Category: Basketball

Okay Dub Nation, I see you. Sitting on the stool in the corner of the ring, spitting out blood as the trainers press an ice pack over your swollen eye sockets from watching a rough and tumble month of Golden State Warriors basketball.

The Dubs went 5-10 in March, Steph Curry’s birthday month. Curry and Jimmy Butler didn’t play a single second. The team’s net rating was -5.9, the kind of number that belongs to rebuilds.

And yet. Maybe there’s a chance in here buried under the losses and life lessons. Golden State spent the month caught between two truths: too good to tank and too hurt to compete. If there’s one thing March taught us, it’s that there’s something about this team that is exciting and tragic at the same time.

The Win That Made You Believe

March 5th in Houston. The Warriors were missing seven players, including every name that appears on a marquee. What showed up instead was a ragtag collection of role players, former G-Leaguers, and aging veterans who apparently missed the memo that the game was supposed to be meaningless.

De’Anthony Melton scored 10 points in the first seven minutes. Al Horford, age 39, won the overtime tip and scored a post-up hook shot. LJ Cryer hit threes. Gui Santos played 41 minutes, finished plus-20, and put Kevin Durant on the floor with a spin move.

Brandin Podziemski went 3-for-3 in overtime and reached a season-high 26 points. And KD, one of the greatest players alive and a forever legend in Golden State, bricked two consecutive free throws to give Golden State the game.

Final score: 115-113. The Warriors owned the Rockets franchise one more time without a single star. That was the argument for this team. For one night, every player on that floor had something to prove, and together they proved it.

The Win That That Didn’t Feel Like One

Eighteen days later, same state, different city, different kind of Texas night entirely.

Moses Moody stole the ball from Cooper Flagg with 1:13 left in overtime. He got out in space with the dunk coming into view. And we know Moody can elevate. This time, unfortunately he planted his foot, and the floor gave out beneath a season that had finally started to mean something. Torn patellar tendon. Season over.

Original Splash Bro Klay Thompson was on the other side in a Mavericks uniform. He watched that basketball inheritance collapse in real time. Nobody felt like celebrating the overtime win. The Warriors needed a big victory, but at what cost? I wonder if they’d rather have the loss if it meant preserving Moody’s future.

This is what March 2026 was. A month where the Warriors were simultaneously too good to tank and too hurt to compete. Steph has now missed over two dozen consecutive games. Butler has been gone since January. Horford went down with a calf strain. Moody, who was the living proof that the Two-Timeline strategy could actually work, is watching the rest of this season from a treatment table. A month where the best version of this roster kept flashing, and the injury report kept taking it away.

April Starts Against San Antonio

The Warriors open April against the Spurs. The one with Victor Wembanyama, the version of the future this season was supposed to hold off. They are going into that game without Steph, without Jimmy, without Moses, and with a net rating that politely suggests the process is still very much in progress. Another Texas team, another test, and another day of wondering if the glass is half full or half empty on this season.

March presented two true things simultaneously. The Warriors can still be beautiful when the ball moves and the right people show up hungry. And it also whispered that this season is not going to end in triumph. Both are hella real and define Warriors basketball in 2026.

Goodbye March, you were tough on the team.

Rapper J. Cole has long been an NBA sicko. In 2018, he hopped on 21 Savage’s track ‘a lot’ and immediately shouted out Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. However, there is no NBA player he loves like Steph Curry — who also hails from his native North Carolina.

On Carmelo Anthony’s 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, Cole spoke extensively about his love for Steph.

“I love basketball — it’s an even playing field,” Cole said. “Of course, you’re going to get athletically gifted people, but that’s why I love Steph so much. Compared to the average NBA player — 6’6″, 6’7″, freak of nature — he doesn’t fit that bill. He’s more of a regular size in the league.”

Cole sees Curry as an emblem of working with what you’ve got and using your own unique skillset to grow and become the best version of yourself.

“I stand next to Steph and I’m like, ‘Damn, this dude my height,'” Cole said. “He’s not little, but he maxed out his ability. If I work harder than everybody else, I can max my abilities out, and then I got a fair shot.”

Cole, 41, has pretty famously always wanted to be an NBA player, trying out for the Draft in 2020 and going pro briefly between 2021 and 2022 in the Basketball Africa League and the Canadian Elite Basketball League.

“That’s what I love about basketball,” Cole said. “I can measure my growth. I can see it. I can watch how bad I was or how regular I was, and how much better I’ve gotten in this one area. And I feel like I need that in my life. My music is the same way. My writing is the same way. My rap is the same passion — I want to push myself. Basketball gives me something measurable.”

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Our NBA player prop projections are set for tonight’s showdown between the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, with the model pinpointing several standout opportunities.

By analyzing the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve uncovered the bets with the highest value.

These Knicks vs. Rockets predictions aren’t guesswork — they’re driven by the numbers.

For those building their cards, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, March 31.

Knicks vs Rockets computer picks for March 31

Knicks	Rockets
Brunson u24.5 points  -112	Durant u25.5 points  -120
Bridges o1.5 threes -125	Sengun u8.5 rebounds +105
Hart o6.5 rebounds -130	Thompson o4.5 assists -120

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Knicks computer picks

Jalen Brunson Under 24.5 points (-112)

Projection: 24.6 points

Over their last 10 road games, opposing starting point guards have averaged just 12.8 points per game against the Houston Rockets — the second-lowest mark in the NBA — making this a difficult offensive matchup, particularly for Jalen Brunson.

Additionally, the New York Knicks have played at the slowest pace in the league over their last five games. They're likely to see even fewer possessions against a Houston team that ranks as the second-slowest offense in terms of pace this season.

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Mikal Bridges Over 1.5 threes (-125)

Projection: 1.7 3-pointers

Mikal Bridges has eclipsed 1.5 made threes in five of his last 10 games, and this matchup sets up well for him to build on that trend against the Rockets.

While Houston plays at a slower pace, their defensive scheme often prioritizes protecting the paint and limiting high-percentage looks inside. That naturally shifts opportunities to the perimeter, where Bridges thrives as a catch-and-shoot weapon.

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Josh Hart Over 6.5 rebounds (-130)

Projection: 7.4 rebounds

Josh Hart has gone Over 6.5 rebounds in six of his last 10 games, and the Knicks’ strong presence on the glass should continue to boost his rebounding outlook.

New York ranks fifth in the NBA with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game this season, creating extra opportunities for Hart to capitalize on the boards.

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Rockets computer picks

Kevin Durant Under 25.5 points (-120)

Projection: 24.2 points

From a scoring standpoint, the Rockets have struggled at home, averaging just 109.9 points per game over their last 25 contests — the second-lowest mark in the NBA.

They also operate at the second-slowest pace in the league this season, a combination that could limit possessions and make it tougher for Kevin Durant to clear his points prop tonight.

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Alperen Şengün Under 8.5 rebounds (+105)

Projection: 8.4 rebounds

The Knicks have operated at the slowest pace in the league over their last five games.

This should limit possessions for the Rockets and cut into rebounding chances for Alperen Şengün, especially after he’s gone Under in five of his last 10 games at an 8.5 rebound line.

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Amen Thompson Over 4.5 assists (-120)

Projection: 5.2 assists

Amen Thompson has gone Over 4.5 assists in four of his last 10 games, and tonight’s matchup against the Knicks sets up favorably for him to continue that trend.

Thompson thrives when he can push the pace, and with the Knicks playing at the slowest tempo in the league over their last five contests, defensive rotations will be critical — opening passing lanes for a quick, athletic playmaker like Thompson.

His ability to penetrate and draw attention often forces collapses that create open opportunities for teammates, giving Thompson plenty of chances to rack up assists.

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How to watch Knicks vs Rockets tonight

Location	Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date	Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	Peacock

Not intended for use in MA.
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There’s a “2-for-1” deal inside Intuit Dome when the Los Angeles Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight. These Western Conference rivals are Nos. 8 and 9, respectively, in the Western Conference standings, which means a victory is twice as nice. 

Los Angeles is on a five-game run, but kicking the tires on that tear sees L.A. taking advantage of some NBA bottom-feeders.

My Trail Blazers vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks believe L.A. reserve Bennedict Mathurin has gotten fat off that cupcake competition, and aren’t convinced he’ll keep the points coming.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers prediction

Trail Blazers vs Clippers best bet: Bennedict Mathurin Under 17.5 points (-125)

Bennedict Mathurin has been massive for the Los Angeles Clippers' turnaround the past two months. 

The 6-foot-5 guard gives L.A. a shot of energy off the bench, upping his scoring to 20+ points per game since the beginning of February. Mathurin has been especially hot in his last nine outings, averaging almost 23 points since March 7.

Helping heap on the points has been a schedule littered with lousy defenses. Four of those last nine games came against teams ranked Bottom 4 in defensive rating since the All-Star break (Indiana, Milwaukee, Sacramento, Memphis), along with a 26-point showing versus Chicago (21st).

Tuesday’s tilt brings a sneaky-good Portland Trail Blazers team to Los Angeles. Portland has also roughed up some weaker foes in recent games but sits No. 4 in defensive rating since the break and will approach this vital matchup with a playoff-like intensity.

The Blazers blitz opposing ball-handlers with smothering pressure and force them to get rid of the rock. That tactic has Portland giving up the third-fewest points to guards across the Association (47.2 per game).

Mathurin relies on getting to the foul line to pick up points, going to the stripe at least nine times in seven of his last nine outings. He won’t be able to get into attack mode versus that Portland press.

Projections all sit below his scoring prop, with my number just north of 15 points. That should have this Under 17.5 priced around -200 rather than the modest ask of -125.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers same-game parlay

The Clippers have boosted their stock against some bad teams recently. Portland is a stiff defensive challenge for L.A,. and our game models see the Clippers escaping but not covering as home chalk.

The forecasted final also comes up short of the current Over/Under total. The Trail Blazers can’t match the firepower of the Clippers and will try to turn this into a grinder of a game.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers SGP

• Trail Blazers +5.5
• Under 227.5
• Bennedict Mathurin Under 17.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Chairmen of the boards

The Trail Blazers need this win to keep pace in the playoff race, but won’t win a shootout against the Clippers. Defense is the name of the game for Portland, which keeps the score low and Jrue Holiday and Deni Avdija busy on the glass. Both Blazers are projected to top their rebound markets tonight.

Trail Blazers vs Clippers SGP

• Trail Blazers moneyline
• Under 227.5
• Jrue Holiday Over 3.5 rebounds
• Deni Avdija Over 6.5 rebounds

Trail Blazers vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Trail Blazers +5.5 | Clippers -5.5
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers +180 | Clippers -220
• Over/Under: Over 227.5 | Under 227.5

Trail Blazers vs Clippers betting trend to know

The Trail Blazers are 7-14 Over/Under (63% Unders) as road underdogs this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Clippers.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Clippers

Trail Blazers vs Clippers latest injuries

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Allow Charlotte Hornets fans to feel optimism for once. They have earned it. They can even look at an opponent like the Brooklyn Nets and have complete confidence in a win tonight.

My Hornets vs. Nets predictions and these NBA picks even go so far as to expect Charlotte to give some players a lighter workload on Tuesday, March 31.

Hornets vs Nets prediction

Hornets vs Nets best bet: LaMelo Ball Under 19.5 points (-120)

This is what life is like on the other side, Charlotte Hornets fans. You are no longer tanking; you get to take advantage of the teams that are tanking, like the Brooklyn Nets.

Sometimes that joy can be a bit excruciating itself. Your stars may not take the game as seriously, like scoring 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting against the Kings a week ago. Or they may not see as many minutes, like not even playing 22 minutes against the Pacers in late February.

LaMelo Ball cleared this prop in both those instances, but scoring 20 points against tanking teams is hardly an argument that he 'll ruin this prop by the hook tonight.

The Hornets have a back-to-back coming up on Thursday and Friday; they likely need to win both games — vs. Phoenix and then vs. Indiana — to keep their chances of slipping into the preferred Play-In game as the No. 8 seed in mid-April alive.

Limiting Ball’s minutes tonight will only help that cause later in the week, and Charlotte certainly should not need much of a performance from him against Brooklyn. The Nets have one outright win in their last 11 games, against the Kings.

Hornets vs Nets same-game parlay

Limiting Ball’s minutes while increasing Coby White’s will serve Charlotte not only to rest Ball for later in the week but also to further White’s understanding of this Hornets offense. Since joining the rotation in late February, White has taken at least 11 shots in 10 of 15 games, including each of the last eight.

More and more White usage should create Charlotte permutations that frustrate postseason opponents. An early lead will create a clear opportunity for less Ball and more White tonight.

Hornets vs Nets SGP

• Hornets first half -10
• LaMelo Ball Under 19.5 points
• Coby White Over 14.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Nets Hang Around

The Nets may be the complete inverse of the Jazz. While Utah stays competitive into the fourth quarter and then benches its contributing pieces to assure a loss, Brooklyn tends to hang around the whole game, then score garbage-time points to cover the full-game spread. The Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six.

Hornets vs Nets SGP

• Nets +17.5
• Hornets first half -10
• LaMelo Ball Under 19.5 points

Hornets vs Nets odds

• Spread: Hornets -17.5 | Nets +17.5
• Moneyline: Hornets -1700 | Nets +950
• Over/Under: Over 219.5 | Under 219.5

Hornets vs Nets betting trend to know

The last five Hornets games have all cashed their Unders, and by an average of 5.7 points. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Nets.

How to watch Hornets vs Nets

Hornets vs Nets latest injuries

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The NBA Rookie of the Year award can be a good indicator of future success, but it doesn’t always mean the player who won it will go on to have the best career of his class, nor does it mean the ones who didn’t win it can’t be just as successful. This year, the NBA’s top candidates are Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg, and both of them are special players with high ceilings. Still, the San Antonio Spurs made the made the right pick by selecting Dylan Harper at 2nd overall (sorry, Kevin O’Connor), and here’s why.

There are 19 NBA rookies playing at least 20 minutes per game in the 2025-26 season, and only three are logging at least 30 mpg (minimum 55 games played): Flagg, Knueppel, and VJ Edgecomb. All three have been mostly starers for their teams, while Harper is 12th among rookies in minutes at 22.3 per game with just two starts, meaning he doesn’t have as strong of a case for ROY as his fellow top four picks. Still, any rookie who has made himself a rotation player has done a good job, especially when they earn that spot on a quality team like the Spurs. 

Keep in mind that only three Spurs rookies have averaged 30 minutes since 1988-89: Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Willie Anderson. A lot of that has to do with how stacked many Spurs teams have been over the years, but it’s also not their motto to put too much on rookies’ plates, especially the younger ones. While the three Spurs above all entered the league aged 21 or older and started from day 1, Harper plays mostly with the second unit. Yet notably, the five-man unit with Harper, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama is one of their best.

That rotation is their 12th most-used this season, but part of the reason for its success is having added versatility with multiple ball handlers. The other is the sharp perimeter defense that buys Wemby the extra second to get where he wants. 

Harper is a smart shot creator, averaging a 2.76 assist-to-turnover ratio: the best among rookies.  Most of his passes and assists have gone to Johnson, who also passes him the ball the most.  To boot, Harper is one of three rookies to score in double figures with a minimum 54.0 effective field goal percentage, and on the Spurs, he generates the third most 3-pointers (5.4) for his teammates after Castle and De’Aaron Fox.

Harper was never going to make as much noise as many 2nd overall picks do because of his role, but take out that bit of context, and what he’s done matters a lot to a team that has turned into a championship contender at least a year earlier than expected. Despite being a rookie, he’s someone coach Mitch Johnson can count on in big games and is a big part of why the team has a top-eight scoring bench. His rookie campaign may not be as glamourous as Flagg or Knueppel’s, but it’s still rare for a rookie to garner that much trust so early in their careers.

It’s always difficult to get a read on how award voters will lean, but while it’s probably safe to assume Harper won’t win Rookie of the Year, he at least deserves to be on one of the All-Rookie teams. He’s quick, strong and shifty with the ball, and while he has only started twice this year against two low-level opponents, the Spurs offense didn’t miss a beat in his minutes. He is in the top five among rookies in points in the paint and fastbreak points, but most importantly, he’s doing all this for a team that’s on the hunt for the league’s best record. Other rookies can put up similar numbers with no pressure since their team is going nowhere or their role is not in jeopardy, but Harper is under pressure to produce, because if he doesn’t, the Spurs can simply turn to Fox or Castle for more minutes.

If Harper has one weakness, it’s his 3-point shooting. Almost all of his attempts are open to wide-open, making league average efficiency with 4-6 feet of space, but only 31.2 percent with six feet or more space. Spurs fans should not worry about this being a long term problem because he works hard, and Chip Engelland’s secret sauce has been closely replicated by the team.  For now, he can focus on becoming a screener after a handoff if opponents scheme him out by daring him to shoot, which will help him rack up assists and is a good counter by attacking the space.

There’s only seven games left in the regular season, so it is doubtful anyone will learn anything new from the crop of youngsters at this point. But we so know who Rookie Harper, and he’s earned himself an A- on my scale. The scary thing for the rest of the league is he has much more room to grow.

CHANDIGARH, India (AP) — Cooper Connolly marked his Indian Premier League debut with an unbeaten half-century in Punjab Kings' three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans on Tuesday.

Batting at No. 3, the 22-year-old Australian smashed 72 not out off 44 balls with five sixes and five fours as last year’s finalist survived a middle-order collapse to reach 165-7 with five balls to spare.

Fast bowler Vijayakumar Vyshak (3-34) and experienced spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2-28) had earlier bowled well in the middle overs to restrict Gujarat to 162-6 after Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field.

“I was looking forward to the experience of playing with some world-class players, but to put that performance in tonight, very happy," Connolly said. "I’m just more of a tempo player, feel the flow of my hands, don’t hit too many big sixes.”

Punjab had the chase under control at 110-2 in 12 overs before impact substitute Prasidh Krishna rattled the middle order with three wickets in 10 balls and the home team slumped to 118-6 in the 15th over.

But Connolly didn’t lose patience with wickets falling around him provided Punjab a winning start to the tournament.

Krishna ignited the collapse when Iyer clipped a straightforward catch to mid-wicket of the first ball he faced after he was struck hard on his hand at the non-striker by a hard drive from Connolly and needed on-field treatment.

Shashank Singh was undone by a sharp short ball and got a faint edge behind the wicket while Marcus Stoinis sliced a catch to Rashid Khan at third of another short delivery.

Marco Jansen smashed a six but got deceived by a slower delivery from Gujarat debutant Ashok Sharma and offered a tame catch at covers with Punjab still needing 19 runs for victory.

Xavier Bartlett (11 not out) eased the nerves when he pulled Krishna for a six over mid-wicket before Connolly guided Punjab to victory.

Earlier, skipper Shubman Gill top-scored with 39 off 27 balls, but none of the top-order Gujarat batters could convert starts into meaningful knocks. Gill started off well with his fluent boundaries in the power play, but Gujarat got tied down after scoring 54-1 in the first six overs.

Gill dominated Chahal early on with his trademark sweep shots before he got caught at mid-wicket while trying another sweep against the spinner as Gujarat couldn’t find momentum after power play.

Jos Buttler scored 38 off 33 balls, that included 14 dot balls before he holed out to long-on at the start of death overs.

Punjab did well in the last five overs and allowed Gujarat score only 34 runs with Jansen (1-20) intelligently varying his pace. Arshdeep Singh’s (0-42) long 11-ball last over went for 12 runs that included a no-ball and four wide balls.

___

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

On March 23rd, Moses Moody suffered a season-ending patellar tendon tear during the Warriors’ game versus the Dallas Mavericks. Moody was taken off the court on a stretcher with only 58 seconds remaining in overtime. Before his injury, Moody was having a great game, with 23 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Luckily, the Warriors pulled out a win. Moody underwent knee surgery on March 27th.

Two days later, on March 29th, Moody broke his silence via Twitter.

“I appreciate all of the love. Every challenge I’ve been through in life I’m glad I went through. I’m sure I’ll feel the same about this. 💪🏾” Moody said in a tweet Sunday.

Moody, turning 24 next month, was averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game — his best season yet. Moody is young and exceptionally talented, so he has a bright future ahead of him after his recovery process. Hopefully, he comes back stronger. Either way, Dub Nation is behind him every step of the way.

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

As the Western Conference playoff race nears its end, it’s once again going to come down to the wire.

With just seven games remaining, the Lakers can finish as high as the No. 3 seed or as low as sixth. The good news is the Lakers have their destiny in their own hands as they currently sit in the three spot and have the tiebreakers over the opponents they’re competing with for a playoff spot.

While their seeding and whether they will have homecourt or not are unknown, the teams they could face are known. LA will play either Denver, Minnesota, or Houston in the postseason.

For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask which team you would most like them to play in the first round of the playoffs between the Wolves, Rockets and Nuggets.

The Lakers have beaten this trio in head-to-head matchups, so a case can be made for each being a desired opponent. The team with the current worst record among the three is Houston.

The Rockets haven’t been able to dominate this year, even with the acquisition of Kevin Durant. The Lakers recently beat the Rockets in back-to-back games in Houston, making a matchup against them in the postseason an enticing proposition.

Last season, the Wolves eliminated the Lakers in five games in the opening round. But this year, LA controlled all three contests against Minnesota and swept the season series.

Sure, they still have Anthony Edwards and a defensive titan in Rudy Gobert, but this iteration of the Lakers has proven they can handle them.

Perhaps facing them in the playoffs again can make advancing to the second round by beating them that much sweeter.

And last but certainly not least is the Nuggets. The Lakers won the season series 2-1, but all the games were close. In fact, Denver is the only team to have pushed Los Angeles into overtime this year.

The Lakers came out on top, but it certainly looked like things could have easily gone a different way.

Similar to Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić is also an MVP candidate, and with a player that good on a team that’s beaten the Lakers a couple of times in the playoffs during this decade, maybe that’s not the first opponent you want to have as one begins a playoff run.

But what do you think? Who do you want the Lakers to face in the playoffs? Share your opinion by voting and letting us know down below!

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

All season — and especially the last month — the Utah Jazz have been playing G-league and overseas-level players in an effort to lose games. Some of them made their NBA debuts for the Jazz and some are trying to make their NBA comebacks. Without being too critical, there’s a reason that most of these players have not made a real impact on the world’s best basketball league.

Let’s take a look at every two-way or 10-day contract player to suit up for Utah this season, and see if I would like them to dawn the purple mountains in the future.

Mo Bamba

Games played: Two

Contract: Signed to multiple 10-days, but released before the last contract was up.

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

I was always elated every time the Jazz signed Mo Bamba this past year, simply for how much of a pop culture icon he is. However, in the two games he played for Utah this season — and the seven years of previous NBA play — he did not inspire confidence that he could be a legitimate player for the Utah Jazz. But thanks for the song! I imagine I’ll show it to my future kids in 20 years, and explain why a former Jazz player is the title of one of the most popular hits of my generation.

Andersson Garcia

Games played: Five

Contract: One 10-day. Was not re-signed after.

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Andersson Garcia’s brief time in a Jazz uniform was very reminiscent of Jarred Vanderbilt’s. Both had tremendous hustle and grit, diving for loose balls, snagging boards and playing great defense. Vanderbilt’s play during the first part of the 2022-23 season was a stark contrast to the lackadaisical effort of the 2021-22 team, and Garcia’s drive felt the same exact way. Offensively, Garcia wasn’t great, only shooting 31.0% from the field, but the 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals were nothing to scoff at. As excited as I am about JJJ, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George and Walker Kessler next season, none of those players are known for their tenacity and hustle, so I’ll take as many players with those attributes as I can get.

The Jazz didn’t re-sign him after his 10-day was up, so the odds that he’ll play for the organization again are slim, but I would love it if somehow he wound up on the training camp roster next season. Plus, being one of the few Dominican NBA players ever was a wholesome story.

Kennedy Chandler

Games played: Six (and counting)

Contract: One 10-day

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

Looking at Chandler’s counting stats, they aren’t terrible (14.2 ppg and 6.8 apg), but considering that the only two point guards on the roster are Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier, and there’s an abundance of intriguing guards in the lottery, if the Jazz were to add a non-draft point guard to the roster this summer, I would much rather it be a solid, proven player with a few years under his belt — just look at how great of an addition Ayo Dosunmu has been for Minnesota. Chandler also had nine turnovers in the last two games and stands at only 6-feet tall. The Jazz don’t need another one of those.

Bez Mbeng

Games played: 10 (and counting)

Contract: Multiple 10-days

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

The former 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year has seemed to have a tough time scoring in his opening stint against NBA competition. He’s failed to score five points in five of the 10 games that he’s played and has only shot 16.7% from deep. Not to compare him to another Yale Bulldog who played for the Jazz, but like Miye Oni, he can disappear at times on the court. Unfortunately for Mbeng, he’s not made a lasting impression for the Jazz front office.

Blake Hinson

Games played: 11 (and counting)

Contract: two-year, two-way contract signed on Feb. 9

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Long story short, Hinson shoots 50.1% from three on over 5.2 attempts per game. If you can shoot that well from long distance consistently, you’ll have an NBA job for years to come. He doesn’t do much besides shooting, only averaging 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists and totaling three stocks in 11 games, but man… that 50% 3-point shooting. I’m happy he’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot next season with the contract he signed.

Elijah Harkless

Games played: 26 (and counting)

Contract: Second year of a two-year, two-way contract

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes

Elijah Harkless didn’t play for all of December and January, but I immediately noticed his impact when he rejoined the Jazz from the Stars in February. He is a defense-first player, and while his steals numbers aren’t other-worldly (1.2 spg), his on-ball pressure is elite. On March 2, 6-foot-3 Harkless guarded one of the greatest players ever in Nikola Jokic for over six minutes, and he actually bothered the 3-time MVP. Harkless is never going to be a scorer, but he is a good playmaker (2.9 apg) and I think is good enough for another two-way contract.

Oscar Tshiebwe

Games played: 21 (and counting)

Contract: One-year, two-way

Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No

This is less about Tshiebwe’s performance, and more of a reality check about Utah’s roster construction. The Jazz’s front court rotation — when healthy — is not an easy one to crack. Tshiebwe would have to compete with Markkanen, JJJ, Kessler, Kyle Filipowski and maybe Nurkic if the Jazz and the Bosnian big man come to an agreement for next season. That’s not to mention the possibility of the Jazz ending up with Cam Boozer, or players who can play power forward like AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson in the draft. Sorry to Tshiebwe, but if he does sign with Utah again, he’ll be lucky to see the floor even in garbage time.

Bobby Marks (no relation, as we occasionally note) has an analysis of key decisions lottery teams will have to make beyond the NBA Draft at the end of June.

After the celebratory press conferences after the draft, Starting at noon on July 6, teams will be able to sign their own free agents as well as other free agents. It, along with the Draft, is also when Sean Marks does his best work. Indeed, Marks has made a trade, often a big one, within 48 hours either side of the Draft in nine of the 10 years he’s been Nets GM.

Bobby Marks believes that the Nets big decision in that timeframe will be whether to extend Michael Porter Jr. beyond next season when he will earn $40.8 million and at what price.

Porter’s first season in Brooklyn — Denver sent the forward and a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to the Nets for Cameron Johnson this past July — has featured a career-high 24.2 points per game and a fourth straight season of better than 36% 3-point shooting.

And prior to a strained left hamstring suffered March 19, Porter had missed just 14 games since the 2023-24 season, a trend in the right direction after injuries hampered him early in his career.

His impact on the court, durability and age — Porter will turn 28 in June — should warrant discussions on a new contract. He will be eligible to sign a four-year, $234 million deal.

Those figures — both the total money and length of the contract — are the maximum the Nets can pay MPJ. It seems highly unlikely Brooklyn will him at that level, as Yossi Gozlan told us last month.

“In reality I think he’s looking at something in the 20-25% of the salary cap range.” Gozlan told ND, citing the lack of competition for him. “As great as he’s been, he’s not going to replicate this production elsewhere since any good team that acquires him probably makes him their second or third option. I could see him getting something closer to four years, $160 million, but it’s way too early to project his next contract.“

And in these times, his podcast misadventures aren’t going to help his cause. For the record, the projected salary cap for 2027-28 is going to be around $174 million, meaning a starting salary around $44 million.

If history is any judge, the contract talks are likely to be amicable. Twice in the last four years, the Nets had big decisions on two other key players – Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson – that got done early. In both cases, they got contracts that were front-loaded, giving Sean Marks & co. more cap space and leverage in the future.

There seems little doubt the two sides want to make a deal, at least as of now. The Nets had multiple opportunities to at least talk trade around Porter before the February 5 deadline but chose not to, letting other teams know they saw the 6’10” shot-maker as part of their master plan going forward. For his part, Porter has said all the right things about the organization, calling Jordi Fernandez a “genius” and praising the team’s professionalism.

Bobby Marks also lays out some draft strategy and lists of 2026 free agents beyond MPJ.

It’s important to note that Brooklyn has no incentive to tank next season, as Houston has the right to swap first-round picks in 2027. Brooklyn will enter free agency with a high lottery pick and could have between $45 million and $55 million in cap room heading into free agency.

Free agents: Ochai Agbaji (restricted), Josh Minott ($2.6 million team option), Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.3 million team option), Ziaire Williams ($6.3 million team option), Jalen Wilson (restricted), EJ Liddell (restricted), Tyson Etienne (restricted), Chaney Johnson (restricted)

Of course, things are subject to change and judging by Sean Marks’ calendar, we may not have to wait too long for things to change.

• NBA draft: One big question facing every lottery team’s offseason ($) – Bobby Marks – ESPN

The NBA announced the six finalists for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award on Tuesday. The award is given to the player who “exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity.” The league names one finalist from each division. Golden State Warriors big man Al Horford was among the finalists, representing the Pacific Division. Horford has not previously won the award. He would be the first Warrior to win the award since Steph Curry won following the 2010-11 season.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, Miami Heat big Bam Adebayo, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes comprise the other five nominees for the award. The award has historically gone to All-Star caliber players or popular veterans late in their careers. While Horford fits the latter category, Adebayo and White seem like stronger potential candidates.

In his first season with the Warriors, Horford has appeared in 43 games (12 starts), averaging 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game. The 39-year old has shot 42.4% from the field (53.5% from two and 36.0% from three) and 84.6% from the free-throw line.

The first round is done. Here’s the full accounting:

Jordan Poole ran through Alen Smailagic 85% to 15% in the first matchup, and James Wiseman crushed Ryan Rollins 80% to 20% in the second. Jonathan Kuminga cruised past Patrick Baldwin Jr. 74% to 26%, followed by an upset when Trayce Jackson-Davis knocked off Eric Paschall 66% to 34%.

The bracket’s down to four, with Wiseman and Kuminga fans duking it out in the other poll. Today we’re talking Poole vs TJD.

Before we get into this one, a quick reset on what this bracket actually is. This isn’t about who was better, or who disappointed you more. It’s about which version of belief stayed with you longer; the player you kept holding onto, even when it stopped being easy.

Jordan Poole — The Chosen Son

This isn’t a question about Jordan Poole’s career. You already know how it went. It’s whether you can put yourself back in the moment before all of it, back when the belief was clean and the ceiling felt limitless, and feel what that was like.The Poole era, before the complications set in, was one of the most alive things Dub Nation felt in the two-timelines stretch. He wasn’t a project you were squinting at through the fog of hope. You could already see it.

I was in Las Vegas for Summer League 2019 when he first suited up as a Warrior. KD had just left. The dynasty that everyone outside the Bay had been praying would end had finally started to wobble. And right in the middle of all that noise, this 19-year-old kid from Michigan was out there attacking closeouts, drawing fouls, playing like the moment owed him something.

The G League bubble in 2021 is where it clicked for everyone. Pre-bubble, he was averaging 5.5 points on 42.6% shooting in under 10 minutes a game. Post-bubble: 14.7 points on 43.3% in 23.5 minutes. Same player, just more rope. Give him space to operate and he’d make you look like a genius for believing in him.

Then 2022 happened. Four 20-point games off the bench in the playoffs at 22 years old, on a team that went on to win a championship. He was serving up Poole Parties on the biggest stages in the sport and doing it without hesitation. The shimmy was fully loaded. The free throw line had become a personal ATM. And Dub Nation didn’t just decide he was good, we saw him as the answer to the question nobody was ready to ask yet: what happens to all of this after Steph?

It wasn’t in the stat lines. It was in the feeling that the dynasty didn’t have to die when Steph’s career eventually wound down, because the kid right next to him could keep it breathing.

Then Draymond Green punched him in practice, and the whole thing started to shift.

The season that followed was genuinely complicated to watch and even harder to write about. He showed moments of Steph-like brilliance. And turnovers that made your eyes water and a 2023 playoff shot chart against the Lakers that looked like a crime scene. Steph threw his mouthguard in frustration at a Poole decision in a must-win game. That image said more than anything I could put in a season review.

That summer, he was traded to Washington for Chris Paul. He was 23 years old.

That’s the Poole story. The bracket seeded him first because the peak belief was the highest of anyone in this field, and the fall from that peak was the sharpest. It wasn’t that he failed. It was that we watched him arrive, watched him ascend, watched him win a ring, watched it come apart from the inside, and then watched him leave at 23 with the best basketball of his life allegedly still ahead of him somewhere else.

That unresolved feeling is why he’s still here.

Trayce Jackson-Davis — The Quiet Revelation

Trayce Jackson-Davis was the 57th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He was a four-year college big man whom the conventional wisdom had already written a clean, tidy obituary for: too slow, too limited, too old-school for the modern NBA.

He showed up to Chase Center and immediately looked like he’d been running pick-and-rolls with Stephen Curry his entire career.The screen timing was perfect. The roll angles were textbook. The finishing around the rim, with either hand, in traffic, on the short roll, was seamless. Warriors fans started falling for TJD without consciously deciding to. One game he was the guy you were cautiously pleased about. A few weeks later, you were actually upset when he didn’t play.

That’s the quieter version of basketball love. No single moment where the fanbase collectively lost its mind. Just a gradual accumulation of evidence until one day you realized you were already fully invested.

The fit wasn’t something you had to project forward or hope would develop. It was already functional. Already real. You could watch him in the second quarter of a random regular season game in January and feel good about things.

Then they traded him to Toronto.

No incident. No drama. No complicated feelings about turnovers or locker room dynamics or shot selection. Just a clean, sharp loss of something that was had legs, packaged into a deal and shipped out before it ever got to breathe. Warriors fans processed it mostly in silence because the grief was too specific to be loud. This wasn’t a projection that didn’t work out. This was a fit that did work, and they let it go anyway.

That’s the TJD story. Not heartbreak in the traditional sense. More like reaching for something on the shelf and realizing someone already moved it.

The Matchup

This one isn’t about who gave you more. They gave you different things entirely.

Poole made the post-KD era feel like it could be spectacular. The belief he generated wasn’t cautious or qualified, it was the full version, the kind where you’re already writing the next chapter in your head before the current one is finished. There’s something irreplaceable about that feeling, even knowing how it ended. Maybe especially knowing how it ended.

TJD made the present tense feel survivable. Not spectacular, not dynasty-level, but real and functioning and worth showing up for. The fit was so clean it hurt when it was gone. There was no what-could-have-been with him because you could already see exactly what it was. That clarity is its own kind of grief.

One version of believing in a player is screaming at the TV in 2022 because this kid is built different. Another version is quietly updating your expectations upward game by game until one day you realize you’d be pretty upset if he wasn’t here. Both are real and legitimate.

The question isn’t which player was better. Instead, it’s which version of hope you hold onto longer.

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban says he regrets selling the team to the Adelson and Dumont families. Cuban made the deal in December 2023, maintaining a minority share within the organization, but now says that he wishes he could take it back.

During an interview on the "Intersection" podcast Tuesday March 31, Cuban said, "I don't regret selling," then clarified, "I regret who I sold to. I made a lot of mistakes in the process, and I'll leave it at that."

At the time of the deal, Cuban was adamant that he would remain involved with the team's basketball operations. However, that hasn't happened. It is well-known how furious Cuban was with former GM Nico Harrison's decision to trade away star guard Luka Doncic in February 2025. ESPN reports that Cuban was also among the people telling Dumont to fire Harrison after the deal was done.

While the Mavericks haven’t given much to dig into over the last several weeks through their play, the development of Cooper Flagg remains priority. Along with that priority is a focus from the organization on securing the Rookie of the Year award for Flagg. Head coach Jason Kidd spoke about it pregame recently:

“I think it’s a big priority that the organization pays attention to this. But it’s not just the organization. This is a partnership, and Cooper has to be able to do his part. And he’s doing his part. He’s having a historic year as a rookie. When you put his numbers up against past rookies who have won the award, it’s clear-cut that it’s not even close that he is the one that will win Rookie of the Year.”

There’s been a back and forth between media and fanbases about this year’s rookie race. Flagg is averaging 20.3 points (1st among rookies), 6.5 rebounds (3rd), and 4.6 assists (1st) in 63 games this season. Those numbers have improved over the season, especially after a slow start while playing full time at point guard for the first time in his career. Since the end of January Flagg has boosted his scoring average to 23.6 points over 20 games, increasing across the board including a steal and a block per game.

But Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel has many fans across the league. He’s impressive, no doubt, having a historically efficient season offensively on a team currently in the play-in picture. His win-share outpaces the rest of the rookies considerably. And he’s second, seventh, and eighth in the above categories.

Knueppel also has a very defined role. He does not carry the burden Flagg does to generate offense for others, who often plays out of position and without a true point guard. So it’s really a “both things can be true” debate. Both players are playing at historic levels. Both players project to have monster careers. Kidd said as much:

“Everybody has their opinion on the vote, of popularity, of what the trend is. And so nothing against Knueppel. He’s having a heck of a season, too. But when you look at the numbers, just the strict numbers, Cooper’s are as good as anybody’s.”

It remains to be seen how the voting shakes out. A close race will not be surprising, and could go either way. And the result will not define either player’s career. But it’s encouraging to hear Kidd’s stance on the organization’s accountability to support Flagg.