To get back to the Final Four for the third time in four years, Connecticut basketball would need Tarris Reed Jr. to dominate at center, a vital position that helped secure the Huskies' back-to-back titles just two years ago.
"Tarris is the difference between us getting to the Final Four," Hurley said in early March after the Huskies’ Big East tournament quarterfinal win over Xavier.
That wasn't the first — likely not the last — time Hurley made that statement this season. But it's a shot that keeps cashing in wins for the Huskies, as Reed has come out and put together a historic run through the Men's NCAA Tournament to get the Big East powerhouse to Indianapolis for Saturday's Final Four matchup vs. No. 3 Illinois.
It wasn't a matter of if Reed can get on a run as he has. It was a matter of just when.
The "when" picked up in the final weeks of the regular season, when he put up three straight double-doubles against St. John's, Seton Hall and Marquette. But it was a loss to Marquette on the final day of the regular season, which knocked UConn out of contention for a 1-seed, that flipped the switch for Reed.
"(It was like) one of the things, like, 'OK, we're at the end of the season. I've been playing OK, but there's still another level I could get to,'" Reed told USA TODAY Sports in Indianapolis on Friday during a breakout session.
Sure enough, that's exactly what Reed has done this postseason by muscling his way into the paint and being a stalwart presence around the rim for rebounds. He can even knock down a 3-pointer when needed.
He did it again in the Elite Eight when he fueled UConn's historic comeback against Duke by taking over on the court, which featured possible No. 1 overall draft pick Cameron Boozer, in the second half. He scored 14 of his 26 points in the second half to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in the final 20 minutes.
Reed was named Most Outstanding Player of the East Region after becoming the first player in the history of the NCAA Tournament to average at least 20 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in a four-game regional.
Reed's showing in the past month has also been a culmination of a season-wide observation of the Huskies big man, who started just one game last season: He is flat out more comfortable and confident in Hurley's system this year than he was last year when he transferred from Michigan.
"There were days where I felt like I had a great game, and I'm getting cursed out and ripped out in film. It's always the standard," Reed told USA TODAY Sports last month. "Coach Hurley sets that standard, and he raises it every week, every level, every game.
"The biggest thing is just always being a level up and always wanting to achieve more."
Reed's emergence this season has also helped bring the Huskies' defense back to being a top-10 unit in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom. It has also helped open up their offense.
"He's grown a lot, just as a leader, as a person, (and) understanding what he is to the team. There were times in the regular season we were just on him every day about how important he is," UConn guard Silas Demary Jr. told USA TODAY Sports on Friday.
"Now he can dominate and really understand how good of a player he is, and just to see his leadership grow, it's just a testament to his hard work and him believing in himself.
UConn will need Reed to be an X-factor once again on Saturday against an Illinois team that ranks No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency metric and has carried them to the Final Four.
“When he plays at the level that he’s capable of playing at, we can beat any team in the country, and he’s as good as any center in the country,” Hurley said of Reed last weekend.
If he can do that, the Huskies will be playing in Monday’s national championship game and going for a program's seventh title.
"It's my senior year. This is it for me. So I'm trying to go out there, swing for the fences every play, every possession," Reed said Friday. "My days are numbered, maximum two games."
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.
USA TODAY Sports' Jordan Mendoza contributed to this story
It's been 25 days since Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in the Miami Heat's rout of the Washington Wizards.
Since then, things have not gone well for either team. Washington has gone 1-11, although they've covered six of the 12 games. Miami has gone 3-8 and 4-7 against the number.
Miami has just the thing to snap out of its spiral—the Wizards. The Heat has played seven top-five seeded teams over the 11-game slide and just two opponents with losing records.
That's why my Wizards vs. Heat predictions and NBA picks call for the Heat to cover.
Wizards vs Heat prediction
Wizards vs Heat best bet: Heat -18 (-110)
The Miami Heat is giving up a big number on the point spread, but the Heat have been consistently dominant against bottom-dwelling teams. Miami has covered its last five games as double-digit favorites, winning by an average of 22 points.
Miami has also covered two-thirds of the time when coming off a loss in the last game, going 24-12 and clearing the spread by an average of 2.2 points.
Miami has a spot in the play-in tournament and is looking to improve its seeding. The Washington Wizards are playing out the string. Look for the gap in motivation to help propel the Heat.
Miami will be without its scoring leader—Norman Powell—who is out until at least April 7 with illness. Washington, however, has been decimated by injury. The Wizards' starting lineup for the last game featured two rookies and another player who was starting just his 17th game in the NBA.
And three of the starters from that game—Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tristan Vukcevic—are questionable for Saturday's game. Alex Sarr, who missed the last game, is also questionable, as is Justin Champagnie. They join the five players already ruled out for the game on Washington's injury report.
While Washington has been covering lately, the Wizards are not performing well against top teams. Washington has failed to cover its last three as a double-digit underdog, losing by an average of 25.3 points. They've also failed to cover the last three when getting 15 or more, losing by 28.7.
Wizards vs Heat same-game parlay
There should be plenty of points in this one. Miami plays at the fastest pace in the league, and Washington is at No. 6. The totals cutoff is high, but Miami has had plenty of cutoffs in the 240s.
The Heat has gone Over five of its last seven and in eight of the last 10 overall. Washington has been Over in seven of the last 10.
All eyes will be on Bam Adebayo to see if he can hang another 83 on the hapless Wizards. Tyler Herro has the higher scoring average by more than a point per game, however, and he's topped 30 in two of the last three.
Wizards vs Heat SGP
Heat -18
Over 246 points
Tyler Herro Over 24.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Heat Check!
The odds on Jaime Jaquez hitting multiple threes seem out of whack. He's taken five or more attempts in the last five games and made at least two in the last six. It's a no-brainer to take him in an up-tempo game at that price.
After the entire team got together to get Bam Adebayo enough shots to score 83 the last time they played Washington, look for Bam to do some work on the boards to pay them back this time around. He's hit double figures in rebounds in his last five.
Pelle Larsson will be getting Powell's minutes and had six assists last game, taking his spot in the starting lineup. He also has a five-assist game in the last four outings.
Wizards vs Heat SGP
Tyler Herro Over 24.5 points
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Over 1.5 made threes
Bam Adebayo Over 11.5 rebounds
Pelle Larsson Over 3.5 assists
Wizards vs Heat odds
Spread: Wizards +16 | Heat -16
Moneyline: Wizards +1041 | Heat -2000
Over/Under: Over 244 | Under 244
Wizards vs Heat betting trend to know
The Washington Wizards have hit the Game Total Over in 21 of their last 30 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. Heat.
How to watch Wizards vs Heat
Location
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Date
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Tip-off
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
Monumental SN, FDSN Sun
Wizards vs Heat latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 12: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 12, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Right back to work! The Philadelphia 76ers will close their 15th of 16 back-to-backs this season hosting the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.
The Sixers are coming off a great win on Friday night, taking down the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103. It was a crucial win, not only because it was one of the harder opponents left of the schedule but because every other relevant team in the Eastern Conference surrounding the Sixers won their games as well. They hold steady in the No. 6 seed, the final non-Play-In playoff spot, coming into Saturday.
This is one of the other tough ones that’s left on the regular season schedule for the Sixers, though. Coming in on the second leg of back-to-back, Philadelphia is facing an East-leading Detroit squad that is looking to keep the good times rolling, even if they’re without a few major players themselves. The Pistons are 3-0 against the Sixers so far this season.
With a victory over the 76ers tonight, the Pistons would officially clinch the No. 1 seed in the East, pulling out of reach of the Boston Celtics (currently four games back) in second.
The massive wrinkle that has been thrown in to the Pistons squad recently has been the loss of star guard Cade Cunningham to injury. The two-time NBA All-Star has missed the last nine contests for the Pistons, but the rest of the squad has been stepping up in his absence. More on that later.
Isaiah Stewart also remains out — he has been sidelined longer than initially expected with a calf injury and has not played since mid-March. Marcus Sasser is probable as of Saturday morning with a hip strain and former Sixer Tobias Harris is questionable after exiting the Pistons’ last contest early with a knee contusion.
Again, this is the second leg of a back-to-back for Philadelphia, so no official injury reports until this afternoon. That being said, even in this late season push, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Joel Embiid out for this one based on the fact that he has not played both legs of any back-to-back this season. Paul George has not played on zero days rest either this campaign, but it feels like his odds of playing are a bit higher than Embiid’s at this stage with him seemingly healthy and enjoying the restful effects of being suspended for 25 games mid-season. He’s been playing extremely well since his return, so it would certainly help to have him in the lineup for this one.
Either way, though, we will let you know for sure when we know!
Even without Cunningham (and Stewart), the Pistons have been firing, going 7-2 in the last nine games without their team’s leader. Jalen Duren has used the opportunity to continue his career-best, All-Star nod-worthy season. The 22-year-old big has been fantastic and efficient throughout the year, averaging 19.5 points on 64.5% field goal shooting with 10.7 rebounds (3.8 offensive) per game across 66 contests. He’s played in eight of these last nine games without Cunningham, averaging 23.1 points on 67.5% field goal shooting with 11.0 rebounds in that stint. He’s showing no signs of slowing down either, most recently posting a 22-point, 14-rebound double-double in the Pistons last game on Thursday (a win over the Timberwolves).
Not having the big fella would obviously make it all the more easy for the 6-foot-10 Duren to continue to dominate as well. Adem Bona and Andre Drummond would have their work cut out for them for sure when it comes to rim protection.
Another name that has come alive in the absence of Cade — one you might not recognize as well as Jalen Duren’s — is Daniss Jenkins. The 24-year-old guard is in his sophomore NBA season and has been starting in Cunningham’s place these last nine games, putting up impressive numbers even when being asked to do the impossible job of filling the star’s shoes. Jenkins is averaging 19.3 points and 7.0 assists per night in these recent starts, including a career-high 30-point night against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 23 and a 19-point, 10-assist double-double against the Atlanta Hawks two nights later.
Alas, even without Cunningham, the Pistons are looking to keep the success that has kept them leading the East going, especially being able to clinch the top seed tonight.
The Sixers, however, need to keep their winning ways going too as they continue to fight their own Eastern Conference battle. Philadelphia are currently No. 6 in the conference, with just the division record tiebreaker putting them atop the Toronto Raptors at No. 7. The No. 8 Charlotte Hornets and No. 9 Orlando Magic trail just behind as well, with the Miami Heat three games behind Philadelphia in the No. 10 spot.
Of those teams, only the Sixers and the Heat play tonight, with the Heat facing a much more favorable opponent in the tanking Washington Wizards.
The Pistons are still a powerhouse to be dealt with even without Cunningham it seems, but with the Sixers healthy (even factoring in Embiid being possibly sidelined for rest), this is probably the best opportunity Philadelphia could ask for to sneak their first win of the season over Detroit.
And there couldn’t be a more important time for them to make it happen.
Five games to go. The Sixers and Pistons tip off in South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.
Game Details
When: Saturday, April 4, 7:00 PM ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 03: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on April 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Boston Celtics chose Neemias Queta as their starting center, they rolled the dice. They moved on from their three most-used bigs in Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, supplanting their depth by placing their faith in Queta, who had just six career starts across four seasons.
Queta, a non-shooting big unlike Porziņģis or Horford and less experienced than Kornet, was handed the keys to Boston’s frontcourt from the start. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla even texted Queta during the offseason to tell him the job was his. Since then, he’s repaid the organization twofold — breaking out as a first-year starter and Boston’s leading rebounder (8.4) through 70 starts, with five games remaining in the regular season.
On Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, Queta scored 19 points with 10 rebounds and four blocks, recording his 16th double-double of the season on a milestone night.
“It’s becoming kind of like second nature for me,” Queta told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin after Boston’s 133-101 win over Milwaukee. “Getting to understand my teammates, getting to understand how to get them open, how to figure out how to score down in the paint, and rebounding is something I’ve been doing for a long time. So I’m glad I got to 1,000. Let’s get to 10,000 or whatever more I can get.”
Before the season, Queta had only 396 career rebounds as a backup on Boston’s bench. He’s already grabbed 604 boards this season alone, emerging as a late-bloomer who’s reshaping how the league sees him. He’s playing the role of a traditional center without the bells and whistles of modern NBA bigs — and it’s paying off. Queta has found the sweet spot of not doing too much, but doing more than enough to push Boston to heights many considered unfeasible on Opening Night.
Queta is averaging a career-high 10.1 points while shooting 64.3 percent from the field. He ranks seventh in the league in both defensive rating (105.5) and net rating (11.9). The Celtics, meanwhile, average the fewest turnovers (12.2), rank second in offensive rating (119.9), and third in 3-pointers made (15.3), maintaining their No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference since Jan. 15.
“We’re getting good looks, and once we manipulate the defense, we’re able to knock down shots,” Queta said in Milwaukee.
Even at the February trade deadline, when the Celtics swapped Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević, Queta maintained his role as the go-to center. Vučević, a 15-year veteran and two-time All-Star, has come off the bench in 11 of his 12 appearances behind Queta, showing how far he’s come since Mazzulla entrusted him with the starting role.
“It’s unbelievable,” Jayson Tatum told reporters. “I couldn’t be more proud and happier for Neemi. You know, the way he’s seeing the game, the leap that he’s made as a screener, as a passer. Somebody you can trust when you throw the ball in the seams — finishing, protecting the rim. He is an NBA starting big man. That’s who he is now.”
Three years ago, the Sacramento Kings waived Queta, allowing him to sign a two-way contract with the Celtics a week later. He showed promising flashes during Boston’s 2023-24 championship season, making 28 appearances and earning a standard contract before the playoffs. Year after year, Queta continued to improve as a member of the “Stay-Ready Group.” When the biggest opportunity of his professional career finally arrived, he validated Boston’s offseason plan and player development program.
Now, there’s no telling where Queta’s ceiling is.
“He’s only going to continue to get better,” Tatum added.
Last season, Queta was a reserve stuck in the shadows of Porziņģis, Horford, and Kornet as the Celtics approached the playoffs. With Porziņģis sidelined by a mystery illness, Kornet emerged as the unung hero against the New York Knicks in Round 2. This time, the floor belongs to Queta. He’s the primary center and most reliable big, and rather than serving as a placeholder, he has become an integral piece. He’s helped make the Spain pick-and-roll a dependable tactic in their offense, creating space for teammates with simple, yet effective actions that go unnoticed in the boxscore.
In seven previous playoff appearances with the Celtics, Queta never played more than five minutes. In Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, he played 5 minutes.
However, Queta’s breakout has him feeling confident and locked in for Boston’s final stretch before the playoffs.
The Celtics return home after back-to-back blowout victories, scoring 280 points in Miami and Milwaukee to maintain a 2 1/2 game lead over the No. 3 seed New York Knicks.
“I feel like we’re trending in the right direction,” Queta said. “We’re playing great basketball. We’re looking great offensively. Our defense is picking up a lot, so we just want to keep on honing these skills and keep on getting better because we’ve got these last five games to finish strong and then head into the playoffs with the best momentum to go full steam ahead.”
Apr 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots a technical foul against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks won by a comfortable margin as they handled the Brooklyn Nets in a 141-107 victory at Barclays Center on Friday night. CJ McCollum led the scoring with 25 points with Nickeil Alexander-Walker adding 21 points. For the Nets, Nic Claxton led with 16 points.
The final scoreline ultimately deceives the true nature of this game. You’d look at that final margin and think this was a comfortable victory for the Hawks, with the visitors able to cruise for the majority of the game.
It looked like this would be the case in the opening frame as the Hawks took a 35-17 point lead with a minute remaining in the first quarter — the Hawks punishing the Nets’ turnovers. However, the Nets finished the quarter on an 8-0 run, and an extended 14-0 run into the second quarter to reel the Hawks back to within three points and dash those early notions that this contest would be a wire-to-wire blowout.
The Hawks continued to press their advantage in transition and extended pressure to the Nets in those fastbreak situations, and behind this the Hawks were able to stabilize and push their lead back to double-digits. The Nets, however, kept the Hawks honest for most of what remained of the half, slipping late to a 16-point deficit as they entered the locker room at halftime.
The Hawks would have been expected to take care of business from this point forward, but the Nets kept the Hawks honest again in the third: the Atlanta lead never extended beyond 16 points in the third quarter, with the Nets reigning the Hawks’ lead to 10 points on multiple occasions in the third.
In the fourth quarter, Atlanta finally put distance between themselves and the Nets, pushing the lead out to 15 points, then 20 points, then 30 points as the bench was emptied, and finished at its highest of the night at 34 points to end the game. A 34 point final margin is probably what you would expect in a matchup like this, and while the Hawks were never threatened in this game (their lead never falling below 10 in the second half) but the Nets absolutely kept the Hawks honest — always one run away from bringing this game to single digits prior to the fourth quarter.
Postgame, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder was most pleased with how his side opened the game, beginning with a 10-0 run.
“I loved how we started the game,” said Snyder. “For the most part, over the course of the game, that was there. That’s who we are, and I think when we’re playing that way and looking for each other and helping each other on the offensive end — whether that’s a screen or a pass or running for somebody — that’s when we’re a more efficient offensive team. Our guys are really making an effort to execute in those situations.”
Where the Hawks looked at their most impressive was in transition, whether it was coming off of misses or off the many Brooklyn turnovers in the first half. For the game, the Hawks scored 35 points off of turnovers and 26 fastbreak points. Brooklyn’s turnovers also contributed to the Hawks attempting 11 more field goal attempts. Let’s take a look at some of these instances.
Good help by Gabe Vincent on the drive helps cough the ball up and the Hawks set off in transition. Atlanta moves the ball, and when it finds Alexander-Walker on the perimeter he drives inside and finishes with his left-hand at the rim:
Dyson Daniels pokes the ball away from Nolan Traore and finds Jalen Johnson in transition, who steps through the lane to finish at the rim for another fastbreak/points off of turnover basket:
Former Hawk Terance Mann loses control of his dribble, and CJ McCollum picks up the loose ball, carries it up the floor and rises into a three-pointer as Mann backs off:
On the dig on the drive, Daniels procures another steal and sets off in transition off the ball. McCollum outlets to Alexander-Walker, who finds Daniels to his right and finishes at the rim, adjusting well to avoid the Nets’ attempts to block the shot:
Off of a rebound from Noah Clowney, Daniels sneaks from behind to knock the ball loose for another steal. Daniels finds Johnson, who goes behind his back to find Daniels, who finds McCollum in the lane, who hits the floater:
The Hawks secured 11 steals on the game, with Daniels accounting for five by himself, but it was more than just Daniels who Snyder was impressed by defensively.
“Obviously Dyson and Nickeil are the head of the snake, so to speak, the two-headed snake,” said Snyder. “It raises other guys’ level when you see someone working like that. We’ve got Gabe comes in and picks up, and I thought Jonathan (Kuminga) tonight was terrific defensively. We’ve just got to make sure we have good offensive possessions and don’t turn it over, so we get a chance to set our defense.”
Kuminga’s effort in this game was notable; diving on the floor on a couple of occasions to try secure the ball or complete a steal. Offensively, Kuminga scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 3-of-3 from behind the arc, with Snyder praising his offense and how easy Kuminga is to play with.
“I think when you watch the game you see a late clock, get into the paint, pull up, some of those things, but to me, the thing that he’s doing really well is he’s easy to play with,” said Snyder of Kuminga. “You can tell that he’s internalized that. I’ve talked to him about trying to be more aggressive in transition in particular. He’s locked in defensively, and he’s capable of making some plays for us offensively with a couple of timely buckets that he’s able to get.”
While Kuminga led the bench scoring effort, it was McCollum who led the Hawks in scoring with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, 4-of-7 from three, and 5-of-6 from the free throw line to go along with seven assists. It was a diet of the usual blend of inside and outside scoring for McCollum, whose life was not made difficult by the Nets’ defense. His four three-pointers tied Alexander-Walker’s four threes for most in this game as the Hawks hit 20 threes, shooting 51% from behind the arc. This was another element where the Hawks really distanced themselves from the Nets, who only hit 12 threes, outscoring Brooklyn 60-36 in that regard.
McCollum also led the Hawks in assists, registering seven assists on the game as the Hawks received contributions from across the board moving the ball, tallying 36 assists for the game. Snyder discussed how the Hawks have become as connected as they have despite this current Atlanta group assembled mid-season.
“I think the fact that our group is connected the way they have in a short period of time really speaks to those guys in the locker room,” said Snyder postgame. “I think there’s been a foundation that we felt like we’ve tried to lay and been consistent with some of those things. They’ve embraced one another as much as anything. As we’ve talked about it a lot, the roles are going to evolve, you’re going to have different things that are available to you at different times. As long as we stay connected and play with the pass, good things can happen. When you get a group that feels that way and wants to play that way and is able to put the team in front of themselves individually, I think it’s a rare thing. Not just in the NBA, but just in general.”
The Hawks now lead the NBA in assists per game with over 30 assists per game, and it’s accomplished by committee. The Hawks’ leading assist-man on the season, Jalen Johnson, had an understated by effective game, scoring 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go with 11 assists and five assists. Particularly in the first half, Johnson’s outlet passing was fantastic, and while he wasn’t credited with the assist on some of these outlets (following an extra pass) Johnson was a great connector in transition where the Hawks excelled last night.
All in all, the Hawks took care of business, but the Nets kept them honest for three quarters before Atlanta finally pulled away behind a 43-22 fourth quarter, allowing for the Hawks to clear their bench with four minutes to spare. Looking across the league, no changes occurred in the Eastern Conference around the Hawks — Toronto picked up a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers (currently in the 6-seed) have a daunting matchup in San Antonio on Saturday night, who have won 11 straight games.
Next up for the Hawks (45-33) is, by no means, an easy matchup as the New York Knicks (50-28) will arrive in Atlanta ahead of a Monday night matchup. Should be a rowdy atmosphere as always, and an important game for the Hawks as they continue to chase an automatic playoff berth.
The San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets tip off this afternoon in a battle of two of the NBA West's best, and the props board has some real value hiding in plain sight.
We dug into the game logs, defensive data, and Covers NBA player prop projections model edges to find the spots where the market got it wrong.
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!
Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Spurs computer picks
Stephon Castle Under 8.5 assists (+105)
Projection: 7.5 assists
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle has averaged 8.5 assists over his last six games, though he cooled off with just five on Thursday.
The Denver Nuggets have allowed the 23rd fewest assists over the last 10 games, and we agree with our Covers prop projections on Castle’s assist prop.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Castle Now at bet365!/span
Julian Champagnie Over 4.5 rebounds (-112)
Projection: 5.6 rebounds
Julian Champagnie is averaging 5.1 rebounds over his last nine games and just hauled in eight on Thursday against the Clippers.
Champagnie’s 4.5 rebound prop line is simply set too low. Denver ranks 27th in defensive rebound rate over the last 10, giving the Spurs forward a clear path to grab five.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Champagnie Now at bet365!/span
Keldon Johnson Over 4.5 rebounds (+105)
Projection: 5.1 rebounds
Keldon Johnson is averaging 4.4 rebounds in March and hauled in seven against Denver just three weeks ago.
Over Covers projection model expects five boards today from the Spurs forward, and Denver ranks 27th in defensive rebound rate over the last 10 games, leaving the glass wide open for active forwards.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Johnson Now at bet365!/span
Nuggets computer picks
Jamal Murray Over 24.5 points (-112)
Projection: 25.6 points
Jamal Murray is averaging 30.7 points over his last seven games and just dropped 37 on Wednesday against Utah.
He's shooting over 52% from the floor during that stretch and has scored at least 20 in seven straight. San Antonio's defense is legit, but Murray in this form is a difficult assignment for anyone.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Murray Now at bet365!/span
Christian Braun Over 11.5 points (+100)
Projection: 12.2 points
Christian Braun is averaging 13.2 points in March and scored 18 on Wednesday against Utah.
Braun runs the floor well, and his cuts to the cup will benefit from San Antonio's perimeter defense getting stretched thin when Nikola Jokic commands attention in the post, and Braun thrives in exactly those situations.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Braun Now at bet365!/span
Cameron Johnson Over 12.5 points (-105)
Projection: 13 points
Cameron Johnson is averaging 12.4 points in March and just scored 19 against Utah on Wednesday. At +102 on a line his projection already clears, the market is essentially giving you plus money on a coin flip that the numbers say he should win.
With Jokic getting most of the Spurs' attention, Johnson's perimeter shooting gives him a good chance to clear his scoring prop.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Johnson Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Spurs vs Nuggets tonight
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Tip-off
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 09: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks guards Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of the game at Fiserv Forum on November 09, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This week’s Rockets question asked you whether or not you’d want the franchise to trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported that the franchise is going to make a run at the two-time MVP.
Here’s your answer to the question.
The vast majority of you (79 percent) are against the idea of the Rockets trading for Antetokounmpo, which makes sense.
Such a move would certainly require the Rockets to give up a young star-level player, most likely Alperen Sengun. Such a move would also surely rid the Rockets of their draft capital.
And although a Kevin Durant-Giannis Antetokounmpo pairing would be dynamic, his presence wouldn’t mask Houston’s lack of outside shooting or lack of consistent bench depth. In addition, Antetokounmpo has just one year left on his current contract before being able to decline his player option and hit unrestricted free agency.
In other words, if that one year doesn’t pan out, Houston could very well be in a worse situation than now, before having him, because they’d be without him AND whomever was dealt for him. Then there’s the durability factor, as he played just 36 games this season.
And he just turned 31 years old, meaning the injuries will likely continue to rack up, while the Rockets’ ability to surround he and an aging Durant with roster depth will be severely limited.
Thanks for participating. Make sure you check out our friends over at FanDuel. The Rockets are currently +8000 to win the championship this season. That could score you $8000 on just a $100 placement.
Get the popcorn ready as two of the NBA’s biggest superstars, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic, go head-to-head for the first time this season this afternoon.
Wemby has crashed the glass with authority this season, and my Spurs vs. Nuggets predictions expect him to hit the Over on a modest rebound line.
Here are my free NBA picks for this powerhouse Western Conference showdown today, April 4.
Spurs vs Nuggets prediction
Spurs vs Nuggets best bet: Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds (+100)
Victor Wembanyama is pulling down a career-best 11.5 rebounds, so he’ll need just a slightly above-average game to cash the Over here. As an added bonus, we’re getting this prop at even money.
Wemby has grabbed 12+ rebounds in five straight games and six of his last seven. In 21 games since the All-Star break, his rebound numbers have climbed to 12.2 per tilt, and he’s hit the Over 12 times.
The majority of times he didn't grab 12+ boards were against bottom feeders, where the San Antonio Spurs are up so big they don't need his services. That won't be the case in a game where the Spurs are favored by just two points.
Wemby's 11.5 rebound average ranks fifth in the Association, and his 9.4 defensive rebounds are second-most by any player. Over their last 10, the Denver Nuggets have surrendered the 12th-most rebounds (43.2) and 12th-most defensive rebounds (32.4).
In six head-to-head matchups with Nikola Jokic, Wembanyama has averaged a whopping 14.7 boards, and he’s corralled 12+ rebounds four times.
He should be well-rested after getting a maintenance day on Thursday, so I expect a strong afternoon cleaning the glass.
Spurs vs Nuggets same-game parlay
Both teams are nearly at full strength, and both feature an MVP candidate surrounded by a deep cast of solid shooters and scoring options. I’m counting on a high-scoring affair tonight in what I think will turn into a track meet between two Top-3 offenses.
Denver hasn’t been great against the spread at home this season, going 18-19 at Ball Arena and just 14-15 as the home dog. San Antonio is 23-16-1 ATS on the road and 13-11-1 as the road favorite.
The Spurs have covered in four of their last five away from home, and will do so again today in their push for the West's No. 1 seed.
Spurs vs Nuggets SGP
Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
Over 242.5
Spurs -2
Our "from downtown" SGP: Battle of the bigs
Wemby has averaged 29.1 points across his last 14 games, hitting the Over on this scoring line eight times. He’s scored 27+ in two of his last three against Nikola Jokic (dating back to last season), and he'll have no fear shooting as he chases Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the NBA MVP award.
Jokic has been incredible over his last six games, averaging a monstrous 23.5 points, 16.5 rebounds, and 13.7 assists. In that span, he’s hit the Over on his rebounds line in all six, and the assists line in five of six. Joker has scored 25+ in two of his last three overall.
Spurs vs Nuggets SGP
Victor Wembanyama Over 26.5 points
Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
Nikola Jokic Over 25.5 points
Nikola Jokic Over 13.5 rebounds
Nikola Jokic Over 11.5 assists
Spurs vs Nuggets odds
Spread: Spurs -2 | Nuggets +2
Moneyline: Spurs -130 | Nuggets +110
Over/Under: Over 242.5 | Under 242.5
Spurs vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The San Antonio Spurs have hit the moneyline in 31 of their last 45 away games (+32.45 Units / 24% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Spurs vs Nuggets
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Tip-off
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Spurs vs Nuggets latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Clyde Frazier is known for being a worldly man and he certainly found an interesting way to display that Friday night.
The legendary Knicks announcer and Hall of Famer began Friday’s MSG broadcast of the Knicks’ 136-96 blowout win over the Bulls by comparing Michael Jordan’s former franchise …. to Iran.
“Mike (Breen), I was talking to my friends, man. And I was talking about eradicated, obliterated, devastated. They thought I was talking about Iran, but I was talking about the Bulls,” Frazier said.
“Their last game to the Pacers, though, they gave up 145. Against the Sixers, they gave up 157 points…”
Walt "Clyde" Frazier: "Mike, I was talking to my friends, man. And I was talking about eradicated, obliterated, devastated. They thought I was talking about Iran. But I was talking about the Bulls."
Breen, who couldn’t help but chuckle, responded: “That’s how you start a telecast?”
Fans of the “Chapelle Show” surely can remember character Silky Johnson making similar comments about a coat and Afghanistan some 20-something years ago, but that was a comedy show.
This was an actual NBA broadcast, featuring two of the league’s most-historic teams, and it instead became a time to test some jokes involving real-world events with the United States and Iran at war.
But this is what happens in these final weeks of the NBA season when teams have fully embraced tanking and are focused on the upcoming draft.
Walt “Clyde” Frazier before a recent Knicks game in March 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks are still jockeying for position, while the only exciting thing about the Bulls right now is whether coach Billy Donovan will bolt — possibly for North Carolina — after the season.
Chicago (29-48) has lost six straight games while allowing an absurd 137.2 points per game, playing defense that only a matador could applaud.
They also recently landed in headlines for all the wrong reasons after cutting ties with Jaden Ivey, who went on an anti-LGBTQ and anti-catholicism rant recently.
The Bulls are rather hapless. AP
The 81-year-old Frazier also made another cheeky remark later in the game when he called Bulls forward Josh Giddey a “sex symbol in OKC,” referencing his time with the Thunder.
Giddey was accused during his time with Oklahoma City of an improper relationship with an underage girl, but police did not pursue charges since they could not “corroborate any criminal activity.”
The NBA also closed an investigation into the matter.
The Knicks (50-28) have four games left on their schedule before the playoffs but all come against teams that are either in the Eastern Conference’s top-six spots or the Play-In Tournament.
So there is much less chance of Frazier comparing any other team to Iran.
This is the game most college basketball fans have circled. The last two No. 1 seeds remaining, Michigan and Arizona meet in Saturday's Final Four nightcap, with some referring to it as the de facto national title game.
Illinois or UConn may have something to say about that Monday night, but this game has all the ingredients to be a March Madness classic.
Here's what you need to know about Saturday's national semifinal between the Wolverines and Wildcats, including predictions and how to watch.
Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press: Michigan 86, Arizona 83. Michigan has felt all year that if it plays its "A" game, it can beat anyone in the country. Arizona will certainly put that to the test. But this Michigan team, led by Lendeborg (coming off his best month of the season), remains on a mission. Onto the title game the Wolverines go.
Blake Toppmeyer: Arizona. The Arizona-Michigan semifinal will be the de facto national championship game. They looked like the two best teams all tournament. Slight advantage to Arizona, a team without weakness. Everyone in the Wildcats' starting five averages in double figures scoring.
John Brice: Arizona. I’ll say it: this is the national championship game. Both teams are playing their best; it’s easy to tab Michigan after its evisceration of Tennessee and the early line. Give me Tommy Lloyd’s blend of vets and freshman phenoms.
Jordan Mendoza: Arizona. In one of the best matchups in Final Four history, Arizona's depth comes up clutch with a big game in the paint to win a thriller.
Paul Myerberg: Michigan. In what feels like a de facto title game, Michigan's frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara gives it an edge in what should be a high-scoring semifinal
Eddie Timanus: Arizona. This meeting is probably taking place a round too early, but don’t get me started on everything the committee did wrong with this field. Since we are getting this game, let’s just hope it lives up to its billing. I had the Wildcats winning the whole thing going in, so I’ll stick to my guns.
Matt Glenesk: Michigan. Billed as the real national championship game, this matchup should be awesome. Michigan has looked as good as anyone so far this tournament (along with Illinois). Arizona had a blip in the first half vs. Purdue before opening a can on the Boilermakers. There's so much talent in this one, but I'm going with Wolverines, who haven't showed any vulnerabilities this tournament.
John Leuzzi: Arizona. This one feels like a real toss-up, given how dominant both teams have looked in the first two weekends. Arizona wins in an all-time Final Four with Jaden Bradley and Koa Peat hitting big shots at the end.
Brent Schrotenboer: Arizona. Best team from the best league wins: Arizona of the Big 12. Time for the first national champion west of Kansas since 1997.
Craig Meyer: Michigan. These have been two of the three best teams in the country for much of the season and very little separates them. The Wolverines have just a little more experience in this situation, with an older roster and a coach who has been on this stage before, which will be enough for them to eke out a tight win. While it's tempting to call this the de-facto national title game, let's pump the brakes. Just ask Houston's 1983 team how that conventional wisdom worked out.
Ehsan Kassim: Arizona. This one will be an instant classic and will come down to the wire. The Wildcats escape with a close victory over Dusty May's crew.
Arizona vs Michigan betting odds: Who is favored to win?
Arizona Final Four history: Has Arizona basketball won a national championship?
This is Arizona's fifth Final Four appearance, and first since 2001. The Wildcats won their only men's basketball national championship in 1997... in Indianapolis.
1988: lost semifinal to Oklahoma, 86-78
1994: lost semifinal to Arkansas, 91-82
1997: won semifinal over North Carolina, 66-58; won final over Kentucky, 84-79 in OT
2001: won semifinal over Michigan State, 80-61; lost final to Duke, 82-72
Michigan Final Four history: Has Michigan basketball won a national championship?
This is Michigan's ninth Final Four trip and first since 2018. The Wolverines won the 1989 national championship.
1964: lost semifinal to Duke, 91-80; won third-place game over Kansas State, 100-90
1965: won semifinal over Princeton, 93-76; lost final to UCLA, 91-80
1976: won semifinal over Rutgers, 86-70; lost final to Indiana, 86-68
1989: won semifinal over Illinois, 83-81; won final over Seton Hall, 80-79 in OT
1992: won semifinal over Cincinnati, 76-72; lost final to Duke, 71-51
1993: won semifinal over Kentucky, 81-78 in OT; lost final to North Carolina, 77-71
2013: won semifinal over Syracuse, 61-56; lost final to Louisville, 82-76
2018: won semifinal over Loyola Chicago, 69-57; lost final to Villanova, 79-62
The Arizona coach announced on Friday, April 3 he has signed a new deal to stay with the Wildcats, spurning North Carolina after he was reportedly the leading the candidate for the Tar Heels' open coaching job.
"I'm happy to announce I'm staying at Arizona. We've been able to get some things done the past couple days," Lloyd said.
Is Dusty May a candidate for UNC basketball job? What Dusty May said about North Carolina job
May has fielded questions about the North Carolina job, but has not named the Tar Heels directly in his responses.
"After last year, I decided I'll never respond to any job speculation," May said at media availability April 3. "I had already agreed to terms with Michigan, was 100% done, and I made the comment that I was flattered about a certain job opening because of my background, and that was misconstrued, so I just decided I'm never going to comment on any job that I don't have.
"I think it's well documented how happy I am at Michigan. Obviously, my private life, my personal life, my family, their happiness is very important. I love it at Michigan, but you'll never hear me comment on any other job unless Michigan lets me go, and then I'll comment on every job."
How old is Yaxel Lendeborg?
Yaxel Lendeborg is 23 years old. Lendeborg played three seasons at Arizona Western Community College before heading to UAB where he played two seasons. This is his first year at Michigan.
Elliot Cadeau has allergic reaction, carted away at Michigan Final Four send-off
The Wolverines’ departure to Indianapolis came with a scare, though.
Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau was evaluated by team medical personnel for a possible allergic reaction to something he ate as the team prepared to leave Ann Arbor for Indianapolis on Wednesday, April 1, a team spokesman told the Detroit Free Press, a part of the USA TODAY Network.
Cadeau was determined to be “fine” by doctors, though out of an abundance of caution, he was continuing to receive medical supervision and would not be leaving for the Final Four until later in the day Wednesday.
Is Elliot Cadeau deaf? Michigan PG overcame hearing, vision issues
Elliot Cadeau is half-deaf in one ear, dealt with blurred vision in one eye. That hasn't stopped Michigan point guard from turning in his best season.
One of Dusty May's son is a walk-on, the other is a student manager
Dusty May is surrounding by family on the Michigan bench. His son Charlie is a walk-on for the Wolverines, while another son, Eli, is a student manager — a role Dusty served under former Indiana icon Bob Knight.
In Michigan's Elite Eight blowout win over Tennessee, Charlie got into the game and drilled a 3-pointer, much to the delight of his Wolverines teammates.
“It’s obviously tough to give up playing the game and being on a team wearing a jersey,” Dusty May told USA TODAY Sports about Eli's role. “But I just thought as far as his long-term development, all the things our managers learn, problem-solving, they learn people skills. They learn to function. We try to give them a lot of responsibility because we know if they’re ever going to make it in coaching … they have to have the experience of doing meaningful work. Our managers have helped him become much more responsible.”
Where is Aday Mara from?
The 7-3 UCLA transfer is from Zaragoza, Spain. Mara was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Big Ten with 2.6 blocks per game.
Is LeBron James' son on Arizona roster? Does he play?
Bryce James, LeBron's son, is on the Wildcats roster. The freshman is redshirting this season. Bryce was a three-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon, where brother Bronny James also attended,
Why Tommy Lloyd focused on freshmen and not 'overpriced' transfers
In the Year of the Freshmen across college basketball, no other freshman class in America has scored more points this season than the five active freshmen on Arizona, led by Brayden Burries, Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov.
Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd instead took a different approach than many others last year, veering away from the transfer portal, where more experienced players typically seek to earn more money from their names, images and likenesses (NIL).
“We were able to get involved with some freshmen that we felt could be just big-time impact players in college basketball, no matter what year or what class they were,” Lloyd told USA TODAY Sports.
One reason Lloyd built his roster this way was because didn’t think there were going to be many “quality” transfers available in the portal.
“I thought it was going to be overpriced,” Lloyd said.
Yes, Tommy Lloyd is an aspiring DJ: DJ Tomm-EE
Tommy Lloyd’s sidequest includes spinning it on the turntables in becoming a DJ.
He may not strike you as one you’d see mixing songs or making the beat drop, but Lloyd is quite the music lover. And this hobby he’s picked up has come with a masterful teacher, “one of the best DJs of all time” in Mix Master Mike.
“My sport is the art of turntables and hip hop. His sport is basketball. We just decided to collide into those two professions, and now we're here,” Mike told USA TODAY Sports. “It's just an amazing thing.”
Lloyd insists his DJ career is “more of a joke” than his next profession, but he may be selling himself short. Mike insists he’s better than he likely thinks he is. You just don’t show your team samples of your mixes for nothing.
“It's been a little bit of a — I guess — I don't know if a childhood fantasy, but probably a manhood fantasy for me that's come true,” Lloyd said. “It's been awesome to have that relationship.”
Koa Peat 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 19 overall to Miami Heat
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Miami Heat have drafted several prospects known for their athleticism, which means a player like Arizona forward Koa Peat will probably have some appeal to their organization. Peat is an ideal match for this franchise given his versatility as a playmaking forward. The All-Big 12 forward just needs a jumper to carve out regular minutes as a high-impact pro. Arizona plays at a significantly faster pace (4.6 extra possessions) when Peat is on the floor relative to when he is not, per CBB Analytics, which would fit very well with Miamis fastest-paced offense in the NBA.
Brayden Burries 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 10 overall to Milwaukee Bucks.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Arizona freshman Brayden Burries had two breakout games in January, which helped solidify his draft stock. But the All-Big 12 guard has continued to display his tantalizing talent, scoring 31 points with seven rebounds and five steals against Colorado on March 7 and 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists during a victory against No. 14 Kansas on Feb. 28. Burries has proven productivity and that he is able to defend, relocate, move the ball and make 3-pointers off the dribble.
In addition to Steph Curry, more reinforcements could soon be on the way for the Warriors.
Al Horford, who missed the last 11 games with a strained right soleus, recently was re-evaluated and is making good progress, the team announced Saturday. Horford continues to advance the level of his on-court workouts and was incorporated into parts of team practice on Saturday.
Horford will be re-evaluated again early next week.
Additionally, Quinten Post, who didn’t play in Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to right foot soreness, also re-evaluated Saturday, and the re-evaluation indicated that Post is making good progress.
The Warriors shared that Post will continue with daily rehab and light on-court workouts, and he will be re-evaluated again next week.
Horford, who signed with the Warriors this past offseason, is averaging 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 21.7 minutes through 43 games (12 starts).
Post, in his second season with Golden State, is averaging 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.3 minutes through 67 games (35 starts).
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 08: Anthony Edwards #5, Jaden McDaniels #3 and Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves react during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Target Center on January 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Clouse/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout the season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. There have been moments where the Wolves looked like they could beat any team in the league, and there have been stretches where it felt like they would never win a game again.
In a lengthy 82-game NBA season, it can be easy to forget everything that has happened even just a few games ago. Often, the topics and narratives that once seemed paramount to the success or failure of the team fade away into obscurity as new triumphs and problems arise.
A lot has changed for the Wolves in just a few short months. They came into the season expecting some combination of Terrence Shannon Jr, Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham to fill out their rotation, none of whom were able to take hold of a permanent role. Julius Randle seemed destined to make an All-Star team after a blistering hot November, and at one point early in the season, they seemed unable to beat a team with a winning record.
All of those ideas, which at one point or another seemed like crisis points, have faded into obscurity. As more games went by, they stacked up some quality wins, had many inexplicable losses, and new players joined the team both before and after the trade deadline.
With just five games remaining on the Wolves’ schedule, let’s take a look back at the best and the worst moments of the Timberwolves’ regular season.
Ant in the clutch on opening night
The Timberwolves started their season out west against the Portland Trail Blazers. The season got off to a bit of a rocky start, as before the game even began, it was announced that Mike Conley would be moved to the bench with Donte DiVincenzo taking his spot in the starting rotation.
It was an ominous sign for the 38-year-old point guard who, during training camp, was presumed to again be in the starting lineup, but struggled to find his role with the team coming off the bench. Specifically, Conley’s 3-point shot deserted him, as he sat below 30 percent shooting from beyond the arc most of the season.
DiVincenzo initially struggled with the added point guard duties, as he turned it over six times on opening night due to Portland’s full-court ball pressure. After the first month, though, DiVincenzo became more comfortable in his new role, which has made the opening night point guard switch look like the right decision.
Once the game began, the story quickly shifted to Anthony Edwards, who was sensational all game, especially down the stretch in clutch time. Edwards finished the game with 41 points, ten of which came in the final five minutes.
The Wolves trailed the entire second half, including by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter, but fought back to take the lead with less than four minutes left after a 3-pointer by Edwards. The two teams traded leads until Ant gave the Wolves the lead back for good, knocking down another shot from deep on a stepback over Jerami Grant.
A few possessions later, with the Wolves up by two points, Ant hit another step-back jumper, this time in the midrange, to put Minnesota up by two possessions, effectively sealing the win.
So many times, the season prior, Edwards would have settled for a much worse shot in that situation. He would have dribbled the air out of the ball, at no point tried to drive to the rim, and launched an incredibly difficult deep 3-pointer.
Instead, Ant drove a little bit closer to the basket, created a ton of space from his defender, and knocked down a midrange shot. All offseason, after getting eliminated by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Edwards focused on improving his midrange shot and immediately put it to use in the first game of the season.
The win felt like more than just a single victory. It felt as though Ant was on the verge of taking another leap as a superstar. That feeling ended up being mostly correct as Edwards has had the best scoring season of his career, increasing both his volume and efficiency numbers.
Overtime Thriller on Christmas
The Timberwolves came into their Christmas Day matchup with the Denver Nuggets with a 20-10 record. Two of those ten losses had already come against the Nuggets, with the Wolves losing two back-to-backs against the Nuggets at Target Center, one without Edwards.
With the game tipping off at 9:30 PM CT, and much of the Christmas Day festivities over, the Wolves looked to grab a win against a playoff rival. What ensued was another classic matchup between the Wolves and Nuggets.
The first half was back and forth with both teams getting out to moderate leads, but with Rudy Gobert getting in third-quarter foul trouble, Minnesota fell behind by as many as 16 points in the third quarter.
For almost the entirety of the second half, it appeared the Wolves were trending toward a decisive loss, but with less than five minutes left, they made a comeback. The Timberwolves went on a 16-2 run to cut the Nuggets’ lead all the way down to one.
A Jamal Murray 3-pointer and a Spencer Jones putback layup to put Denver back up by six with under a minute to play could have been the dagger, but the Wolves kept fighting. Edwards got fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws to cut the lead back to three before stealing a Murray entry pass to Nikola Jokić to give them a chance to send the game to overtime.
Ant did just that, as after a beautifully drawn up play from Chris Finch, Edwards got the ball in the corner and, all in one motion, turned around and knocked down the game-tying shot.
The Wolves kept it rolling in overtime. They came out and scored the first nine points of the extra period, highlighted by another Edwards 3-pointer.
That is when the wheels fell off for Minnesota. Denver responded by going on an 11-2 run to tie the game. With less than a minute left, Murray hit another dagger 3-pointer, giving him 35 points on the night as the Nuggets went on to win 142-138.
The nine-point comeback from the Nuggets tied the largest overtime comeback since play-by-play started getting tracked, a record that would stand for only a few short months.
New Year’s Eve Disaster in Atlanta
After the Christmas Day loss, the Wolves followed up that performance with a lifeless loss at home to the tanking Brooklyn Nets. A few days later, on New Year’s Eve, the Wolves put together another dispiriting effort as they seemed preoccupied with which Miami party they would be going to that night, as they got blown out 123-102 by the Atlanta Hawks.
“Do we care?” was the question Gobert asked of himself and the team after the game. “Does something happen when we like we played the first quarter tonight? Or is it just cool? Make a lot of money, we play basketball, do what we do, and go home and be happy. I think that’s the fine line between a team that’s playing for a championship and a team that’s full of talent but doesn’t accomplish shit.”
When asked about how he felt the team was playing at that time, Gobert responded, “Not like a team that wants to play for a championship. That’s for sure.” DiVicenzo had similar feelings, saying, “How many meetings, how many film sessions, how many times has Finchy had to talk to us? It’s just frustrating because you go out in Chicago, you play well, you respond, and then you come in here and lay an egg.”
There was a feeling from the outside looking in that something in the locker room wasn’t quite fitting together. There may not have been a specific incident that caused friction within the team, but something just seemed off from an interpersonal standpoint.
The Wolves did respond by winning six of their next seven games, but the inconsistency Gobert and DiVincenzo alluded to in their comments became a pervasive issue throughout the season.
Late-game Comeback Against the Spurs
One of the wins that came after the New Year’s Eve debacle came against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
The game quickly got out of hand for the Timberwolves as they gave up the first 16 points of the game. With the Target Center crowd begging them to put the ball in the basket so they could sit down, the Wolves finally scored their first points more than four and a half minutes into the game.
Minnesota trailed almost the entire game, including by as many as 19 points midway through the third quarter, but like they did about two weeks prior against Denver, they clawed back. Down by ten, they put together a 15-5 run to get the game tied on a Randle and-1 layup.
Then, with just over two minutes left, Edwards gave the Wolves their first lead of the game with a beautiful turnaround midrange jumper.
The two teams traded leads into the final minutes of the game. With the Wolves down by a single point, Edwards hit a running layup around a Randle screen that took Wembanyama out of the play to give Minnesota the lead back with 16.8 seconds left.
The game felt like another example of the Wolves, especially Edwards, leveling up in the late moments against great teams. It was another data point toward the idea that the Wolves could beat any team in the league on their best night.
The only question was whether they could sustain that level of play for more than just a single night.
Just when it seemed as though the season was going in the right direction for the Wolves, the bottom fell out. They lost hard-fought games against the Houston Rockets (again without Edwards) and to the Spurs before following them up with two sour performances in losses to the tanking Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls. The Wolves’ losing streak reached five games in a 26-point loss to the Golden State Warriors.
During that time, Minnesotans were going through an incredibly hard time. Federal officers, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), had invaded Minneapolis and the surrounding Twin Cities, leading to widespread protests across Minnesota.
The morning the Wolves and Warriors were set to play the first of two games against each other at Target Center, Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was shot and killed at the hands of federal officers just weeks after Renee Nicole Good, a local mother of three, was also killed in a similar incident.
The game between the Wolves and Warriors was postponed 24 hours “to prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community.” When the game did take place the next day, it was clear the Timberwolves were not in the right headspace to play basketball.
“What I felt was that their group was suffering,” Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of; you could feel the somber atmosphere.”
Despite the incredibly poor performance, there wasn’t much to take away from what happened on the court that night because of everything else that was going on at the time. The Timberwolves responded by winning their next four games, continuing a pattern of playing their best basketball just when people start to count them out.
This is the first part of a two-part season recap series. Check back on Monday for part two
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 3: Taurean Prince #12 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on April 3, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks got routed by the Boston Celtics 133-101 in a contest that was never really a contest at all. The Celtics got off to a hot start in the paint and from three and never looked back, clinching the season series 3-1. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Dairy Bird hit some shots that breathed some life into an otherwise dead game. He also kept the ball moving, racking up five assists off mostly extra swing passes. Three turnovers are never ideal for his role, though.
Kuz was one of Milwaukee’s more aggressive and effective scorers. Going 2/5 from deep isn’t bad for a guy who’s been slumping from out there lately. Still, he wasn’t efficient and ultimately didn’t make much of a difference.
Doc talked pregame about how he’s continuing to emphasize crashing the glass with Nance. Last night, the big man grabbed a career-high 10 boards. Love that he got up nine threes too. Why not let it fly?
Ugh. To be fair to Myles, you can’t expect much from a play finisher like him in a game where there are zero on-ball playmakers in the lineup. But he somehow sank well below the tempered expectations offensively. To make matters worse, Boston ran through the Bucks in the paint, and Mr. Turner is supposed to be a rim protector.
Ous gets a bit of a pass here because he went down with an injury in the third quarter, but before that, he was on track for a disaster game. Slow processing and questionable decision-making were the story of his night. The on-ball stuff is very much still a work in progress for Dieng.
The rookie competed as hard as anybody, even earning himself some stitches after shouldering a hard foul from Jaylen Brown that sent him flying into the first row. He also looked solid on defense and hit his jumpers.
Sims is never going to do much scoring in a game with no playmakers (similar to Turner). That said, he still found ways to contribute, running the offense from the top of the key on his way to posting a career-high six assists and the only positive plus/minus on the team.
Harris very quietly returned from injury and made little fanfare on the floor.
Grade: D+
Doc Rivers
It’s tough to imagine any coach doing much more with what Doc has to work with right now, especially against the Celtics. Like, anyone expecting a win here or even a close loss was kidding themselves, so all you can look at is the process, which was fine last night. Getting an offense going with zero creators is so tough at the NBA level, but the Bucks overall had a passable night on that end, hitting 21 threes. It was the defense that really killed the team and tanked Doc’s grade.
Grade: C
Limited Minutes: Andre Jackson Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo
Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Ryan Rollins, Gary Trent Jr.
Bonus Bucks Bits
Doc Rivers on unexpected wrinkles/skills we may see from players down the stretch:
“I mean, Rylo (Ryan Rollins), we just wanna try to keep healthy, for the most part. But anytime he makes a play without the shot is big for us, that’s great. Pete (Nance), rebounding, still being confident shooting. We had to remind him in the Cleveland game to shoot the ball again and then to start shooting it and making it. So, a lot of the guys, the other guys, we’re just learning, we’re still trying to figure out.”
Doc on the biggest joys of what’s been an overall tough season:
“This has not been a fun year for anybody. But watching some of our young guys develop, it has been fun. Watching Ryan and watching AJ, Jericho Sims, I mean, you think about guys, when you look at our roster, we’re playing a lot of guys with minimum contracts and trying to win games. And that’s hard to do. It really is. There’s two sayings, with our young guys, they’re minimum, not for a reason, they’re minimum because no one knows ‘em, we’ve developed them, and I’m proud of that.”
Thanasis *almost* (okay, not really almost) completed an alley-oop to Alex in the fourth quarter. How sick would that have been?
AJ Green named 27 types of fish in 30 seconds to beat a fan in a giveaway game run during a timeout.
Here’s the address of the Giannis-sized elephant in the room.
Up Next
The Bucks will take on the (skeleton crew) Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday at home in an epic tank-off. Catch that one at 2:30 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin. Be warned, though: unless you’re a genuine sicko, you will probably recognize zero players on Memphis’ roster. Some teaser names: Lucas Williamson, Adama Bal, and Toby Okani. Insert the Snoop Dogg “who?” GIF here.
While many are calling Arizona vs. Michigan the real national championship game, the UConn and Illinois won't care in Saturday's first semifinal of the Final Four.
Expect to see a sea of orange at Lucas Oil Stadium (did you see the showing at Friday's practice?). Champaign's proximity (two hours) and the program's first Final Four trip since 2005 have the Illini faithful energized.
Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star: Illinois 67, UConn 64. These two programs met in the 2024 Elite Eight with UConn winning by 25 points including a 30-0 run from the Huskies. This national semifinal meeting is also a rematch of the Fighting Illini's eighth game of the season. Illinois lost that Nov. 28 game, 74-61 at Madison Square Garden despite 25 points by Kylan Boswell. Freshman phenom Keaton Wagler has been a steady offensive presence, dropping 25 in the Elite 8 win over Iowa. However, Andrej Stojakovic has been the X-factor off the bench. He's averaging 15 points in the NCAA tournament. UConn is back in the Final Four for a third time in four seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Huskies senior center Tarris Reed Jr. has been a monster during the Big Dance, averaging 21.8 points and 13.5 rebounds.
Blake Toppmeyer:Illinois. Credit UConn for incredible comeback, but don't overlook Illinois. The Illini looked dominant coming out of the South, and they have enough offense to turn back a clutch UConn team.
John Brice:UConn. How could anyone pick against Dan Hurley’s squad at this point? Hurley’s now 18-1 in his past three March Madness appearances. The Huskies will play for a third crown in four seasons.
Paul Myerberg: UConn. The backcourt play and just enough beef up front to repeat November's 13-point win against the Illini in MSG. And after the miracle comeback against Duke, the Huskies feel like a team of destiny.
Jordan Mendoza: UConn. The Huskies ride the high of the Elite Eight comeback and the 3-point shot returns to advanced to the national championship again.
Eddie Timanus: UConn. I would have to be a complete idiot to pick against UConn at this phase of the Big Dance. We seen ‘team of destiny’ shots in the Elite Eight before, haven’t we?
Matt Glenesk: Illinois. I originally picked UConn, but have changed my mind. There's something about Illinois' offensive firepower and wave of big bodies they can throw at opponents that has me convinced of an All-Big Ten national championship.
John Leuzzi: UConn. When these two met in late November at Madison Square Garden, UConn won by 13. While the margin of victory may not be like that this time around, the Huskies do get their second win of the season against the Illini. Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban continue to have big games, while Braylon Mullins delivers a big-time shot in front of the home crowd. UConn’s defense is looking like a top 5 unit again.
Brent Schrotenboer: UConn. That ending against Duke makes it look like destiny is calling again, at least for one more game.
Craig Meyer: UConn. The Illini haven't just won on their way to their first Final Four in 21 years, but they've been dominant, winning each of their four tournament games by at least 10 points. They've only played one team better than a No. 9 seed, though, and the more battle-tested Huskies will be able to lean on Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban to pull out a close win. One thing to keep in mind with Illinois: no team has ever lost its first conference tournament game, like the Illini did against Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament, and gone on to win the national championship.
Ehsan Kassim: Illinois. UConn has required surviving two scares to reach this point. Illinois on the other hand has been dominant in the South Region. Give me the Illini.
Moneyline: Illinois (-135); UConn (+110)
Spread: Illinois (-1.5)
Over/under total: 139.5
Illinois Final Four bold prediction
Ehsan Kassim: The Illini are going to win the whole thing this year.
Austin Curtright: Illinois loses by double digits to UConn.
UConn Final Four bold prediction
John Leuzzi: Solo Ball has a breakout moment and reminds the country why he was one of the top one of 3-point shooters in the country last season.
Jordan Mendoza: The Huskies lose their first Final Four game in the Dan Hurley era.
Austin Curtright: UConn's 3-pointers start to fall. UConn have only made double-digit 3-pointers in a game once since Feb. 18, but will do it twice in two games at the Final Four.
Illinois road to Final Four
First round: beat No. 14 Penn, 105-70
Second round: beat No. 11 VCU, 76-55
Sweet 16: beat No. 2 Houston, 65-55
Elite Eight: beat No. 9 Iowa, 71-59
UConn road to Final Four
First round: beat No. 15 Furman, 82-71
Second round: beat No. 7 UCLA, 73-57
Sweet 16: beat No. 3 Michigan State, 67-63
Elite Eight: beat No. 1 Duke, 73-72
Illinois basketball stat leaders
SCORING
Keaton Wagler, 17.9 ppg
Andrej Stojakovic, 13.6 ppg
David Mirkovic, 13.5 ppg
Kylan Boswell, 12.5 ppg
Tomislav Ivisic, 10. 2 ppg
REBOUNDING
David Mirkovic, 8.1 rpg
Tomislav Ivisic, 5.6 rpg
Keaton Wagler, 5.0 rpg
ASSISTS
Keaton Wagler, 4.3 apg
Kylan Boswell, 3.1 apg
David Mirkovic, 2.6 apg
UConn basketball stat leaders
SCORING
Tarris Reed Jr.: 14.7 ppg
Alex Karaban, 13.2 ppg
Solo Ball, 12.9 ppg
Braylon Mullins, 11.9 ppg
Silas Demary Jr., 10.4 ppg
REBOUNDING
Tarris Reed Jr., 8.8 rpg
Alex Karaban, 5.2 rpg
Silas Demary Jr., 4.5 rpg
ASSISTS
Silas Demary Jr., 5.9 apg
Malachi Smith, 3.0 apg
Illinois basketball Final Four history; Has Illinois ever won a national championship?
This is the Illini's sixth trip to the Final Four and first since 2005. The school has never won an NCAA national championship in men's basketball.
1949: lost semifinal to Kentucky, 76-47
1951: lost semifinal to Kentucky, 76-74
1952: lost semifinal to St. John's, 61-59
1989: lost semifinal to Michigan, 83-81
2005: won semifinal vs. Louisville, 72-57; lost in final to North Carolina, 75-70
UConn basketball Final Four history: How many national championships have UConn won?
This is UConn's eighth trip to the Final Four, all since 1999. The Huskies have won six national titles in their seven previous trips.
1999: won semifinal vs. Ohio State, 64-58; won final vs. Duke, 77-74
2004: won semifinal vs. Duke, 79-78; won final vs. Georgia Tech, 82-73
2009: lost semifinal vs. Michigan State, 82-73
2011: won semifinal vs. Kentucky, 56-55; won final vs. Butler, 53-41
2014: won semifinal vs. Florida, 63-53; won final vs. Kentucky, 60-54
2023: won semifinal vs. Miami, 72-59; won final vs. San Diego State, 76-59
2024: won semifinal vs. Alabama, 86-72; won final vs. Purdue, 75-60
Is Andrej Stojakovic related to Peja Stojakovic?
Yes, Peja is his dad. Peja Stojakovic played 13 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Sacramento Kings, and was a three-time All-Star.
Andrej played at Cal and Stanford before transferring to Illinois.
How many Europeans are on Illinois' team? Why does Illinois have so many Europeans on its roster?
David Mirkovic is from Montenegro
Andrej Stojakovic lists Thessaloniki, Greece as his hometown
Tomislav Ivisic is from Croatia
Zvonimir Ivisic is from Croatia
Mihailo Petrovic is from Serbia
Toni Bilic is from Croatia
"Geoff Alexander, Orlando Antigua deserve most all of the credit in terms of building the relationships in Europe," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "It's taken years. NIL has obviously helped enhance our abilities to attract some of the best players in Europe. But they're a great fit for us. It's not for everybody. I enjoy coaching 'em. They fit our university. We're a diverse university with a lot of international students, so it's a perfect fit for them.
"Basketball-wise it's a great fit for me, and I like coaching them. The way we're playing with positional size and shooting, it's just — it's a great marriage and a great fit. So we'll continue it. I would think others will continue to migrate over there and keep trying to recruit those guys."
UConn freshman Braylon Mullins' game-winner vs Duke gives him a homecoming
No. 1 Duke was leading the Huskies by two when Silas Demary Jr. deflected a pass by Cayden Boozer with six seconds left.
Braylon Mullins scooped up the ball around halfcourt and dished to Alex Karaban, who gave it right back. Mullins then drained the 35-footer with 0.4 seconds left to beat Duke and send UConn to its third Final Four in four years.
“That moment is over. It's an incredible moment. You'll have that moment the rest of your life. But we came here for rings, not watches,” Hurley said.
Mullins, the 2025 Indiana Mr. Basketball who played at Greenfield-Central, will be playing in front of plenty of friends and family this weekend. Greenfield is 30 minutes east of Indianapolis.
“It's unbelievable to be in the position I am,” Mullins said. “I think it just makes everything a little sweeter knowing that I’m playing in front of family and friends. I can't wait to see everybody in open practice tomorrow and see everybody at the game.”
Illinois' Jake Davis gets to play at home for Final Four, too
The Illini forward is from McCordsville, Indiana, a suburb northeast of Indianapolis, and played at Indy's Cathedral High School. He began his college career at Mercer before transferring to Illinois after the 2024 season. At Cathedral, Davis was known as "the guy who takes charges."
Illinois forward Ben Humrichous is also from Indiana, from nearby Tipton, about an hour north. He began his college career at Indiana's Huntington University (NAIA) and then transferred to Evansville.
Brad Underwood says Illinois will 'turn Indy orange', 'kick everybody's ass there'
On Sunday, Brad Underwood addressed a crowd of fans on campus:
"We had a huge group in Houston. I know we're going to turn it out in Indy. That's the story. We're going to turn Indy orange.. and blue. And kick everybody's ass there."
Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction
Atlanta Hawks, pick No. 7.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.
Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: Throughout the season, fans have voiced many doubts as to whether Devin Booker and Jalen Green could successfully play together. What are your thoughts on this pairing now?
Diamondhacks: While acknowledging Booker as the more accomplished player, both careers have been characterized by questionable shot selection. Curtailing their threes off the dribble is one identifiable change that could make them a very formidable offensive pair. They’re both too talented with the ball, even more so in concert, to settle for that relatively low % shot as often as they do. Catch and shoot 3s, yes. Off the dribble, not so much.
Ashton: Not much.
Yes, Green showed his potential in March, but I am still just not seeing the play-making and assists that should come from good to elite guards. Even if one just looks at offense and who has the ability to take a game over. I remain unconvinced in that area with both players.
So, put me in the doubter club? But I really wonder if this is so much of a pairing as it is to both players’ limitations.
OldAZ: It depends on how long we as fans are willing to wait and on our ability to remember that Jalen Greene is still a young player at only 23 years old. It is fair to recognize that by 23 Devin Booker was an All-Star and had leveled up his assist numbers and shooting percentage. However, now that Green and Booker are on the same team, we can hope that Green emulates some of his game around what Booker does, although with an additional dose of athleticism. We have seen some incredible passes from Green at times and we have seen effort given on the defensive end. Neither of these are consistent at this point, but this was also true of Book in his younger career.
Suns fans been skeptical of playing “point Book” and recall all those times when the Suns played without a true point Guard, but if Green can develop into something close to the same level of facilitator while still being an offensive threat like Booker, then there is a chance this backcourt pairing can be very effective. We have seen it in flashes, but are we willing to wait for consistency?
Rod: While I don’t think it’s perfect, I do like the way their strengths don’t overlap. Green’s speed and quickness getting to the rim are a welcome addition that complements Book’s mid-range game. I wish both of them were better distributors, but neither is shabby in that respect. The real question that has yet to be answered is if they can function together as the only guards on the court. I’d love to see a lineup of those two plus Brooks at SF, Fleming at PF, and Williams at C, a lineup with some size to it, just to actually see how well it works. No matter how well Book and Green can play together in small-ball lineups, that’s not going to be a good enough excuse to keep the two of them together in the long run.
Q2: Rookies Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach are finally playing meaningful and productive rotation minutes. Do you believe this is because Jordan Ott brought them along slowly or in spite of it?
Diamondhacks: People sometimes confuse playing time with development. Any lottery coach can pencil in a high draft pick for 20 minutes a night and call it ‘development’. But that’s playing time, and I’m not sure any two draftee teammates have tangibly improved more from their respective draft day projections than Maluach and Fleming have.
If development is defined as learning and getting better, then Rasheer and Khaman are developing fast, not slow. Both played a lot in the G-League, and Rasheer has played more NBA minutes than about 2/3 of second rounders. I suspect they’ve been ‘brought along’ methodically and effectively, assimilating valuable standards and skills as they go, on a non-lottery team.
Ashton: I do not think Ott had a choice with the injuries that occurred. I believe the plan was to bring the rookies slowly along, and that seemed to be working, but with Mark Williams and Brooks sidelined with injuries, they were both pressed into play.
This question was asked before the Orlando game, and KM really did not get meaningful minutes in that game. Sheer did fine. This is one of those running questions where we see if the equation changes against the Hornets (before my submission), but in no way do I put this on the coach.
Would Izzo do it differently with the MSU Suns? I think he would have played the player minutes the same way.
OldAZ: I have said many times this season that the rookies should be made to earn their minutes, which justified the lack of playing time early this season. I could also be generous and say that Ott had a master plan to avoid the rookie “wall” by limiting their early minutes. Their recent play and contributions would justify all these efforts if that was really what was going on. Unfortunately, the last few weeks I am not inclined to be this generous in my interpretation of Ott’s motivations.
It is clear that he trusts veterans far more than younger players, and only the very high IQ Oso has worked himself into continuous meaningful minutes. Even after Fleming has shown to have the potential to be a major contributor, and KM has proven to be competent when they were down to only 2 centers Ott continues to only play veterans down the stretches of games, despite mounting evidence that having only one or no bigs on the floor in the 4th quarter also correlates to anemic offensive output and a massive disadvantage on the boards. I do still think that their success has been in large part to being brought along slowly, but Ott loses a little more credit for this every game as he fails to utilize them in a bigger way.
Rod: I really think Ott made the right decision in sending them to the Valley Suns early on and not throwing them directly into the fire of the NBA early on. Maluach still looks as though he needs more seasoning, but he started out so raw that it’s understandable. Fleming looks NBA-ready, something I didn’t see in him even during early-season garbage minutes. Maluach’s offense still needs some polish but his defense seems to have come along nicely.
Would it have worked as well (or better) if they were gifted more meaningful NBA minutes early in the season? Perhaps but it also could have backfired and hurt their confidence. And one thing that’s for certain is that they haven’t been pushed hard enough to slam into that “rookie wall” that comes from the extended NBA season. For Fleming especially, I’m glad that he’s relatively fresh at this point of the year instead of running on fumes.
Q3: What would you say are the keys to the Suns having any chance of getting past the 1st round of the playoffs?
Diamondhacks: First round? You mean the Clippers or OKC/SAS?
Neutralizing Darius Garland is a key to beating the New Improved Clippers, and a “healthy Jordan Goodwin” might be the best man for that job. If that’s even a thing at this point. Poor guy.
Outside of major injuries, I can’t offer a key or ‘secret’ to beating OKC/SAS in a meaningful series. The Suns don’t match those rosters’ top-end talent, depth, or experience.
Ashton: Go for the jugular here, Rod. Let’s just get it all on record. I can’t wait to read your response.
I have spent the month of March looking for Cinderella (I am married btw) and have not found it yet. The projected playoff brackets look as chalky as the NCAA, but in the month of April.
I doubt the Suns get out of the play-ins, much less the playoffs. Just so many inconsistencies on defense and offense on a season that was unreasonably full of hope and well done on a 40-plus win season. But they are fading in the stretch, and that is where it matters.
OldAZ: This is a continuation of the last question for me. They simply have to get away from playing only one player with size at a time. Even before Williams got hurt, they would often leave him on an island with 4 smaller players and when Brooks was out this led to some brutal results as average power forwards would feast on the Suns diminutive front line. I think Ott has got to recognize that as of late, the younger players are bringing more energy and effort that is lacking from his all veteran, small ball units.
Earlier in the season, the Suns won many games because they out hustled the other team. Now, as teams ramp up their intensity for the playoffs the Suns have not been able to match that when an older and undersized lineup is on the floor. It is an interesting mix, because most of the Suns youth consists of taller, longer players while the vets are mostly guards and smaller wings. This should work to their advantage “IF” Ott would put at least 2 of the bigger bodies on the floor for most of the minutes. Brooks and Goodwin would be far more effective if the other “forward” on the floor was not really an out of position guard.
For example, Brooks as the PF with Dunn at SF and either center, or Fleming and Goody with the other center make for a nice balanced front line that would compliment ANY combination of the Suns talented guards. I realize this limits O’Neale’s minutes, but in reality he should only play longer minutes if he is on fire shooting during the few minutes he would be left with. This would put at least 2 bigger players on the floor at all times and significantly increase the Suns athleticism on the defensive end.
We have all seen that when the Suns play better defense this season, their offense magically clicks as the ball moves faster and they get more early buckets. Unless this change is made, I see a quick and early exit for the Suns, which has the double downer of not giving those young players any significant playoff experience for the future. However, if he does mix them in more the value of this experience will be worth it AND I believe they would probably win an extra game or two in the process.
Rod: The way they’ve been playing lately, IF they actually get past the play-in games, I don’t see them having much of a chance of even winning a single game against either OKC or the Spurs in a 7-game series. Maybe they might win one game at most if they have one of those nights where everyone’s shots are falling, but that would be more luck than anything else to win that way.
They’ve just seemed so out of sync over the past few weeks that I have little hope/faith that they can somehow get their stuff together between now and the end of the regular season. If they can somehow do that, I could see them throwing a bit of a scare into a 1st round opponent by winning a game or two but that’s about it. I think they could do better than that if all the things that have gone wrong lately suddenly start to go right again, but I don’t think we can count on that happening.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“Everything is on the table. We’re trying to figure this thing out on the fly and that’s what I just said. We’ve got to expedite it. There’s no excuse. We just have to figure it out.” – Jordan Ott
“Us being a first-year team, we just need some consistency. It hasn’t been that this year due to injuries and that’s just part of it.” – Devin Booker
“I think what the Suns take advantage of is just the energy that he (Jordan Goodwin) brings on and off the court. He’s a really good person and a good teammate. He really wants to see everybody do well.” – Ryan Dunn
“He (Collin Gillespie) is the definition of coming in here, getting your work in every day, sticking with it, and he’s definitely showing that it pays off.” – Devin Booker
“I’m extremely grateful to my teammates, coaching staff put me in great opportunities, but would’ve liked to get a win. That was the main thing.” – Collin Gillespie on beating the Suns’ single season 3-point record
Suns Trivia/History
Jordan Goodwin has 35 games this season with multiple steals, the fifth most in the NBA this year, behind only Kris Dunn, Ausar Thompson, Cason Wallace, and Dyson Daniels. The last time a Suns player had that many was in the 2018-19 season when Mikal Bridges had 40.
On April 6, 1993, the Suns entered the 4th quarter up 98-81 over the LA Lakers. They extended their lead to 20 points before going cold and allowing the Lakers to take a 2-point lead with just 1.6 seconds to go. The Suns had possession and inbounded the ball to Dan Majerle, who made a 33-foot three-point basket for a 115-114 win. Following the shot, Majerle jumped on the scorer’s table to celebrate as cheers from the home crowd lasted for several minutes. It was the Suns’ first-ever season sweep of LA.
On April 6, 1994, Suns point guard Kevin Johnson had a career high 25 assists in a 107-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The entire Spurs team had just 1 assist more than KJ’s total for the game. KJ’s 25 assists in this one is also the Suns’ franchise record for most assists in a single game.
On April 7, 1969, as a new expansion franchise, the Suns took part in their first-ever NBA draft. The draft is mostly remembered because Phoenix lost the historic coin toss between them and Milwaukee, which gave the Bucks the right to draft Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) with the first pick. What is not widely known is that the Suns went on to draft a total of 22 players in that draft! The last player they selected was Jim Plump in the 20th round with the 216th pick of the draft.
On April 9, 1990, the Suns made an NBA record 61 free throws (out of 80 attempts) in beating the Utah Jazz 119-115 in overtime. A total of 121 free throws were attempted by both teams. Kevin Johnson was sent to the line 24 times and made 23 on his way to leading the Suns in scoring with a total of 37. Tom Chambers was just behind him with a total of 36 points and was 17 of 22 from the line. The Jazz were 29 of 41 at the FT line and had four players foul out of the game, two others finished with five fouls, and another four had four fouls each. Two players, Mark West and Dan Majerle, fouled out for the Suns. The Suns’ 61 made FTs is still the NBA record for the most FTs made in a single game. The 121 total FT attempts by both teams is not an NBA record, however. That record was established during the NBA’s first season on Nov. 24, 1949, when the Syracuse Nationals and the Anderson Packers combined to attempt a whopping 160 free throws in a 86-74 5-OT win for Syracuse.
This Week’s Game Schedule
Sunday, April 4 – Suns @ Chicago Bulls (12:30 pm) Tuesday, April 7 – Suns vs Houston Rockets (8:00 pm) Peacock Wednesday, April 8 – Suns vs Dallas Mavericks (7:00 pm) Friday April 10 – Suns @ LA Lakers (7:30 pm)
Important Future Dates
April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play) April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET) April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin
Spurs
Nuggets
