Category: Basketball

March Madness is quickly approaching with just 13 days until Selection Sunday.

The projected 68-team bracket took a bit of a hit over the weekend with several seed-altering upsets for fighting for the final No. 1 seed, such as No. 8 Purdue going 0-2 on the week with losses to No. 13 Michigan State and Ohio State and Iowa State losing to Texas Tech.

Several bubble teams saw their margin of error on making the field dwindle, looking at you, Auburn and Indiana.

March Madness bracket predictions: No. 1 seeds to first four out

There remain opportunities for teams to salvage or improve their respective NCAA Tournament resumes, as there remains a week left in the regular season for most conferences before teams ship out to their respective tournaments.The first conference tournament starts Monday, March 2 with the Horizon League, while the Big Ten will be the last one to finish just before the bracket reveal Sunday, March 15 at 6 p.m. ET.

But which teams have done some work on their March Madness picture that is going a bit unnoticed?

Here's a look at USA TODAY Sports predictions on which college basketball teams are underrated heading into the final week of the regular season and their respective conference tournaments:

Selection Sunday date, TV channel: When does March Madness bracket come out?

March Madness predictions: Underrated teams

For this March Madness prediction exercise, we've added the following filters and parameters: Team must be currently projected as a five seed or higher in ESPN Joe Lunardi's and USA TODAY Sports' latest projections, and their NET and KenPom rankings don't align with their respective projected seeding.

Michigan State

• KenPom: No. 10
• NET rankings: No. 11
• Projected seeding: No. 4 seed on ESPN | No. 4 seed on USA TODAY Sports

It's March, never count out Michigan State and Tom Izzo. The Spartans gave the country an early reminder of that Thursday in West Lafayette when they walked out of Mackey Arena — where they had not won in their past seven trips — with an upset win over No. 8 Purdue.

Michigan State followed that up with a win at Indiana, where it got 21 points each from Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jaxon Kohler, two veteran pieces that can lead the Spartans on a national championship run, in addition to their defense that ranks sixth on KenPom.

The Spartans hold a 14-5 Quad 1 and Quad 2 combined record, and have won 12 of their past 15 games. With a date set with Michigan on Sunday, Michigan State could be in the mix for a 2-seed line before heading to Chicago for the Big Ten tournament.

Kansas

• KenPom: No. 16
• NET rankings: No. 16
• Projected seeding: No. 3 seed on ESPN | No. 3 seed on USA TODAY Sports

Before we get started on this blurb, yes, Kansas is a blue-blood, so how are the Jayhawks "underrated"? They are on here for the same reason Michigan State is: They're coming into form all while jammed in the middle of a packed Big 12, which has been the best conference in college basketball this season.

Since Jan. 13 with its win over then-No. 2 Iowa State, Kansas has all but three of its past 12 games, with four of those wins being against top-ranked wins over then-No. 13 BYU, then-No. 13 Texas Tech, then-No. 1 Arizona and then-No. 5 Houston.

Their seven Quad 1 wins are tied for the second-most in the Big 12 with Texas Tech, only behind Arizona's nation-leading 13 Quad 1 wins.

March Madness power rankings: Ranking top 20 teams based on odds

Virginia

• KenPom: No. 17
• NET rankings: No. 14
• Projected seeding: No. 4 seed on ESPN | No. 4 seed on USA TODAY Sports

The job Ryan Odom has done in Charlottesville hasn't been talked about enough nationally. Most of what has happened in the ACC has been overshadowed by how good Duke has been in the conference (just look at how Virginia's Saturday game played out at Cameron Indoor).

At 25-4 overall on the season, Virginia holds a top-15 NET ranking (they dropped just one spot following its loss at Duke) and a top-20 ranking on KenPom. Virginia is the second-highest-rated ACC team in the NET, on KenPom and on BartTorvik.

Led by Thijs De Ridder (16.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game), Odom has Virginia back in the NCAA Tournament after missing it last season. The 25 wins for the Cavaliers, who have two Quad 2 opportunities to round out the regular season, are the most for a head coach in his first season in program history. It's also a 10-win improvement from last season for Virginia under Ron Sanchez, who took over for Tony Bennett following his abrupt retirement.

Alabama

• KenPom: No. 14
• NET rankings: No. 15
• Projected seeding: No. 4 seed on ESPN | No. 4 seed on USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to remember the last time Alabama wasn't in the headlines daily, and that was largely due to the Charles Bediako-NCAA eligibility case.

Alabama remains in the headlines, but for good measure now, as 23 points and the game-winning shot from Labaron Philon Jr. helped the Crimson Tide steal one on the road against Tennessee that will undoubtedly impact their March Madness seeding projection positively.

The Crimson Tide has won eight straight going into the final week of SEC play, where it will have a Quad 1 road opportunity at Georgia on Tuesday. They have a top-3-ranked offense on KenPom — that features Philon, Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell — and NCAA Tournament metrics that are in a solid spot going into the SEC tournament, where, depending on their matchups, they could work their way to the 3-seed line. Defense will be the question for the Tide come March.

March Madness predictions: 13 teams who can win men's tournament

Nebraska

• KenPom: No. 11
• NET rankings: No. 12
• Projected seeding: No. 3 seed on ESPN | No. 3 seed on USA TODAY Sports

There was no better story in college basketball at the start of the season than Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers started undefeated at 20-0 before sustaining their first loss on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Michigan. That loss to the Wolverines was the first of three losses in a four-game stretch for the Cornhuskers, though all three losses came to top-15 ranked teams with Illinois and Purdue as the others.

Since then, the Cornhuskers have bounced back a bit — though they fell to projected seven-seed Iowa on the road — with four wins in their last five games. They have a top-five-ranked defense on KenPom, rank in the top-15 on both KenPom and in the NET rankings and have an offense that is top-7 in Big Ten play in scoring with Pryce Sandfort leading the charge.

Could this be the year that the Cornhuskers get their first-ever NCAA Tournament win? We'll find out in two weeks.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness underrated teams like Michigan State, Virginia worth watching

Episode 2 of Jayson Tatum’s documentary ‘The Quiet Work’ was run before the 76ers vs. Celtics game on NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball. Tatum then posted the video on his YouTube channel and it explores his and his doctor’s perspective on getting surgery immediately the next day after his injury.

At the end of Episode 1, Jayson Tatum had just torn his Achilles and was on his way to the hospital. Episode 2 opens up with Tatum and trainer Nick Sang going back and forth describing the scene with Celtics team doctor Antony Schena on the night of the injury. Schena used a tape cutter to take off the bandages, raised Tatum’s leg, and nodded at the group to signal that the Achilles was ruptured. Tatum responded to the story saying it was “heartbreaking.”

Doctor Martin O’Malley of the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City then sits down for an interview and talks about the science behind how an Achilles tear rupture is the worst injury in basketball. He says “it feels like an explosion goes off in the back of your [leg] and the tendon just separates.” Tatum cuts in following this and says, “I just couldn’t help but think in my head, ‘am I ever going to play again’ and to be honest at that point, I ain’t have no hope.”

Dr. O’Malley comes back in and explains the risk of the injury. “The biggest risk is not getting back to that same level, losing a step, losing a jump.” He was watching the game at home and when Tatum went down he said, “oh no, that’s not good.”

O’Malley is an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in foot and ankle surgery who has operated on a few professional athletes and other NBA players like Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, and Vince Carter. So, he knew once Tatum got injured, he called his team right away.

Tatum then describes the next morning and how he felt discouraged when he was was offered a wheelchair when he first walked into the hospital. He said, “Yesterday, I was Superman, I was invincible, and now I need help with everything.”

Dr. O’Malley then shows the X-ray of Tatum’s foot and where the Achilles tore and where they sewed it back together. He also said getting the surgery within 24 hours leads to better outcomes and offered Tatum the ability to get the surgery that day. Tatum was crushed, saying, “it felt like my soul left my body.”

Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole, said his face turned white and explained that Jayson didn’t expect to get the surgery and was apprehensive about getting it that day. Cole asked everyone to leave the room and Tatum just broke down. Cole said, “I can’t imagine feeling like the thing you love the most, the thing you worked for your whole life, just taken away from you.” She eventually convinced Tatum to get the surgery sooner rather than later.

Tatum described the process of the surgery and they showed video of his reaction when he first woke up. When describing what he felt when he woke up, he said, “I remember looking down at my foot and [it] felt heavy… I tried playing with my toes and I couldn’t move them.” The next shot was the hallway of the hospital and the episode faded to black.

BOSTON — “MVP! MVP! MVP!”

The chants echoed across TD Garden as the Celtics inched toward a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Normally, that chant is reserved for Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ perennial MVP candidate.

This year, Jaylen Brown has received his fair share of MVP cheers en route to a career season that’s already seen him secure his first-ever All-Star start.

But, on Sunday night, the “MVP!” chorus was directed toward a more unlikely character: Neemias Queta.

Queta, after all, appeared to be floating. The 26-year-old posted one of the best games of his NBA career, scoring a career-high 27 points (on 10-14 FG) to go alongside 17 rebounds and 3 blocks.

The Celtics, in turn, tallied a 114-98 win over the 76ers, improving to an astounding 40-20 record, the Eastern Conference’s second-best mark.

Amazingly, ten of Queta’s rebounds were on the offensive glass.

And, he did it all in just 27 minutes of action.

How did he do it?

“Just trying to have fun out there,” he said after the win.

Queta smiled when asked about the Garden’s boisterous MVP chants, which erupted multiple times in the game’s second half.

“I got distracted, missed a couple of free throws,” he said. “Got to work on that.”

Some MVP chants breaking out for Neemias Queta at the line — would imagine those are the first of his NBA career

19 point, 14 rebounds tonight pic.twitter.com/U8sq1Lk447

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 2, 2026

The Celtics continue to push Neemias Queta toward greatness

After the win, Joe Mazzulla recalled how he informed Queta early last summer that he’d be the starting center on the Celtics this season. That came after the departures of Luke Kornet and Al Horford in free agency, and after Kristaps Porzingis was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

Almost overnight, Queta went from being the Celtics’ fourth-string center to the frontcourt’s anchor.

“Part of telling him in the summer that he was going to be the starting center was giving him the time to properly wrap his mind around —- physically, mentally, emotionally prepare himself—— for what it means to be the starting center for the Celtics,” Mazzulla said. “And he’s taken on that ownership and responsibility well, and he’s got to keep it going.”

Shortly after that conversation, Queta represented Portugal at EuroBasket, going into the FIBA tournament with the knowledge that he was poised to be a critical part of the Celtics’ success. That tournament run came on the heels of offseason knee surgery, and Queta credits the national team experience for preparing him for this season.

“Playing for Portugal was huge for me this summer,” he said. “It allowed me to get a lot of rhythm, allowed me to get a lot of confidence, too. And just from that point on, it was just like a building stage. We worked a lot during the summer, pre- and post-surgery. It was a big summer for me in terms of fine-tuning a bunch of different stuff. We worked on all types of aspects — rebounding, pick-and-roll defense, we worked on match-up recognition. It was a big summer for me.”

As a result, Queta has had a career year, averaging 10.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game, while shooting 64.5% from the field.

He’s tallied three double-doubles in his last five games, and last month, he logged back-to-back double-doubles for the first time in his career.

But many around the team, such as Jaylen Brown, feel like Queta has yet to reach his final form.

“I’m very pleased just to see his progression; he’s been working hard all season long,” Brown said. “I’ve been in his ear, talking to him. He’s done a good job this year. I feel like he has another level he can tap into, and I feel like he’s starting to tap into that.”

As such, it was fitting that right in the middle of Queta’s most dominant stretch of the game, Joe Mazzulla scolded him for swatting a shot out of bounds instead of saving it in-bounds.

Joe Mazzulla has been urging Neemias Queta to catch some of these great blocks he’s had recently

Queta was pleading his case after and Joe broke into a grin pic.twitter.com/u5DjYOHMra

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 2, 2026

Mazzulla said postgame that there have been three recent instances in which Queta has unnecessarily blocked a shot out-of-bounds that he thinks Queta could have salvaged.

“I do think that’s an area of growth,” Mazzulla said. “Like, if you can catch it, catch it. Why give a team another possession? You just get the ball, and then we go in transition. So it’s definitely something he’s gotta better.”

To those not intimately familiar with Mazzulla and his coaching style, it might seem overly negative that, amid Queta’s career night, he was visibly distressed at a mistake that could be perceived as very minor.

But, from Queta’s perspective, it’s that exact mindset from Mazzulla and the coaching staff that has allowed him to develop into the player he is today.

“It’s easy when you have a night like this to settle down,” Queta said. “When Joe keeps coming at you like that, you’re only going to get better. Like he says, something that’s occurred a lot in the last couple of games. In the moment, I don’t think I can get it, but then when it settles down…”

Queta, upon further review, did think he could have salvaged that block. And, he’s committed to blocking a shot and subsequently keeping it in-bounds in the coming days, a play that could give the Celtics a transition opportunity, or at the very least, a chance at a defensive board.

“Hopefully, I get a couple of those next couple of games,” Queta said.

Neemias Queta said he agrees he could have caught the block, in hindsight.

He appreciates that Joe Mazzulla is pushing him: “It’s huge.”

And he wants to catch a few blocks soon:

“Hopefully I get a couple of those the next couple games.” https://t.co/NJJO42LJk3pic.twitter.com/SBcTsR3gb4

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 2, 2026

Although Mazzulla remains laser-focused on the details, and pushing Queta to be the absolute best version he can be, he hasn’t lost sight of the big picture.

“You have to just have a level of gratitude and appreciate how hard he’s worked — but not just this year,” Mazzulla said. “He’s been here for three, four years, right? So the process of what he’s gone through to earn what he’s got is really what I care about.”

“We have to wake up and do it again tomorrow, so there’s that piece to it, but there’s the piece of — he’s taken on the ownership of the responsibility, and he cares about working hard and understanding how important what he does for us and for our team.”

Just moments after Queta finished addressing reporters in the locker room, he headed to Milwaukee along with the rest of his teammates; the Celtics (40-20) will face the Bucks (26-33) on Monday night.

Mazzulla loved what he saw from Queta on the first night of a back-to-back.

But, there’s a reason he’s not satisfied. It’s the same reason he’s not satisfied every night.

“In less than 24 hours,” said the Celtics head coach, “we have to do it again.”

LOS ANGELES — On the season, Maxi Kleber has only played in 34 of the Lakers’ 59 games and averages fewer than 11 minutes per contest in those appearances.

On Sunday night, he brought life to every second he played.

While LA had both of its top centers available, Jaxson Hayes found himself in early foul trouble, so Lakers head coach JJ Redick turned to Kleber. Immediately, he ramped up LA’s intensity.

Kleber was cleaning up the glass while serving as a rim protector, rejecting a Drew Eubanks attempt. He even added an offensive highlight to his reel, posterizing Precious Achiuwa.

It's a poster fest!!!! pic.twitter.com/xFyPVGgXJk

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 2, 2026

“He had two poster dunks tonight,” Redick said postgame. “Things you get really excited about…Just the reaction from his teammates on that, it’s something that gives your group spirit.”

But it was a play that largely won’t show up in the box score that provided the most spirit for the group.

As Marcus Smart took a 3-point attempt, Malik Monk yelled out “Hell naw!” as the ball failed to touch the rim. On the ensuing Kings’ possession, Monk tried to go coast-to-coast but Kleber stood his ground and knocked the guard down, sending a clear message.

When Monk got up, he had words for Kleber, as did former Laker Russell Westbrook. Kleber wanted all the smoke before coaches, players and officials stepped in to make sure things didn’t further escalate.

The play doesn’t appear in the box score as anything more than a foul on Kleber, but it gave this game a bit more edge. The Lakers kept that intensity up even as Kleber went to the bench, and they entered the halftime break up 15.

At times, LA has a tendency to let go of the rope, particularly in games seen as easy wins. Kleber ensured that wouldn’t be the case, even on the second night of a back-to-back.

“He’s the guy that makes our team,” Rui Hachimura said. “He has good energy. He always brings good energy to the team. We always talk about how we need to be more like Maxi or we need to be like Maxi. We always talk about that. I know how he approaches this every day and brings positive energy. He always brings good energy to the team, whether he plays or not.

Kleber won’t always play, and when he does, it won’t always look as good as it did against the Kings.

However, each team needs everyone rowing in the same direction. Kleber is one of those veterans who not only knows how to be a pro but also sets the standard for his teammates, whether they are playing big minutes or riding the bench.

With the Lakers responding to their three-game losing streak with back-to-back wins, LA is having a moment of positivity. Still, the Western Conference race is as tight as ever, and as a vet, Kleber knows better than most that the work is far from done.

“I think the best thing for us is to just block out the noise from outside because we know what we got to focus on, what we got to do, and keep our composure,” Kleber said. “But obviously, having two wins like that obviously helps for the team chemistry, for like everything for the flow.

“But we know that we got to continue building on this now.”

Kleber’s qualities are exactly what teams want every player to have. He always brings that same level of passion, hustle and will to win regardless of his role.

On Sunday, his influence was obvious, and whether Lakers fans see it nightly or not, his impact is palpable.

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

Memphis Grizzlies (23-36, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (38-23, fourth in the Western Conference)

Minneapolis; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota heads into a matchup against Memphis as winners of three games in a row.

The Timberwolves are 23-17 in conference games. Minnesota is sixth in the Western Conference with 26.5 assists per game led by Julius Randle averaging 5.4.

The Grizzlies are 18-23 in conference matchups. Memphis is sixth in the Western Conference with 11.6 offensive rebounds per game led by Zach Edey averaging 3.9.

The Timberwolves' 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 14.2 per game the Grizzlies allow. The Grizzlies average 13.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 more made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Timberwolves give up.

The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Grizzlies won 137-128 in the last matchup on Feb. 3.

TOP PERFORMERS: Rudy Gobert is scoring 10.9 points per game and averaging 11.5 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is averaging 28.6 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Cam Spencer is scoring 11.4 points per game and averaging 2.6 rebounds for the Grizzlies. GG Jackson is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 117.5 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.8 points per game.

Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 117.7 points, 37.3 rebounds, 28.7 assists, 12.9 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.0 points.

INJURIES: Timberwolves: None listed.

Grizzlies: Taj Gibson: out (coach decision), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Ty Jerome: out (thigh), Cedric Coward: out (knee), Santi Aldama: out (injury management), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

San Antonio Spurs (43-17, second in the Western Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (33-27, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Philadelphia; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Spurs -6; over/under is 231.5

BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs take on the Philadelphia 76ers in non-conference action.

The 76ers have gone 16-15 at home. Philadelphia has a 14-20 record against opponents over .500.

The Spurs are 22-11 on the road. San Antonio ranks third in the Western Conference with 16.5 fast break points per game led by Stephon Castle averaging 3.0.

The 76ers score 116.4 points per game, 4.6 more points than the 111.8 the Spurs allow. The Spurs average 13.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, the same that the 76ers give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tyrese Maxey is averaging 29.1 points, 6.8 assists and two steals for the 76ers. VJ Edgecombe is averaging 17.2 points and 6.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Victor Wembanyama is averaging 23.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks for the Spurs. Devin Vassell is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 4-6, averaging 114.1 points, 41.1 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 10.9 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.1 points per game.

Spurs: 9-1, averaging 123.4 points, 45.9 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 8.2 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points.

INJURIES: 76ers: Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (oblique).

Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Mason Plumlee: out (reconditioning).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Oklahoma City Thunder (47-15, first in the Western Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (25-36, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Chicago; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Matas Buzelis and the Chicago Bulls host the Oklahoma City Thunder in a non-conference matchup.

The Bulls have gone 16-17 in home games. Chicago is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 51.5 points per game in the paint led by Josh Giddey averaging 8.3.

The Thunder are 22-8 in road games. Oklahoma City averages 119.2 points and has outscored opponents by 11.3 points per game.

The Bulls' 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.5 more made shots on average than the 14.2 per game the Thunder allow. The Thunder average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 fewer makes per game than the Bulls give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Buzelis is averaging 15.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Bulls. Collin Sexton is averaging 11.6 points over the last 10 games.

Cason Wallace is scoring 8.8 points per game and averaging 3.2 rebounds for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 15.9 points and 3.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 1-9, averaging 108.8 points, 41.2 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 9.5 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.6 points per game.

Thunder: 7-3, averaging 113.9 points, 45.0 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.9 points.

INJURIES: Bulls: Anfernee Simons: out (wrist), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: out (knee), Patrick Williams: out (quadriceps), Zach Collins: out for season (toe), Jalen Smith: out (calf).

Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (abdomen), Branden Carlson: out (back), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New York Knicks (39-22, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (35-25, fifth in the Eastern Conference)

Toronto; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 223.5

BOTTOM LINE: Toronto hosts New York looking to stop its three-game home slide.

The Raptors are 4-9 against Atlantic Division opponents. Toronto has a 7-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Knicks are 26-15 in Eastern Conference play. New York is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 27.1 assists per game led by Jalen Brunson averaging 6.1.

The Raptors score 114.0 points per game, 2.9 more points than the 111.1 the Knicks give up. The Knicks average 5.2 more points per game (117.2) than the Raptors allow (112.0).

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Knicks won the last matchup 119-92 on Jan. 29. Mikal Bridges scored 30 points to help lead the Knicks to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 19.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.6 blocks for the Raptors. Immanuel Quickley is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Brunson is averaging 26.7 points and 6.1 assists for the Knicks. Landry Shamet is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 6-4, averaging 115.3 points, 41.7 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 9.4 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.8 points per game.

Knicks: 6-4, averaging 112.2 points, 43.7 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points.

INJURIES: Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).

Knicks: Miles McBride: out (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Phoenix Suns (34-26, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (14-48, 15th in the Western Conference)

Sacramento, California; Tuesday, 11 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento hosts Phoenix looking to stop its seven-game home losing streak.

The Kings are 2-9 in division matchups. Sacramento is at the bottom of the league shooting 33.6% from 3-point range.

The Suns are 23-18 in conference games. Phoenix ranks third in the Western Conference giving up just 111.4 points while holding opponents to 46.9% shooting.

The Kings average 110.3 points per game, 1.1 fewer points than the 111.4 the Suns allow. The Suns average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Kings allow.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Suns won the last matchup 129-102 on Jan. 3. Devin Booker scored 33 points to help lead the Suns to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: DeMar DeRozan is averaging 18.2 points and four assists for the Kings. Maxime Raynaud is averaging 14.6 points over the last 10 games.

Royce O'Neale is shooting 41.7% and averaging 10.1 points for the Suns. Collin Gillespie is averaging 3.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 2-8, averaging 109.4 points, 44.5 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.8 points per game.

Suns: 4-6, averaging 103.7 points, 44.1 rebounds, 22.6 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points.

INJURIES: Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).

Suns: Jordan Goodwin: out (calf), Devin Booker: out (hip), Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Haywood Highsmith: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Brooklyn Nets (15-45, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (32-29, eighth in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn will try to break its six-game road losing streak when the Nets take on Miami.

The Heat are 16-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami leads the NBA with 35.1 defensive rebounds per game led by Bam Adebayo averaging 7.8.

The Nets have gone 11-26 against Eastern Conference opponents. Brooklyn is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference scoring averaging 107.0 points per game while shooting 44.6%.

The Heat are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 3.3 percentage points lower than the 49.6% the Nets allow to opponents. The Nets average 13.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Heat allow.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Heat won the last meeting 106-95 on Dec. 19. Norman Powell scored 24 points to help lead the Heat to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Andrew Wiggins is shooting 47.4% and averaging 16.1 points for the Heat. Adebayo is averaging 20.5 points over the last 10 games.

Day'Ron Sharpe is averaging 8.5 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Nets. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 17.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 46.6% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 5-5, averaging 119.0 points, 51.2 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points per game.

Nets: 2-8, averaging 107.1 points, 38.4 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.8 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (back), Norman Powell: out (groin).

Nets: Nic Claxton: out (thumb), Egor Demin: out (injury management).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Los Angeles Clippers (28-31, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (31-29, eighth in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Monday, 10 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Clippers -1.5; over/under is 219.5

BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles plays Golden State in Western Conference action Monday.

The Warriors are 21-18 in conference games. Golden State is eighth in the Western Conference scoring 115.6 points while shooting 46.2% from the field.

The Clippers are 18-18 in conference play. Los Angeles is at the bottom of the Western Conference recording only 23.6 assists per game led by Kawhi Leonard averaging 3.7.

The Warriors are shooting 46.2% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points lower than the 46.6% the Clippers allow to opponents. The Clippers are shooting 47.9% from the field, 0.6% higher than the 47.3% the Warriors' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Clippers won 103-102 in the last meeting on Jan. 6. Leonard led the Clippers with 24 points, and Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 27 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brandin Podziemski is averaging 12.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Warriors. Moses Moody is averaging 15.9 points over the last 10 games.

John Collins is scoring 13.8 points per game and averaging 5.2 rebounds for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 4-6, averaging 110.2 points, 42.6 rebounds, 31.0 assists, 9.8 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.6 points per game.

Clippers: 5-5, averaging 109.1 points, 39.9 rebounds, 23.2 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Kristaps Porzingis: day to day (illness), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Seth Curry: out (back), Will Richard: day to day (ankle).

Clippers: Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Darius Garland: out (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Dallas Mavericks (21-39, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (30-31, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte heads into a matchup with Dallas as winners of four straight games.

The Hornets have gone 13-16 at home. Charlotte is third in the Eastern Conference with 12.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 3.7.

The Mavericks are 7-20 on the road. Dallas gives up 117.7 points to opponents and has been outscored by 3.8 points per game.

The Hornets average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.7 more made shots on average than the 12.2 per game the Mavericks give up. The Mavericks average 113.9 points per game, 0.9 more than the 113.0 the Hornets give up to opponents.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Hornets won 123-121 in the last matchup on Jan. 30.

TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is shooting 40.1% and averaging 19.3 points for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 22.1 points over the last 10 games.

Klay Thompson is shooting 38.7% and averaging 11.5 points for the Mavericks. Max Christie is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 116.5 points, 47.5 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.1 points per game.

Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 114.4 points, 42.3 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.7 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: None listed.

Mavericks: Naji Marshall: out (finger), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Klay Thompson: day to day (adductor), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Cooper Flagg: out (foot), P.J. Washington: out (ankle), Marvin Bagley III: out (neck).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

It’s been a very long time since the Lakers had blowouts like this in consecutive games. You have to go back to mid-November to even find games with margins similar to this, but these Lakers did it in back-to-back days.

You can easily discredit it by saying this is what they should be doing against these teams, but they haven’t been and that’s kind of been the problem. After a really miserable week of games against the Celtics, Magic and Suns, the Lakers seem to have reset the vibes again over the weekend.

It comes at an important time when they are set to see their schedule pick up, but it was a welcome sight to see LA jump ahead early in these two games and have very comfortable, stress-free victories.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

27 minutes, 24 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 8-15 FG, 3-4 3PT, 5-6 FT, +13

LeBron has looked awfully spry and re-energized this weekend, especially considering it was a back-to-back. With LA heading into the stretch run, having this version of LeBron, particularly with his shooting from three — would be huge.

Grade: A-

Marcus Smart

25 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-5 FG, 3-5 3PT, +17

This was a quintessential Smart game. He did a bit of everything, highlighted by his defense and hustle plays.

Grade: A-

Deandre Ayton

18 minutes, 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 6-6 FG, 0-1 FT, +2

Quietly, Ayton had a pretty nice game. His first shift was particularly good as the Lakers jumped out to their big lead early.

Grade: B+

Austin Reaves

27 minutes, 12 points, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, 3-9 FG, 2-6 3PT, 4-4 FT, +15

After a solid game in San Francisco, Reaves faded into the background again. That’s been a common trend since the All-Star break and an increasingly concerning one.

Grade: B-

Luka Dončić

29 minutes, 28 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 10-16 FG, 4-8 3PT, 4-7 FT, +18

Another absurd third quarter from Luka, this time featuring one of the more ridiculous highlights he’s had as a Laker.

How Luka? 😯😯 pic.twitter.com/BWk7AJa1Td

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 2, 2026

Grade: A

Rui Hachimura

22 minutes, 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 fouls, 2-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, +12

After missing two games due to illness, it was nice to see Rui both back on the court and looking energetic. He looked a bit rusty but still had some nice defensive plays and continues to shoot threes at a high clip.

Grade: B-

Luke Kennard

26 minutes, 11 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4-10 FG, 3-5 3PT, +17

Not to belabor a point since he’s no longer on the team, but Gabe Vincent has five made threes in his five games with the Hawks. Kennard had seven in the last two games.

Grade: B+

Jaxson Hayes

13 minutes, 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 4 fouls, 2-2 FG, 0-1 FT, +16

Hayes battled some foul trouble, opening up minutes for Maxi Kleber. But in his limited time, he was rather productive.

Grade: B+

Jake LaRavia

22 minutes, 4 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 fouls, 2-10 FG, 0-3 3PT, +11

LaRavia feels like one of the few players who has quiet bad games. That might be attributed to the energy he brings regardless whether his shot is falling or not, but tonight was one of the nights where it felt like he had a good game only to see him shooting 2-10.

Grade: C-

Maxi Kleber

14 minutes, 6 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 1 foul, 3-3 FG, +7

What an impactful 14 minutes from Kleber, who had a big block at the rim, nearly fought Malik Monk and had a couple of huge dunks. Perhaps he should have replaced Hayes in the dunk contest.

Grade: A+

Bronny James, Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht, Kobe Bufkin

Shoutout to Thiero’s huge dunk and Bronny’s three in garbage time.

JJ Redick

Another solid game from JJ, who made an interesting call by going to Kleber when Hayes got in foul trouble instead of Jarred Vanderbilt, who was a DNP-CD. Vando has struggled in recent games again, so it’s not a surprise to see him out of the rotation. If the Lakers are looking for an athletic wing to replace him, it might be worth giving Thiero some spot minutes in the next handful of games.

Grade: A-

Sunday’s DNPs: Jarred Vanderbilt

Sunday’s inactives: Chris Mañon, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points and the Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 137-117 on Sunday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Ninth in the Western Conference, the Clippers improved to 28-31. The Pelicans are 13th in the West at 19-43.

New Orleans star Zion Williamson sat out after injuring his right ankle at Utah on Saturday night. He had played a career-high 35 straight games.

The Clippers never trailed. They led 43-32 after the first quarter and had a 76-70 advantage at the half. It was 107-94 after three, and the Clippers stretched the margin to 26 in the fourth.

Jordan Miller added 19 points for the Clippers. Derrick Jones Jr. had 17, Brook Lopez 16 and John Collins 15.

While Leonard went one of seven from three-point range, the Clippers were 17 of 36 overall. Lopez was four for six, and Jones and Kobe Sanders were each three for four.

Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 28 points, hitting five of six three-pointers. Derik Queen scored 19 points, Dejounte Murray had 17, and Trey Murphy III added 16 after missing five games because of a right shoulder injury.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The search for sustained consistency remained a focus for the Lakers on Sunday against a Sacramento Kings team with the NBA's worst record.

And it helped that the Lakers were completely healthy against the Kings, something that has eluded them nearly all season.

Behind strong efforts from Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers defeated the struggling Kings 128-104 at Crypto.com Arena in their second straight blowout win.

Doncic, one of five Lakers to score in double figures, scored 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting. He made four three-pointers and had nine assists and five rebounds.

Read more:Luka Doncic and Lakers dominate Curry-less Warriors to halt losing streak

James, who played after initially being listed as questionable because of arthritis in his left foot, scored 24 points in 27 minutes on eight-for-15 shooting. He made a trio of threes and had five assists.

Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves both had 12 points and Luke Kennard had 11 points off the bench. Rui Hachimura played 22 minutes off the bench and had eight points and two rebounds after missing the previous two games because of illness.

Nique Clifford led the Kings (14-48) with 26 points and had seven rebounds.

The Lakers are 3-3 since the All-Star break with 28- and 24-point wins after three straight losses.

“Again, just the world is falling for us 19 times (after double-digit losses this season),” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “ It’s just part of the nature of this cycle and our guys. ... Our guys bounced back and responded well throughout the season. Tied in the lost column for fifth (with Denver in the Western Conference) and a couple games out of third with a number of these teams coming up that are right there with us. So, we just are going to keep plugging away.”

Just as in Saturday's win at Golden State, the Lakers (36-24) benefited from strong shooting. They shot 50% from the field and 46% from three-point range.

One of the most exciting plays happened in the first quarter when Marcus Smart dived for a loose ball and, while prone on his back, passed to James. The Lakers star then passed to a hustling Austin Reaves, who took a few dribbles to get a Kings defender to commit before making an alley-oop pass to James for a two-handed, rim-hanging dunk.

The crowd was whipped into a frenzy. The Kings called a timeout, allowing the Lakers and their fans to soak in the moment.

There was another play in the third quarter in which Doncic slipped and almost fell down, losing control of the ball. But Doncic regained his balance and the ball before shooting an off-balance three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 24-point lead.

“Ah, yeah, it was on purpose,” Doncic said about falling down. “I tripped on purpose and it was, how do you say, the 'And-1 Mixtape,' that’s what they said on the bench. So, I did it on purpose.”

Doncic smiled.

It was that kind of night for the Lakers, a game full of highlights and fun that allowed Redick to empty his bench in the fourth quarter.

“Yeah, obviously it was two great wins, but we just got to go game by game,” Doncic said. “Obviously there’s a lot of noise outside, but like tonight, we can’t pay attention to that. ... I thought we played great.”

Maxi Kleber was another standout for the Lakers, making all three of his shots for six points. He also had six rebounds and a block.

His two lob dunks left his Lakers teammates celebrating from the bench.

“Every time I do something, you know, you look to the bench, everybody's celebrating,” Kleber said. “So, obviously it's a good push for me, a good push for the team.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.