DALLAS, TX - MARCH 1: Caleb Martin #16 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 1, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks started the month of March hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder. Still without Cooper Flagg as they closed out their homestand, Dallas fell 100-87 to the league’s best team.
Let’s get to the grades!
Brandon Williams: B
14 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 24 MIN
Williams wasn’t exactly hot on 5-for-12 shooting, but did some nice things to drive and break down the defense a bit (though some of his misses were point blank). He put up a generally solid game against a very good team.
Max Christie: B
14 PTS / 7 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 35 MIN
Christie quietly had himself a good night. He knocked in five of his 11 shots including going 4-for-8 from deep. He turned it over twice relative to zero assists, but did have two steals and did some of the little things you like to see. He didn’t get to the line at all, and it would be nice to see him driving a bit more to earn those free throws. He has been at his best this season when not exclusively camping out on the perimeter.
Caleb Martin: B+
18 PTS / 3 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN
Martin was Dallas’ shining star, which should tell you all you need to know. That’s not intended to be a dig, as he did have himself a nice game, however Martin as your leading scorer is indicative of an odd night indeed. He was 6-for-11including a hot 3-for-5 from downtown. Oddly, his 3-for-6 on free throws were the worst aspect of his shooting.
Khris Middleton: D
4 PTS / 2 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN
Middleton is significantly better than what he showed tonight. This is a “toss it away and start fresh” type of game. He was 2-for-10 shooting overall including 0-for-3 from deep and somehow committed five fouls.
Daniel Gafford: C
8 PTS / 7 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
It’s coming to a point where maybe I have to accept what was heretofore unacceptable to me – that Gafford is not a natural rebounder. However, in exactly six more minutes, Gafford pulled in five fewer rebounds than Moussa Cisse, his backup. Shooting only 3-for-9 from the floor didn’t help things. Gafford is too big and too athletic to not be doing more with the opportunities he has.
Klay Thompson: N/A
7 PTS / 0 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 15 MIN
Thompson doesn’t qualify for a grade in only 15 minutes of play, though his shooting was likely trending toward lower marks as he was 3-for-8 from the floor and 1-for-5 from deep. The real story for Thompson tonight was an adductor contusion that caused him to check out and not return. Time will tell how long he will remain sidelined.
Moussa Cisse: B
0 PTS / 12 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN
Cisse was a rebound machine, grabbing nine in his first nine minutes of play and ending with 12 total. In one of the most bizarre stat lines you will ever see, Cisse did one thing spectacularly well, while doing nothing else. He turned it over twice while committing a single foul and was impossibly only one of two players with a plus/minus in the black, joining Ryan Nembhard with a plus-1.
Final Thoughts
The Mavs faired much better than could reasonably have been expected against OKC, but that was largely because the Thunder played with their food rather than stepping on the gas. At any moment, the Mavs could have, and did, roll out a lineup nearly exclusively of two-way or former two-way players against the team with the best record in the league. As always, Dallas played hard, but it was ultimately for naught against a much healthier and much more seasoned and experienced defending-champion team.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Riding two emotional comeback victories since the return to NHL action after the Olympic break, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the Calgary Flames on Sunday evening at Honda Center.
The Ducks were technically undefeated in the month of February, going 4-0-0, looking to extend their winning streak to five games, and hoping for their 12th win in their last 14 games.
The Flames were playing their second game of a back-to-back, as they lost 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
With Frank Vatrano (upper body), Ryan Strome (under the weather), Troy Terry (upper body), and Mikael Granlund (upper body) still out of the lineup, this is how the Ducks’ lined up in this one:
Kreider-Carlsson-Gauthier
Viel-McTavish-Sennecke
Killorn-Poehling-Harkins
Johnston-Washe-Moore
LaCombe-Trouba
Zellweger-Gudas
Mintyukov-Helleson
Lukas Dostal got the start in net for the 10th time in the Ducks’ last 11 games. He stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced in regulation and overtime. He was opposed by Devin Cooley, who saved 34 of 36.
Game Notes
Once again, as has been a theme since the NHL’s return, the Ducks allowed a myriad of chances early, mostly due to late reactions to open seams and soft ice in the defensive zone. Dostal kept the game close early, and the remaining 45-50 minutes were dictated by Anaheim. Calgary proved pesky, diligent, and tenacious. They’re a team that is likely better than their record indicates, but their finishing ability this season has cost them games and points in the standings.
At 5v5, the Ducks finished with an even 50% of the shot attempt share, 48.98% of the shots on goal share, and 49.69% of the expected goals share.
Lukas Dostal: As mentioned, Lukas Dostal didn’t steal this game for Anaheim, but he kept the score close in the first period when the game easily could have gotten out of hand. With a lot of east/west puck motion and counterattacks, Calgary opened seam after seam early in this game, but Dostal was there to answer, making himself as big as possible in tight and making difficult saves look easy.
The standout aspects of his game when he’s performing like this are his puck tracking and anticipation skills. He can read plays through traffic and push out toward the shooter to eliminate any potential angles. The Ducks have also begun to utilize him in overtime as an extra defenseman and puck handler. When they run into trouble, especially at the offensive blueline, they’ll simply regroup 120 feet, reset, and get a change if needed.
Building Attacks: Calgary’s roster, four lines and three pairs deep, but especially the forwards, are one of the more disruptive teams without the puck in the NHL. They backcheck with good angles, read developing plays, and time their stick challenges perfectly at the lines to manufacture turnovers and attempt counters. They’re a coach’s dream, but just lack the finishing touch that would allow them to win games like this.
Chris Kreider: Kreider isn’t necessarily a play-driver or forechecking specialist, but similar to Alex Killorn and Ryan Strome, his knowledge of reading, absorbing, and manipulating pressure to open up lanes for teammates is an underrated quality. An entertaining aspect to the Ducks’ breakouts has been Kreider finding clever ways to slip passes to Leo Carlsson in full stride after receiving an outlet on the wall.
Power Play: The Ducks generated several quality looks on the power play. The coaching staff and personnel seemed to have found optimal spots for their most talented players and have devised wrinkles with player and puck motion throughout the zone.
On the top unit, after entry, Carlsson is utilized as a rover from the bumper, supporting the puck until pressure is established. Sennecke has been popping out from the net front to the bottom of the circle and corner, then replaced by Kreider. Depending on how Sennecke moves after receiving, Carlsson either finds soft ice in the bumper if Sennecke moves high, or he presents himself as an option on the left flank as an out. These sequences running through Carlsson or Sennecke can open up lanes to LaCombe at the point, Kreider backdoor, or Gauthier at the far side flank.
The Ducks will look to extend their winning streak to six games with a tall task on Tuesday, when they’ll host the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche in the rubber match between these two Western Conference foes.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 1: Gabe Vincent #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 1, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the second time in as many nights, the Lakers blew out a Pacific Division foe. LA surged out to a big lead in the first quarter, withstood a small comeback attempt in the third and then cruised to a 128-104 win over the Kings.
Much like Saturday’s win in Golden State, LA fell behind briefly at the very start, took the lead and then never came close to trailing again. After opening up a double-digit lead just past the midway point of the first, the margin never dipped into single digits again.
The Lakers shot 50% from the field and 46.2% from three while assisting on 34 of their 47 field goals.
The game started with the midrange master DeMar DeRozan converting on a jumper. However, those were the only points the Kings could muster, as the Lakers were on a roll, scoring 10 in a row. Austin Reaves connected with LeBron James for an explosive alley-oop that started with excellent defense from Marcus Smart.
Nique Clifford and Russell Westbrook scored layups to stop some of the bleeding for Sacramento. Clifford was leading the Kings with six points. Everyone in the starting five, except for Smart, scored some points for LA.
Luka Dončić made his first triple of the night, which helped extend the Lakers’ lead to 14 with 3:05 left in the first. He then knocked down another one soon after. LA ended the quarter on a 13-4 scoring run for an 18-point lead.
Luke Kennard opened the second period with a 3-pointer. Malik Monk scored a quick four in a row for the Kings. Sacramento ramped up its defense, forcing Los Angeles into sloppy play.
Smart and Luka both drained triples to restore the order. Maxi Kleber got in on the scoring as well with an emphatic dunk off an assist from Luka, which had Los Angeles’ bench losing their minds.
Things got a little spicy with Monk picking up a technical foul after a confrontation with Kleber. Deandre Ayton was a perfect 5-5 from the field for 10 points. Ayton, Reaves and Luka were all double figures for the Lakers.
Los Angeles pushed its lead to as much as 22, but 12 points from Westbrook, combined with LA’s offense cooling to 40% in the quarter, helped the Kings cut the deficit to 15 by halftime.
The Lakers lead the Kings 64-49 at the half. LA has three players in double figures, including Deandre Ayton, who is a perfect 5-5 from the field. He has 10 points.
The second half started with Clifford scoring on a triple. Ayton responded on the other end with a hook shot. Sacramento was off to a hot start in the quarter, shooting 66% from the field. Clifford and Westbrook combined for seven of the nine Kings’ points.
At the 9:06 mark, the purple and gold were nursing a 10-point lead.
Reaves connected with LeBron for a much-needed dunk to stop some of Sacramento’s momentum. That kickstarted a 10-2 scoring run, with Luka scoring five in a row, extending the Lakers’ lead to 19.
Luka really started cooking again with two triples, one of which was swished after he slipped and nearly lost the ball.
Clifford was still cooking for the Kings, and he was their leading scorer with 22 points. At the end of the third quarter, the Lakers were up by 20.
Sacramento turned the ball over to open the fourth, leading to LeBron being fouled and converting on a pair of free throws. Smart knocked down his third 3-pointer of the game.
Kleber added more to his stellar night off the bench with another thunderous dunk. After two 3-pointers from LeBron, he was subbed out, and Los Angeles’ bench closed out another blowout victory, which included a huge dunk from Adou Thiero.
Luka finished with 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists. Reaves scored 12 points with five assists and two blocks. LeBron notched 24 points with five assists and two steals. Ayton ended with 12 points on 6-6 shooting.
Kennard had 11 points, shooting 60% from three. In his first game back from an illness, Rui Hachimura finished with eight points and two rebounds.
Smart tallied nine points with three rebounds and five steals. Kleber ended with six points and six rebounds.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday at 7:30 PM PT.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 137-117 on Sunday night to end a three-game losing streak.
Tenth in the Western Conference, the Clippers improved to 28-31. The Pelicans are 13th in the West at 19-43.
New Orleans star Zion Williamson sat out after injuring his right ankle at Utah on Saturday night. He had played a career-high 35 straight games.
Los Angeles never trailed. It led 43-32 after a quarter and had a 76-70 advantage at the half. It was 107-94 after three, and the Clippers stretched the margin to 26 in the fourth.
Jordan Miller added 19 points for Los Angeles. Derrick Jones Jr. had 17, Brook Lopez 16 and John Collins 15.
While Leonard went 1 of 7 from 3-point range, the Clippers were 17 of 36 overall. Lopez was 4 for 6, and Jones and Kobe Sanders were each 3 for 4.
Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 28 points, hitting 5 of 6 3-pointers. Derik Queen scored 19 points, Dejounte Murray had 17, and Trey Murphy III added 16 after missing five games because of a right shoulder injury.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Anders Dreyer and Marcus Ingvartsen both had a goal and an assist, and rookie teenager Duran Ferree earned his second clean sheet in his second start when San Diego FC finished off a 2-0 victory over St. Louis City on Sunday night.
Dreyer used assists from Ingvartsen and Onni Valakari to send a shot past Roman Bürki and give San Diego (2-0-0) a lead in the 3rd minute.
San Diego, which finished first during the Western Conference regular season as an expansion team last year, took a two-goal lead in the 54th minute when Ingvartsen got an assist from Dreyer and scored.
Dreyer had 19 goals and 19 assists last season. He had two assists in San Diego's 5-0 romp over visiting CF Montreal to begin this season. Ingvartsen already has two assists after collecting one in eight appearances last season. Valakari totaled four goals and 11 assists during San Diego's first year.
The 19-year-old Ferree needed to make just one save to complete the shutout for San Diego after a two-save effort in the opener.
Bürki turned away four shots for St. Louis City (0-1-1). Bürki had two saves and Ferree wasn't tested in the first half.
St. Louis City was coming off a 1-1 draw with Charlotte FC on a goal by Marcel Hartel. San Diego took care of Hartel, who entered with five goals in his previous six matches dating to last season.
St. Louis City won the Western Conference regular season as an expansion team in 2023.
Up next
St. Louis City: Hosts Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
The Calgary Flames battled but ultimately fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Anaheim Ducks Sunday night at the Honda Center.
It was a tightly contested matchup from start to finish, with Devin Cooley making 34 saves in regulation and overtime to earn his club a point. Morgan Frost and Yegor Sharangovich provided the offence for Calgary, but the Ducks edged ahead in the shootout to secure the extra point.
The opening period was played at a fast pace, with both teams generating quality chances. Shots were even at 14-14 after 20 minutes as Cooley and Lukas Dostal traded saves.
Calgary struck first at 9:41. Ryan Lomberg carried the puck over the blue line and found Joel Farabee driving the net. Farabee redirected the pass past Dostal for his 13th goal of the season, giving the Flames an early 1-0 advantage.
Ducks Respond, Flames Answer Back
Anaheim evened the score midway through the second period in unconventional fashion. Cutter Gauthier hacked at a loose puck three times in tight — Cooley turned aside each attempt — but a sharp-angle try from behind the net deflected off the goaltender, popped into the air and dropped behind him before bouncing in to tie the game 1-1 at 11:14.
The Flames responded on the power play late in the frame. After Frost dove to keep the puck in at the blue line, Kevin Bahl quickly moved it across to Sharangovich. The winger stepped into the high slot and snapped a wrist shot off the crossbar and in for his 12th of the year, restoring Calgary’s lead at 2-1 with 3:50 remaining in the second.
Anaheim drew even again in the third, capitalizing with the man-advantage. Crisp puck movement from Jackson Lacombe set up Gauthier for a one-timer that beat Cooley for his 28th goal of the season, tying the contest 2-2.
Both clubs had chances in 3-on-3 overtime, including a late Ducks power play in the final 20 seconds. The Flames’ penalty kill stood tall, highlighted by a glove save from Cooley at the buzzer to force a shootout.
Leo Carlsson opened the shootout by slipping a backhand past Cooley. Frost was denied by Dostal, while Beckett Sennecke was turned aside by Cooley on a between-the-legs attempt.
Nazem Kadri answered with a patient move, slowing up before beating Dostal blocker side to extend the contest. Mason McTavish restored Anaheim’s lead with a slow approach and five-hole finish. Matvei Gridin had a chance to prolong it for Calgary but rang his attempt off the post, sealing the Ducks’ 3-2 victory.
Despite surrendering a third-period power-play goal, Calgary’s penalty kill continued to show its strength. Ranked seventh in the NHL at 82.5 percent entering the night, the PK killed four of five opportunities, including a crucial late overtime sequence.
2. Cooley Delivers Again
Cooley was sharp throughout, stopping 34 shots and giving his team every chance to win. Flames goaltending has been steady all season, carrying a combined .900 save percentage into the game — tied for fourth best in the league.
3. Bahl’s Grit on Display
Kevin Bahl left the game after taking a puck to the face but returned in the third period sporting stitches above his mouth. His assist on Sharangovich’s power-play goal and willingness to battle through adversity highlighted a resilient effort on the back end.
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 1: Moussa Cisse #30 of the Dallas Mavericks goes after a loose ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 1, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (21-39) dropped their third straight game and their 13th in the last 15, 100-87, to the Oklahoma City Thunder (47-15) on Sunday at American Airlines Center.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does, scoring a game-high 30 points in 33 minutes on 12-of-20 shooting for the Thunder, while Caleb Martin led the Mavs, because, hell, someone had to score points in this one, with 18.
Those two were freebies, because we’ve got five piping hot stats coming out of the oven for you, from the latest loss Dallas threw on the pile on Sunday.
32-16: Thunder’s close to the first quarter
After the Mavericks played pretend at existing in the same league as the Thunder for the game’s first four minutes, Oklahoma City blew the doors open on the game with a 12-0 run that took just 2:09 of game time to execute. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd called a timeout to stop the bloodletting, but the wheels had already come off. The Thunder outscored the Mavericks 32-16 over the last 9:56 of the first quarter to take a 36-25 lead after one, leaving Dallas in a position where they were trying for the rest of the game to claw back to within contention.
Chet Holmgren led all scorers with 10 points in the first quarter, including a dunk on a nifty drive-and-dish from Isaiah Hartenstein to cap Oklahoma City’s early 12-0 run. No Dallas Mavericks scored more than four points in the opener. Dallas turned the ball over six times in the quarter, leading to eight Thunder points. Oklahoma City came into the game first in the NBA in points scored off opponents’ turnovers, at more than 23 points per contest.
9: Moussa Cisse rebounds in his first 6:55 on the floor
Here’s one from the statistical oddities file. No doubt aided by the fact that Dallas started the game shooting 13-of-36 from the floor, Moussa Cisse gobbled up nine rebounds in his first 6:55 of playing time on Sunday. Three of those nine boards came on the offensive glass.
Cisse finished the game with 12 rebounds in 21 minutes, while going 0-of-1 from the floor in the loss. He averaged 12.9 rebounds per game in the eight games he played with the Texas Legends in the NBA D-League this year, and came into Sunday’s game averaging 4.6 boards in just under 12 minutes per appearance in NBA action.
4: Thunder first-half 3-pointers
And here’s one from the moral victory file. The Mavericks somehow managed to outscore the Thunder 24-22 in the second quarter to go into halftime down just 58-49. Oklahoma City was in the freezer from 3-point range in the aberration of a first-half, shooting just 4-of-18 (22.2%) from beyond the arc.
Was this outcome attributable to the Mavs’ furious brand of defense along the perimeter to start the game? Some questions are better left unanswered, but we believe you know the answer. Dallas did sit back in a zone look for much of the first half to help keep Oklahoma City’s iso-heavy offense at bay. It also kept the Thunder from living at the free-throw line against an outmanned Dallas bunch. The Thunder shot just seven free throws in the first half.
4:50: Mavericks’ third-quarter scoreless stretch
The Mavericks suffered through nine straight offensive possessions that yielded (checks notes) zero points in one stretch of the third quarter. Brandon Williams blew through the Oklahoma City defense with 9:25 left in the third to cut the Thunder lead to 64-55, and Dallas didn’t score again until Max Christie’s 3-pointer along the right wing with 4:40 left in the frame. Christie stole a bad pass from Gilgeous-Alexander, then got the ball back in rhythm from Ryan Nembhard to stop the bleeding, as the Thunder lead swelled back to 16, 71-55, before Christie’s timely 3-ball.
59: Consecutive away games of 20 or more points for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
And why not one from the file of stats we didn’t know anyone was keeping? With the first of two free throws with 1:50 remaining in the third quarter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed the 20-point plateau in his 59 consecutive road game, passing the great Wilt Chamberlain for most away games in a row scoring 20 or more. He now needs three more consecutive 20-point games to tie and four more to break Chamberlain’s record for consecutive games (home or away) with 20 or more.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 at the end of the third quarter against the Mavs and ended the night with a game-high 30 on 12-of-20 shooting. The Mavs trailed 83-69 after three quarters and didn’t seem all that worried about chipping away at the Thunder lead in the foregone conclusion of the fourth quarter.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 22 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 8 Paul George – 6 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 Jared McCain :’( – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Philadelphia 76ers fell 114-98 to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Sunday night. It was the fourth and final meeting between the teams this regular season — they split the series 2-2.
Joel Embiid was out for this contest (as he will be for the Sixers’ next two as well) after being diagnosed with a right oblique strain. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe tried to pick up the slack, scoring 33 and 23 points respectively, but it simply wasn’t enough to keep up with the Celtics.
This was one of those quintessentially annoying Sixers’ losses. They made more of a game out of it than maybe was expected going into this contest and they did some things great against a really tough opponent… but at the same time, they were so horrendous in other areas, like poor rebounding and making Neemias Queta look like prime Dwight Howard all evening. Always a mixed bag with this Philadelphia squad.
Next up on the schedule for the Sixers is a back-to-back starting on Tuesday night hosting the San Antonio Spurs and then hosting the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The team has already announced that Embiid will be out for both contests before being re-evaluated.
<p> (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
VJ Edgecombe was the only one keeping the Sixers alive as the Celtics started to pull away in the later half of the second period. Especially with Maxey icy cold at the time, Edgecombe was the only reason the Sixers still had a chance in this one as we entered the second half, where he kept delivering. The rookie was just consistently good tonight, from efficient shooting and smart playmaking to some aggression on the boards with a side of some good defense.
The Sixers asked a lot of Edgecombe tonight with some of the lineups they had him out there with, and just frankly how much they needed him throughout overall, and he delivered. Tonight was another example of the rookie playing beyond his years and seemingly thriving even more when the pressure is on.
Edgecombe ended this one with 23 points (including five triples) with five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
Oh, and stay to the end of this video for what might be the best effort play of the season from him.
Absolutely have to shout out VJ Edgecombe for his performance tonight. Shooting wasn't always perfect but he kept the Sixers in that one at times. A lot was asked of him and he delivered.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It was a tale of two halves for Tyrese Maxey tonight. The first half was one Maxey will quickly want to forget.
Fortunately, he seemed to do just that. After an inefficient first half from Maxey, the third period brought a much more familiar version of the All-Star guard, with Maxey putting up 13 points in the penultimate frame (and tacking on seven more in the fourth) after putting up 13 in the entire first half.
Obviously it would be great to never have a bad start or a bad half, but it’s great to see how Maxey can recover even after a cold streak of shooting. After going just 4-for-18 from the floor in the first 24 minutes, Maxey turned things around a bit to shoot 8-for-16 in the second half. He not only started making more shots but just seemed to be a lot smarter about which shots he was taking as the game progressed. Even if the game situation felt like it demanded more urgency than the first half, he seemed to settle in and not worry about forcing things that simply weren’t there. The opportunities that were there — whether it be to launch from long range, drive straight through the Celtics defense, or to dime up a teammate — he took advantage of.
Maxey finished Sunday night with a game-high 33 points with three rebounds, six assists, one steal and two blocks.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Dominick Barlow might not have contributed the amount that Maxey or Edgecombe did, but he chipped in here and there with some good stints when it was needed.
His biggest offensive contribution came from seven points in the third period that he absolutely battled for, whether it meant coming up with a defensive play and taking it coast-to-coast or drawing contact on the offensive end to get to the line.
Barlow was the Sixers’ third-highest scorer tonight with 14 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting and 6-for-8 from the charity stripe. Especially on a night where the bench is almost completely unproductive offensively, it’s huge to have that sort of contribution from Barlow. Not only that, but Barlow was one of the few Sixers fighting for rebounds, and he even put up some solid defense on some of the best players the Celtics squad has to offer, including Jaylen Brown.
He finished the game with 14 points, eight rebounds (two offensive), one assist and three steals.
And yet, he didn’t play a single second in the fourth period. Don’t ask me why.
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 1: Aaron Wiggins #21 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 1, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 100–87, in a game where shot-making and efficiency ultimately separated the two teams. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for OKC with 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting, while Chet Holmgren added 19 points and nine rebounds as the Thunder shot 44.6 percent from the field and controlled the glass with 55 total rebounds. For Dallas, Caleb Martin paced the team with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, Max Christie chipped in 14 on 4-of-8 from three, and Brandon Williams added 14, but the Mavericks shot just 38.8 percent overall and 29 percent from deep. Despite competitive stretches and balanced contributions, Dallas never found the sustained offensive rhythm needed to overcome Oklahoma City’s efficiency and steady late-game execution.
The Mavericks opened with real juice. Daniel Gafford finished an early lob, and Caleb Martin drilled a three as Dallas jumped in front. Brandon Williams was the engine behind it all, tallying two assists and two points while directly contributing to the first seven points of the night. For a brief stretch, the ball was popping, and the energy felt intentional. But that early rhythm did not last. Shai Gilgeous Alexander settled in and began knocking down tough fadeaways and pull-ups, flipping the momentum possession by possession. Once Oklahoma City had the lead back, Chet Holmgren took his turn dictating terms, scoring inside, cleaning the glass, and using his length to disrupt Dallas drives. The Thunder’s pressure and shot-making pushed the margin to double digits as the Mavericks’ offense started to stall. Turnovers, rushed jumpers, and empty possessions piled up for both teams, though Oklahoma City capitalized more consistently on the chaos. Holmgren’s inside presence and SGA’s shot creation were the defining forces, while Dallas struggled to string together stops. By the time the buzzer sounded, the Thunder had stretched the lead to eleven, turning what started as a promising few minutes for the Mavericks into another uphill climb.
The second quarter followed the same script, with Oklahoma City calmly maintaining control while Dallas struggled to create sustained offense. The Thunder shot 47.2 percent in the half compared to Dallas’ 37.5 percent, and every time the Mavericks trimmed the margin with a Max Christie three or a Dwight Powell finish inside, the Thunder responded immediately. Shai Gilgeous Alexander dictated the tempo, going 6 of 10 from the field in the half, including a late running pull-up three, while Chet Holmgren added 4 of 8 shooting and six rebounds, anchoring both ends of the floor. Dallas could not string together stops or efficient possessions long enough to flip momentum, and by halftime the Thunder had built a 58–47 lead that felt even larger than the number.
The third quarter felt like Dallas threatening without ever truly seizing control. After Dwight Gafford’s free throws cut it to 58–53, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander answered immediately with consecutive pull-up jumpers to reestablish Oklahoma City’s cushion. Caleb Martin provided a spark with a three and a driving floater, while Powell chipped in with a hook and an alley oop off a Middleton assist to trim the deficit momentarily. But each time the Mavericks inched closer, Chet Holmgren countered with a tip layup, a dunk, and later a trail three, and Shai continued to manufacture offense from the midrange and the line. Dallas created a few extra possessions with steals from Christie and Gafford, yet untimely turnovers from Nembhard, Williams, and Middleton prevented any sustained run. By the end of the period, the Thunder had calmly absorbed every punch and carried an 83–69 lead into the fourth, keeping Dallas at arm’s length despite brief surges.
The fourth quarter never swung back in Dallas’ favor, as a Holmgren dunk and an Isaiah Joe flurry pushed the lead to 93–71 early. Brandon Williams knocked down a couple midrange pull-ups, and Caleb Martin added a fadeaway and free throws to trim it briefly. Still, Shai Gilgeous Alexander answered every push with steady pull-ups and late free throws, finishing with 30 points on 12 of 20 shooting. Dallas shot just 38.8 percent overall and 29 percent from three, compared to Oklahoma City’s balanced 44.6 percent night with 22 assists. Despite 18 from Martin plus 14 apiece from Christie and Williams, the Thunder controlled the final minutes and closed it out 100–87.
The Mavericks need a guard
Since the All-Star break, the Mavericks’ guard play has felt like a nightly coin flip, and more often than not, it lands on mediocrity. One game, you get a burst of shot-making from Brandon Williams or a hot stretch from Max Christie, the next night, it completely evaporates. The scoring swings are dramatic, but what has been far more consistent is the shaky decision-making. The assist totals rarely justify the number of on-ball reps these guards are getting, and the assist-to-turnover ratio has been maddeningly flat. Empty dribbles into late clock jumpers, telegraphed entry passes, loose handle turnovers that ignite transition the other way. It is not just that they are inconsistent scorers. It is that the playmaking foundation underneath the scoring has not been sturdy enough to raise the offense’s floor. When the shots are not falling, there is no orchestration to fall back on.
That becomes even more of an issue when you zoom out and think about Cooper Flagg. Flagg is at his best attacking tilted defenses, cutting off advantage, and making quick reads against rotating coverage. He should not have to manufacture every advantage himself at 19. Dallas desperately needs a guard who can consistently bend the defense, protect the ball, and create efficient looks for others before thinking about their own shot. The current guard rotation too often results in inefficient scoring nights, paired with turnover totals that wipe out any positive momentum. If the Mavericks are serious about building around Flagg, the offseason priority is clear: find a steady primary ball handler who can shoot enough to space the floor and pass well enough to keep the ball moving. The inconsistency and mediocre decision-making since the break have exposed the gap, and it is one they cannot ignore if they want Flagg’s development to accelerate rather than stall.
Turn your attention to the NCAA
At this point in the season, the Mavericks have drifted into a version of themselves that is honestly difficult to sit through. The defensive intensity is inconsistent at best and nonexistent at worst. Possessions bleed into one another with little resistance at the point of attack, late rotations on the back line, and minimal physicality on the glass. There is no wave of energy guys flying around for chase down blocks or weak side rim contests, no explosive athlete igniting the building with a transition dunk, no creative wrinkles from the coaching staff to manufacture easy points when the offense stalls. It often feels like five players taking turns trying to survive a possession rather than impose themselves on it. When a team lacks defensive edge, vertical pop, and schematic creativity all at once, the product flattens out. You are left with slow half-court sets, late clock jumpers, and long stretches where nothing feels dynamic. For a fan base that just lived through high-level shot-making and playoff intensity, this version feels lifeless.
The silver lining, and honestly, the smart pivot for any Mavs fan right now, is to start flipping on college basketball. Today is March 1, which means March Madness is right around the corner, and this freshman class is loaded with intrigue. Darryn Peterson’s scoring versatility, AJ Dybantsa’s two-way upside, Cam Boozer’s polish and strength, Caleb Wilson’s athletic pop, Kingston Flemings’ craft, Mikel Brown Jr.’s size and athleticism, Darius Acuff’s shot creation, and Keaton Wagler’s skill set all make for compelling watches. These are not just names to bookmark. They are real potential difference makers in a draft that could shape the next four years of the franchise. If Dallas is leaning into lottery positioning, then scouting becomes part of the fandom. Watching how these freshmen handle pressure, space the floor, defend in big moments, and create advantages will matter. In a season where the NBA product feels stale, college basketball might be the most exciting part of being a Mavericks fan right now.
The new Mets hitting coach spent much of his childhood watching his father, Brian, manage and coach in the Braves organization before he became the manager in Atlanta in 2016.
“He influenced me a ton,” the younger Snitker said of Brian, who signed as a player with the Braves in 1977 and continued working in the organization once he stopped playing in 1980.
“I got to sit in the dugout and watch him my whole life,” Troy Snitker said of his father Sunday at Clover Park. “I was the batboy and saw how he managed a game, communicated with players and staff and how he worked and treated people.”
Troy Snitker is pictured before the Mets’ Feb. 28 game at spring training. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Through those years, Snitker grew up in Snellville, just east of Atlanta, but spent his school breaks traveling to see his father in minor league cities around the area.
“I have so many memories of being in motels and jumping to different apartment complexes in a small town with the family,” Snitker said. “We never moved, but every summer, spring break or last day of school, my mom would pack the minivan and we’d go.”
Snitker played two years in the Braves system after being drafted in the 19th round and he eventually joined his father in the majors as a coach.
Brian Snitker is pictured before a Braves game in May 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The duo’s journey culminated in 2021, when Brian Snitker managed the Braves to a World Series title, beating Troy’s Astros.
“I got to see the sacrifices he and my mom made,” Troy Snitker said. “He’s never done any of it for attention, but to see him do it at the biggest stage was extremely gratifying for my family. It was unbelievable.”
Troy Snitker won a title with the Astros a year later and now he’ll try to help the Mets get their offense going, as the 37-year-old joined the team’s director of major league hitting, Jeff Albert, in the offseason, replacing Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.
“I just want the guys to work together like some of our offenses did [in Houston] to do great things,” Snitker said. “I think we have a chance to have a great lineup like I’ve had experience having. We want the same type of culture and teamwork, [with the] ability to pass it to the next guy. We want to work together, build off each at-bat and not have guys feel they have to do it themselves. I think we can do that.”
Snitker said he had interest from other teams after he and fellow hitting coach Alex Cintron were let go by the Astros before opting to join the Mets staff.
“It was an easy decision for me,” Snitker said of coming to Queens. “I think there’s so much depth here and I’m excited to get to work.”
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with teammates after dunking against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at TD Garden on March 1, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Boston Celtics hosted the 76ers Sunday night in their final clash of the regular season. Boston’s first game of March resulted in their 40th win of the season, 114-98. Neemias Queta had a monster outing for the home team, with a 27-point, 17-rebound double-double performance. Jaylen Brown had 27 points, Derrick White chipped in 21 points, 8 assists as the C’s weathered the 76ers numerous runs all night.
The Celtics came into the game off the back of a big 37-point win over the Nets on Friday night. Baylor Scheierman started the game with a heavily bandaged fractured thumb alongside White, Queta, Brown, and Sam Hauser. Philly started the game with VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and Dominick Barlow.
The Sixers hit their first 3 shots of the game as they shot out to a quick 8-2 lead. Hauser nailed a triple in rhythm to cut it back to three points. Boston squared the score at 10 apiece, led by Queta, who was active early in the contest with 5 early points.
Brown threw down a big two-handed dunk, which woke the crowd up at the six-and-a-half-minute mark. Hugo Gonzalez, Payton Pritchard, and Nikola Vucevic were the first three Celts off the bench for Boston after the first TV timeout. Vucevic drilled his first corner three of the game, but Philly had the early eight-point lead, 23-15, as they shot 60% from downtown to start the game. Maxey paced the visitors with 8 points in the first 8 minutes.
Jordan Walsh came into the game in the stopper role and was immediately given the defensive assignment on Maxey. Boston was just 5-21 from the field to start the first quarter as the 76ers got the lead out into double figures. Walsh rattled home a triple after Queta grabbed his fifth offensive board against the smaller Philly frontcourt.
White scored in the paint to cut Philly’s lead to just 2 points. Adem Bona fouled Brown on a layup attempt with a chance to tie the game with 27 seconds to go in the quarter. Boston went on a late 7-0 run to make it a 2-point game heading into the 2nd quarter, 26-28.
Hauser hit his second three of the game to start the second quarter; White hit a pair of free throws as Boston took their first lead of the game after playing from behind throughout the first quarter, 32-30. Queta continued to pound the offensive glass, the big fella going on his own 8-0 run as he had 16 points and 10 boards with seven minutes to go in the second quarter.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 1: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics and Adem Bona #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers battle for a loose ball during the first quarter at TD Garden on March 1, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Derrick White drained his first three of the night, he deftly re positioned his feet on the perimeter to rise for the shot over Oubre Jr., who was caught flat-footed. Brown threw an insanely quick one-handed pass to Hugo, who caught the ball and scored off the backboard in one motion with no dribble. Boston’s second-quarter surge saw them take a 10-point lead as they outscored Philly 25-13 with 2 minutes and change in the first half.
skipped a cross-court pass to White, who drained a wide-open three as Boston went up 54-45. Drummond got whistled for a technical after throwing up a gun-shooting motion. Queta led the Cs in scoring at the halftime break with 16 points; Brown had 15 points and White 12 points. Scheierman laced the corner triple at the buzzer and threw up his fractured thumb 👍 to end the half, 62-50.
“Let’s go, Celtics” chants rained down at the Garden to start the 3rd quarter. Edgecombe converted a three-pointer and was fouled by White, hitting the extra point. Philly went on an 8-0 run to cut Boston’s lead back to 10 points.
The Cs had three straight trips down the court which resulted in three-pointers. Firstly, Scheierman drained a triple in front of Nick Nurse and the Sixers bench, Vooch hit a straight on triple and White rattled one home as Boston went up by 15 points, 80-65.
Philly immediately cut the lead back to 8 points as Edgecombe hit a fourth three of the night followed by a Maxey transition layup. Walsh drained a three-pointer with time expiring in the third, Maxey matched him with a three of his own, his 26th point, the road team back in the game down 6 points, Boston up 89-83.
Just as Philly mounted another comeback to start the fourth quarter, the Celtics steadied, Vucevic hitting a trailing three as Boston kept the lead at 10 points with 8 minutes to go. Philly’s backcourt pairing of Edgecombe and Maxey provided a decent one-two scoring punch as they hung around.
JB laced a second triple for his 27th point of the night, Boston holding the 76ers at arms length with 5 minutes remaining. Oubre Jr. hit Queta from behind and got whistled for flagrant foul, as the 76ers were running out of time for a comeback win. Pritchard was having an absolute shocker in this one — he was scoreless through 4 quarters and dribbled the ball of his leg.
Edgecombe and Maxey led the Sixers back into the game late, Boston’s lead whittled down to 6 points with just 3 minutes of play to go, the momentum swinging back to the road team. Queta hustled in the paint to retrieve a loss ball and scored over a pair of Philly players. Queta finished the game strong having a career night in scoring 27 points, 17 rebounds as the Celtics prevailed at home and move to 40-20 on the season.
Boston next face the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow night on the road at 7:30 pm EST.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The best offensive season of Trent Grisham’s career was also his worst defensively.
The end result was Grisham accepting the qualifying offer and coming back to the Yankees with a chance to prove that not only was his offensive breakout not a fluke, but also that there is more in the tank defensively that he did not show consistently enough last season because of a lingering hamstring issue.
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While Grisham’s biggest impact last season came with the bat, when he slugged 34 home runs and took over everyday duties in center field, he did not play up to his track record as a two-time Gold Glover, the most recent one coming in 2022.
The 29-year-old is typically not big on looking at defensive metrics — in part because he did not usually have to worry about them when they were strong — but he acknowledged on Sunday that he likes to know where he stands among center fielders when there is enough data by the middle of the season.
“And I knew I was down towards the bottom of that list last year, so I kind of took that personally this offseason,” said Grisham, whose minus-11 defensive runs saved were fourth lowest among qualified center fielders. “I definitely wanted to get better and get back to how I was when I was younger.”
Trent Grisham looks on during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 25, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. Getty Images
A big part of that, the Yankees believe, is getting healthier.
Grisham came into camp last season with a hamstring strain but was able to start the season on time. Then, after he came back from the paternity list in late April, he said he had “a little ankle thing that I was dealing with.” Then on June 30 in Toronto, Grisham left a game early after getting his cleat stuck on the turf while making a running attempt on a sinking liner — “probably another [hamstring] strain,” he said, but he returned to the lineup a few days later and played through it.
“Maybe not quite 100 percent, but it wasn’t really about that,” Grisham said after making a diving catch and going 0-for-2 in a 5-3 win over the Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. “It was about wanting to be out there playing. I felt like I could do a pretty good job out there.”
The offense did not take much of a hit, as Grisham continued to deliver some big hits, but his defense took a step back — in part because he had trouble stepping back.
“For me, that was the main factor last year, the [physical] limitations,” outfield coach Luis Rojas said. “I think a lot of balls, specifically straight back really hurt him, because he had to drop step and then push really hard on those hamstrings. Those were the ones where he was a tad slower than in the past and he couldn’t get to some baseballs and it crushed his metrics.”
Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees makes a catch on a fly ball from Dylan Moore #25 of the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning of the spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on March 1, 2026 Getty Images
Grisham came into camp this year feeling healthy and, according to Rojas, said, “I’m going to show everyone that I’m fast,” perhaps only somewhat jokingly.
The Yankees do not necessarily need Grisham to be as fast as he was earlier in his career — which helped him record 10 DRS in 2022 — but just enough to be able to play the level of defense he is capable of, matching his strong offensive production.
Trent Grisham runs to first during the first inning of a spring training game against the New York Mets at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 22, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. Getty Images
“I didn’t go into this offseason and overstress on the defensive side of the ball,” Grisham said. “It was more mentally and putting a chip back on my shoulder to get that edge again. It’s more of a personal thing than anything.”
Of course, if Grisham is looking for chips, he can also find one in the questions about whether he can actually repeat his breakout offensive season from 2025. The Yankees clearly believe he can — pointing to the strong underlying metrics that suggest it was not a fluke — which is why they made him the $22.025 million qualifying offer.
Grisham said Sunday he took the full 12 days he was allotted to decide to accept the offer, a decision he called “weighty.” He might have been able to make more money overall in a multiyear deal had he declined it, especially since he would have been the second-best center fielder on the free agent market behind teammate Cody Bellinger, but ultimately opted to return.
“At the end of the day, I want to win baseball games,” Grisham said. “I think that’s how you get the best out of yourself. I want to win. … That was just my priority.”
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 1: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Credit to the rook for even keeping them in this game.
The Sixers’ three-game win streak was snapped with a 114-98 loss to the Boston Celtics Sunday night. They are now 33-27, still one game up in the loss column for the East’s sixth seed thanks to a loss earlier in the day from the Orlando Magic.
Tyrese Maxey, who got going as the second half progressed, led all scorers with 33 shooting 12-of-34 from the floor along with six assists. VJ Edgecombe, with a stellar 5-of-11 night from deep, dropped 23 points along with five rebounds.
Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta led the Celtics with 27 apiece.
It was quite a flashy start, with Maxey and Edgecombe each nailing their first pull-up threes of the game. Maxey shook his defender with a good crossover on two possessions in a row — he nailed the midrange J but missed that three-point attempt.
Offensive rebounding was a problem from the jump, with Boston grabbing four within the first five minutes of the game. There were plenty of Celtics bricks to grab early, and the Sixers’ quick pace covered that up for the time being.
Adem Bona gave the Sixers a shot in the arm down low, but similar to Andre Drummond his contributions were more on the offensive end. He was the only Sixer to score for a four-minute stretch as they conceded a 10-1 run. Dominick Barlow nailed and a catch-and-shoot jumper to end that, but he was inside the arc so the Sixers held just a two-point lead after one.
Second Quarter
For the non-Maxey minutes, Nick Nurse went with all the bench ball-handlers alongside Edgecombe. Quentin Grimes missed his first two pull-ups while Trendon Watford made his first pair of push shots that kept the offense afloat. Cam Payne just picked up one assist in his first four minutes of action.
Trendon Watford gets on the board to start off the second quarter for the Sixers pic.twitter.com/nuSKp1vEZ3
Drummond made his first three of the night, but he really struggled on the other end, chasing around Queta who was suddenly flirting with a 20-point half. This game again exposed how thin they are at center when Embiid is out of the lineup, with Bona picking up his third foul to boot.
The Sixers went nearly four minutes without a field goal after that Drummond three. Maxey already began to teeter before he left the game and then missed several tough shots when he checked back in. He finally got a tough and-1 floater towards the end of the half. Drummond knocked down another three, but got T’d up for his celebration. Another overaggressive double team led to Brown kicking out to an open three at the buzzer, one that put the Celtics up by 12.
Third Quarter
Two quick threes to start the second half gave Boston their largest lead of the night. A four-point play from Edgecombe was a good response, and Maxey followed with a trip to the line, but both followed with missed shots in the paint, ending their brief momentum.
Edgecombe has been shooting really well on pull-ups in the midrange as of late but it was behind the arc in this one. To say it was all they had was an understatement — through three quarters, only three of his teammates had also made a three-pointer.
His only help for much of the quatrer was Barlow. His three steals helped the 14 points he had, but he was aggressive enough to get to the line eight times as well. Maxey finally got some baskets to go with fast break layups and runners. He threw a really nice skip pass on one break to Grimes, and hit a tough stepback three to get the Sixers within six points.
Fourth Quarter
Both starters in the backcourt stayed out there to start the quarter and each knocked down another three, but their flurries showed just what it took to keep the lead where it was, much less eat into it. The aggressive double teams didn’t stop against the Celtics, the most three-point hunting team in the league, and the Sixers paid for it again and again.
They were in no position to risk it, but the Sixers picked up an extremely weak flagrant midway through the fourth. Queta hit Edgecombe hard with a screen but drew no foul, so Kelly Oubre Jr. gave Queta a hard push in retaliation. In ref wars though the Sixers at least got one back a few possessions later. After trying all game Edgecombe finally drew an offensive foul on a Brown push off. No one got the worst of it though than the fan Edgecombe inadvertently kicked leaping into the crowd to save a loose ball.
Nikola Vucevic killed Bona earlier in the quarter stepping out, and Queta continued to kill Drummond with the starters in down the stretch. On top of his 10 offensive rebounds, he continued to beat the Sixers defense and force them to put him on the line. Finally in the last minutes of this game the Celtics put the game away in a way it felt like they should have way earlier in the half.
The road has not been kind to the St. Louis Blues this season. In fact, it's been so unkind, that they haven't been able to celebrate a win in 2026 as of yet.
Until now.
The Blues ended their 10-game road losing streak with a finely-crafted 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn. on Sunday.
Pavel Buchnevich scored the eventual game-winning goal with 3:39 remaining and had an assist, Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist in his first game since Jan. 10 and Logan Mailloux scored for the Blues (22-29-9), who last won a road game on Dec. 20, 2025, 6-2 against the Florida Panthers. Joel Hofer had himself another sharp performance with 22 saves for the Blues, who had lost four of five, including 3-1 at home against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday but have won two of three out of the Olympic break.
Let's look at Sunday's game observations:
* Robert Thomas -- Sunday's game was a prime example of why if you're the Blues' management, you don't even listen to all the trade noise surrounding your No. 1 center.
Thomas, who missed 13 games after having a right leg procedure and was away from the team since Wednesday for personal reasons, had his hands all over this game in a positive way for the Blues.
You want to talk about a 200-foot goal, this is it when a puck is in the D-zone corner, Thomas gets in there, eventually wedges out a Wild skater and wins a puck, outlets to Brayden Schenn, who transitions out of the zone, but Thomas follows the play, gets it in stride through the neutral zone and into the O-zone, drops a pass to Mailloux and takes defenseman Quinn Hughes with him to give Mailloux enough of a lane to wire a shot past Filip Gustavsson with 1:55 left in the second period to tie the game 1-1:
It came not long after Kirill Kaprizov gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 16:09with a power-play goal that never should have been a power play when Jack Finley was wrongfully called for a high stick when it was Daemon Hunt's stick that caught Kaprizov with friendly fire. But it was a response goal that was really needed for a team playing the second of a back-to-back with travel against a rock solid side.
And when the Blues needed to put the game on ice, Thomas not only wins the face-off with the goalie pulled but deposits the puck into the empty net with 25 seconds remaining for the 3-1 win.
Thomas, who was on the ice for all three Blues goals and was a plus-3, had six shot attempts (three on goal) and won eight of 14 face-offs (57 percent) in 17:08 of ice time.
Listen, I understand anything can happen between now and Friday. Maybe Thomas and his camp go to Blues GM Doug Armstrong and ask out, maybe he doesn't. But in talking to him recently, this didn't sound like a player who was looking to move on when he was talking about going on a run to end the season.
Twenty-six-year-old No. 1 centers don't just pop in your lap.
It's obvious that Thomas wasn't 100 percent all season. Maybe he won't be completely himself again until after a full off-season of working the kinks out of surgery and playing in rhythm again, but it's obvious that if you surround a player like this with the right pieces, whether it's a veteran or nurturing your young core (Jimmy Snuggrud, Dalibor Dvorsky, Justin Carbonneau(?), and so forth), you have a player here that impacts the game in so many different ways.
Now if you're Armstrong and someone comes to you with a ransom offer, of course you listen, and even consider it, but it would take that -- for me -- to even consider it.
Again, if you watched today's game, you know why this is a player you don't part away from, not unless you want to separate yourself from being relevant again for, say, 4-5 years down the road. A player under contract with five more years of term left? Hard pass on shedding that from my roster. But we'll see.
* Logan Mailloux is coming into his own -- Remember the famous words of Hockey and Blues Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, who had quite the candid conversation with me regarding Mailloux earlier in the season when he said (among other things), "I don’t have a message to the people, it’s patience."
That was in mid-October when Blues fans were ready to crucify the 22-year-old and call the trade with the Montreal Canadiens that sent fan-favorite Zack Bolduc to his home province.
In three games coming out of the Olympic break, Mailloux is a plus-4 and after playing a season-high 20:35 in the loss to the Devils, he followed it up with 20:32 on Sunday and was a plus-2 in the game. But it's the small details in his game that seem to really be coming along playing with Cam Fowler.
On Sunday, he was defending the front of the net again, breaking up plays, plays meant for the crease area and/or front of the net, and he seems to be shooting more pucks (I still think he can shoot it more) with three more shots on goal Sunday (nine the past three games) and by my count, six passes defended.
Colton Parayko (back spasms) missed his second straight game, and it's no coincidence that Mailloux had to be more of someone to grab a bigger role, including getting some shifts here of late on the penalty kill and he was used Saturday with an extra attacker role.
"Playing more minutes and stuff, I think me and Cam have started to play better together, whether it's the last 15-20 games like that. I feel like we've been progressing in the right direction. I just try to take it as it comes."
And when Blues coach Jim Montgomery said that Mailloux's last two practices before last Thursday's 5-1 win against the Seattle Kraken "were his best two practices of the year," and that players earn their ice time. We're seeing why Mailloux is earning more ice time of late.
* Buchnevich's offense finally breaking through -- Some of you may be saying, "Where has this best all year?" I get it. I'm one of them, and who would have thought that a move to the center ice position would finally unleash some of the veteran's offensive potential?
With a goal and an assist, it's a five-game point streak (five goals, three assists), goals in four of the past five games and 13 points (six goals, seven assists) the past 10 games.
It was the second game-winner of the season and 23rd of his career, but the goal that put the Blues ahead late in the third was a beauty that started with Snuggerud winning a puck off a wall battle, makes a nifty little backhand for Buchnevich to saunter into a shot that was pegged for the top left corner:
And of course late, Buchnevich is on the ice with Thomas and feeds him for the empty-netter.
Buchnevich, Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou have been a constant line as of late for the Blues, with Buchnevich running the middle.
* Hofer save on former Blue -- The game was hanging in the balance, and Hofer, who already made one good save on Kaprizov breaking in on a play in the first period, made one of those 10-bell stops that was the difference between winning and losing when he gloved Vladimir Tarasenko from the slot with 31.7 seconds left in a 2-1 game:
That's now back-to-back games for Hofer allowing just one goal in a game, including the 5-1 win against the Kraken on Thursday; he has stopped 45 of 47 shots with a .957 save percentage.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 1: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 1, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
March came in like a lamb for the Bucks at the United Center today: a 16-point first-half lead turned into a 120-97 laugher, thanks to a catastrophic 27-0 Bulls run and a 33-8 fourth quarter in the home team’s favor. Still, the Bucks finished the season series 3-1 over the Bulls. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.
Scoreless after the first quarter, and only five further shot attempts. In his defense, Doc wasn’t playing him much for whatever reason. Probably could have used his rim protection for more than nine second-half minutes, given that Chicago outscored Milwaukee 34-10 in the paint after half.
A lot of really tough shots and few fell, especially inside. What I liked the least, though, was the open threes he passed up over and over again in the second half. Couldn’t stop Josh Giddey, who had a triple-double (and a surprising 14 rebounds).
Again, all his points in the first half. 0/3 in the second. Made some important ones early, but then disappeared. Offered next to nothing on the other end.
The counting stats are decent until you get to the turnovers, which are a real problem of late with Rylo. His passing in the second quarter was outstanding, but his second half was a brickfest. Starting 4/4 and then going 1/7… hardly alone among the starters today.
I’ll give him credit for being the only Buck to make any hay inside, but otherwise, nothing positive from Kuz today. Seemed too cavalier when he entered in the fourth quarter, and the Bucks continued getting wrecked.
Too many middies (more on that later) and settling for jumpers, but at least they were falling. A key part of the Bucks’ second-quarter success, but also part of the unit that started to let the game slip away early in the fourth before checking out.
The type of scoring line that looks really efficient if you only look at the free throws. Dribbled the air out of the ball, gets to the line, took ill-advised jumpers… the Cam Thomas experience.
Grade: C–
Jericho Sims
24 minutes, 2 points, 11 rebounds, 1/1 FG, +1
Excellent on the glass in the first half and five offensive boards for the game, but—stop me if you’ve heard this before—didn’t do anything after half. Also part of the unit I mentioned with Portis above, and was hardly near the rim when the Bulls started yamming on them.
Dieng’s three-point shooting has cratered the last three games (2/14), but a chunk of his misses came in garbage time after the Bucks went down 19. Wasn’t on the floor for too much of the early fourth quarter cataclysm.
Grade: C
Doc Rivers
Oh boy, where do I start? I’ll just give one of his postgame comments, but I have a lot more to say about today, which I’ll do in a separate place. Anyway, the Bucks missed 18 consecutive field goals from the third into the fourth quarter, and a lot were clean looks. Here’s what Doc had to say:
“I don’t care if it’s not in the paint. We’re getting wide-open threes. We’re one of the best shooting threes in the NBA. So if we take 30 of those, I can live with it. What I didn’t like is (that) we didn’t get the right shots. Half of them were twos, contested. That’s what bothered me in the game. Honestly, if we’d have got all those plays and they were wide-open threes and we had two points in the paint, but they were wide-open threes, I could go to sleep tonight. Because I know our guys got the right shots. I thought by the time we got the right shots, it was too late.”
Doc had earlier mentioned that “the good looks came after crappy basketball for the first 11 minutes of the third quarter.” Not addressing crappy basketball is bad enough. Moreover, shooters shoot, but to completely abandon anything inside?
Not that it was even a priority: the Bucks were 6/6 in the restricted area in the first half and 2/7 in the second half. Chicago had three injured in their frontcourt (Zach Collins, Jalen Smith, and Patrick Williams), so Nick Richards and Leonard Miller were their only guys above 6’8”. Matas Buzelis and Guerschon Yabusele rounded out an already-thin Bulls frontcourt post-deadline. Even without Giannis, Doc has five players 6’9” and up at his disposal, enough size and talent to deal with Chicago’s four. Not caring if their shots aren’t in the paint? To quote my colleague Jack Trehearne: diabolical.
Grade: F
Garbage Time: Gary Harris, Andre Jackson Jr., Pete Nance, Gary Trent Jr.
Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince, Cormac Ryan
Bonus Bucks Bits
Eight points is the lowest any NBA team has scored in a regulation quarter this season. Milwaukee was 2/21 from the floor in the period.
The Bulls’ 27-0 run was a franchise record. And that was the second-largest run the Bucks have ever given up: the worst was a 29-0 Cavs run at the Bradley Center in December 2009, as we found out postgame. For what it’s worth, the NBA record is 30-0.
Portis asked us assembled reporters in the locker room post-game if we’d ever seen anything like that run. He hadn’t, and none of us had either—at least not in person.
A few more stats on the Bucks’ epic drought: the 18 straight misses came between Cam Thomas’ lay-in at 1:23 in the third and Dieng’s dunk with 3:12 left in the game. That’s 10 minutes, 11 seconds.
They also missed 15 consecutive threes across a slightly longer span. At half, they were 10/23 from deep, a nice 43.5%. In the second half: 3/23, 13%. 13/46 overall is 28.3%. Barf.
There were seven minutes and 32 seconds between Bucks points, and it took them just over six minutes to register a point in the fourth.
But the most damning thing: of those 18 straight misses I mentioned? They took only one shot within 10 feet: a Portis driving hook.
For the game, they took 30 attempts in the paint, and the Bulls outscored them there 50-26. The disparity was particularly bad in the second half: Chicago was 17/20 in the paint, and Milwaukee shot just 5/17.
It was a sloppy game overall with 37 combined turnovers (19 for Milwaukee, 18 for Chicago), and Chicago scored six more points off them than Milwaukee’s 14.
Strangely enough, the Bucks had a sizeable shot advantage with 11 more field goal attempts than the Bulls. Part of that can be chalked up to the Bucks’ 11-7 edge on the offensive glass. Free throws were 23-17 in favor of the home team.
Milwaukee racked up 19 first-half assists—their highest total in a half since opening night—on 25 made baskets. Then seven on 10 makes in the second half. I’m no Red Auerbach, but I’d say that means you should probably pass the ball more.
In checking the shot chart, I was struck by this: the Bulls took only two shots between nine feet and the three-point line. The Bucks took… a whole lot more.
Matas Buzelis put Portis on a poster early in the fourth, but it’s all love: the two exchanged jerseys after the game. Bobby says he may need another room at home in Arkansas for the collection he’s amassed from opponents.
There was a baby race at halftime in the United Center. Only two of seven even made it off the starting line (the charity stripe), and one only made it a few feet. Everyone else just sat there. 11-month-old Will—the only one who truly crawled—annihilated the competition and was scooped up at midcourt by Benny the Bull after his victory. He was interviewed by the Bulls’ in-game emcee, and after showing brief tactile interest in the foamy microphone screen, he pushed it away.
Up Next
This was the front end of a back-to-back, with a quick trip back to Milwaukee tonight to face the Boston Celtics tomorrow evening. Tip is 6:30 p.m. Central on Peacock and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
