OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Ben Kindel scored the shootout winner to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
Rickard Rakell scored twice and had an assist, and Erik Karlsson also scored for the Penguins, who moved into second in the Metropolitan Division.
Drake Batherson scored twice and Nick Cousins also scored for the Senators. Tim Stutzle added two assists.
Both Linus Ullmark and Stuart Skinner made huge saves in overtime to force the shootout.
Pittsburgh opened the third period on the power play with a two-man advantage after Ottawa took a late tripping penalty and got called early too many men. The Penguins capitalized with Rakell scoring his second of the game at 1:43.
Just over two minutes later, the Senators tied the game with Batherson burying a rebound in the crease for his second of the game. Pittsburgh challenged for goaltender interference but was unsuccessful.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby took the opening shift of the second period but left after 38 seconds and did not return.
With an assist on the opening goal, Stutzle picked up his 400th point and became the seventh player, and youngest, in franchise history to hit the milestone.
Up next
Penguins: Host the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
Senators: Visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
HOUSTON (AP) — Alvaro Folgueiras converted a critical three-point play when Nebraska only had four defenders on the floor, and ninth-seeded Iowa continued its unpredictable NCAA Tournament run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, beating Nebraska 77-71 in a South Region semifinal on Thursday night.
Bennett Stirtz scored 20 points and Folgueiras had 16 for the Hawkeyes (24-12), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round on Folgueiras’ 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Iowa will face either Illinois or Houston on Saturday for a spot in the Final Four. McCollum, who won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri State, has now led Iowa to its fifth Elite Eight and first since 1987.
Fourth-seeded Nebraska (28-7) took an early 10-point lead against its Big Ten rival, and Iowa tied it four times but never led until Stirtz buried a 3-pointer to make it 68-65 with 2:10 to go. Sage Tate hit another 3 to cap a 9-0 run and put Iowa ahead 71-65.
The Cornhuskers got within three on a second-chance 3 by Braden Frager, but they were disorganized on the inbound play, leaving Folgueiras unguarded near the rim. He slammed it home — popping up screaming after he finished through contact as Iowa fans roared — and converted the free throw for a six-point lead.
Another dunk by Folgueiras with 34 seconds left made it 76-68.
Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort made six 3s and scored 25 points for Nebraska, which won the first two March Madness games in program history to get this far. Frager added 16 points for coach Fred Hoiberg’s Cornhuskers, who delighted a traveling contingent of red-clad fans throughout their tournament run.
WEST REGION
NO. 2 PURDUE 79, NO. 11 TEXAS 77
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a miss by Braden Smith with 0.7 seconds left, and Purdue edged hobbling Texas star Tramon Mark and the Longhorns in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Texas (21-15) tied it moments earlier when Dailyn Swain made a driving layup, was fouled and converted the three-point play with 11.9 seconds to go. Smith had scored on his own drive with 38 seconds remaining and finished with 16 points.
Kaufman-Renn hit his first seven shots — going 6 for 6 and grabbing five rebounds in the first half — on the way to 20 points. He was mobbed by teammates right after the final buzzer sounded at SAP Center.
Mark scored 29 for the Longhorns, grimacing and clearly in pain limping on his injured left foot through the closing minutes when the sixth-year senior’s team needed him most. His points were the most by a Texas player in an NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Durant scored 30 against Southern California in the second round of the 2007 tournament.
Purdue (30-8) advances to Saturday’s Elite Eight game against either top-seeded Arizona (34-2) or No. 4 seed Arkansas (28-8), who were playing the late game at SAP Center.
Texas coach Sean Miller made his ninth Sweet 16 appearance in 21 seasons, the most of any coach who hasn’t reached the Final Four.
DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons past the New Orleans Pelicans 129-108 on Thursday night.
Kevin Huerter had 22 points and Daniss Jenkins added 19 for Detroit, which was coming off a 130-129 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The Pistons, normally one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league, shot 53.6% (15 of 28) from beyond the arc, including 9 of 14 from Huerter and Jenkins.
Zion Williamson scored 21 points for New Orleans, which lost its third straight after winning five of six. Former Piston Saddiq Bey added 17, but no one else scored more than 13. The Pelicans made things harder on themselves by only shooting 45.8% (11-24) from the free-throw line.
HORNETS 114, KNICKS 103
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Kon Knueppel scored 26 points and made six 3-pointers to become the youngest player in NBA history with 250 in a season, and Charlotte snapped New York’ seven-game winning streak with a victory.
Knueppel, 20, nearly had his first career triple-double, finishing with 10 rebounds and eight assists.
LaMelo Ball added 22 points and Brandon Miller had 21 points and eight rebounds for the Hornets, who’ve won five straight. Miles Bridges and Coby White each chipped in with 17 points.
Jalen Brunson had 26 points and 13 assists for the Knicks, who would have clinched a playoff berth with a victory. OG Anunoby added 17 points in a game that featured a high-intensity postseason atmosphere.
Charlotte (39-34) pulled into a tie with Miami for eighth place in the Eastern Conference, although the Heat own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
MAGIC 111, KINGS 107
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) —Paolo Banchero had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Orlando stopped a six-game losing streak with a victory over Sacramento.
Banchero logged his third straight game of 30-plus points for the Magic (39-34), who fell below the play-in cut in the Eastern Conference during their skid that came immediately after a seven-game winning streak had propelled them into fifth place.
This was the 25th time in Banchero’s four-year career that he logged at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. Only Tracy McGrady (66) has more such games.
Desmond Bane added 23 points and Jalen Suggs returned from a two-game absence to an illness with eight points and four assists in 34 minutes for Orlando, which forged a three-way tie with Charlotte and Miami for eighth. Atlanta (41-32), Toronto (40-32) and Philadelphia (40-33) are just ahead, with the top six teams in each conference guaranteed a spot in the playoffs without having to go through the play-in games.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 13: Toumani Camara #33 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on January 13, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors are officially down to their final stretch of the season. After beating the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, the Warriors are now 35-38, with just nine games left on the schedule.
Golden State has already clinched an 83rd game this season. Five teams are eliminated in the Western Conference, meaning the Warriors will make the play-in tournament. It’s just a matter of what team — or teams — they play. The play-in field isn’t completely set, but it’s been the same four teams for a long time now, and that will almost surely still be the case when the regular season ends.
Let’s take a look:
10. Golden State Warriors
Record: 35-38 Games remaining: 9 Home games remaining: 6 Games left against eliminated teams: 3
The Dubs have a home-heavy final stretch of the season, but they face the LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets. They’re 1.5 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers, and a pair of games behind the Clippers. They’re not locked into the final seed, but it sure is close.
9. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 37-37 Games remaining: 8 Home games remaining: 5 Games left against eliminated teams: 4
The Blazers have won five of their last six games, and as they try to stay ahead of the Warriors, they find themselves with a fairly favorable schedule ahead of them. They’re more interested in catching up to the Clippers, whom they play twice more, and less concerned with falling behind the Warriors. Critically, the Blazers also have the tiebreaker over the Warriors.
8. LA Clippers
Record: 37-36 Games remaining: 9 Home games remaining: 5 Games left against eliminated teams: 4
The Clippers are in a good spot, but it’s a critical stretch for them. They have nine games remaining, with two against the Blazers and one against the Warriors … including visiting Portland in their penultimate game, and hosting Golden State in their season finale. The Clippers have won two of three against the Warriors, so beating them would ensure they earn the tiebreaker.
7. Suns
Record: 40-33 Games remaining: 9 Home games remaining: 3 Games left against eliminated teams: 4
The Suns are in good shape. They’re a full three games ahead of the Clippers, so it’s unlikely that anyone catches them in the play-in standings. It certainly won’t be the Warriors.
If these standings hold, then the Warriors would kick off the play-in tournament by visiting the Blazers. If they lose that game, their season is over. If they win, then they would travel south to face the loser of the game between the Suns and Clippers. And if they win that, then they would be the eighth seed, which would likely book them a one-way ticket to ass-kicking town, thanks to a terrifying date with the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Alex Bump and Sean Couturier scored in the first three minutes of the game and the Philadelphia Flyers used the fast start to cruise to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.
Bump, Noah Cates and Christian Dvorak had a goal and an assist each for the Flyers, who have won six of their last eight games to stay in the chase for a wild-card playoff spot. Denver Barkey also had a goal for Philadelphia and Samuel Ersson made 25 saves.
Connor Bedard scored his 30th goal of the season for Chicago to become the third Blackhawks player with a 30-goal season at age 20 or younger, joining Jonathan Toews (34 in 2008-09) and Eric Daze (30 in 1995-96).
Spencer Knight had 37 saves for Chicago.
Bump scored just 48 seconds into the game and Couturier made it 2-0 at 2:33 of the first.
Barkey made it 3-0 at 5:14 of the second before Bedard got one back.
Cates scored his fourth goal in his last five games with 7:19 to play in the second to make it 4-1. Dvorak scored with 25 seconds left in the second period. With an assist on Dvorak's goal, Cates has 40 points this season, a career single-season high.
Chicago's Sacha Boisvert played in his first NHL game. The 18th overall pick in the 2024 draft signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on March 16.
The Flyers outshot the Blackhawks 42-26 and won 61.8% of the faceoffs. The Blackhawks, who are well out of the playoff picture, went scoreless on three power-play chances while the Flyers were 0 for 4 on the power play.
Up next
Blackhawks: Play at the New York Rangers on Friday night.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Orlando Magic stopped a six-game losing streak with a 111-107 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
Banchero logged his third straight game of 30-plus points for the Magic (39-34), who fell below the play-in cut in the Eastern Conference during their skid that came immediately after a seven-game winning streak had propelled them into fifth place.
This was the 25th time in Banchero's four-year career that he logged at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. Only Tracy McGrady (66) has more such games.
Desmond Bane added 23 points and Jalen Suggs returned from a two-game absence to an illness with eight points and four assists in 34 minutes for Orlando, which forged a three-way tie with Charlotte and Miami for eighth. Atlanta (41-32), Toronto (40-32) and Philadelphia (40-33) are just ahead, with the top six teams in each conference guaranteed a spot in the playoffs without having to go through the play-in games.
DeMar DeRozan had 33 points and 11 assists for the Kings, who sliced a nine-point deficit with a little more than two minutes left down to 116-115 on Daeqwon Plowden's 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds to go. Suggs answered with a 3-pointer with 27.4 seconds remaining to give the Magic a bigger cushion.
Plowden added 23 points on 6-for-10 shooting from 3-point range and Precious Achiuwa had 14 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento (19-55), which is in last place in the Western Conference.
Up next
Sacramento plays at Atlanta on Saturday. Orlando plays at Toronto on Sunday.
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 25: Jerami Grant #9 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrates after a three-point basket during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Moda Center on March 25, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (23-50) will play the Portland Trailblazers (37-37) 9pm Friday at Moda Center. Both clubs last played Wednesday, with Portland extending its win streak to two against the Bucks 130-99, behind guard Scoot Henderson’s 23 points; and the Mavericks losing 142-135 against the Nuggets in Denver, their fifth straight setback. They were led by Cooper Flagg’s 26 points and Naji Marshall’s 22.
The Blazers, who clinched a spot in the Play-in Tournament with a win Monday, are 23-17 since the calendar turned to 2026 after stumbling out of the gate to a 14-20 start, a record built largely by beating the teams they’re supposed to beat. They’ve followed form thus far in this four-game homestand, dispatching Brooklyn and Milwaukee before facing the Mavericks and Wizards this weekend. They’ve also notched some impressive upset victories like the one last week against a feisty Minnesota team playing without Anthony Edwards, scratching out a tough 108-104 road win after blowing a lead that ballooned to 18 in the first half. The team has continued handling business since a left fibula stress reaction sidelined its second-leading scorer, wing Shaedon Sharpe, Feb. 6.
Friday’s game will be the third and final time these clubs meet in 2025-26 and the first time since Dec. 27, when Portland won at home 125-122. Dallas prevailed in overtime 138-133 at home Nov. 16, as four Mavericks- Flagg, Daniel Gafford, P.J.Washington, and Klay Thompson- scored 19 or more.
Strange brew
The Blazers are a pretty good, pretty weird team that ranks top-five league-wide in offensive rebounds, total rebounds, possessions, field goal attempts, three-point attempts, free throw attempts, second-chance points, and turnovers. Five rotation players take more than 6.2 three-pointers per game. They’ve got size that’s hard to match up with in center Donovan Clingan and wing Deni Avdija, and a third tone-setter in power forward Jerami Grant, whose toughness is hard to match. When the Timberwolves’ defense clamped down in the game’s final minutes March 20, Grant scored his team’s final eight points- a three to retake the lead, a three to keep the lead, and a pair of foul shots to ice it.
Grant returned Wednesday to hit four of 10 three-pointers against the Bucks, but when he sat against Brooklyn Monday with a calf injury, third-year forward Toumani Camara stepped up with 35 points, connecting on nine of 11 three-pointers. Camara’s lone qualifying two-point attempt in the game was a bold drive in which the lefty deftly switched hands for the finish when met at the rim by two Nets. His outburst Monday, a career high, followed up a four-of-six performance from deep in the loss against Denver.
Cling peach
Donovan Clingan, the league leader in offensive rebounding at 4.6 per contest, has taken a big step in his second year. The big man entered the league as a center in the traditional mold, and with 33 double-doubles and 1.7 blocks per game he’s done well in that role this season, but is also developing into a real three-point threat as the Blazers heat up down the stretch. In scoring a career high 28 last week against the Pacers he made three of five from deep, though the trend was already on display in two games early this season against Dallas, as Clingan made 14 of 21 field goals, including four of 10 three-pointers. It’s a fun development for a player who averaged 0.1 three-point attempts per game in his college career at UConn, and a huge challenge for the Mavericks, who missed Gafford Wednesday as he sat with a shoulder injury. In the first three minutes of the third quarter against the Bucks Clingan tip dunked a Camara miss from the wing, outfought Jericho Sims for a board on the other end, made a top of the key three that he was ready for when Avdija passed up after penetrating, cut for a reachback jam on a feed from Jrue Holiday, and set several hard screens. As with many of the Blazers’ strong suits, the offensive rebounding led by Clingan is not limited on the roster to his contributions. Reserve center Robert Williams III hauls in 2.4 in 17 minutes per game, a comparable clip.
Downhill Deni
Portland’s team identity centers around three core tenets: second chance-opportunities, high-volume three point shooting, and aggressive drives to the rim. Deni Avdija handles that third leg of the stool, softening up defenses by relentlessly taking it to the rack, where the first-time All-Star is a punishing finisher through contact, and by getting to the line, where he makes just over 80% of his league second-most 9.2 free throws. Though Avdija attempts a lot more threes, he’s got an offensive game that will look familiar to observers of Flagg attacking and finishing with little regard for his own safety.
The Blazers, who are separated from the Clippers by half a game as the two teams jockey for eighth place, will be highly motivated to maintain the momentum they’ve built so far at home. With a victory they would nudge their record above .500 for the first time since they were 6-5 on Nov. 12. The Mavericks, themselves a pretty weird team, figure to provide a more significant roadblock than the Nets or Bucks, however. In its last three games Dallas has taken two to overtime, ultimately dropping both contests to the Clippers and Warriors, and held firm against Denver, clawing within a point with three minutes remaining in the third. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray cooked the Mavericks from beyond the three-point line Wednesday, making nine of his 14 tries, but for as many three pointers as the Blazers attempt each game, they only make them at a rate of .339, good for 29th in the league.
How to watch/listen
You can watch the game on NBA TV, KFAA Channel 29, or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (español).
Feb 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) reacts against the Orlando Magic in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Athletic’s Fred Katz wrote about 10 players who have made giant strides in at least one element of their games. It should come as no surprise that Suns guard Collin Gillespie made the cut for his list of 10 players.
His First Team featured Jalen Duren, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaylon Tyson, Ajay Mitchell, and Neemius Queta. The Second Team included Collin Gillespie, Ryan Rollins, Keyonte George, Anthony Black, and Peyton Watson. It is quite a list of emerging young talent around the association, and Gillespie deserves to be in the mix with his breakout season.
Not only is he getting national attention, but he is on the verge of breaking the franchise’s single-season three-point record. He is now just six threes away from tying Quentin Richardson, and seven away from holding the record to himself with nine games left on the schedule.
"It would be special. Definitely something I never thought about, but it would be cool to do."
Collin Gillespie on what breaking the franchise three-point record would mean to him, while remaining focused on playing, "the right way." pic.twitter.com/LU7U6pvErr
His snippet on Collin Gillespie, who he had on the Second Team, can be found below.
Collin Gillespie, guard, Phoenix Suns
“The Suns live in a perpetual state of too many point guards or not enough point guards. Either they have Goran Dragić, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas, or they are wedging Bradley Beal into running the offense.
Coming into this season, they were closer to the latter.
Jalen Green, who’s not a distributor but will dance with the basketball, was out. Beyond Devin Booker, there wasn’t much creation. So, the burden fell on three guys: Grayson Allen, who has handled the rock more than ever; Dillon Brooks, who was a contender to make one of these two teams; and Gillespie, the most surprising player on one of the league’s most surprising squads.
Coming into 2025-26, Gillespie had played as many minutes in the G League as he had in the NBA. Now, he’s fourth in the league in 3-point makes.
His spot-up shooting is an intuitive fit alongside Booker. Confidence has been built in the process. If Gillespie notices a sliver of daylight, he’ll hoist a long ball. He’s gone from riding benches to running first units. And the Suns are better off for it.“
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 12: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns rebounds the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 12, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s always interesting to get a national perspective on our players. And more specifically, an overarching, big-picture blurb on the Suns’ guard rotation. As noted above, his role entering the season was not certain, given the core trio of Booker, Green, and Allen. He has quickly inserted himself as not only a key piece but a staple. Dillon Brooks tabbed him as “Villain Jr.” during preseason, seeing the edge and grit he played with during practice and camp. It has certainly translated to the NBA regular season as well.
One of my bold takes entering the season was that Collin would emerge as a legitimate 6th MOY candidate. It sounded homerish and ridiculous at the time to some, but now, he’s played himself OUT of it entirely by starting too many games to even qualify. His emergence has been fun to track, and it’s a reminder of why it’s important to take a shot on developing young(ish) talent.
Gillespie will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and his return must be a priority for this front office.
MONTREAL (AP) — Zachary Bolduc scored the winner with his first goal since Dec. 23, and the Montreal Canadiens edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Thursday night.
Jayden Struble — with his first of the season — also scored, and Jakub Dobes made 25 saves as Montreal won its third consecutive game.
Damon Severson scored for Columbus, and Jet Greaves stopped 18 shots.
The Blue Jackets fell to 19-4-4 since Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason as head coach Jan. 12. They climbed from 28th overall to second in the Metropolitan Division ahead of Thursday’s games.
The Canadiens, meanwhile, sit third in the Atlantic Division with 11 games remaining.
Bolduc ripped a shot into the top-left corner 4:36 into the third period to snap a 31-game goalless skid and give the Canadiens a 2-1 lead.
Struble ended a drought of his own when he opened the scoring at 9:54 in the first period. He snuck a wrist shot past Greaves short side for his first goal since Nov. 26, 2024.
Two minutes later, Severson got Columbus on the board by beating Dobes blocker-side on a 2-on-1 after Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was caught up ice.
With an assist on Struble’s goal, Hutson became the fourth defenseman in Canadiens history to register 70 points in a season — and the first since Chris Chelios in 1988-89. Larry Robinson and Guy Lapointe also reached the mark.
Up next
Blue Jackets: Host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
Canadiens: Visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Kon Knueppel (L.) drives to the rim during the Hornets-Knicks game on March 26, 2026.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Knicks faced their toughest test, by far, in two weeks.
And they ran out of the gym.
Their defense, ranked No. 1 in the NBA since Jan. 21, turned into a porous mess for much of an ugly 114-103 defeat to the Hornets. The Knicks allowed a younger and faster opponent to run rampant, and their seven straight wins entering Thursday felt like a paper streak when it ended Thursday with a thud.
Kon Knueppel, a real threat to snatch Rookie of the Year from Cooper Flagg, scored 25 points in 37 minutes for the Hornets, knocking down 6 of 10 3-pointers. Four of his teammates had at least 17 points as the Hornets shot 53 percent overall and 39 percent on treys.
But the Knicks’ biggest problems were threefold:
They were killed by Charlotte’s pace, which started from the opening tip and never relented.
They were killed by Charlotte’s pick-and-rolls.
They were killed on rebounds.
“They just kicked our behinds on the glass,” coach Mike Brown said. “We need more production on the glass than what we got from a handful of guys. If you’re going to go on the road and let a team outrebound you 43-24, it’s not even close because we didn’t put bodies on bodies. We didn’t hit first.”
The Knicks, meanwhile, got little offensively outside of Jalen Brunson, who had a spectacular first quarter but otherwise fizzled while finishing with 26 points and 13 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns logged just 22 minutes with eight shot attempts, scoring 13 points. The All-Star center wasn’t part of the closing lineup for a second consecutive game.
The Knicks trailed for the final three quarters and by as many as 21. It was worse than the final score.
Kon Knueppel drives on Mikal Bridges during the Knicks’ 114-103 loss to the Hornets on March 26, 2026 in Charlotte, N.C. AP
“They played very well. They were physical,” Josh Hart said. “I just felt like we were a step slow. When another team is playing at that pace and with that physicality, it’s not going to be good day.”
Hart added the Hornets played as if “shot out of a cannon.”
It’s totally different than what the Knicks witnessed in their previous matchup against the Hornets, way back in December.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” Brunson said. “From the outside looking in, it looks like they all bought in to playing a certain style and bought in to playing together. And they looked great.”
Jalen Brunson shoots a fadeaway jumper during the Knicks’ loss to the Hornets. NBAE via Getty Images
By the time the Knicks turned up the intensity late in the fourth quarter, it was too late. LaMelo Ball iced the game with two free throws to put the Hornets up by 12 with two minutes left, and Miles Bridges’ tomahawk jam in the final seconds was the final insult.
It was a discouraging start to a four-game road slate for the Knicks, with tougher games coming at Oklahoma City and Houston.
Before this, the Knicks feasted on lesser opponents — including a slew of tankers — having toppled seven straight teams currently with losing records.
The Hornets are trending in the opposite direction of tanking. They’re sharpshooting and surging, riding Knueppel and a revived Ball to a legitimate hope for the playoffs.
In fact, Thursday was the first time since 2001 that the Knicks and Hornets faced off this late in a season with both teams sporting above-.500 records. It’s also a potential first-round playoff matchup, depending on how the jumbled conference standings shake out over the final two-plus weeks.
The Knicks (48-26), who could’ve clinched a playoff spot with a win, now sit third in the East. The Hornets (39-34), winners of five straight, are tied with the Heat for eighth.
Charlotte certainly looked like the better team Thursday.
“Our pick-and-roll defense wasn’t good,” Brown said. “And part of the reason why it wasn’t good is because they set great physical screens. And we didn’t do a good job protecting one another in the pick-and-roll.”
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 26: Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks grabs the ball while guarded by Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets in the first half during their game at Spectrum Center on March 26, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before tonight, the Knicks (48*-26) had won seven consecutive games. Admittedly, some of those foes were lightweight competition. The Hornets (39-34) had won four straight and compiled a 22-6 record since late January. Charlotte had the fourth-best offensive rating, New York had the third. We were salivating for a shootout at the Spectrum Center. Truth be told, these teams shot with almost equal efficiency—CHO hit 53% and 39%, NYK made 51% and 38%. Although the visitors actually took four more field goal attempts, they were clobbered on the boards 43-24, attempted only 29 longballs, and their bench was outscored 26-17. Final score, 114-103.
Believe it or not, the same Hornets that laid sneaker prints all over the Knicks in the first quarter are ranked 25th in the league for pace. Over the first six minutes, Charlotte scored 24 points, outrebounded New York 4:1, and made 9-of-14 from the field. The nucleus of their top-tier offense, Lamelo Ball (22 PTS), Brandon Miller (21 PTS), and Kon Knueppel (26 PTS), had combined for four made three-pointers and 24 points.
After trailing by 10, the Knicks realized the game was underway. They held the home team to two points over the next four minutes, thanks to inspired play by Mitchell Robinson (4 PTS, 6 RBS, +10) and Jalen Brunson (26 PTS, 13 AST, 0-of-6 3PT), and mounted a 15-5 rally. In the final two minutes, with the Knicks behind by one, Knueppel and Miller hit triples, but Mohamed Diawara (5 PTS) scored on a layup and three, and Brunson drilled free throws. By the buzzer, the Knicks trailed by two. Of their 36 points, Brunson had 17. The Hornets were shooting 70% from the field, while the Knicks had hit 64%.
Which team would cool off first? Both, actually, but not by much. Through the half, Charlotte shot 58% and 40%, and New York went 54% and 46%. After a sloppy start to Q2 that allowed the Hornets to take another eight-point lead, OG Anunoby (17 PTS), Brunson, and Robinson restored order. Jalen set up a pair of alley-oops for Mitch and dished kickouts for OG, who knocked down three triples. Nevertheless, Charlotte stayed in the driver’s seat, led by Coby White (17 PTS) off the bench, and they were ahead by 10 again at halftime, 65-55.
Brunson was scoreless in the second quarter, but Anunoby picked up the slack. He had 14 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. The other starters didn’t show up, combining for nine points, and the visitors had been outrebounded 20-12. Across the court, four of Charlotte’s starters were in double-digits, combining for 49 points. Plus, White had 12 off the bench. The Knicks’ offense would have to be more multi-dimensional to mount a comeback in the second half.
Kemba Walker holds Charlotte’s record for three-pointers made in a season with 260. Knueppel, who took the NBA record for most triples by a rookie, added six more to his total (253) tonight. He is sure to overtake Kemba sometime before the Hornets come to Madison Square Garden for the final game of the regular season. For a few minutes, it looked like he might break the record tonight. In the third quarter, the rookie phenom and Ball went on a shooting spree and took advantage of New York’s accommodating defense to stretch their lead to 15.
NBA: Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel just became the first player age 22 or younger to make 250 three-pointers in an NBA season.pic.twitter.com/7uTcU75JbB
Karl-Anthony Towns (13 PTS, 3 RBS) posted seven points (he scored just two before halftime) and Brunson added a few more, but they couldn’t stop Knueppel and the pace-pushing hosts. Nor could they get rebounds, being out-boarded 11-4 in the third period. Our heroes started the quarter poorly and ended it the same way, allowing that goober Grant Williams of all people to hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left. At the break, the score was 94-76.
Of note, coach Mike Brown sent Diawara back into the game in the third quarter, and he subbed Tyler Kolek instead of Jose Alvarado, who was a dud in five first-half minutes. Mike was looking for a spark from somewhere. He didn’t find it. In the fourth quarter, Anunoby drilled another longball, and KAT had a nice bucket off the glass, but the guests still fell behind by 21.
In the quarter, the Hornets committed six turnovers (of their total 17), which allowed the heavy-footed Knickerbockers to think about a comeback. But their shooting turned frigid at the worst possible time. All those golden opportunities were squandered by one-and-done misses. Almost by accident, they were within 12 with three minutes remaining. Robinson grabbed an O-Board (finally!) and kicked the rock to Hart, who had hit a long two to cap a 15-4 run at 2:20.
Down 12 with 1:17 left, Josh Hart hit a three-pointer. Ball missed at the other end, but New York watched as Sion James chased down the loose ball, which became a Miles Bridges dunk that broke their backs.
Up Next
Chef Miranda is presently applying the frosting to your recap. Meanwhile, the road trip continues as our City Slickers take on the Okies this Sunday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
The New York Knicks saw their seven-game winning streak snapped in Charlotte, falling to the Hornets, 114-103.
They were in range for most of the evening, but their upstart Eastern Conference rivals were too deadly from deep, going 16-for-41 from three.
Jalen Brunson fought valiantly to try and carry his team, scoring 26 points and dishing out 13 assists on 10-for-23 shooting. OG Anunoby added 17 on 5-for-9 shooting from three-point range.
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel put up 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 9-for-14 shooting from the field. Brandon Miller added 21 points and LaMelo Ball had 22, each contributing with four threes.
Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart had 14 and 16 points, respectively, while Miles Bridges and Coby White chipped in 17 apiece for their squad.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The buzzing Hornets got off to an incendiary start, going 4-for-8 from deep in the first six minutes to jump ahead by double digits early. Ball led the charge early with a couple of difficult floaters and a deep, contested three.
Brunson wouldn’t allow the Knicks to stay in a hole, hitting tough shots and drawing fouls en route to a 17-point, 4-assist opening period. A 15-5 New York run knotted the game back up, but Charlotte held a 38-36 lead going into the second.
-- The Hornets built on their lead behind solid reserve play, going back up by as much as eight.
-- It was Brunson who led the turnaround again once he returned midway through the second quarter. He found Mitchell Robinson for a couple of lobs, then Anunoby stepped up for some timely jumpers to tighten the game up, finishing the half with 14 points.
The Hornets would end the half on a flurry, getting energy off the bench from White (12 points in nine minutes), and more shooting from Knueppel, who went 3-4 from deep in the first half. Charlotte led 65-55 at the break, ending the second on a 15-6 run.
-- The second half opened much like the first, with the Hornets raining threes. Ball dribbled into two, and Knueppel added another in rapid succession to put his team up 15 quickly.
New York kept a solid pace offensively, but Charlotte was too voluminous from three. Brunson tried to keep the Knicks in it with more tough bucket-getting.
-- Tyler Kolek supplanted Jose Alvarado as the backup point guard in the second half rotation. The shakeup did little to contain the Hornets' onslaught, as they went up 94-76 after three.
-- New York got off to a strong start in the fourth, but Charlotte matched them score for score. Ball leaked open for a wing three, panicking the Knicks defense, which opened up a Grant Williams touch feed to Moussa Diabaté for a dagger slam.
The Hornets continued their beatdown, getting another three from White and a tomahawk slam from Miller in the open court, building their lead beyond 20. The Knick starters returned to try and make a push, getting the lead down to 10 behind an 18-6 run late, but to no avail.
The No. 2 seed Boilermakers avoided the upset from 11th-seeded Texas with a last-second put-back shot by Trey Kaufman-Renn in the Sweet 16 to continue their March Madness run into the Elite Eight with a 79-77 win.
It was a back-and-forth game the entire way, and in the winding moments, the Longhorns were down by three points. Texas' Dailyn Swain got a bucket and foul with 11 seconds left to tie the score at 77.
The Boilermakers had the final possession and guard Braden Smith drove into the lane for the game-winner, but missed. Luckily for Purdue, Renn was right there to clean it up, getting the putback to take the lead with 0.7 seconds left. Texas was unable to get the full-court heave to pull off the shocker.
Renn's winning bucket capped off a big night for him, finishing with a team-high 20 points in the victory. Purdue now awaits the winner of No. 1 Arizona and No. 4 Arkansas in the Elite Eight, with a trip to the Final Four on the line on Saturday, March 28.
USA TODAY Sports will have much more coverage of this game.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 26: Kevin Huerter #27 of the Detroit Pistons shoots the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 26, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart already on the injury report, the Detroit Pistons were even more shorthanded tonight with Duncan Robinson ruled out. Kevin Huerter started at SG in place of Robinson and he’d give Detroit an early 14-11 lead after a corner three thanks to a behind-the-back assist from Jalen Duren. New Orleans would outscore Detroit the rest of the way and a Zion Williamson layup at the buzzer gave the Pelicans a 33-31 lead after the first quarter.
Daniss Jenkins again filled in for Cunningham in the starting lineup and had back-to-back threes early in the second quarter to help recapture the Detroit lead. The Pistons would extend their lead to double digits due to hot shooting beyond the arc, including a nice step back three from Huerter. Jalen Duren finished a strong first half with an off-the-dribble midrange jumper for his 17th point.
Detroit would take a 65-56 lead going into halftime. JD’s 17 points led the way for Detroit, but their first-time backcourt of Jenkins and Huerter were making an impact as well – they combined for 21 points and five made threes. Zion Williamson (13), former Piston Saddiq Bey (12), and Dejounte Murray were the halftime leaders for the Pelicans.
Duren kicked off the second half with a deep touchdown pass to Ausar Thompson for an easy bucket in transition after throwing a lob to Tobias Harrison on the previous possession. Huerter would add another three-pointer on the night to give Detroit an 88-75 lead with three minutes left in the third. Yet, the Pelicans would close the quarter on an 11-2 run to bring it back within six.
With a 92-86 lead heading into the final frame, Detroit needed to push the New Orleans deficit back to double digits and send the Pelicans home. After a quick Pels bucket, Huerter hit a movement three to put the Pistons up seven early in the fourth. Duren would then find Javonte Green for a corner three to give them their double digit lead again. A Jenkins three from a Ron Holland assist would force James Borrego to call a timeout and gave Detroit a 15-2 run to start the quarter.
A Duren right-handed hammer was another poster for him on his way to his 30th point and Detroit would push the lead to 20 with a couple minutes left. JB Bickerstaff would be able to empty the bench early in this one on the second game of a back-to-back, and Chaz Lanier, Bobi Klintman, and Tolu Smith were able to get in on the fun. Detroit would go on to win 129-108.
Jalen Duren approached triple-double territory with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. He shot the same from the field as he did from the free throw line: 10-for-12. He has been the focal point of the offense since the Cunningham injury and he’s thriving. Could he be the 20+ PPG scorer next to Cade that we’ve been looking for?
Elite starting backcourt Daniss Jenkins and Kevin Huerter were fantastic. Jenkins had 19 points and nine assists while Huerter added 22 points. They combined to shoot 9-for-14 from beyond the arc – no other Piston had more than two made threes. The two would play the most minutes of anyone else on the team with Huerter leading the way at 34.
We have now reached single digits in regards to games left on the schedule. Detroit will travel to Minnesota to take on Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves on Saturday night.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (AP) — Boston College hired UConn assistant Luke Murray on Thursday as coach of a slumping men's basketball program that has gone 17 years without an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Murray, the son of actor Bill Murray, will be a first-time head coach. He replaces Earl Grant, who was fired earlier this month after the Eagles had a losing record in four of his five seasons. Grant went 72-92 overall and 30-67 in Atlantic Coast Conference games.
In five years with UConn under coach Dan Hurley, Murray has been a part of two national championship teams, with Bill Murray often in attendance at games. The Huskies play Michigan State on Friday in the Sweet 16.
“In Luke Murray, we have found a leader who does not just understand the modern landscape of college basketball, he has helped define it,” Boston College athletic director Blake James said. “His role in building a national championship caliber program, his sophisticated offensive vision, and his relentless pursuit of excellence make him the perfect fit.”
Prior to UConn, Murray spent three years each as an assistant at Louisville and Xavier. He also had stints on staffs at Towson, Wagner, Arizona, Post and Quinnipiac. The 2007 graduate of Fairfield will be the 14th head coach in Boston College program history.
The Eagles have been buried in the supersized ACC for more than a decade, with a 10th-place finish in 2022-23 their highest since the league expanded from 12 to 15 teams in the 2013-14 season. They were second-to-last in the newly expanded 18-team conference in each of the last two years.
