Category: Basketball

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have their best defensive effort, but their offense more than made up for it as they defeated the Orlando Magic 136-131.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents that player performing to our expectations for them.

James Harden

26 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds

Harden and Paolo Banchero spent much of this game attacking each other in isolation. Harden didn’t fare well defensively in that matchup, but he made up for it by getting clean looks at the other end.

This game was a great example of how Harden can completely change a game with his ability to manage an offense. He made sure that they got the right shot every time down the court.

He also made this absurd pass, which counts for something.

James Harden what is this pic.twitter.com/7LulqROYMj

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) March 25, 2026

The Cavs came into this game with the third-best offense in the league since Harden’s debut. Performances like this show why.

That said, the defense was bad. Some of that blame falls on Harden’s shoulders. That’s going to knock his grade some.

Grade: B-

Donovan Mitchell

42 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds

Mitchell has struggled to find his rhythm since injuring his eye before last Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though his eye still doesn’t look 100%, his game looks a lot closer to what we’ve come to expect, as he was once again playing at an All-NBA level.

The Magic weren’t able to keep Mitchell from getting to the paint. This created space for him to get his outside shot off. And once he does that, it’s impossible to contain him, including down the stretch as he put the Magic away late with a runner going to the basket for his 40th point.

This all resulted in an efficient 42-point performance on 14-22 shooting.

As with Harden, Mitchell’s defense wasn’t great. That’s going to knock down what was a spectacular offensive performance.

Grade: B+

Evan Mobley

19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block

This wasn’t the most impressive statistical performance from Mobley by just looking at his point total, but the process was good offensively. He hunted out mismatches and then took advantage by either getting the easy basket or setting up his teammates around him. This led to him being a perfect 8-8 from the floor.

Mobley wasn’t bad on defense, but you would hope that having the Defensive Player of the Year would help keep a bad Magic offense from scoring 131 points. That is going to drop his grade down some as well.

Grade: B-

Max Strus

11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Struss did a lot of things well on the court, including running the pick-and-roll as a secondary initiator.

More importantly, he hit three of his eight triples, which were much needed. He came into this game going 3-15 from deep in his last three contests.

Grade: B

Keon Ellis

2 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 block, 1 steal

Ellis did some good things on the defensive end once again, but he needs to provide something more offensively if he’s going to be a meaningful part of the playoff rotation.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson ripped the team’s defensive effort. But on a night that the Cavs desperately needed what Ellis can provide on that end, the offense was too inconsistent for him to be out there to close the game.

Grade: D+

Dennis Schroder

6 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound

Schroder has seemed out of place the last few weeks. That continued again. He wasn’t able to make a noticeable impact outside of a few baskets in the fourth quarter. That’s disappointing from someone who provided so much in the first few weeks after the trade.

Grade: D+

Dean Wade

2 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound

Wade wasn’t able to get his shot to go, which limited his effectiveness offensively. And while he provided good defense, he wasn’t anything special on that end, on a night Banchero got whatever he wanted offensively.

Grade: D-

Thomas Bryant

9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

Bryant continues to be a star in his role, even if that role is mostly a minor one in the grand scheme of things. He’s done a good job of anchoring lineups where he’s the only big and he’s done a great job of spacing the floor when he’s out there with Mobley.

Tonight, Bryant was perfect from the floor (4-4) and finished tied with Strus for the best plus/minus on the team at +13. You really can’t ask for more from your third center that was forced into duty with Jarrett Allen out of the lineup.

Grade: A

Sam Merrill

19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

Merrill continues to fit extremely well with Harden. The two have developed a great chemistry with Merrills off-ball movement. That was on display once again as Harden continually found Merrill for easy baskets, including an easy layup on a baseline out-of-bounds that felt like two free points.

But to credit all of Merrill’s success to Harden would be a mistake. He’s more than made the most of his opportunity in the starting lineup. That was on display again as he was an impactful all-around scorer, as he went 2-6 from deep and finished four of his five shots in the paint.

Merrill is going to make it a real conversation as to whether he should be left in the starting lineup once Allen returns.

Grade: A

What, really, is there to be gained for the Dallas Mavericks (23-49) as they prepare to face the Denver Nuggets (44-28) on Wednesday at Ball Arena?

A draft lottery ball or two? A feint glimmer of sunshine in an otherwise dreary season and amidst a stretch of just four wins in the team’s last 27 games? Surely not a rogue win against a quality opponent. Surely not that, right?

Not so fast, my friend.

Just because the Mavericks are actively avoiding the win column these days doesn’t mean a winning result is out of the question on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CDT.

Middling in Denver

The Nuggets have gone just 13-13 over the last two months. Dallas has already beaten Denver twice this year. Sure, those two wins came before February’s trade deadline, with a completely different Mavericks roster, but the Nuggets will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back set on Wednesday, while the Mavs will roll into town after a day off.

Denver had just started Tuesday night’s game at the Phoenix Suns at the time of this writing.

Wednesday’s game will mark one week since the Nuggets blew a 125-118 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies, whose tactics toward avoiding wins has been even more creative than the Mavericks’ have lately. Ty Jerome nearly completed his first-career triple-double in that loss, coming up just one rebound and one assist shy to go along with 21 points for the Grizzlies in the win that snapped Memphis’ eight-game skid.

Despite the mediocre stretch, Denver still sits in fourth in a crowded Western Conference playoff race and still has plenty to play for. The Nuggets just haven’t been firing on all cylinders lately.

Fly the Flagg

Cooper Flagg went off against the Nuggets for 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, leading the Mavericks in all three categories, in a 131-130 win over the Nuggets on Dec. 23. He had 32 points and nine assists again in Monday’s 137-131 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The NBA Rookie of the Year race is far from a foregone conclusion, with Monday’s NBA broadcast crew going so far as advocating for giving the award to both Flagg and Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Kneuppel, who averages 19.1 points on 43.4% 3-point shooting and five rebounds per game as Charlotte makes a push in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The last time the NBA had co-Rookies of the Year was 1999-2000, when Steve Francis and Elton Brand shared the honors. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd shared the award for the 1994-95 season with Grant Hill of the Detroit Pistons.

It will be interesting to see whether Flagg or Knueppel can separate himself from his former roommate as the race goes down to the wire.

Support staff

Which members of the current Mavericks roster should stick around as Flagg’s running mates? Good showings against quality opponents surely hold some weight in the conversation, as does the individual value each player holds in the offseason trade market.

P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have both rebounded in recent games after underwhelming stretches of play earlier in the season, but is either of them the right fit for the future? Marvin Bagley III worked himself into irrelevance in recent years after being selected second overall in the 2018 NBA Draft but has raised eyebrows at times since being traded to the Mavericks in a deadline day deal six weeks ago.

Klay Thompson’s shooting stroke seems to have returned recently as well, not that any of this has led to more wins for the Mavericks. With the team’s most glaring need at the guard position and a stout draft class awaiting those with their eyes set on the top of the class, it’s easy to see a future where all four of those role players return for the Mavericks next season. Not many teams may be willing to part with decent draft capital for any of them.

We may as well sit back and evaluate their fit as the Cooper Flagg Era takes shape.

How to watch

The Mavericks and the Nuggets tip off at 9 p.m. CDT on Wednesday from Ball Arena in Denver. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and streamed on MavsTV and NBA League Pass where available.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Madisyn Bailey scored a career-high 23 points, Abbey McNally had 17 points and 15 rebounds and Marian (Ind.) used a big run in the third quarter to help beat two-time defending champion Dordt (Iowa) 73-61 on Tuesday night for its first NAIA championship since 2017.

Marian (35-2) claimed the third NAIA title in program history and denied Dordt (34-3) a three-peat. The Defenders were in the championship game for the fourth time in the last five years.

After scoring just nine points in the second quarter, Marian took the lead for good during a 20-6 run in the third. Dordt was just 5 of 15 from the field in the frame.

Senior Kenna Kirby added 14 points and Kiley McNally, twin sister of Abbey, had eight points and 12 rebounds for the Knights, who dominated the glass 49-35. Abbey McNally was named the tournament MVP.

Macy Sievers and Gracie Schoonhoven each scored 15 points for the Defenders. Aubrey Burkhart added 14 points.

Dordt led 32-28 after Olivia Harazin beat the halftime buzzer with their fourth 3-pointer of the game. The Defenders finished 6 of 15 from behind the arc.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

James Harden and Donovan Mitchell combined for 68 points, Evan Mobley posted a balanced night with 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers downed the visiting Orlando Magic 136-131 to inch one step closer to clinching a spot in the playoffs. Paolo Banchero paced the Magic with 36 points and Tristan Da Silva added 18 points and six rebounds.

The Cavs surrendered 39 points in the first quarter to an Orlando team that can only be regarded as pedestrian on that end of the floor. The Magic are 15th in points per game (115.4), 20th in field goal percentage (46.3), and 27th in three-point percentage (34.4). At the halfway point, the Magic were on pace for 136 points and were shooting 52% overall and 42% from deep, and they kept that going all the way to the finish. Cleveland’s defense left a lot to be desired, especially on close-outs and simply losing defenders off switches. There is some level of simply allowing open shots, and even a team like the Magic will make a team pay.

Orlando played the way they wanted to, and the Cavs did not impede them on that path all too much. They shot the ball beyond what they have all season and were able to play a physical brand of basketball that is meant to shake opposing teams out of their comfort zone. A lesser Cavs team would have crumbled under the pressure, but a better one probably would not have allowed themselves to be in this place from the start. Nevertheless, Cleveland pulled it together at the end

Mobley started off the game aggressively, plowing through defenders and seemingly making a concerted effort to maintain a level of momentum from the last few games. That fizzled out rather quickly, but his stat line was still respectable. It remains a work in progress, especially against a physical team like Orlando. He remained looking more like a big man, cleaning up shots and getting baby hooks to fall, instead of being a focal point. Which, in this case, when both guards were playing exceptionally well, is not as glaring.

Speaking of those guards, Mitchell and Harden carried the offensive workload all night. Mitchell led all scorers with 42 points and shot a blistering 63% from the floor. But his cold-blooded floater with 13.7 seconds left is what sealed the deal for the Cavs, using his body to generate just a window of daylight. For good measure, he then iced the game with two free throws.

Harden exhibited some of that legendary offensive superiority, demonstrating his ability to bend a defense at will. His passing is always a weapon seemingly everywhere on the floor, as he hit another touchdown pass to Dean Wade in the first quarter. But Harden also stayed in attack mode the whole night, something he did not do initially when traded to Cleveland. Several times he initiated a switch to get onto Goga Bitadze and, instead of trying to find a pocket, just attacked him head on. That lead to layups, fouls, or at least the defense had to respond by sending an extra defender.

Like what on Earth is this pass?

James Harden what is this pic.twitter.com/7LulqROYMj

— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) March 25, 2026

The Cavs allowed the Magic to make it closer than it needed to be, but the result is the same: a key win in a close fight in the middle of the Eastern Conference.

It’s a quick turnaround for the Cavs, who will get Miami tomorrow night on the second half of a back-to-back. Tip is at 7:30 pm.

OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns were having bigger nights scoring-wise at the time, but with the game in the balance, the Knicks went to old reliable Jalen Brunson.

And he delivered a late-game takeover. How often have we seen this script?

Brunson scored 10 straight Knicks points — and 15 of their last 18 — late in the fourth quarter, carrying the Knicks in crunch time en route to a 121-116 win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. It marked the Knicks’ seventh straight win — tying their second-longest win streak of the season.

“Just trying to be myself,” Brunson said. “Stick to my habits, focus on my work ethic, what’s gotten me here. And keep it that way.”

Brunson assisted a Josh Hart layup during that stretch as well, meaning he had a hand in 17 of the Knicks’ final 18 points. Brunson finished with a game-high 32 points and seven assists.

“That’s the position that I know he likes to be in,” Hart said. “We want him in that position. You learn, when you watch this game and you play this game, the last three or four minutes of a game is winning time. That’s when your players, your superstars, your main guys go out there and show why they’re at that level.

“That’s what he did.”

It also helped that the Knicks hit 11 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter and 20 of 22 overall.

They also had a 14-2 advantage in second-chance points.

After entering just a half-game behind the Celtics in the standings for the No. 2 seed in the East, the win creates a virtual tie, though the Knicks’ winning percentage (.658) is a few points lower than the Celtics’ (.662). If the Celtics lose Wednesday to the Thunder, the Knicks would jump ahead of them.

Coach Mike Brown had warned of the Pelicans’ ability to play fast before the game, and it certainly came to fruition. A fast-paced first half saw the Knicks struggle defensively before they were able to slow it down a bit in the second half.

Zion Williamson, who torched the Knicks for 32 points the last time the teams met, had 22 points on an efficient 8-for-10 from the field. But he didn’t take over the game.

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Towns and Anunoby spent plenty of time on him, but Anunoby was particularly effective — he both blocked and stripped him during the fourth quarter.

It’s fitting that seven players scored in double digits for the Knicks’ seventh straight win. Anunoby and Towns each finished with 21 points, though Anunoby only had three in the second half.

Mitchell Robinson made an impact off the bench with 10 points and eight rebounds — four of them offensive.

Mikal Bridges added 14 points — just three in the second half — and Hart and Jordan Clarkson each had 10.

As a whole, the Knicks shot an impressive 51.8 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from 3-point range.

“It was a funky game,” Brown said. “Both teams offensively were really good, nobody could really get a stop.”

But the balanced scoring attack became a Brunson scoring attack when it mattered most.

“Great players,” Brown said, “when it counts the most, when the pressure is the highest, they make the game easier for everyone else.”

Though they’re pretty low in the standings, the Pelicans are not nearly as sorry as the bottom feeders — comprised of G-Leaguers — that the Knicks had largely faced during the first six games of their winning streak.

The Pelicans entered having won five of their prior seven games and Williamson, when healthy and available, is still a top-level talent. And without a first-round pick this year, they have no incentive to tank.

Trailing by one roughly nine minutes into the game, the Knicks ripped off a 15-0 run to end the first quarter and take a 14-point lead into the second quarter.

But the Pelicans began the period on an 18-2 run and took the lead. The Knicks then stabilized and by halftime led by six.

They were outscored by five in the third quarter and took a one-point lead into the fourth. When Brunson checked back in with 7:25 left in the game, as so often happens, it became his show.

All Times EDT

Wednesday, March 25

MLB

N.Y. Yankees at San Francisco, 8:05 p.m.

NBA

Atlanta at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Indiana, 7 p.m.

Miami at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

San Antonio at Memphis, 8 p.m.

Washington at Utah, 9 p.m.

Houston at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at Golden State, 10 p.m.

Dallas at Denver, 10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Portland, 10 p.m.

Toronto at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

NHL

Boston at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

NWSL

Denver Summit FC at Gotham FC, 7 p.m.

Utah Royals FC at Washington, 7 p.m.

Orlando at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Kansas City at Seattle, 9 p.m.

Portland at San Diego, 10 p.m.

PWHL

Montreal at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

New York vs. Seattle at Chicago, 8 p.m.

_____

Game 73.

Wait, is it really Game 73?! Tap in with us.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Phil Horton scored 18 points, Jailen Anderson added 16 and Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) beat Langston (Okla.) 76-71 on Tuesday night for its second NAIA championship in three seasons.

Top-seeded Freed-Hardeman (35-1) won its 32nd straight game to secure the program's first Red Banner since 2024 — also against Langston.

Horton gave Freed-Hardeman a 71-61 lead with 2:37 left before Langston battled back.

Langston freshman Jaden Williams converted a three-point play, following an offensive rebound, with 14.5 seconds left to pull within 74-71. After a timeout, Freed-Hardeman ran off some time before Lane Lauderbaugh was fouled and made two free throws to seal it.

DJ McIntyre had 14 points for Freed-Hardeman. Anderson scored 10 of his points at the free-throw line to help Freed-Hardeman go 23 for 26.

Orlando Thomas scored 20 points and Antonio Lewis added 10 for No. 4 seed Langston (29-8), which was battling for the Red Banner for the second time in three years. The Lions shot 51% from the field despite going 4 of 14 from 3-point range.

Rico Sain made a putback shot just before the halftime buzzer to give Freed-Hardeman a 33-30 lead at the break. Horton led his team with 10 first-half points.

Tajahri Cave gave Langston its last lead at 53-52 with 9:54 left.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Two teams with palindromic records squared off at Madison Square Garden tonight. One team sits three slots down from the top of their conference, while the other is five up from the bottom of theirs. The distance between the clubs is misleading, though. With Zion Williamson sporting the physique of a Marvel hero, Dejounte Murray finally back from injury, and Jordan Poole riding the pine, the Pelicans (25-48) are a much more dangerous team than their statistics suggest. After the home team piled on a 14-point first-half lead, tonight’s contest swung back and forth and stayed close until late in the final frame. Thanks to Captain Clutch dropping 15 in the fourth, the Knicks (48*-25) escaped the Birds, 121-116, and extended their win streak to seven. Good times in Gotham!

With two Knicks turnovers in the first three minutes, the game got off to a choppy start. The Pels took an early lead. Zion Williamson (22 PTS) drew multiple defenders on the offensive end and did a good job of harassing Jalen Brunson (32 PTS, 7 AST) on at least one possession. Dejounte Murray (7 PTS, 12 AST), playing just his 11th game back since returning from a torn Achilles tendon, did an adequate job guarding Brunson, too. NOLA might have the league’s 24th-ranked defense, but they’re ninth for steals, and the Knicks seemed surprised by their aggression.

Early on, OG Anunoby (21 PTS, 3 STL, 5-13 3PT) drove New York’s offense with an array of scores (a threeball, a dunk, free throws). New Orleans did a slightly better job of spreading the love, though, with Saddiq Bey (18 PTS) and Herbert Jones (13 PTS, 6 AST) combining for 11 of their 16-14 lead midway through the frame.

Around the 5:30 mark, coach Mike Brown subbed in Jordan Clarkson (10 PTS, 5 AST) and Mitchell Robinson (11 PTS, 8 RBS) for Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns (your NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for February). In a little over a minute, the trusty reserves connected for an alley-oop and grabbed three boards between them, helping to give New York its first lead of the game. Soon after, Clarkson jumped the passing lane for a pick-six, then tossed another alley-oop to Mitch. With three pointers from Brunson and Anunoby, the Knicks completed a 20-point turnaround to take a 42-28 lead into the second quarter.

This Knicks offense is firing on ALL CYCLINDERS. 🔥

Brunson shakes.
OG dish to the paint.
Clarkson throws it up… Mitch SLAMS it.

15-0 run to end the 1Q! pic.twitter.com/znVQd6RJxs

— NBA (@NBA) March 25, 2026

Our heroes fell prey to overconfidence, missing seven shots and turning the ball over thrice while rookie Jeremiah Fears (21 PTS, 2 STL, 20 MIN) sparked a 21-6 run for the Birds. Jones and Karlo Matković (12 PTS) helped, too. New York didn’t get a bucket until Mikal Bridges (14 PTS, 7 AST) hit an 11-footer at the 6:41 mark. The Knicks fell behind but reclaimed a slim lead when Anunoby drilled his fourth three-pointer of the half with five minutes to go.

This team is running pic.twitter.com/ompUmXp8N5

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 25, 2026

Bridges stepped out of the shadows for a pair of big buckets and an assist to lead a rally that gave the Knicks a seven-point lead with 40 seconds left. Then Murray grabbed a Towns (21 PTS, 14 RBS) miss and dished an alley-oop to Trey Murphy that cut the half-time score to 66-60.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL BASKETBALL. pic.twitter.com/ROIYvTq61Z

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 25, 2026

Despite their awful start to Q2, the Knicks were in control at intermission because they’d been cleaner, more efficient, and better on the glass. They shot 57% overall and 53% (10-of-19) from downtown, and had a 21-15 rebounding edge. Their defense could have been better, as evidenced by New Orleans making 51% from the field and 47% from yard and committing just four turnovers. Anunoby led the first-half scoring with 18, and Jones logged 11 for the guests.

James Borrego’s club came out of halftime with a mandate to better incorporate Williamson and Murphy. Leading a rally that reclaimed the lead, Zion was a bull with frequent drives and trips to the line. Trey added eight points in the period, including a pair of deep threes, and Murray steered the ship, distributing dimes and initiating action.

LOGO TREY pic.twitter.com/AUYgGGyzZZ

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 25, 2026

For the Knicks, Towns kept things steady inside, scoring (putback dunk, hook shot, layup, free throw) and cleaning the glass. Anunoby and Mikal Bridges hit big threes, and Brunson was active but inefficient with several misses. Josh Hart (10 PTS, 8 RBS) did his usual dirty work (rebounds, a mid-range jumper). But if the Knicks planned to win, the battles would be fought at the rim. Fittingly, an alley-oop toss from Brunson to Robinson gave our heroes a one-point lead at the quarter’s conclusion.

Perhaps sensing that more length was needed, Coach Brown fielded Mohamed Diawara to start the fourth quarter. His driving finger-roll past three defenders was the first bucket of the period, and the rookie found Towns on the next possession for a three-pointer. I cannot wait to watch this kid develop.

With the Knicks holding onto a four-point lead, rookie Derik Queen violated Hart’s landing space on a three-point shot. Josh missed it, but the foul preserved his streak of nine-straight makes, and he canned the three freebies. No lead was safe tonight, though. Back-to-back buckets by Jones and Fears cut the differential to three with plenty of time remaining. Fears, an Oklahoma alum and the seventh pick in the draft, showed a lot of promise off the bench. NOLA might have something there.

Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears 21 PTS (9-12 FG, 3-5 3P, 88% TS), 3 AST, 1 REB, 2 STL in 20 minutes vs. Knicks https://t.co/nPMq4I81bRpic.twitter.com/hbFDd6B4iH

— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) March 25, 2026

One strategy change was to have Bridges bring the ball up the court and let Brunson conserve some energy. The coach’s adjustment yielded dividends, with Brunson scoring the Knicks next six points. Still, they had no answer for the 19-year-old Fears, as the young dynamo scored five points, stole the ball from Bridges, and fired an assist to Bey on a breakaway. Two-point game with four-and-a-half left.

After Captain Clutch added two more buckets, Bey hit free throws, and Hart and Zion cancelled each other out, the score was 115-111 with 1:41 to go. With every point counting, Jones mouthed off to the ref over a foul on Brunson and gifted the Knicks a technical. Brunson cashed in the three-bies for a seven-point advantage.

A Zion and-one, a missed Hart free-throw, and a Murphy layup made it a three-point game with 17 seconds left. Borrego’s bunch stopped the clock with a take foul on Brunson. He made both to seal the win.

Quoth foiegrastyle, “Mitch and Zion talkin food I know it.” I can only imagine the sundy and sordid topics about which those two cowboys might have been conversing. Someone please pitch Hula a Zion-Mitch reality show that follows them on cross-country excursions. That’s an Emmy-award-winning idea, right there.

Up Next

New York has nine games left before the playoffs. They visit Charlotte (yeah, yeah, I double-checked) on Thursday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but NBA Cups double as dunce caps.

Josh Hart and this lady ref arguing like a married couple 💀

“Oh no, Oh no Josh!” pic.twitter.com/D2K6x9Du44

— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) March 25, 2026

Paul George spent Tuesday issuing a mea culpa for his “poorly timed decision” that led to a 25-game ban for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program in late January.

The 76ers star did not go into detail about the failed drug test or the banned substance that he took that led to the suspension, describing it as “more on the personal side.” 

“At the moment, I didn’t know exactly the repercussions,” George said.

Paul George describes what led to his 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy.

"I've said it throughout my career dealing with mental health: I'm no superhero. I'm a human. And I made a mistake at that moment." pic.twitter.com/76NyW3UniA

— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) March 24, 2026

“Obviously, being a pro athlete takes a toll on you, and my body wasn’t where I wanted it to be, and the expectation to perform because of my body not being where it needed to be,” George said. “Obviously, I’m going to have an expectation for myself, and that’s what led to the poor decision at the time. But, again, I’ve said it throughout my career dealing with mental health, I’m no superhero. I’m a human, and I made a mistake in that moment.”

The nine-time All-Star will rejoin the Sixers lineup on Wednesday night when they face the Bulls, marking the first time he’s suited up for Philadelphia since Jan. 29 in a game against the Kings. 

The Sixers forward was allowed to practice and work out with the team, but he was unable to attend games, both on the road or at home, which he described as “tough.” 

George was averaging 16 points and coming off one of his best efforts of the year, around the time he was suspended, after he had 32 points in a win over the Bucks. 

“We’d been playing good basketball. So there was some devastation, just of the momentum that was being built,” George said of his initial reaction to the suspension. 

George entered this season coming off an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee over the summer, and he sat out for the first 12 games of the year. 

The 25-game suspension helped his body heal, and he told reporters he was feeling great.

His return now comes with 10 games left in the season and the Sixers sitting in seventh in the Eastern Conference. 

“We’re in the driver’s seat to close out these last 10 games,” George said. “Obviously, that’s the goal, is to try to get the best seeding possible and get ourselves out of the play-in situation, so that’s what I’m gearing for, is to take these last 10 games and use them as playoff games, have that mindset going into them, that these are must-wins to solidify a great seed. We’re still in a good position right now.”

Jalen Brunson scored 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks earned a seventh straight win, 121-116, beating back a good effort from the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. 

Brunson was the closer after entering with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Knicks (47-25) had used a tremendous first quarter to build a double-digit lead, but over the remaining three quarters, they nearly tossed it away with stretches of cold shooting.

Brunson had some help with six teammates in double-figures, led by OG Anunoby pouring in 21 on 7-for-16 shooting (5-for-13 from three) with four rebounds, four assists, three steals and was a plus-17 in 40 minutes. Off the bench, New York got a big boost from Jordan Clarkson, 10 points and five assists for a plus-11 in 21 minutes, and Mitchell Robinson, 11 points and eight rebounds (four offensive) for a plus-11 in 21 minutes. 

Here are the takeaways...

- Anunoby knocked down his first bucket (a corner three) and kept at it in the first, for seven early points. Brunson made it a 4-for-7 from behind the arc by the Knicks with a three over Zion Williamson to put New York ahead 22-21 with 5:04 to play in the first. 

Robinson made an immediate impact with three points, three rebounds (one offensive), and a block in his first 100 seconds of game time in the first. Clarkson then picked up the baton with four points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal in his first 3:38 of time. The bench duo then combined for a Clarkson-to-Robinson alley-oop in the middle of what would be a 15-0 Knicks run to close the quarter for a 42-28 lead with Anunoby knocking down a three at the buzzer (on a fourth Clarkson assist).

New York shot 15-for-21 (71.4 percent) in the first and held New Orleans to 11-for-25 (44 percent). Anunoby led them with 13 and Brunson had 10 with three of the team's 10 assists.

- Remember that big run to close the first? The exact opposite came about in the second as the Pelicans scored the first six points, as the Knicks missed their first five shots from the floor. Mike Brown had seen enough, asking for time, three minutes in after a turnover led to a Pelicans fastbreak and an 11-2 run.

The stretch featured some rough moments, like Karl-Anthony Towns missing a pair of shots by the cup, and then he was whistled for two fouls in 14 seconds, and the Pelicans had the lead down to one. A Karlo Matković three gave New Orleans the lead at 46-44, capping an 18-2 run in the quarter's first five minutes. 

Miles Bridges made the Knicks' first field goal in the quarter after seven straight misses. And a Josh Hart bucket and Anunoby three – both off Robinson offensive rebounds – put New York back ahead by two and forced another New Orleans timeout with five to play in the half. Robinson had seven points and six boards in 13 first-half minutes.

Anunoby's two-handed slam (on a good find from Bridges) gave him 18 points in the half and the Knicks 18 assists on 24 made buckets. The lead at halftime was back to 66-60, thanks to a couple of Bridges threes in the quarter's final two minutes.

Towns had a strange half, going 3-for-9 from the floor for 11 points with four rebounds, but was a minus-12 in 13 minutes. Only Jose Alvarado,a minus-13 in five minutes against his former team, was worse. Brunson, meanwhile, was a plus-19 in 19 minutes

- After six-straight from the Pellicans to start the third, a Towns putback slam, a Bridges corner three, and an Anunoby three stemmed the tide. But a 7-0 Pelicans spurt tied the game with 6:30 to play in the quarter as the Knicks opened 4-for-12 from the floor with the Pelicans connecting on 6 of 10.

Clarkson and Robinson entered just past the midway point with the Knicks up a pair and in need of a spark, but the Pelicans grabbed a three-point lead with a 12-2 run. The spark game as the Knicks shot 8-for-13 from the floor after their bad start, but even with Brunson adding two late assists – first finding a cutting Clarkson and then an alley-oop to Robinson – to give him six in the game, New York held just a 93-92 lead to take to the fourth. 

- The Knicks opened the fourth unlike the other periods: Anunoby steal (his third), a Mohamed Diawara finger roll, and a Towns three for a six-point lead to force a Pelicans timeout. Up four, the Knicks got a gift when Derik Queen was called for a flagrant foul on a reckless closeout, and after Hart made all three from the line. But New York, 1-for-7 from the floor, after that New Orleans timeout, had to call for time when the visitors cut the lead to three with 7:25 to play.

Out of the Brown timeout, Brunson entered and connected on a step-back jumper, and a few possessions later, a fadeaway from 16 feet to give him 21 in the game. But the Pelicans, as they’d done since the first, wouldn’t go down quietly. Jeremiah Fears, who came into the game averaging 13 points a night, added two baskets to give him 21 for the game on 9-for-12 shooting. The rookie then grabbed a steal, leading to a layup and a Knicks timeout with just over four to play, and the lead was down to two.

Brunson responded with back-to-back buckets to give him 10 straight points and forced a Pels timeout. With Towns sitting since the 7:25 mark in the period, Anunoby was the tallest man on the court along with Brunson, Hart, Clarkson, and Bridges down the stretch to match up with a small-ball New Orleans lineup.

After a Brunson assist and three at the line, including one on a technical free throw, for a seven-point lead with 71 seconds to go, the visitors responded again and the lead was three with 16 seconds to play.

Brunson made no mess of the final moments with two from the line, to give him 15 in the quarter to seal it. 

- Bridges finished with 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting (4-for-10 from three) with seven assists and two rebounds, and was a minus-9 in 37 minutes. 

Towns finished with 21 points on 8-for-17 shooting (2-for-6 from three) with 14 rebounds (three offensive) but was a minus-11 in 24 minutes. 

Hart had 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists and was a minus-14 in 38 minutes. 

Diawara had just the one bucket, but was a plus-15 in his 11-minute cameo.

New York shot 51.8 percent (44-for-85) for the game, including 39.4 percent (13-for-33) from three. New Orleans shot 51.1 percent (45-for-88) and 44.1 percent (15-for-34) from three. Williamson led the visitors with 22 points on 8-for-10 shooting (6-for-8 from the line) with four rebounds, two assists, and was a plus-15 in 34 minutes. No other Pelican was more than a plus-1.

Game MVP: Jalen Brunson, of course

When he entered in the fourth, you just knew he would be the focus, and yet, he couldn't be stopped. He finished with 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting (2-for-4 from deep) with seven assists and was a plus-16 in 39 minutes.

Highlights

Mikal 👌 pic.twitter.com/lhYhEEh6xk

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 24, 2026

Jalen Brunson finds space! pic.twitter.com/QalNneXGhd

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 25, 2026

Jordan Clarkson does it himself! pic.twitter.com/VuaNHmd3po

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 25, 2026

What's next

The Knicks look to extend their winning streak to eight games when they head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets. Tip is set for Thursday at 7 p.m.

Hubert Davis won nearly 70% of his games as North Carolina head coach.

But that wasn't enough to keep him in the job at his alma mater.

Davis led the Tar Heels to the national championship game in his first season 2021-22 and back to the Sweet 16 in 2023-24. But UNC missed the tournament altogether in 2022-23 and was bounced in the first round the past two seasons, including blowing a 19-point lead to VCU in last week's first round.

At UNC, that's not good enough.

UNC basketball coach candidates: Who will replace Hubert Davis? Expect big names linked

The school announced a "change in leadership" on Tuesday, March 24. Davis went 124-54 in his five seasons in charge in Chapel Hill.

He released a statement Tuesday night after the news of his dismissal:

"Tonight, I was let go by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. My desire was to continue to coach here. This opportunity has truly been such a blessing."

UNC says it will conduct a "national search" for its next head coach.

Expect the list of candidates to include some of basketball's biggest names as one of the sport's biggest brands looks for a reset.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hubert Davis fired: What former UNC coach said after news of dismissal

North Carolina men's basketball coach Hubert Davis will not return next season, the school announced on Tuesday night.

Davis, 55, was fired by North Carolina, which called the move a "leadership change."

The decision comes nearly a week after the Tar Heels were upset in an overtime loss, 82-78, to VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The now-former UNC coach is set to be owed nearly $5.3 million, per his contract.

One NBA coach could be calling it quits after the season.

There is “growing momentum” that Bulls coach Billy Donovan could step away from the job when this season concludes, according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times on Tuesday.

Donovan, 60, is likely not done coaching, according to the report, but could just take a year off to evaluate what he wants to do next, with the Bulls struggling during a season in which he lost his father and mother-in-law in a matter of weeks. 

The Bulls have only made the playoffs one time during Donovan’s six seasons — a first-round exit in 2021-22. That season was the only time the team won more than 40 games with him. 

Donovan, who signed a multi-year contract extension in July 2025, hasn’t exactly been given the plethora of talent from general manager Arturas Karnisovas, who also could soon be on the hot seat as Donovan’s departure would eliminate one potential scapegoat, per the report.

The Bulls are sitting in 12th place in the East at  29-42, well behind the Nets, Wizards and Pacers in the tanking race. 

Some of Donovan’s top players during his Chicago tenure have been Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Tre Jones. All good players, but not exactly game-changing NBA talent in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

The team hasn’t picked higher than 11th in the draft the past five seasons, limiting its chance to add a true impact rookie.

It could be a situation that leads to Donovan walking away.

Donovan, who led Florida to back-to-back national championships at the NCAA level, has compiled a 467-401 record over 11 NBA seasons.

He won coach of the year in Oklahoma City in 2019-20 and led the Thunder to the Western Conference finals with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in his first season. 

LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Laura Kluge scored her first PWHL goal midway through the second period, Aerin Frankel tied a season high with 35 saves in her sixth shutout of the season and the Boston Fleet beat the Vancouver Goldeneyes 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Boston (11-5-2-4), which moved into sole possession of first place, remained undefeated at the Tsongas Center this season (4-1-0-0) to set a team points record with 45.

Kluge, in her 33rd career game, tipped a Megan Keller shot past goaltender Kristen Campbell to open the scoring. The Fleet have scored first in 18 of 22 games this season.

Susanna Tapani added an empty netter with 21.8 seconds left for her fourth goal in five games since the Olympic break.

Frankel made 29 saves in the second and third periods to help secure her 15th win of the season. The Fleet tied New York for the most regular-season shutouts in league history with nine all-time.

Vancouver (6-1-4-11) has been held to just 13 goals in away games this season, the fewest by any PWHL team.

Up next

Boston plays at Toronto on Friday.

Vancouver continues its five-game road trip at Toronto on Sunday. The trip ends with the Goldeneyes playing Boston in a Takeover Tour game in Edmonton on Apr. 7.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey