Category: Basketball

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to enact revenge for their loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday. It once again wasn’t the prettiest game, but having James Harden down the stretch ensured that the Cavs weren’t going to cough this one up as they cruised to a 113-109 victory.

Not a lot went right for the Cavs on Tuesday. Jarrett Allen left the game early with a knee injury, James Harden had an off-night as he went 4-16 from the field, and they were without Donovan Mitchell (groin). Still, they were able to do enough to beat the conference-leading Pistons. That’s encouraging, even if how it happened wasn’t exactly pretty.

The Cavaliers started strong, pushing their lead to 10 midway through the second quarter. The Pistons started the third quarter well, making it a two-point game midway through the third before Allen left the game with a knee injury.

The Cavs’ bench lineups with Thomas Bryant at center responded well and got their lead back up to double digits, but the starters had a difficult time keeping the momentum going without the services of Allen.

The Pistons cut the deficit to as little as two in the fourth quarter, but they weren’t able to get any closer than that thanks to some timely baskets from Sam Merrill, Dennis Schroder, and Harden late.

Evan Mobley once again had a strong game against Detroit. He was the best defensive player on the court and saved the offense on more than a few occasions. Mobley finished the game with 18 points on 5-9 shooting with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Jaylon Tyson led the Cavs with 22 points, with most of his damage coming from deep. He went 5-12 from three while providing four assists and two blocks.

Harden struggled to find his shot, but he did enough to help get the Cavs across the finish line late. He provided 18 points and seven helpers in the win.

Dennis Schroder added 15 points on 6-10 shooting with five assists off the bench.

The Pistons were led by 24 points and 14 rebounds from Jalen Duran. MVP candidate Cade Cunningham was held to 10 points on 4-16 shooting with 14 assists.

With the win, the Cavs are now 8-1 in games Harden plays. This includes two wins over teams ahead of them in the standings, the New York Knicks and now the Pistons.

Cleveland will have four days off before hosting the Boston Celtics for a matinee game on Sunday. Tip-off is at 1 PM.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Xavier Edmonds had 20 points and 12 rebounds as TCU got another big win in its late push to get into the NCAA Tournament, winning 73-65 at No. 10 Texas Tech on Tuesday night.

Edmonds' putback layup with 31 seconds left pushed the lead to 71-65 for Horned Frogs (20-10, 10-7 Big 12), who have won seven of their last eight games. It was their third win this season against a top-10 team, including a win over then-No. 5 Iowa State during this stretch.

Texas Tech (22-8, 12-5) had won three games in a row since losing standout post J.T. Toppin to a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee. The Red Raiders, who finish 14-2 at home, had moved up six spots in this week's AP Top 25 poll, matching their season-opening ranking after going to the Elite Eight last season.

Micah Robinson scored 15 points for the Frogs, and Jayden Pierre had 14. David Punch, their leading scorer, was limited to six points while having foul issues, but still had 10 rebounds.

Donovan Atwell led Tech with 19 points and five 3-pointers, extending his single-season school record to 115. Jaylen Petty scored 17, while Christian Anderson had 11 points and nine assists.

Two free throws by Edmonds with 9:13 left snapped a 50-all tie and put TCU ahead to stay. A 3-pointer by Liutauras Lelevicius with 2:06 remaining stretched the lead to nine points, though Atwell had a steal that led to a layup for Petty before he made his last 3 for Tech's final points with 46 seconds left.

Up next

TCU: Hosts Cincinnati on Saturday.

Texas Texas: Closes its regular season at BYU on Saturday.

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The Dallas Mavericks (21-40) had nothing for the Charlotte Hornets (31-31) on Tuesday at the Spectrum Center, leaving town with a big 117-90 “L” bulging out of their pocket. The Hornets have now won 15 of their last 18 games, while the Mavericks (sigh) have lost 14 of their last 16.

Brandon Miller scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the first quarter, and seven more Hornets joined him in double figures in the win. Brandon Williams led the Mavericks with 18 in the loss.

The Mavericks fell behind by 11 late in the first quarter, battled back in the second, then fell behind again by 14 in the third, forcing Dallas to play catch-up for most of the night. As we’ve seen time and time again this year, this just isn’t a team built to play catch-up. The Charlotte lead swelled to as large as 22 again late in the third, and the Mavs limped back to the team plane with another lackluster finish in the fourth.

The Poulakidas Era starts now

John Poulakidas, who signed a two-way contract with the Mavericks on Sunday, made his Mavericks debut on Tuesday, checking in early in the second quarter. The 22-year-old out of Yale, picked up a steal right away (after committing an unsightly turnover), grabbed an offensive board and kicked out to a wide open P.J. Washington at the top of the key with 8:42 left in the second for a 3-pointer that tied the game, 33-33, after the Mavs fell behind by 11 in the first quarter.

The Mavericks needed a warm body, and Poulakidas’ heart was at least pumping blood on Tuesday. He grabbed four rebounds and dished a couple of assists in six first-half minutes against the Hornets.

Poulakidas got eight more minutes in the fourth quarter, missing his first shot attempt with 4:40 left in the game.

Josh Green/Grant Williams revenge game

Former Maverick Josh Green was a thorn in Dallas’ side from 3-point range in the first half, shooting 3-of-4 from distance on his way to nine early points off the Charlotte bench. He got a kick out after an offensive board on a missed free throw with 3:59 left before halftime for his third of the game, which put the Hornets up 49-37. It came as part of a rare five-point play, after Miles Bridges was fouled shooting a 3-pointer, made the first two free throws, missed the third and Grant Williams, another former Maverick, pulled down the offensive board before finding Green on the play.

Williams drained his second 3-ball with 2:39 left in the second from the right wing, giving the two former Mavs all five of the Charlotte bench unit’s makes from 3-point range in the first half. While Green and Williams combined to shoot 5-for-8 from beyond the arc in the first half, Dallas managed just 2-of-13 from deep. It was… disconcerting to watch as a Mavericks fan.

Williams canned two more 3-balls in the third quarter as the Hornets’ lead swelled to 19 points, up 89-70 after Williams’ fourth and Kon Kneuppel’s floating drive through the lane with 1:09 left in the third. Williams finished the game with 12 points, and Green added 11 more in the win.

Never a chance

The Mavs came into Tuesday’s game second in the league in points generated from two-point field goals. The Hornets came in second in points generated from 3-point field goals. That math predictably went Charlotte’s way. Dallas just doesn’t give itself a chance in games like this. While the Mavs shot just 2-of-13 from 3-point territory in the first half, the Hornets made 10-of-25 from distance, outscoring Dallas by 24 points from beyond the arc as they took a 57-48 lead at the break.

The Mavericks shot 40 free throws (29-of-40, 72.5%) in the loss, giving the game a slow, disjointed feel at times. Dallas was in the bonus for the final seven minutes of the game, already down by 20 points, turning a run-of-the-mill beatdown into an agonizingly slow bloodletting.

Charlotte ended the game with 20 makes from 3-point land, outscoring the Mavericks 60-9 from 3-point range in the win.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jadon Jones led with 13 points and eight rebounds, three other players tallied 12 points, and Oklahoma defeated Missouri, 80-64 on Tuesday night.

Xzayvier Brown, Tae Davis, and Derrion Reid scored 12 points each for the Sooners (16-14, 6-11 Southeastern Conference), who won their third straight contest and fifth of their last seven.

Mohamed Wague added 11 points and seven rebounds for Oklahoma. Jones was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from deep as the Sooners shot 62% and 55% as a team, respectively.

The Sooners led for all but 1:59 of game time, taking the lead for good on Jones' first 3-pointer with 12:29 remaining in the first half. They extended their lead to as many as 12 points in the first half, and took a 35-26 advantage into halftime.

A strong second half held the lead in double-figures for a comfortable win.

Mark Mitchell led Mizzou (20-10, 10-7) with 17 points on 6-for-6 shooting. Anthony Robinson II added 14 points before fouling out.

Up next

Missouri: hosts No. 20 Arkansas on Saturday.

Oklahoma: visits Texas on Saturday.

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For at least a few more days, there’s still one undefeated Division I men’s college basketball team remaining.

In its penultimate regular-season game, Miami (Ohio) got a team-high 19 points, four assists and three steals from Peter Suder to hang on to beat Toledo 74-72 on Tuesday, March 3 to improve its record to 30-0.

With the victory, the RedHawks became just the fifth Division I men’s basketball team to start a season 30-0 since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams during the 1984-85 season.

REQUIRED READING: Miami Ohio AD fires back at Bruce Pearl over March Madness bid: 'Flat out wrong'

A win at Ohio on Friday would cap off an undefeated regular season heading into the MAC tournament.

Their 30th win was one of their closest this season. Leading by two with five seconds remaining, Miami forward Brant Byers missed the front end of a one-and-one. Toledo collected the rebound and had a chance to tie or win the game, but a Leroy Blyden Jr. turnover ended the game.

It’s the RedHawks’ seventh victory this season by three points or fewer, five of which have come in their past 12 games.

Miami never trailed and led by as many as 13 points.

Suder made seven of his 10 shots, including four of his seven 3-pointers. Antwone Woolfolk had 14 points while Byers added 13.

The RedHawks’ latest win came after a contentious few days in which their potential NCAA tournament at-large resume was fiercely debated publicly, most notably by former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, who said Miami is “not one of the best teams in the country” as an at-large. Pearl’s comments came as his son, Steven, is overseeing an Auburn team that’s on the NCAA tournament bubble, with a 15-14 record heading into the week in his first season since taking over for his father.

On Monday, Miami athletic director David Sayler shot back at Pearl on social media.

"U are flat out wrong about @MiamiOH_BBall when u say we would finish last in the Big East," Sayler said in a post on Twitter. "The disrespect is awful and u should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when u show your true colors! Even slipped in a 'we' when talking about Auburn, nice work!"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami (Ohio) basketball improves to 30-0 with narrow win over Toledo

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — San Antonio forward Harrison Barnes missed his first game since 2021 because he woke up from a pregame nap with a sore left ankle.

Barnes' streak of 364 straight games played ended Thursday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed his first game since Dec. 4, 2021, when he played with Sacramento.

Barnes was a surprise late addition to the injury report. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said only that Barnes reported soreness when he woke up from the nap and received pregame treatment from the medical staff.

New York's Mikal Bridges has the longest active consecutive games streak at 616. Barnes also trailed only Bridges for most total games played since 2021 with 382.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

CHICAGO (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder held star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out of Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls to manage an abdominal strain that sidelined him for most of last month.

The reigning MVP had played the previous two games after missing nine in a row. He was second in the NBA in scoring at 31.8 points per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander is on a streak of 123 consecutive games with at least 20 points scored — the second-longest in NBA history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s run of 126 straight.

The defending NBA champion Thunder had won five of six and led the Western Conference at 47-15 entering Tuesday’s game. They visit New York on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers had many chances to defeat the Detroit Pistons last Friday, even though they were without their two star guards, James Harden (thumb) and Donovan Mitchell (groin). The Cavs failed to close the game out at the free-throw line, and they couldn’t hold on to a late lead in regulation.

Despite the loss, there was reason for optimism after Friday’s game. This led to an anonymous Cavs player telling Chris Fedor of cleveland.com that the Pistons “aren’t in our class.”

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked about those comments before the two teams’ rematch on Tuesday and wasn’t impressed.

“I have no response,” Bickerstaff said about the report before providing a response.

“If you mean it, you don’t say it anonymously.”

Bickerstaff does have a point. Comments like a team isn’t in your class don’t exactly come across as strongly as they should if someone isn’t willing to put their name to it.

Even though the short-handed Cavs were in a position to defeat the conference leaders, they didn’t on Friday. Additionally, the Pistons didn’t feel like they played up to their skill level in that matchup.

“We didn’t play our best basketball the other night,” Bickerstaff said. “We need to impose ourselves on the game a little bit more than we did last game. I thought the last two quarters of the Orlando game are the best quarters we’ve played defensively since New York. I hope our guys can continue to build off that, because that’s where it all starts for us.”

There’s a decent chance that the Cavs and Pistons meet in the playoffs. Considering that most of Detroit’s coaching staff was previously with Cleveland a few seasons ago, there’s plenty of familiarity. And familiarity often breeds contempt.

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.

The Spurs ruined their chance at a perfect Rodeo Road Trip with a tough trip to Madison Square Garden, where the Knickerbockers stole their lunch money during a lunchtime game. You can blame it on the start time, but really the Spurs were road-weary on the seventh game of the Rodeo Road Trip, and the Knicks were taking no prisoners as they exploited every Spurs mistake and lackadaisical effort for stops and turnovers. The Silver and Black scored a season-low 89 points and gave up 22 turnovers, mostly of the live ball type, which turned into easy Knicks points. Perhaps it’s best that Sunday’s game is forgotten, and a solid effort tonight would go a long way in that direction.

Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre are OUT tonight for the Sixers, which removes a lot of scoring from their team, but the guard tandem of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has been spectacular this season, and former Spur Dominick Barlow has been really good for them lately. It’s great to see former Spurs players succeed, just hopefully not against San Antonio.

Victor Wembanyama had a bit of a down game against the Knicks, so hopefully he can come back with a vengeance against the Sixers. He should be able to roam in the paint a lot in tonight’s game and erase defensive mistakes against Edgecombe and Maxey. Unlike a lot of teams who play face the Victor Zone, I expect the Sixers to try to score in the paint, and Wembanyama should get a lot of chances to block shots.

De’Aaron Fox has been a bit up and down over the Rodeo Road Trip, and tonight would be a good time for him to take over the game with his speed and scoring ability. This would open up shots for the Spurs outside shooters, which will benefit Champagnie and Vassell. Make it so, Foxy! Let’s GOOO Spurs.

Game Prediction:

Dom Barlow tries to dunk on Victor twice in the first half, but gives up after both attempts are blocked.

San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers
March 3, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Streaming: NBA League Pass
TV: Peacock/NBA/Fanduel Sports Southwest
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Strasbourg advanced to the semifinals of the French Cup with a 2-1 win over Reims on Tuesday.

In an eventful finish at Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg converted two penalties in the space of four minutes and then conceded in stoppage time as Reims fought back.

Joaquin Panichelli's spot kick broke the deadlock in the 83rd and when David Datro Fofana was brought down in the box moments later, Strasbourg was awarded a second penalty.

Panichelli had already gone off, so Julio Enciso converted from the spot to double the home team's lead.

Abdoul Ouattara was close to making it 3-0 when he hit the bar in added time, but it was Reims that got the next goal — from Patrick Zabi in the 94th.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to avenge their loss on Friday to the Detroit Pistons. Fortunately for them, they’ll have the services of James Harden this time around.

I’ll be in the comments throughout the game sharing my thoughts. Feel free to join in on the conversation and let your voice be heard in the comments below.

Go Cavs!

COMO, Italy (AP) — Inter Milan was held to a 0-0 draw at neighboring Como in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals Tuesday.

Como had the better chances but couldn’t quite find the target. The second leg is scheduled for April 22.

Lazio plays Atalanta on Wednesday in the other semifinal.

Inter, which faces AC Milan in a derby on Sunday, rested several usual starters.

Inter has won the Italian Cup nine times, while Como is chasing its first top-level trophy.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

By now, we’re all begrudgingly used to Topps’ takeover of the NBA license. The flagship series wasn’t priced terribly, and Chrome made its triumphant return—at $50/blaster. What a country.

But for all the skepticism behind our new sports card overlords, there’s one major benefit fans can’t ignore: the Topps buyback program.

Whether you’re new to the hobby or a hardwood veteran, here’s the deal: Topps offers cold hard cash (in the form of store credit) for 2025-26 Topps Chrome cards of the player who wins the MVP. The payout rates are locked in:

• Base Cards: $20
• Refractors: $40
• Numbered >/100: $100
• Numbered </100: $200

Not bad, right? The only question left is: Who is actually winning the Michael Jordan Trophy?

The Usual Suspects

The international big three—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, and Victor Wembanyama—are the obvious heavy hitters.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC): The reigning MVP has the Thunder sitting pretty at first in the West with a 47-15 record. He’s averaging a cool 31.8 points per game and remains the safe money favorite at -275.
• Nikola Jokić (DEN): The three-time MVP is currently averaging a triple-double (28.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 10.5 APG), but the Nuggets have slid to fifth in the West.
• Victor Wembanyama (SAS): The alien has landed. At just 22, he leads the league with nearly 4 blocks per game and has dragged the Spurs to the second seed in the West.

Think one of these three will win the Michael Jordan MVP Trophy this spring? Here’s the profit you stand to make if you head to eBay to buy up singles today:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:

• Base: $10 → +$10 after buyback
• Refractor: $21 → +$19 after buyback
• >/100: $54 → +$46 after buyback
• <100: $175 → +$25 after buyback

Nikola Jokic:

• Base: $5 → +$15 after buyback
• Refractor: $10 → +$30 after buyback
• >/100: $55 → +$45 after buyback
• <100: $65 → $135 after buyback

Victor Wembanyama:

• Base: $1 → +$19 after buyback
• Refractor: $7 → +$33 after buyback
• >/100: $80 → +$20 after buyback
• <100: $150 → +$50 after buyback

The American Longshot

Enough about the favorites. We’re here to talk about the guard who could become the first American-born player to win the award since James Harden in 2018: Cade Cunningham.

Context is king. Two seasons ago, the Pistons won just 14 games. Before Cade was drafted in 2021, Detroit hadn’t cracked 40 wins since the Obama administration. Today? The Motor City sits atop the Eastern Conference at 45-14, easily qualifying for Phil Jackson’s famous “40-20 rule” (winning 40 games before losing 20), a hallmark of true title contenders.

Cade is the engine behind that turnaround, averaging 25.5 points, 9.8 assists (2nd in the NBA), and 5.8 rebounds. While he is currently sitting at +800 odds, he has one massive advantage over the field: The 65-Game Rule.

Introduced recently, players must appear in at least 65 games (playing 20+ minutes) to be eligible for MVP.

• Nikola Jokić is currently just 2 missed games away from disqualification.
• Victor Wembanyama is only 4 missed games away.
• Shai Gilgeous Alexander is only 7 missed games away. 
• Cade Cunningham, meanwhile, has been an ironman, missing just six games all season.

That doesn’t make Cade’s MVP chances a safe bet by any means, but it’s certainly a kicker fans—and collectors—should be aware of when making Topps Chrome buyback decisions. If Shai, Jokić or Wemby tweak an ankle down the stretch, the MVP race is blown wide open.

For those that love an underdog, the chance to scoop up Cade’s Chrome cards for less than if/when he keeps the MotorCade humming to his first-ever MVP win is certainly appealing. For example, right now Cade’s Topps Chrome cards are sitting at the following prices:

• Base: $5 → +$15 after buyback
• Refractor: $7 → $33 after buyback
• >/100: $35 → +$65 after buyback
• <100: $75 → +$125 after buyback

The regular season isn’t over yet, and it’s going to be a race to the finish in what is shaping up to be the most unpredictable playoff stretch in years. While the NBA’s stars duke it out on the court, it’s time for you to begin collecting the league’s next MVP. 

Want more tips and tricks on how to scoop up NBA cards? Head over to Mantel to learn how to start buying rookies, strategically round up key cards, and create a collection your friends—and the Internet—will be jealous of.

Victor Wembanyama has been named Western Conference Player of the Month and Defensive Player of the Month for February, the league announced. It’s Wembanyama’s first time getting Player of the Month honors in his career. It’s the second time in a row he’s gotten the Defensive Player of the Month, and he’s the only player to repeat this season.

The Spurs had a perfect February, winning all 11 games they played, and Wembanyama’s performance played a major part in their success. The big man averaged 22.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and a league-leading 3.5 blocks during the stretch. San Antonio, which had the best net rating for the month, was almost 27 points better with him on the floor than off. He had some ups and downs on offense despite posting good numbers during the month, but his defense remained game-changing.

First @Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month award for @wemby 👏 pic.twitter.com/kNpVeXADjK

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 3, 2026

It’s Wembanyama’s first time winning Western Conference Player of the Month in his career. The selection shows he’s in the MVP conversation, as he’s now received the same distinction as past 2025/26 winners Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic. He’s the first Spur to get the honor since Tony Parker in January of 2013.

It’s the second time in a row Wembanyama has been named Western Conference Player of the Month after getting the distinction in January. He’s the only player to get the nod twice this year in either conference, which cements his status as the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, provided he can play the minimum 65 games to be eligible. He can only miss three games the rest of the way before he is disqualified from awards.

Cade Cunningham was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month in February, as he led his Pistons to a 9-2 record and the second-best net rating in the league.

Former Spur Derrick White won Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month in February, with his Celtics posting the best defensive rating in the league for the month.

Victor Wembanyama is averaging 23.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, a steal, and a league-leading 2.9 blocks per game this season.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Last season, the third, fourth and fifth seeds in the Western Conference all had the same record, and the difference between second and seventh was just four games.

This year, things appear just as tight in the West, and the Lakers are once again part of the logjam.

Currently, LA is the six seed and two games behind the No. 3 seed Rockets. But they are also just two games away from falling into the play-in.

With 22 games left this season, things can go either way. For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we are asking, where do you think the Lakers finish in the West?

The upcoming matchups will certainly challenge the Lakers. They have games coming up against the Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves, all teams ahead of them in the standings.

If they win these head-to-head games, they’ll earn the tiebreakers over Houston and Denver. They have already won the season series over Minnesota. Considering how close things are, that could be the difference in having homecourt advantage or even potentially being in the play-in.

Besides the matchups against the Rockets, Nuggets and Wolves, LA still has two games against the Thunder and faces some tough upcoming contests against Eastern Conference opponents, including the Pistons, Cavs, Magic and Knicks.

So, which team are the Lakers? Are they the ones that are finally healthy, figuring out their lineups and ready to go on a run? Or are they a team that’s not great on offense, bad at defense and will still lose to the NBA’s best when push comes to shove?

Share your opinion by voting and letting us know down below!

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.