It's wild that we are about three-quarters of the way through the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Pretty soon, we'll be seeing the best of the best go toe-to-toe night in, night out in an effort to claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Are the Thunder fated to repeat as champions? Will the Eastern Conference produce another unexpected representative? Are the Spurs and Nuggets legitimate title contenders?
These are all questions that NBA fans have been dying to know for months now, but there is still more than a month to go before the postseason begins on April 14.
There's still time for your favorite teams to make a push for the play-in, and possibly shock the world. However, it's still nice to look ahead at what could happen, or what would happen if the playoffs were to begin today.
Here's what the postseason would look like if the season were to end today:
The play-in tournament will begin on April 14, running through April 17. The traditional NBA postseason begins a day later, on April 18, running through the rest of April, all of May and well into June. The NBA Finals are scheduled to start on June 3, with Game 7 happening as late as June 19 if necessary.
This year’s NCAA men's tournament bubble leaves much to be desired.
While there are some name brands hovering around an at-large bid, few have compiled the résumé to break out the first-four-out range and into the bracket.
Take the latest USA TODAY Sports stab at bracketology, where teams such as Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, Cincinnati and California are on the outside looking in despite an unimpressive group in our last four in: UCLA, Santa Clara, Auburn and New Mexico.
The Bruins earned their way back into the field thanks to an impressive home win against current No. 3 seed Nebraska. But UCLA is still a pedestrian 10-10 in games against Quad 1 and Quad 2 competition.
Santa Clara has just one Quad 1 win, against conference rival St. Mary’s, but is 7-1 against Quad 2 teams. New Mexico remains in the bracket despite dropping two of three but it's hold is precarious. And nothing speaks better to this year’s flimsy bubble than Auburn earning an at-large spot at 16-14 overall, 2-7 on the road and 4-11 against in Quad 1 games.
But that’s still much better than, say, Indiana. The Hoosiers are a miserable 5-12 in Quad 1 and 2 games and lost at home to Northwestern late last month. They do have wins against UCLA, Purdue and Wisconsin, though.
One bubble team to watch is Cincinnati, which seemed to have its tournament hopes extinguished after losing at home to West Virginia on Feb. 5 to fall to 11-12 overall and 3-7 in the Big 12. The Bearcats have since rebounded to take seven of eight, including key wins against Central Florida, Kansas and Brigham Young.
March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection
March Madness last four in
SMU, Santa Clara, Auburn, New Mexico.
March Madness first four out
Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, Cincinnati, California.
NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown
Multi-bid leagues: SEC (11), Big Ten (9), ACC (8), Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 5: Julian Reese #15 of the Washington Wizards plays defense during the game against the Utah Jazz on March 5, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Wizards rode homecourt advantage and contributions from up and down the lineup to grind out one of their most important losses of the season. It was Washington’s seventh straight defeat — exactly the kind of performance the franchise needed at this juncture of the season.
With an array of players sidelined with injuries, head coach Brian Keefe — who’d started the past few games that were small and tiny — went even smaller. Washington fell behind early and never seriously threatened to win the game.
Julian Reese battled inside during the Wizards’ loss to the Utah Jazz. | Getty Images
The Jazz are in a late-season push of their own. They entered the game on a seven-game losing streak, and they also sat several of their best players with injuries. The remaining guys gave an egregious effort and their losing streak came to a halt.
Utah fans can blame career nights from Isaiah Collier (27 points, 11 assists) and Ace Bailey (32 points, including 7 threes) for the win.
Next up for the Wizards, another important opportunity to advance in the standings with a loss to the 19-44 New Orleans Pelicans.
Thoughts & Observations
My notes degenerated into a record of Washington’s horrible defensive performance. An astonishing number of them included Leaky Black, who had an awful defensive game. I was running out of adjectives by the end. Some of it looked like…well…indifference isn’t quite the right word, but it’s close. Let’s just say Black did not compete like someone fighting for an NBA career. He was weak as a point of attack defender, didn’t react in situations where he was the help defender, and he missed box outs. Not too good.
Trae Young’s first three three-point attempts were all bad shots. They were all from beyond what some in the league have started calling “four-point range,” and {whispers} Young actually isn’t a good extreme range shooter. On one, Young brought the ball up the floor, and pulled up from 28 feet without making a pass or running an action.
Young’s court vision and some of his passes were nice and could be quite valuable when his better teammates are on the floor.
A note I jotted: “Young is very easy to screen.”
I had more notes tonight about Wizards “getting into their bags” to get difficult shots. Hopefully, they can develop their bodies and learn to use those skills to get makable shots. Or draw fouls. Or set up teammates for easy shots.
Jazz analyst Thurl Bailey said during the broadcast that the knock on Young coming out of Oklahoma was that, “…his game wouldn’t translate to the NBA” and that “he’s proved a lot of people wrong.” This is crazy. People questioned his size and strength and whether he’d be able to defend effectively at that size. (The answer: no, he’s not able to defend effectively at that size. More to the point, these “knocks” weren’t bad — HE GOT PICKED FIFTH OVERALL.
Utah’s Blake Hinson reminded me of former Bullets great Ledell Eackles. This is a compliment.
One egregious defensive play happened late in the first quarter. Riley was ball watching from the weak side and lost track of Cody Williams, who cut behind him. Bub Carrington was low man and had help responsibility. Except, Carrington was ALSO ball watching and didn’t notice Williams cutting across his face.
More bad defense? The Wizards went zone in the second quarter. Utah made two passes and got a wide open three because — for some reason — no one was guarding the area where the shooter was standing.
On offense, the Wizards kept running actions that other teams use to force switches and get a favorable matchup. The Wizards got the switches, and then…just passed the ball to a teammate.
Late in the second quarter, Bailey drove for a dunk. The play included pathetic perimeter defense from Black, late, small, and ineffective help at the rim (Carrington reacted late and did nothing). JuJu Reese should have been able to help, but he didn’t notice the drive until Bailey was at the rim.
A note I jotted: “Bailey is going to petition the league to be defended by Black every game.” (You could replace that name with Collier, and it’d still work.“
Kudos to Reese for grabbing 20 (not a typo) rebounds.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
JAZZ
WIZARDS
LGAVG
eFG%
59.2%
58.4%
54.3%
OREB%
37.8%
34.9%
26.0%
TOV%
11.8%
20.4%
12.8%
FTM/FGA
0.141
0.286
0.207
PACE
93
99.4
ORTG
131
120
115.3
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 1: James Harden #1 and Sam Merrill #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Sam Merrill is a “sniper,” according to James Harden, but not the kind Harden is used to working with.
The man famous for declaring himself the “system” has perfected his own offense over his 17-year career that features floor spacers, rim runners, and him orchestrating everything at the top of the arc. Harden needs to know where everyone is on the court so that when the defense adjusts, he can whip the pass over to the open man.
Merrill can stand in the corner and wait for a pass, but that isn’t who he is. He’s a movement shooter that can bend a defense with his constant activity away from the play. That skill set plays well with seemingly every guard, but it isn’t exactly what you’d ideally pair with Harden.
However, the Cavs have gotten a new version of Harden, one that is in the process of blending his heliocentric system with Kenny Atkinson’s motion offense. And so far, the Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t have asked for better results, particularly when Merrill and Harden share the floor.
In nine games together, the Cavs have scored 123.3 points per 100 possessions (95th percentile for an offensive rating) in the 205 minutes Harden and Merrill have shared the floor. The combination of Harden’s ability to manipulate the defense and make every pass, in addition to Merrill’s shooting, has made them a deadly pair.
“I think he’s just a really good player, and he fits with anybody,” Merrill told Fear the Sword. “He’s obviously a great passer. I think he has trust in me that he can throw me a pass late in the shot clock or a little off target and still have confidence I’m going to make it.”
The numbers show that Harden does indeed trust Merrill.
Harden has made 10.6 passes a game to Merrill, which is the most he’s averaging to any of his new teammates. Merrill is taking 4.1 shots per game off those passes and is knocking down 51.4% of his looks on those shots, which includes going 53.8% from three. This has led to 19 of Harden’s 71 assists in a Cavs uniform, resulting in a Merrill basket.
As impressive as the stats are, seeing how the duo has generated their success is even more impressive and what interests me. So much so, that I asked Merrill to watch some of these plays on my cracked cellphone screen and have him break down what he’s looking for when playing alongside Harden.
“For me, I’m just always trying to find a window for him,” Merrill said.
That’s a good rule of thumb, but it isn’t always required with a passer as gifted as Harden.
When watching the clip above, Merrill pointed out the three defenders who were down low at the start of the play, presumably to cut off a window to the basket. “I’m just trying to move up so he could see me.”
Those concerns were unnecessary. Harden doesn’t need to be able to see his teammate to know where they are. “He’s smart enough to know that someone’s there. I don’t think it was an off-target pass. I think he was just hoping I’d be in the corner, and I ended up getting there.”
The most important thing when playing alongside Harden is to expect the unexpected.
This wasn’t a situation you’d normally expect to receive a pass. Harden is already going up with the shot when he decides to throw the bounce pass Merrill’s way.
You don’t see bounce passes outside the paint very often. “You’re not really used to it on the perimeter, but it’s a great pass obviously.” It being a bounce pass causes the shot motion to start lower than normal due to the height it’s received, but that isn’t much of a concern if you have as fast of a release as Merrill does.
As seen with these first two clips, Merrill can work as a prototypical catch-and-shoot player alongside Harden. In the following three, we see how Harden amplifies what Merrill does best: cause chaos off the ball.
Merrill’s movements aren’t scripted. He’s constantly reading and reacting to what the defense gives him, which can include attacking the basket when the defense gives him a chance to do so.
“I just saw no one at the rim [so I attacked],” Merrill said.
Merrill highlighted that he knows his defender is going to trail. Going under a screen against Merrill is a quick way to get pulled out of the game. Understanding that allows him to attack the rim in a situation where the big has vacated the paint to get to the level of the screen.
“I get around the screen, and there’s no one there (at the rim),” Merrill said. “So even if the pass isn’t there, it still opens things up.”
Getting to the basket is still the best place to score. Merrill has converted 81% of his looks at the rim, which is a higher-percentage play than a three-point opportunity for a 46% outside shooter.
“You see an open paint, you got to make the most of it. Get as many two-pointers as you can.”
Merrill’s off-ball movement has also made him deadly in screening actions, but how he does so with Harden is a little different. Merrill mentioned that he has to hold the screen a “half second” longer than normal to see how the defense reacts. Plays like this are why.
“I know [the defender] is going to show because that’s what he’s been doing. So if I can get uphill and then slip out, I know something is gonna open up there.”
Harden and Merrill are both feel players who are constantly evaluating and adjusting to what their opponents give them.
“It’s just about reading the defense,” Merrill said.
This can also work to create easy looks for Harden.
As with the previous clip, Merrill quickly gets out of the screen, hardly touching the defender. “If he feels contact, sometimes that’ll create indecision with them where it’s like, ‘Am I supposed to switch now?’ Or whatnot.”
Creating this split second of indecision is all that he wants to do in these actions. That’s why he usually goes with this approach.
“I try to mix it up, but knowing that Isaiah Joe (Merrill’s defender) is probably going to try to show there, you just want to get some contact on Cason Wallace (Harden’s defender) there so he feels something. Maybe creates some indecision.”
Where the contact comes is also important. In both of the clips where Merrill screens for Harden, he’s initiating contact with Harden’s defender on the defender’s right hip, allowing Harden to get to his dominant side. “If James can get to his left hand, he’s gonna get what he wants.”
The Cavs have done a great job of mixing Atkinson’s motion-based offense with Harden’s iso heavy sets. They’ve managed to keep elements of both, which can be seen in some of the ways they’ve used Merrill as simply a floor spacer alongside Harden, as well as incorporating his typical off-ball movement.
“James is playing within our style as well, but he has his style, of kind of spreading everybody out, get into his iso game, and play off of that,” Merrill said. “So it’s a little bit of an adjustment. Sometimes it’s a little more holding your spot as opposed to maybe cutting, but not something we’ve never done.”
Merrill isn’t someone who would necessarily fit into Harden’s traditional system, given his drastic off-ball movement. Then again, the Cavs didn’t trade for prime Harden, who needs things perfectly catered to him.
This version of Harden knows that he’s running out of time to win a championship to validate his legendary career. He’s going to work with the group he’s given. How quickly and easily he’s adapted his game to Merrill and the rest of his new teammates is proof of that.
“It’s one goal, and we all have that in common,” Harden said. “Whether I take four shots or take 20 shots, if we win the game, who cares?”
The final weekend of the regular season in many collegiate sports usually means a rivalry game. That is indeed the case in many basketball hotbeds around the nation as the men’s campaign concludes.
While these contests always mean bragging rights, there’s a bit more on the line for some of the involved teams as they hope to improve their positions for upcoming conference tournaments and of course for March Madness. Our last edition of the Starting Five offers Saturday double dips in the ACC and SEC, and the weekend lineup concludes with a Sunday top-10 showdown in the Big Ten.
A Tennessee win would complete a sweep of its in-state foe as well as lock in an SEC tourney double bye for the Volunteers. The 4 seed could also be in play for the Commodores if some tiebreakers go their way, but toppling the archrival Vols will be incentive enough. Their first encounter in Nashville was played at Tennessee’s preferred deliberate pace resulting in a 69-65 victory, so Vandy’s back-court duo of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles will need some early makes to increase the tempo. Tennessee hopes to have top scorer Nate Ament back in the lineup after he sat out the win at South Carolina, but if he can’t go the interior defense will still be formidable thanks to J.P. Estrella and Felix Okpara.
Louisville at No. 23 Miami (Fla.)
Time/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU.
The Hurricanes’ win at SMU this week effectively locked them into the No. 3 seed for the ACC tournament, but they’d still like to close the regular season on a high note on their home floor. The Cardinals have dropped their last three league road contests and could use a confidence boost entering the postseason. While a healthy Mikel Brown is capable of going nuclear, Ryan Conwell has been the steady hand in the Louisville lineup who will also demand attention from the Miami defense. The Hurricanes are led by the inside-out combo of Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson.
With the SEC regular-season title secured, the Gators now turn their attention to improving their path to a repeat NCAA crown with a top regional seed. They’ll look to take the next step toward that goal at the expense of the wildly inconsistent Wildcats, who have likely done enough to remain on the right side of the bubble but seem destined for a brief stay in the dance. The Gators’ nine-point triumph over Kentucky in Gainesville three weeks ago was part of the late-season scoring surge for Xaivian Lee, whose contributions from the perimeter have made Florida’s experienced front line even more dangerous. The Wildcats will have to count on Otega Oweh to take advantage of the friendly rims at Rupp Arena.
No. 18 North Carolina at No. 1 Duke
Time/TV: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Like the SEC, the ACC race is already settled with the Blue Devils again ahead of the field. That will hardly affect the charged atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium as Duke looks to avenge its lone league loss at the expense of its most despised rival. The Tar Heels will likely see Duke again in less than a week, but again, there will be no lack of intensity on either side. There might be good news for UNC if Caleb Wilson is able to return from a month-long absence due to a hand injury. The Heels have handled several opponents without him, but that likely won’t apply to Duke. Expect another big night from the Blue Devils’ Cameron Boozer as he plays for what will almost certainly be the final time in front of the Crazies.
No. 8 Michigan State at No. 3 Michigan
Time/TV: Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
The Big Ten race is – stop us if you’ve heard this one before – over. The Wolverines have the top seed in hand, and the Spartans also have a double bye clinched. But did we mention this is a rivalry game? This one is also a rematch, with the Wolverines taking the first meeting 83-71 in East Lansing on Jan. 30. The Spartans had no answer for Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg in that one, though they’re hardly alone in that regard. When Michigan State needs to make something happen, Jeremy Fears is usually involved.
Every team on the bubble in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology plays one more scheduled contest, and most of them aren't just playing a game, but going against opponents that can significantly alter their resume. Ranked foes, conference leads and fellow bubble members can very well change the tournament picture a week before the bracket is revealed.
This won't be the last chance to impress the March Madness selection committee with conference tournaments on the horizon, but every result is magnified, and momentum could be just the secret sauce needed to go on one last run that leaves no doubt about making it on Selection Sunday.
Virginia Commonwealth at Dayton
Time/TV: Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Currently among the first four out, VCU gets a rare conference Quad 1 game at Dayton, giving the Rams an opportunity to improve their 1-5 mark in the category. A win could push VCU into the last four in range, and they can get a share of the Atlantic 10 championship with a victory and a Saint Louis loss to George Mason. However, the Flyers are hot, winners of six in a row, which includes a defeat of Saint Louis. Lose and the Rams likely need to win the conference tournament to make the NCAA field.
No. 20 Miami (Ohio) at Ohio
Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
One of the most-discussed teams in the country, Miami (Ohio) is one win away from a perfect regular season, yet there's still debate if it deserves to be in the tournament without an automatic bid. The RedHawks defeating the Bobcats would likely lock up a spot by pushing their record to 31-0. Since March Madness expanded in 1985, no team has ever had a perfect regular season and didn't make the bracket. The critics could be silenced and the rest of the bubble teams will be rooting for Miami to get the auto spot so it doesn't have to worry about another MAC team stealing a bid..
New Mexico at Utah State
Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m., Mountain West Network
The Lobos are holding onto a projected spot by a thread after a Senior Day loss to Colorado State was the second Quad 3 defeat of the season - a major no-no at this point of the calendar. The defeat can be rectified, but it comes in the biggest game of the year at Mountain West-leading Utah State. The Aggies are tough at home with a 13-1 record in Logan, and New Mexico was badly beaten by them on Feb. 4. A win will keep the Lobos afloat, but another loss surely makes way for someone to take their place.
Indiana at Ohio State
Time/TV: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, Fox
A major Big Ten bubble battle. The Hoosiers are the first team on the wrong side of the cutline, coming off a dominant win at Minnesota to snap a four game skid. It's a Quad 1 chance at Ohio State - a type of win Indiana needs since it has a disastrous 2-10 record in the category. An impressive road victory could get it on the right side of the tournament outlook, but another lose could really make it bleak. The Buckeyes pretty much wrapped up a tournament spot last week after beating Purdue, but doesn't want to test its fate.
Auburn at No. 16 Alabama
Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Another hot topic team, Auburn is the last team in the field and it will have to really earn that spot playing against rival Alabama. Even though the Tigers have an ugly 16-14 record, their four Quad 1 wins can't be dismissed and getting a fifth one − on the road against a ranked foe − would be noteworthy. However, Alabama has been really clicking recently and beat their in-state enemy already this season. Should Auburn lose for the eighth time in 10 contests, it'll be hard to justify they belong, even if Bruce Pearl continues to shout from mountain tops.
Other bubble games to watch
All times Eastern
Friday
Central Florida at West Virginia (8 p.m., CBS Sports Network): A pair of bad losses have UCF reeling and in need of a win to avoid being a double-digit seed.
Saturday
No. 19 Arkansas at Missouri(12 p.m., ESPN): With a rough NET ranking of 60, Missouri could use a ranked victory to stay away from being in the last four in range.
Cincinnati at TCU (2 p.m., TNT/truTV): Back from the dead, Cincinnati can continue its climb toward the conversation with another road victory against a tournament team.
SMU at Florida State (2 p.m., ACC Network): The Mustangs have lost three in a row and cannot afford falling to upstart Florida State if they wish to stay away from the First Four.
California at Wake Forest (4 p.m., ACC Network): Plenty of work still needed from the Golden Bears, and improving a 4-5 Quad 1 record is a necessary step.
Texas A&M at LSU (6 p.m., SEC Network): After a much-needed win over Kentucky, the Aggies can't fall against a SEC cellar-dweller if it wants to find a much more secure spot.
UCLA at Southern California (9 p.m., FS1): Another top-10 win has UCLA back on solid ground, and it needs to take advantage of its reeling rival.
This isn’t about Miami (Ohio) and its 30-0 record against a soft schedule.
This is about Auburn basketball’s collapse, and instead of owning up to his part in it, Bruce Pearl made the RedHawks out to be the scapegoat.
All Miami has done is beat 30 consecutive opponents. What’s Auburn (16-14) done? Well, it lost seven of its last nine, as Aubie fights to keep his head above .500.
“Here's the deal. Are we going to select the 68 most deserving teams? Or are we going to select the 68 best teams?" Pearl said this week from his spot in the TNT studio.
Pearl’s stance: If Miami loses even one single game and fails to win its conference tournament, it shouldn’t receive an at-large bid to the tournament.
He subsequently stumped for Auburn’s credentials.
What’s this all about?
Nepotism, of course. A tale as old as time.
Pearl’s son, Steven, coaches Auburn — in part, because Pearl helped him get the job, a fact he admits.
Pearl kept Auburn in limbo leading up to this season: Would he coach? Would he run for political office? Would he retire?
He chose retirement, but not until six weeks before the season tipped off. His timing helped ensure Auburn would promote his son from associate coach to the head chair, while the elder Pearl shifted into an ambassador role and a special assistant to athletic director John Cohen.
Bruce Pearl admits to nepotism, helping Steven Pearl
Pearl, though, insists he’s not acting from a place of bias when he polishes Auburn.
“That's objectively how I feel,” he told OutKick.
Pearl, an experienced liar, might think that’s the case, but the truth is, we cannot possibly know how he’d objectively feel about this situation. Let us reiterate: Pearl coached Auburn for many years. He remains on Auburn’s payroll. His son coaches Auburn.
Does this sound like someone who could be objective?
“Am I rooting for son to make the NCAA Tournament? Of course I am!” Pearl said to OutKick. “Did I help my son get the job? Nepotism? Of course I did!”
Well, you said it.
No shame in rooting for your son, and Pearl is hardly the first coach to grease the wheels of nepotism. But, please, spare us from pretending you’re unbiased in this debate.
Miami (Ohio) athletic director calls Bruce Pearl's remarks 'disgusting'
Auburn is currently listed as the last team in the field in USA TODAY's latest bracket projection, while Miami (Ohio) is projected into the field as a No. 11 seed.
Indefatigable, Pearl kept his barrage of barbs coming at Miami (Ohio). He told Barstool he thought it possible the RedHawks would be in last place if they played in the Big East, which is experiencing the worst season of any of the major conferences.
David Sayler, the athletic director at Miami (Ohio), fired back that Pearl’s denigration of the RedHawks was “disgusting.”
At the very least, it’s blatantly biased, but none of it changes that the RedHawks are flourishing, and Auburn is suffering after Pearl’s ill-timed retirement and the Tigers’ subsequent nepo-hire.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 6: Hugo Gonzalez #28, Derrick White #9, Payton Pritchard #11 and Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics look on during the game against the Miami Heaton February 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re back! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week!
Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game.
Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from February 27th to March 5th are considered. The Celtics went 3-1 this week, with wins over the Nets, Sixers and Bucks, but a loss to the surging Hornets.
Jose Alvarado has made a reputation out of sneaking up from behind ball-handlers for steals—he even has his own nickname (Grand Theft Alvarado) that represents this niche skill. But Derrick White has some sneaky defensive tactics as well (and sadly no nickname to show for it). He has a knack for noticing the exact moment the ball-handler loses sight of him and picking the perfect time to pounce from behind. Then, once he makes the steal, he throws a timely and accurate bounce pass to Pritchard at the rim. I love you, DWhite.
Look familiar? An underrated part of playing with Derrick White is that his teammates can learn from him. Pritchard has seemingly studied White’s uncanny ability to sneak up behind ball-handlers, because the way he does so on this play is quite Derrick-esque. As soon as Edgecombe turns the corner, PP locks in on his eyes—he’s staring at him to clock the exact moment he turns his head and loses vision of the right side of the floor. And as soon as VJ turns away, Pritchard pounces. Grand Theft Pritchard?
When you’re physical and intense in every basketball movement you do, as Hugo Gonzalez is, you’re bound to force the opposition to be extra aggressive. And you know what pairs well with the opponent’s overzealous physicality? Flopping. Here, Hugo notices that Turner runs into the screen with a little extra oomph, and he takes advantage by throwing himself into Myles’ body and causing an illegal screen. As if Gonzalez isn’t already enough of a nuisance on the offensive glass and as a point-of-attack defender, he might slowly be figuring out the NBA’s hidden flopping tricks, which will only make him more annoying to face.
All I can do is smile watching the absolute brilliance of this play from White. To start, Derrick’s weak-side help positioning is—to nobody’s surprise—exquisite. He plays both the roll and corner pass without overcommitting to either. And when the pass is thrown, White intercepts the ball and throws it off of Grimes in mid-air without skipping a beat. Oh, and then he extends an apologetic hand to Grimes, who he hit in the face in the process. He’s a nice guy, but he’s also an evil genius. Special stuff from White, one of the league’s smartest players.
This could basically just be a Derrick White high-IQ plays article, but I’m here for it, because he and Scheierman execute one of the better peel switches I’ve ever seen on this play. It starts with Baylor, who does an excellent job waiting for the perfect moment to insert himself into Miller’s driving space. If he goes too early, he doesn’t give White enough time to get out to Bridges, but if he goes too late, he risks allowing Brandon an easy pull-up jumper. Once White notices that Scheierman takes Miller, he beelines to Bridges and comes up with the steal. It might be difficult to notice in real time, but this exchange makes Brandon Miller’s decision significantly more complicated.
Ukraine is leading the list of countries not attending the opening ceremony in Verona to protest the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian athletes to compete under their own flag and with their national anthem. The Russian flag hasn’t been flown at the Paralympics since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, while the national anthem has not been heard at any Olympics or Paralympics since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.
The opening ceremony will take place at the Arena di Verona, marking the first time a Paralympic ceremony is held at a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ancient Arena has been retrofitted with new wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms along with other safety upgrades.
The Milan Cortina Games mark the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics. More than 600 athletes will compete across 79 events in six sports. It is the biggest Winter Paralympics ever, with a record female participation, according to the IPC.
Para cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi is expected to be the only athlete from Iran participating in the Games that begin less than a week after the United States and Israel launched their military attack.
Khatibi was announced as Iran’s flagbearer but he will not actually carry the flag — volunteers will be handed the task for all nations because not all flagbearers will be able to attend the ceremony for logistics and training issues.
Many athletes will miss the opening ceremony as they are located in different competing clusters across Italy. The curling events began on Wednesday.
China arrives looking to establish itself as the main Paralympic powerhouse. The Chinese have topped the medal count in the Summer Paralympics every time since 2004, and four years ago topped the Winter Games for the first time with a record-setting performance.
Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (15-14, 11-9 MAAC) vs. Merrimack Warriors (18-11, 15-5 MAAC)
Atlantic City, New Jersey; Saturday, 2:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Merrimack takes on Mount St. Mary's in the MAAC Tournament.
The Warriors' record in MAAC games is 15-5, and their record is 3-6 in non-conference play. Merrimack is second in the MAAC in rebounding with 34.9 rebounds. Madison Roman paces the Warriors with 10.8 boards.
The Mountaineers are 11-9 against MAAC opponents. Mount St. Mary's is third in the MAAC with 33.5 rebounds per game led by Amber Bullard averaging 5.9.
Merrimack averages 68.3 points, 5.9 more per game than the 62.4 Mount St. Mary's gives up. Mount St. Mary's has shot at a 37.8% rate from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points less than the 38.2% shooting opponents of Merrimack have averaged.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Warriors won 81-68 in the last matchup on Jan. 24. Molly Manion led the Warriors with 27 points, and Bullard led the Mountaineers with 10 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Roman is averaging 13.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals for the Warriors. Lydia Melaschenko is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Bullard is averaging nine points and 5.9 rebounds for the Mountaineers. Alana Powell is averaging 12.4 points and 1.8 steals over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 8-2, averaging 69.8 points, 32.8 rebounds, 16.9 assists, 9.1 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 59.7 points per game.
Mountaineers: 6-4, averaging 63.2 points, 33.1 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 9.0 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 40.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 63.9 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
DENVER , CO - MARCH 5: LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers writes in pain after taking a bump from Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 120-113 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
After a short string of games at full health, the Lakers walked out of Thursday’s game in Denver with 40% of their starting lineup unable to finish the game.
Deandre Ayton played only briefly on in the first quarter before exiting after just 4:30 with left knee soreness. LeBron James, meanwhile, played much more of the contest before suffering his own injury that forced him out of the game.
With four minutes to go in the fourth quarter, LeBron drove to the rim and finished through contact from Nikola Jokić. That contact, however, knocked LeBron to the ground and into a cameraman, where he hit his elbow.
Immediately, LeBron clutched his arm in clear pain. Eventually, he walked off the court while still flexing his arm, trying to get feeling back into it.
After a short stint on the bench, LeBron returned to the game, but never took a shot during his time on the floor. While he attempted to tough it out, though, he could not finish the game, opting out of attempting to in-bound the ball with the Lakers down five and 20 seconds left.
“It’s pretty sore right now,” LeBron said. “What was I feeling? Feeling like one of them funny bone situations but super more intense.”
Honestly, that’s a very funny description that everyone also immediately understands the pain he was feeling. Take a hit to the funny bone and you need 10 minutes for it to stop tingling. Take a “super more intense” hit to the funny bone and not be LeBron James and you might need 2-3 business days to recover.
LeBron was icing his elbow after the game, but didn’t have much more in the way of clarity of how severe his injury was.
“We’ll see what happens over the next couple days,” LeBron said. “Hopefully I wake up tomorrow and it doesn’t feel too much worse than it is now or if it feels better, that’d be great.”
The Lakers immediately return to the court on Friday against the Pacers, so we’ll learn pretty quickly the severity of his injury. In theory, a game against one of the worst teams in the league is a good one to miss if injured.
Following that game, though, the Lakers play New York and Minnesota at home, two games that will be far tougher challenges.
Hopefully, LeBron’s “super more intense” funny bone situation is a short term injury and not another thing that lingers this season.
DENVER — Lakers star Luka Dončić was confused as to why he was assessed a technical foul during the second quarter of Thursday’s 120-113 road loss to the Nuggets at Ball Arena on Thursday night, which was his 15th technical of the season.
If Dončić is assessed one more technical foul over the Lakers’ final 20 games of the regular season, he will have to serve a one-game suspension.
“Just because I yelled at him I guess,” Dončić said, referring to the explanation he was given from referee Dedric Taylor, who gave the Lakers star the tech. “That’s what he said. But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn’t get a tech. And that’s my problem; I was trying not to talk at all. [That was] the first thing I said, no warning or nothing. But I heard three other players say the exact same thing and nothing. So it’s just … I don’t know what to say.”
Luka Doncic on why he was assessed the technical foul, which is Luka's 15th of the season:
"Just because I yelled at him I guess. That's what he said. But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn't get a tech. And that's my problem. I was trying not to… pic.twitter.com/WSgNrzx9Tk
Dončić appeared to be unhappy after not receiving a shooting foul when Nuggets guard Bruce Brown made contact with him when he missed a pull-up midrange shot at the 5:52 mark of the second quarter.
After grabbing the defensive rebound, Christian Braun raced out in transition and assisted Jamal Murray on a corner 3-pointer to put the Nuggets up 49-39.
Shortly after the made 3, Doncic was assessed the technical foul, with Murray making the free throw to put the Nuggets up by 11.
“Dončić was issued a technical foul for using profanity directed towards a referee,” Crew Chief Ed Malloy said in the postgame pool report. “We are trained not to stop an offensive transition when calling a technical foul on the defense.”
Players who receive 16 technical fouls in a regular season receive an automatic one-game suspension and a fine.
Luka Dončić is assessed his 15th technical call after arguing a call during the second quarter of the Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Nuggets in Denver on March 5, 2026. Getty Images
There has been three times in his NBA career (2020-23) that Dončić has finished a season with 15 technical fouls.
He finished with 13 techs in 50 games last season with the Mavericks and Lakers after having 13 in 2023-24 with the Mavericks.
Dončić also picked up a 16th technical foul late in the 2022-23 season, which was also rescinded, resulting in him not having to serve a one-game suspension then either.
“Don’t get another tech,” Doncic responded when asked how he can avoid the suspension.
When asked whether he was committing to not picking up another technical foul, Doncic responded: “We’ll see. Can’t predict the future.”
Dončić didn’t say whether he thought there was a chance his technical from Thursday’s game would be rescinded.
“I mean if three other people say it and I’m the only one that [gets] a tech, what’s the point of that?,” Dončić said. “I really wasn’t trying to talk at all and that was the first thing I said and immediately.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 29: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs rebounds the ball during the game on January 29, 2025 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Entering this season with the oldest roster in the NBA, the Los Angeles Clippers had an absolutely brutal start to the year, a 2-13 November being the biggest indicator that it would be a challenging season. Summer acquisition Bradley Beal fractured his hip just 6 games into the season and was lost for the year, while the team moved off James Harden before the trade deadline following the latest financial dispute between the Beard and an NBA front office.
The seemingly forever-injured Kawhi Leonard missed time early on and was on a minutes restriction upon his eventual debut, but he’s actually had one of the strongest seasons of his career and has the Clippers firmly in the play-in picture after a dreadful 6-21 start for LA’s other team. They catch the Spurs on a SEGABABA, following an epic clash with the East-leading Detroit Pistons nonetheless, but San Antonio has to at least be happy that they’re home for this one.
San Antonio Spurs (45-17) vs Los Angeles Clippers (30-31)
March 6, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT
Watch: ESPN, FanDuel | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Harrison Barnes, ankle (OUT), Mason Plumblee, reconditioning (OUT), David Jones-Garcia, OUT
Clippers Injuries: Darius Garland, toe (OUT), Bradley Beal, hip (OUT), John Collins, neck (OUT), Yanic Konan Niederhauser, foot (OUT)
What to watch for
Contrasting offensive styles will be on display tonight. Largely due in part to fielding the oldest roster in the NBA this season with an average age of around 33 years old, the Clippers are near the bottom of the league in terms of pace. Their opportunities in transition are few and far between, forcing them to rely on what has actually been a very good half court offense this season thanks to Leonard and the recently departed Harden. San Antonio on the other hand is in the upper half of the league when it comes to pace, fueled by a tough-nosed, young defense that’s among the most disruptive in the Association.
Following the trade of longtime center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers, veteran big man Brook Lopez will be Victor Wembanyama’s main match-up. Lopez has always been great at using his massive wingspan to make up for comparatively limited athleticism, helping to anchor more than a few really good Milwaukee Bucks’ defenses in his run there. Lopez, in his 17th season, will be 38 years old in a little less than a month.
In his 14th season, Kawhi Leonard is averaging the most points per game of his career. He’s shooting 50/38/90 from the field on his way to that 27.9 PPG average, all while still being a more than capable defender even at age 34 and with numerous lower body injuries over the years. As has always been the case with him, the biggest knock on Leonard is his availability, but he’s played in 47 of the Clippers’ 61 games this season. Leonard has only played more than 55 games for the Clippers twice in 7 seasons with the club. Here’s to hoping the next great San Antonio perimeter defender Stephon Castle draws the main assignment on the former Spur.
With the offensive breakout of all the young talent on this team, Devin Vassell has scored for at least 20 points just 9 times this season, but 3 of those performances have come since the All Star break.
Carter Bryant is becoming a player that fans just have to watch when they tune into a game. Bryant has made a substantial leap throughout the course of the season, especially on the defensive end where he can use his frame to really disrupt all sorts of players. He scored just 2 points in last night’s win over the Detroit Pistons, but he was everywhere defensively in his 19 minutes of action.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
LeBron James finished Thursday's game with a career tally of 15,842 field goals [Getty Images]
LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals scored in NBA history as the Los Angeles Lakers lost at the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.
James scored 16 points for the Lakers in the 120-113 defeat and passed Abdul-Jabbar's tally of 15,837 during the first quarter.
The 41-year-old, who is playing in an unprecedented 23rd NBA season, passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the top scorer in NBA history in February 2023.
"Being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling," said James, the league's four-time Most Valuable Player.
"I grew up watching, reading [about], idolising a lot of the greats, and if I was able to be part of the NBA, I wanted to put myself in position that I can be named with some of the greats by doing something right.
"It's a pretty cool feat, but it's hard for me to kind of wrap my head around it or what it looks like."
Lakers coach JJ Redick likened the evolution of James' career to that of Bruce Springsteen, saying: "You get to the end and you're like, 'this guy's greatest hits are like insane'.
"And LeBron's greatest hits, he just keeps adding to them. He just plays and plays and plays and the greatest hits, he's got a hell of a catalogue."
James passed Abdul-Jabbar's points record before field goals as three-point shots were introduced midway through the NBA legend's career.
The six-time champion spent most of his 20-year career with the Lakers and retired in 1989 having scored 55.9% of his 28,307 shots. James has a 51.6% scoring rate.
The four-time champion is set to claim another record as Thursday's game was his 1,606th in the regular season, putting him five behind Robert Parish.
Fellow All Stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 28 points for Denver, who stayed fifth in the Western Conference standings, one spot above the Lakers.
Second-placed San Antonio claimed their 13th victory from 14 games, with Victor Wembanyama returning to top form with 38 points and 16 rebounds as the Spurs won 121-106 at home against the Detroit Pistons, who lead the Eastern Conference.
DENVER — LeBron James said after the Lakers’ 120-113 road loss to the Nuggets on Thursday night that his left elbow was “pretty sore” after his fall late in the game at Ball Arena, with the Lakers star adding that the injury is day-to-day.
The Lakers star, who was icing the elbow during his postgame media availability inside the visitor’s locker room, fell onto the court after Nuggets star Nikola Jokic made contact with him in the air while James made a layup to cut the Lakers’ deficit to 110-106 with just over four minutes left.
No foul was called, with James immediately grabbing at his left elbow and staying down on the court during the Nuggets’ ensuing possession.
LeBron James was holding his left elbow area after his fall. He's on the bench being tended to by his longtime trainer right now. pic.twitter.com/Oy676TN19U
“It’s the same s—, James said. “‘Marginal.’ It’s the same s—. It’s, it’s, it’s … whatever. That’s all they keep saying is, ‘marginal.’ I’m so f—— tired of that word.”
Reserve big man Jaxson Hayes subbed in for James once James got up and the Lakers called timeout with 3:58 left.
LeBron James grimaces in pain after falling while going up for a basket past Nikola Jokić during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Nuggets in Denver on March 5, 2026. AP
“It felt like one of those funny bone situations,” James said. “But like, super more intense.”
Mike Mancias, James’ longtime trainer and the Lakers’ athletic performance liaison, tended to James’ elbow while he was on the team’s bench after the timeout.
James subbed back in for Rui Hachimura with 2:05 remaining but wasn’t on the court for after-timeout play when Luka Dončić missed a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with 20 seconds left, with the Nuggets maintaining a 116-111 lead.
“It was bothering [him] enough that he didn’t feel comfortable doing the inbound pass when we called timeout down five,” Redick said. “So we put Luke [Kennard] in for him. He’s got ice on it. Get it looked at.”
The Lakers next will host the Pacers on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, with James’ status up in the air.
“We’ll see what happens over the next couple days,” James said. “Hopefully I’ll wake up [on Friday] and it doesn’t feel too much worse than it is now. Or, if it feels better, that would be great. So, it’s day-to-day, we’ll see what happens.”
