a national championship?

No, there hasn't been a First Four team to win the national championship game.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First Four history: What's furthest team has gone in NCAA Tournament?

The NBA has been experiencing Western Conference supremacy since the moment Michael Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls for the second time following the 1998 NBA Finals. East teams have won plenty of championships over that time period — most recently, the 2019 Toronto Raptors, 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, and 2024 Boston Celtics — but no one disputes that life is always harder in the West. With recent No. 1 overall picks Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg both landing in the West via the draft lottery, the Western Conference should continue to be superior moving forward.

NBA expansion is just ahead, with a vote coming at this week’s board of governors meetings to start the process of adding two new teams for the 2028-29 season. With franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas expected to be added, one existing team is going to move East. The league has narrowed its choices down to two candidates, per Shams Charania:

Executives across the NBA expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies to move to the East to realign conferences with 16 each when Seattle and Las Vegas become West teams.

For the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, the opportunity to move to the East feels almost as important as draft lottery results. One of these teams is about to have a much easier path to contention going forward in the weaker conference due to factors totally outside of their control.

Here’s one mock up of what the conferences could look like if the Wolves move East:

Wolves make the most sense pic.twitter.com/FvYrCogRDZ

— Ev (@EvInFour) March 16, 2026

It’s pretty difficult to project what the league is going to look like in 2028-29 and beyond. What if the big three from this year’s NBA draft class — Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson — all end up in the East? Suddenly that conference looks a lot harder moving forward. Who’s to say that Anthony Edwards will even be on the Wolves by then? A few years ago, no one would have thought the Grizzlies would move on from Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane while begging teams to take Ja Morant, but it’s all happened.

It’s fair to point out that the East has closed the gap a bit this season, but the West still looks much better going forward with Wembanyama and Flagg just starting their rise, plus the Thunder being flush with draft assets and young stars. If the Wolves were in the East this year, I might pick them to reach the NBA Finals. Instead, they will have to fight just to make it out of the first round in the West.

Can the Wolves or Grizzlies bride the committee making this decision in any way? It would be worth it. The West continues to dominate the NBA, and moving East would be a huge deal for any franchise.