CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball had 30 points and 13 assists, and the Charlotte Hornets pulled away in a huge fourth quarter to beat the short-handed Miami Heat 136-106 on Tuesday night.
Coby White scored 24 points off the bench and rookie Kon Knueppel added 22 as Charlotte (35-34) won for the ninth time in 12 games. Brandon Miller scored 16 for the Hornets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Tyler Herro had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Heat (38-31), who dropped their second straight following a season-best seven-game winning streak. They played without star forward Bam Adebayo, who sat out with right calf tightness after being listed as questionable before the game.
Adebayo hadn't missed a game since Dec. 27. He scored 83 points last Tuesday in a 150-129 win over Washington, second-most in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.
Andrew Wiggins missed his sixth consecutive game with a toe injury, and Miami forward Nikola Jovic (back) did not play for the 12th game in a row. He was listed as probable before the game and was expected to return.
Miami remained seventh in the East, a half-game behind Orlando.
Miles Bridges had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, back home from a 2-2 trip against Western Conference teams. After leading 96-88 through three quarters, they outscored Miami 40-18 in the fourth.
Moussa Diabate grabbed 13 boards to go with eight points and four assists.
Ball, who also had six rebounds, reached 6,000 career points on a basket in the third quarter. He also scored 30 points last Wednesday in a 117-109 victory at Sacramento.
Norman Powell scored 17 points for Miami, which had won five consecutive meetings with the Hornets.
Up next
Heat: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Hornets: Host the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 17: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates his three-point basket against the Phoenix Suns in the first quarter at Target Center on March 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
They made you sweat a little bit for it, didn’t they?
The Phoenix Suns came into Target Center on the tail end of a back-to-back, playing in Boston and losing to the Celtics the night before. Making things more intriguing was was the Minnesota Timberwolves relation in the standings to Phoenix. Separated by just two games, a loss would creep the Wolves closer to play-in territory in the middle of a rocky stretch.
Even with Anthony Edwards out for the Wolves, his squad was still 3.5 point favorites.
One of the most durable players in the league, Edwards’ timetable was revealed Tuesday afternoon as a re-evaluation in 1-2 weeks. Without their heartbeat, a source of energy and production was going to need to reveal itself. Early on in the game, that source was non-existent.
Blitzing pick and rolls lazily and leaving the rolling big wide open, oftentimes reserve big Oso Ighodaro. Ighodaro is averging jsut under 5 points per game this season. He started out the game 5-6 from the field and paired it with 10 points. He wasn’t doing anything outside of the norm; simply setting screens and rolling hard.
More to Ighodaro’s big start was a Wolves team that seemed lost without their best player, standing in a circle pointing at each other in trying to figure out who would inevitably set the tone.
Not only did Hyland get his jumper working early, he also did his part in instilling pace into the Wolves offense, making in synonymous with rhythm and allowing the Wolves to ease into the game offensively. Though the Suns held a near double-digit lead for much of the first half, the home team was able to pull it back down and strolled into halftime with a one point lead.
Notable adjustments were made on the hard roller Phoenix was sending to the basket. Rudy Gobert stayed down in coverage defensively, and it forced the Suns, specifically Jalen Green, to hoist shots. Green finished the game 3-17 from the field.
Pair an increase in defensive involvement from Minnesota with a Julius Randle second half surge and the drag race down the floor that Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu created, it was a night that came up aces for the Wolves after a less than ideal start.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MARCH 17: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates his dunk against the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Target Center on March 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 116-104. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Goosebumps Once Again
Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle had been going through another awkward stretch on the court.
Over their last six games together, they carry a -4.0 net rating. Uncharacteristic yes, but the product on the court was much worse than what the net rating simply gives you.
Prone to falling into your-turn, my-turn offense where one starts taking shots when they feel like the other isn’t passing as much, therefore taking flow out of the offense, was starting to rear its head.
It’s never ideal when your best player goes down and needs to miss time, but in this situation, it might be beneficial for Randle to take the reigns in order to get his confidence back for Edwards’ return and a playoff push. Heading into the Oklahoma City game, Randle had hit on just 27 percent of this threes since the new year. Over the last two games now, Randle is shooting 62 percent.
But according to Head Coach Chris Finch, it’s not the shot in which he’s seen the biggest sign of improvement for Randle over the last couple games.
“His decisiveness,” he said. “The ball is finding him earlier in the offense, and I think he’s also trusting the next play a little more too.”
Randle said after the game that not much changes with Edwards not in the lineup. It’s hard to imagine that being the case. Randle has played extremely free over the last two games, and a tough third quarter from Edwards in Oklahoma City took rhythm out of the offense when he had the hot hand.
“Regardless, I gotta be aggressive,” he said.
I don’t want to sound like this is at all a slight on Ant. But sometimes, when that production gets taken out of the lineup in a group of talented players, it can force new solutions to arise, and perhaps that production can be replaced in the aggregate by good ball movement and free flowing offense that Edwards can work to ingrate into upon his return.
Randle finished the night with 32 points, marking the first time this season he’s finished with back to back 30 point games.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MARCH 17: Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves goes to the basket against Royce O'Neale #00 of the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Target Center on March 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 116-104. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Emptying the Notebook
1). Jaden McDaniels activity on offense while Edwards is out is a non-negotiable. He was an efficient 6-12 from the field for 16 points, but I would have loved to see him a little more active. Granted, he had his hands full guarding Devin Booker (to which he got called for a couple really tough fouls), but this stretch of games is one where i’d like to see Jaden start demanding the ball. The ball being in his hands is one of the best forms of offense this team can put together.
2). This game showed the problem the NBA has on its hands from a game flow standpoint. It was after 9:00 (CST) and the game still had time left in the third quarter. Due to flagrant reviews, coach challenges, and regular timeouts, there were several times in which eye-rolling pauses were taken to make everything was set up perfectly on the floor. Look, I appreciate the effort that the NBA has put in in making sure the determinations on the floor are correct. However, it’s getting to a point where it’s taking pace out of the game, which is one of the best parts about the game itself. I hope there are tweaks that can be made in the next couple offseasons (think the Sky Judge the NFL has, or a shot clock getting put on how long a game stoppage takes for a challenge. Just a couple thoughts.
Up Next
The Wolves will bring in an easier challenge for a back-to-back on Wednesday night against the tanking Utah Jazz. The Jazz will be without Lauri Markkanen, and are literally trying to lose. It would be very hard to blow that one, let alone at home.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches against Team Venezuela in the first inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Saturday. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
The first pitch of the Dodgers’ 2026 season won’t capture the exuberance of the last pitch of 2025. But it will be meaningful in its own right, as the official first step of the team’s quest for a third straight championship.
How poetic that the same arm should deliver both pitches.
"It's an honor for me,” Dodgers opening day starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto said Tuesday through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “And then it's opening day at a Dodger Stadium home game, and that's very [much an] honor to me. I also feel the responsibility."
Yamamoto is scheduled to make one more Cactus League start, against the Padres on Friday, before taking the Dodger Stadium mound next Thursday when the Diamondbacks come to town. It will be the second opening-day start of Yamamoto's MLB career, and his first at home.
It will also mark the end of a whirlwind offseason and spring training for Yamamoto, who not only shouldered a demanding postseason workload, but also navigated an especially quick turnaround to pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
“It’s hard to put into words,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He is just very driven, he’s very disciplined in his work. That’s some of the things that allows him to compete at a high level. Where most people would feel that you win the World Series MVP, you don't have enough to pitch in the WBC. He wanted to pitch for his country, and now he’s really excited about the start of 2026.
“He is a very determined person. He really is. We’re just lucky he’s on our team.”
No one needs to be reminded that Yamamoto was a playoff hero last year, but let's really break down his efforts.
On Oct. 14, Yamamoto made his third start of the postseason and threw a complete game against the Brewers to put the Dodgers ahead 2-0 in the NL Championship Series.
Eleven days later, he tossed another nine innings to help the Dodgers even the series against the Blue Jays. And he wrapped up the World Series with appearances on back-to-back days, starting Game 6 and finishing Game 7.
Yamamoto threw 526 pitches in the postseason, 235 in the World Series alone, and he still touched nearly 97 mph in his final inning of work.
Most pitchers would need at least a full offseason to recover. When Blake Snell slow-played his offseason because of lingering shoulder discomfort after the World Series run, the decision made all the sense in the world.
Yamamoto, however, was already pitching in meaningful games by March 6.
In Yamamoto's first start of the WBC, he held Chinese Taipei hitless for 2 ⅔ innings. Then in the quarterfinal game against Venezuela last Saturday, he surrendered a leadoff homer to Ronald Acuña Jr. and a second-inning RBI double to Gleyber Torres before settling in for two scoreless innings. The eventual 8-5 loss eliminated Team Japan from the WBC.
“As Team Japan, the result was not what we were aiming for,” Yamamoto said. “But at a personal level, my condition was good.”
The season will be the true test for Yamamoto’s training methods, which have been infamous since before his transition from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, and are already spreading across the Dodgers' clubhouse. Look no further than shortstop Mookie Betts this week lauding the effects of throwing a javelin.
If they continue to work, Yamamoto could be in the running for the Cy Young Award, after finishing third in National League voting last year.
“There's high competition, there are a lot of great pitchers out there,” Yamamoto said, “but I hope that I get there.”
Yamamoto’s offseason work, however, wasn’t simply geared toward getting to opening day or winning an individual award. He knows as well as anyone that this team has set a high bar with back-to-back championships.
“The same goal,” Yamamoto said of 2026, “winning a world championship with this team."
Now over four months removed from that final pitch of the 2025 World Series, one lesson has stuck with Yamamoto.
"I learned how difficult [it is] to get one win,” he said. “As a team, I want to be able to share that joy."
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 08: Jameson Taillon #50 of Team Canada throws a pitch against Team Panama during the first inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on March 08, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Tuesday night at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and join us. We’re waiving the cover charge. The dress code is casual. We still have a few tables available. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
On Tuesday nights I don’t generally write about movies. But I always have time for jazz, so let’s get to that now. You can skip ahead if you want.
We’re getting closer to International Jazz Day (April 30) and this is a performance from the 2018 International Jazz Day by pianist Robert Glasper. He’s got quite the elite side players with Ben Williamson on bass and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums.
This is “Stella By Starlight.”
Welcome back to everyone who skipped the music and movies.
The Cubs are counting on Jameson Taillon to be a rock at the back of the Cubs rotation this year. Taillon is in the final season of a four-year free agent contact that he signed before the 2023 season. So far, he’s been solid. Not great. Not bad. Solid. Everything you could hope for in a back-end starter. Taillon’s ERA last year was 3.68. Pretty good! His underlying numbers weren’t quite that good, but that was probably more because of the Cubs strong defense than luck. I was hoping for something similar out of Taillon in 2026.
But this spring, Taillon has not been good. He had a decent start in for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, allowing one run on two hits and two walks over 3.2 innings against Panama. That’s not bad! It was also against a second-rate Panamanian team.
Back in Mesa with the Cubs, Taillon has struggled. He’s made four starts and has gone 0-3 with a 22.18 ERA. Taillon’s made three starts before leaving for Team Canada. In the first one against the White Sox, he allowed four runs over 1.2 innings. In the second one against the Rockies, Taillon allowed three runs over two innings. Then against Cincinnati, Taillon got knocked around for six runs over 2.1 innings.
In his first game back from the World Baseball Classic, Taillon got shelled. He was rocked for ten runs on eight hits and four walks over just 3.1 innings. Like every other non-WBC game that Taillon has pitched this spring, he gave up two home runs.
So are we concerned about this? On the one hand, in the one game that Taillon pitched that counted, he was fine, albeit against a mediocre Panama team. It’s also just Spring Training, and the list of pitchers who had poor Spring Trainings and ended up having perfectly fine seasons is long. Most studies I’ve seen have said that except for some very specific exceptions (such as a power increase for hitters), Spring Training results don’t correlate at all to regular season results.
On the other hand, Taillon has look bad. Like really bad. And it’s not like Taillon is such an ace that we can just trust that he’ll bounce back once the starter’s gun sounds on the regular season. He’s not a pitcher with a ton of room for error. The home runs are especially concerning. Counting the WBC game, he’s allowed nine over four starts. That’s over just 15 innings.
So how concerned are you about Jameson Taillon heading into the season? I don’t think there’s any way that he doesn’t start the regular season as a member of the rotation, but how much leash should he have? Should the Cubs be sure that Colin Rea or Ben Brown’s April workload is such that they can make Taillon’s next start?
Thanks for stopping by tonight. We enjoyed having you stop in. Please get home safely. Don’t forget anything at your table or if you checked anything. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.
TORONTO — For all the pregame hype around Matthew Schaefer playing his first game in Toronto, it was the Islanders’ other area-native rookie, Cal Ritchie, who scored in his first game back home Tuesday.
And for all the consternation about the Islanders’ power play all year long, the 5-on-4 unit finally looks like it’s heating up, scoring twice for the second time in four games.
That all added up to a fairly straightforward 3-1 win against a Maple Leafs side that looks painfully aware of how poor a season they’re having.
Brayden Schenn celebrates with Matthew Schaefer after scoring a goal during the Islanders’ 3-1 win over the Maple Leafs during the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on March 17, 2026 in Toronto. NHLI via Getty Images
Two points here was a box the Islanders had to check on this road trip that heads next to Ottawa, with a razor-tight playoff race affording little margin for error.
Coach Patrick Roy was asked afterward — and after the Blue Jackets dispatched Carolina — about watching Columbus and Pittsburgh, the Islanders’ two chief opponents in the race, win seemingly every night.
“I think they see us winning every night too,” Roy said.
His team, a winner in four of five, filled its end of the bargain here in workmanlike fashion. The Islanders led from 4:15 in and put on a clinic in defending a lead: controlling possession, putting the puck deep, keeping Toronto to the outside. It was far from the most entertaining game of the season, but the two headliners — Ritchie and the power play — carry serious implications if what happened Tuesday can last.
There have been moments this season when Ritchie has seemed to waver in confidence, and as recently as a couple of weeks ago, it felt like the Islanders were pushing for more out of the 21-year-old. He’s continued to have ups and downs, as expected from any rookie, but the move to the wing is going well. So is his move to the goal-line spot on the power play, which he’d never played before the Islanders assigned it to him.
“You watch a lot of clips,” Ritchie said. “Got a lot of really good players on this team that I can learn from. I’m trying to take it all in, trying to learn every day.”
Calum Ritchie celebrates at the bench after scoring a goal during the Islanders’ road win over the Maple Leafs. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
It was only right, too, that Brayden Schenn — whom the Isles have assigned to mentor Ritchie — scored his first Islanders goal on an assist from the rookie, and it was a beauty, with Ritchie in the middle of a tic-tac-toe power-play goal that started with Mathew Barzal and ended with a Schenn one-timer for a 1-0 lead.
“We talked a lot,” Schenn said. “He’s working at it, and he’s getting rewarded for it, which is cool to see.”
It was the first of two goals the power play scored in the first period, and the second was all Ritchie, stuffing in his own rebound just nine seconds after Brandon Carlo went for a high stick. That made it a perfect homecoming for Ritchie, who said he got chills standing on the blue line for the national anthem.
That ought to boost Ritchie’s confidence plenty. Just as important: The power play suddenly seems potent, having won the Islanders a game in St. Louis last week — another two-point game for Ritchie — and having gotten them out to an early lead Tuesday.
Toronto center Jacob Quillan (26) battles with defenseman Carson Soucy (4) in front of goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) during the third period of the Islanders’ road win over the Maple Leafs. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
At this point in the year, it’s likely too late to rescue the Islanders’ woeful ranking at 5-on-4, but they can certainly render it meaningless. Finally, there appear to be signs of a breakthrough.
“It wasn’t anything pretty,” Bo Horvat told The Post. “We just took pucks to the net, and Ritch did a great job taking the puck to the net, especially on his goal. And a great feed over to Schenner on his.
“We’re not trying to overcomplicate things. It’s just moving the puck fast and doing it well.”
For all that, plus Barzal notching a three-assist night for the first time since January 2024, one would think this game had plenty more excitement than it did.
Aside from the odd moment, though — Morgan Rielly dropping gloves with Kyle MacLean, Emil Heineman’s one-timer that made it 3-1 off a suffocating top-line shift — the game stayed in a sort of stasis. The Leafs, with little energy in front of a quiet home crowd, never really forced the issue, and the Islanders were plenty content with that equilibrium.
All told, it was one of the more forgettable 60 minutes of the season. If its trends can last, though, it may be one of the more significant.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros pitches during a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 10, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Astros clobbered the Pirates earlier today 10-2, beating up on SP Mitch Keller. Keller has been a solid starter for the last 4 seasons.
Lance McCullers Jr. had another encouraging start, this time going 4 innings. He allowed 1 run on 3 hits, walking 3 and striking out 1, with a hit batter. He was clearly working on certain pitches at certain points in the game. He threw 31 of his 58 pitches for strikes.
Lance primarily worked 92-93 with fastball, but twice hit 94+, once at 94.1, and once at 94.4. He appeared at times to be focused on refining his cutter. McCullers looks to be in line to be a part of the starting rotation. While there has been some recent consternation of whether the Astros will employ a 5 or 6 man rotation, it would seem McCullers will be, at worst, the Astros 5th starter until he shows he cannot handle the job.
Joey Loperfido continued his strong spring, going 1×1 with 2 walks and 3 runs scored out of the leadoff spot. He also stole his 3rd base of spring. Loperfido played RF today. If we are to believe Astros GM Dana Brown that Spring Training performance matters, Loperfido should have played his way into being a starting outfielder, leapfrogging Zach Cole. Loperfido is batting .355 with a .958 OPS in Spring.
Cole, meanwhile, played CF and was 1×3 with a HR and 2 BB, He also struck out twice, which has been his Achilles heel all spring. Cole hit an 82 MPH sweeper on the inside black about belt high 412 ft to RF, the ball coming off the bat at 110.1 MPH. Despite the strikeouts, Cole’s exit velocities have been very high, and management believes he has had some bad luck on batted balls at very high exit velos this spring. Cole needed a game like today to keep his name in the conversation for making the Opening Day roster.
Cole’s second HR of spring came as the second of back-to-back home runs with Brice Matthews. Matthews first HR of spring was a 2-run shot to right. He drove a 2-2 sweeper that came in just under 82 mph on the outer third of the plate about belt high opposite field 345 ft at 94.4 MPH off the bat. Matthews was 1×3 with a pair of walks, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. He started the game at 2B, where he was a part of 3 double plays, and then shifted to LF.
While Matthews wasn’t expected to make the Opening Day roster, Jeremy Pena’s injury situation could potentially open a door for him. If Pena starts the season on the IL, there are certainly scenarios where Matthews could play 2B with Jose Altuve DHing, or Matthews could play either CF or RF with Yordan Alvarez DHing.
Shay Whitcomb also continues to make his case for an Opening Day spot. After a solid WBC that saw him launch 2 HR in his first WBC game, he started today at 3B and started an around-the-horn double play. He also went 2×3 with a run scored and 2 RBI, as well as his 2nd SB of spring. Whitcomb is batting .308 with a .785 OPS this spring, not including the WBC. While Whitcomb is a longshot to make the OD roster, he has played well enough to be in the mix and get himself in consideration for a call up later on.
Taylor Trammell has cooled off significantly in recent days. He finished today 0x3 with a walk. He struck out 3 times. His batting average has fallen to .250 while his OPS remains a strong .854. Astros have to beware of fools’ gold with Trammell, who has never hit at the MLB level in his career, but is a very good defender at all 3 outfield spots with a strong arm and good speed. He was a longshot to make the OD roster, got himself in the mix with strong early play, but is likely playing himself right back down to Triple-A. He is likely a minor league depth piece provided he stays in the organization.
Christian Vazquez made his first appearance of spring for the Astros Tuesday after joining the team following the WBC. Vazquez’ signing late in spring should be all the evidence needed that he has the inside track to being the backup catcher over Cesar Salazar. Team clearly is not comfortable with Salazar’s bat at the MLB level, so much so they signed a player who hasn’t hit a lick since the Astros acquired him at the deadline in 2022. However, Vazquez is respected league-wide for his defense, preparation and leadership. He went 1×3 with 2 walks, a run scored and an RBI.
Roddery Munoz and Christian Roa continue to make their pushes to be part of the bullpen. Munoz, a Rule V pick who must be returned to the Reds if he isn’t on the MLB roster all season, has rebounded from a rough start to spring to put himself squarely in the mix for a pen spot. He went 1.1 IP today of scoreless ball, he allowed 2 hits and struck out 1. He has been mowing guys down guys at the plate since his second appearance and now has 14K in 8.1 IP.
Roa went 1.2 IP scoreless and hitless, striking out 2. His only blemish was hitting a batter. He has a 1.04 ERA this spring.
J.P France will start Wednesday and Peter Lambert Thursday.
J.P. France will start tomorrow for the Astros and Peter Lambert will start on Thursday. Lance McCullers is pitching today in Bradenton and Tatsuya Imai is throwing a sim game in West Palm.
As the Astros get prepared to play the Pirates across the state in Bradenton, Tatsuya Imai is about to pitch in a simulated game here in West Palm Beach. Altuve, Correa and Walker among those facing him.
Jose Soriano was 10-11 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.396 WHIP last season in LA. While he did allow a league-low 0.6 HR/9 rate, he only strikes out 8.1 batters per nine, and his walk rate was 4.2/9, which is quite high. He is entering his 4th MLB season at age 27. Soriano is a righthander, but he had reverse splits, performing better vs. lefties than righties. He allowed a .268 AVG and .715 OPS to righty hitters and only a .233 AVG and .666 OPS to lefties.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham left the March 17 game against the Washington Wizards after just 5 minutes due to back spasms.
Cunningham was seemingly hurt while playing defense on Wizards guard Tre Johnson early in the first quarter.
Johnson lost the ball and Cunningham went to dive for the loose ball. Johnson went to regain his dribble and landed on top of Cunningham, who was descending to the hardwood.
Cunningham was slow to get off the floor but was eventually lifted up with the help of teammates Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson.
Cade Cunningham won’t return tonight due to back spasms. This is the play that took him out pic.twitter.com/Mj5ZHcWL7G
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Danny Ainge CEO of Basketball Operations for the Utah Jazz and Austin Ainge Director of Player Personnel for the Boston Celtics smile and look on during the 2022 NBA Summer League on July 9, 2022 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Shams Charania, the NBA will hold a Board of Governors meeting to vote on adding two expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.
Just in: The NBA will hold a vote at the Board of Governors meetings March 24-25 to explore adding expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle, with the two franchises targeted for the 2028-29 season, sources tell ESPN. There is momentum for stakeholders to approve… pic.twitter.com/H6AYVdhh7S
Shams mentions that “A growing number of owners are believed to support expansion because of the long-term revenue growth for the league from the Las Vegas and Seattle markets.” That revenue growth could be great but it’s not just that, NBA owners would also receive somewhere around $300M each as part of the expansion fee. I know I can be a little radical at times, but something tells me that’s part of the reason owners are booking their private jet as fast as they can to sign warming up to the idea.
Aside from Ryan Smith getting more money than one can count, how does this affect the Jazz? Well, it does give Smith some money to offset a Jazz cap situation that could get really expensive, really soon. That’s a possibily but that’s Smith’s choice. As far as the team itself, it likely means an expansion draft.
Tim Bontemps at ESPN did a great writeup on what an expansion draft would look like:
During the 2004 expansion that brought in the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets), existing NBA teams were allowed to protect up to eight players under contract for the next season from being selected.
Past expansion draft rules required that a team had to leave at least one player unprotected, even if the team had fewer than eight players under contract heading into the offseason. Those with options to become a free agent count toward that total, and, if selected, the player’s former team would receive a trade exception in the amount of that player’s 2028-29 salary.
Teams were also allowed to protect players who could become restricted free agents, but past expansion draft rules did not transfer RFA status to the expansion team. The drafting team would be at risk of losing a player for nothing. (However, the player would not be allowed to re-sign with his original team.)
In past expansion drafts, teams were allowed to select only one player from each existing NBA franchise.
There were no two-way players in 2004, so the league will need to determine if they can be protected in a future expansion draft. Every two-way player whose contract is up normally becomes a restricted free agent.
One thing to point out is that the NBA and NBPA would be operating under the current collective bargaining agreement, which runs through the 2029-30 season. There is a provision however that allows either side the option to terminate the CBA on June 30, 2029, if there is notice given on or before Oct. 15, 2028.
So, according to this, Utah would have to make at least one player under contract available for draft. If we use next season as an example (26-27) here is a list of players under contract (I’m assuming the Jazz will sign Walker Kessler, and they should keep their new draft pick):
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Lauri Markkanen
Keyonte George
Ace Bailey
Walker Kessler
New Draft Pick
John Konchar
Cody Williams
Brice Sensabaugh
Svi Mykhailiuk (Non-Guarantee)
Kyle Filipowski (Non-Guarantee)
Isaiah Collier
With this list of players, Utah would have to choose one player to make available to draft. My guess is that the Jazz will guarantee Filipowski and Svi, at the very least, to make sure they have a wide array of choices for who they make available. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone like Blake Hinson gets a contract just for this type of situation.
That said, it does bring up an interesting question: who would you be willing to give up from this list for the draft?
John Konchar
Cody Williams
Brice Sensabaugh
Svi Mykhailiuk
Kyle Filipowski
Isaiah Collier
This makes for an interesting wrinkle to upcoming offseasons when looking at different signings. I’m sure the Jazz are already thinking about this and will likely make signings to ensure they keep the players they want on the roster going forward. There may be a signing made for the sole purpose of being made available for drafting. For some teams, this may become a situation where maybe they hope a player gets picked. Maybe there’s a team with an albatross contract that they’d love to offload. Personally, I’m excited to see how this works out.
One thing to also consider is whether it makes things awkward if the Jazz make a player available, but he’s not drafted? I could see that being a difficult wrinkle as well. It may mean nothing, but it certainly will make that specific player more willing to move on in the future.
The Knicks didn’t need Jalen Brunson. They had his podcast partner.
Josh Hart dropped 33 points — his most since joining the team three years ago — as the Brunson-less Knicks went on a scoring binge Tuesday to beat the Pacers 136-110 at the Garden.
Hart, who played just 26 minutes and sat the entire fourth quarter because it was a blowout, was nearly perfect while hitting all five of his 3s and shooting 12-for-13 overall.
Josh Hart, who scored a game-high 33 points, reacts during the Knicks’ 136-110 blowout win over Pacers on March 17, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Hart fell 11 points shy of his career high of 44, set in 2022 with the Trail Blazers. His previous best with the Knicks was 31.
“I just like the fact he took the right shots,” coach Mike Brown said. “He didn’t hesitate. …
“Just tried to give him confidence, let it fly, let it fly. And live with the results.”
Tuesday’s resounding victory — a fourth straight win for the Knicks (45-25) — was their first game in over two months without Brunson, who sat with a neck strain. The All-Star watched in street clothes as the offense took off without him.
Jose Alvarado, making his first start with the franchise because of Brunson’s absence, rose to the occasion with 16 points and 10 assists. He entered the evening on a nine-game skid without hitting a 3-pointer, missing all 11 of his attempts during that stretch.
Then Alvarado hit three treys before halftime against the Pacers, finishing 4-for-7 from deep.
OG Anunoby, who scored 26 points, goes up for a dunk during the Knicks’ blowout win over the Pacers at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“It was a weight off my shoulders,” Alvarado said. “I wasn’t really focused on [my shooting slump], but obviously it was in the back of my mind, something that’s not who I am. I just trust the work.”
The Knicks scored 72 points in the first half, including 19 from Hart and 18 from OG Anunoby.
The lone inefficient shooter was again Mikal Bridges, whose night started inauspiciously — he twisted his ankle while badly missing a layup — and who had just four points at the break on 2-for-7 shooting.
Jose Alvarado, who scored 16 points, drives on Quenton Jackson during the Knicks’ blowout win over Pacers at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Bridges finished with 10 points on 4-for-12 shooting.
It continued a slump for Bridges, whose confidence has looked shaken since the All-Star break.
But that didn’t matter Tuesday. The rest of the Knicks caught fire.
“It was special,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 22 points to go with 11 rebounds. “It’s a game obviously we’re missing JB. We all understood the importance of picking up the slack, and I thought all of us in this locker room, particularly Josh, did a great job of playing team basketball. It was great for all of us — obviously one person’s not gonna replace Jalen, but we all can collectively come together and try to play better basketball for each other with his absence.”
The Pacers (15-54) long ago committed to tanking and own the worst record in the league. They lost Tyrese Haliburton for the season, and their second-best player, Pascal Siakam, was out Tuesday because of a knee problem.
Still, Indiana has played harder against the Knicks this season, which is probably related to a rivalry built on consecutive head-to-head playoff series.
On Tuesday, the Pacers led by six early but were quickly overwhelmed by New York’s hot shooting.
Especially Hart’s. The turning point was a 15-2 run to end the half.
TORONTO (AP) — Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist on a pair of first-period power plays as the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since being acquired from St. Louis ahead of the trade deadline, and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won nine of 12.
Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for New York, and Mathew Barzal had three assists.
Steven Lorentz scored for Toronto. Joseph Woll stopped 31 shots.
The Leafs fell to 2-1-1 since losing captain Auston Matthews for the season to a knee injury — a run on the heels of an ugly 0-6-2 slide that all but cratered their playoff hopes.
New York’s Matthew Schaefer picked up an assist to move within one point of becoming the fourth rookie defenseman in franchise history to reach 50 in a season. The 18-year-old is looking to join Stefan Persson (56 in 1977-78), Denis Potvin (54 in 1973-74) and Vladimir Malakhov (52 in 1992-93).
Schenn scored on the game’s first power play at 4:15 of the first. Ritchie doubled New York’s lead at 9:43, also with the man advantage.
Toronto entered Tuesday with the NHL’s third-best penalty kill at 83.5 percent. New York’s power play was 29th at 15.9 percent.
MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored 4:38 into overtime as the Montreal Canadiens edged the Boston Bruins 3-2 in a rivalry matchup Tuesday night.
Caufield tapped a pass from Nick Suzuki into the back of the net for his 40th of the season, becoming the first Canadien to reach the mark since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94.
Suzuki and Josh Anderson also scored while Jakub Dobes made 26 saves for Montreal, which snapped a two-game losing skid.
Brendan Gallagher picked up an assist in his 900th NHL game, all for Montreal.
Pavel Zacha had both goals for Boston, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots.
The Canadiens sat third in the Atlantic Division and one point ahead of the Bruins — with one game in hand — heading into Tuesday’s games.
Zacha opened the scoring on the power play 2:22 into the first period when he shoveled home a backhand after Alexandre Carrier’s double-minor for high-sticking put the Canadiens on a four-minute penalty kill.
Suzuki replied at 10:30, casually deking to his backhand following a net-front pass from Juraj Slafkovsky to beat Swayman and tie the game.
Five minutes into the second period, Zacha tipped Viktor Arvidsson’s pass for his second of the night after defensive-zone confusion between Montreal’s Lane Hutson and Oliver Kapanen left the Bruins center all alone in front of the net. Anderson evened the score again at 13:15 in the second with a deflection on Hutson’s point shot.
Bruins star winger David Pastrnak extended his point streak against Montreal to 14 games, tying Bobby Orr for the longest by a Bruins player against the Canadiens.
MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 17: Tanner Jeannot (84) of the Boston Bruins wrestles with Alexandre Carrier (45) of the Montréal Canadiens during the second period of the NHL game between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens on Mar 17, 2026, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was déja vu all over again for the Bruins, as for the second night in a row, they gave away a lead and lost late in overtime.
This time, it was a Cole Caufield goal with 22 seconds left in the extra session that sank the B’s, giving Montreal an important 3-2 win in this Atlantic Division showdown.
Pavel Zacha scored both Bruins goals, while Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves in defeat.
The Bruins had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in this game, only to see the Habs respond about eight minutes later in each case.
After a scoreless third period, Montreal emerged on top after a back-and-forth OT that saw the teams trade a few chances.
Overall, this was a pretty evenly played game, but one that ends with further frustration for the B’s as they squandered a point for the second time in 24 hours.
Zacha got the scoring started with a power play goal two minutes into the game, making it 1-0 Bruins.
That would remain the score through the third period and until late in overtime, when Cole Caufield scored with 22 seconds left to win the game for Montreal.
I suppose you can look on the bright side and say that the Bruins took four points out of a possible six on this three-game road trip, but it doesn’t really feel like a “glass half full” vibe at the moment. In a vacuum, this was a tight game that game down to Montreal making one extra play, but it becomes more frustrating when paired with last night’s unraveling in New Jersey.
The Bruins could have used more from their power play tonight, as they were given four opportunities with the man advantage, a rarity for a road game in Montreal. While they cashed in on one of those, the first half of a double minor early in the first period, they came up empty the rest of the way.
I know 3-on-3 OT usually ends up in a chaotic mix of guys swirling around, but I’m not sure the decision to let Caufield set up camp all alone in the crease was the best decision. Just a suggestion for the future.
Zacha had a chance for a fairy tale ending in this one, as he was sprung for a breakaway in OT about a minute before Caufield’s winner.
That winner was Caufield’s 40th goal of the season, the first time he has hit that mark in the NHL.
While he ultimately takes the loss, Swayman played well for the Bruins in this one. I’m not sure how you fault him for any of the three Montreal goals.
While a point certainly doesn’t hurt the Bruins, things got a little tighter near the wild card spots thanks to Columbus’s 5-1 pasting of Carolina.
The B’s currently find themselves in the first wild card spot due to a regulation wins tiebreaker over Detroit, with Columbus just a point back of both teams.
The Bruins will be off on Wednesday before hosting the Winnipeg Jets at TD Garden on Thursday night. A huge game against the Red Wings in Detroit will follow on Saturday night.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 17: Brayden Schenn #10 celebrates scoring a goal against the New York Islanders with his teammates during the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on March 17, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Unsurprisingly in the lead up to this game, all the media attention for the New York Islanders was on rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer, who is from Hamilton, Ontario, and grew up going to Toronto Maple Leafs games. Blah, blah, you’ve heard it all before. But it would be a different rookie from the Toronto area who dominated the scoresheet tonight, as Cal Ritchie, also playing in his first game against the Maple Leafs (or should I say the St. Pats?) in Toronto, picked up a goal and an assist in the first period, both coming on the power play.
Ritchie set up Brayden Schenn’s first as an Islander before scoring what would be the eventual game winner himself, showing off in front of his family and friends. And Schaefer picked up an assist on Ritchie’s game winner, while Mathew Barzal, noted Leaf killer, assisted on all three goals, and he’s now up to 25 points in 21 games against the Maple Leafs.
Big win, and a solid start to a Canadian road trip, since Columbus won yet again and Boston picked up a point against Montreal.
William Nylander had a chance early that Ilya Sorokin saved after an Islanders giveaway.
After Cal Ritchie took a light slash on a developing 2 on 1, the Islanders went to the power play. On that power play, Mat Barzal passed the puck off to Ritchie, who went for a behind the back pass to Brayden Schenn, who scored his first goal as a New York Islander.
Adam Pelech took a hooking penalty on John Tavares, but the Islanders were the more dangerous team on the Leafs PP, as Simon Holmstrom had a short handed chance saved by Joseph Woll, and as the penalty expired, Holmstrom set up JG Pageau for a great chance that was saved by Woll as well.
Anthony Duclair was high sticked by Brandon Carlo, putting the Isles on the power play again. And again, they’d score quickly, as Barzal set up Ritchie in front. Ritchie picked up his own rebound and made it 2-0 batting the puck in past Woll.
Later, Sorokin made a big save on Mattias Maccelli to maintain the two goal lead.
Second Period
Bo Horvat hit the post on a good chance in front of Woll, and Nylander had a shot saved by Sorokin. Pelech was called for his second penalty of the game for slashing Nylander on that play.
Shorthanded, Matthew Schaefer set up a 3 on 2, but Holmstrom was knocked down, and Dakota Joshua was called for holding. There were chances exchanged during the 4 on 4, but neither team scored.
And then shortly after, the Leafs cut the Isles lead in half when Steven Lorentz made it 2-1. The Leafs looked much stronger this period, but a few minutes later, Emil Heineman restored the two goal lead, making it 3-1 off a pass from Tony DeAngelo. Barzal also picked up his third assist of the game on the goal.
Casey Cizikas was called for hooking, but the Islanders killed that.
Kyle MacLean made slight contact with Woll while skating across the ice near the crease, and Morgan Rielly cross checked him and then they exchanged punches. Both players got five minute majors, and Rielly also picked up the extra 2 minutes for cross checking, sending the Isles to the PP.
Horvat’s stick broke on a one timer chance, and he had to get back with a new stick off the bench to help defend a shorthanded chance from the Leafs, and the Leafs killed the penalty.
Third Period
Sorokin saved Calle Jarnkrok’s shot but left a big rebound, and Jacob Quillan put the puck wide as Sorokin was getting across.
That was the most dangerous chance for a while, but then Tavares took a four minute high sticking double minor. The four minute power play was pretty dangerous, but the Isles didn’t score on it. The Leafs pulled Woll as soon as they got possession, while still on the penalty kill, but they couldn’t score anything, and the Islanders would close out the 3-1 win.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders head to Ottawa to take on the Senators on Thursday night. The Senators are just hanging on in the wild card mix with a couple extra games to play, so this will be another important game with playoff implications as the Isles try to maintain their 3rd seed in the Metro Division.
Mar 17, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson (29) shoots past New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The past two playoffs, the Knicks lost to the Pacers despite Jalen Brunson’s heroics. Tonight the Knicks beat beat them 136-110 despite Brunson’s absence due to ankle and cervical owies.
Interviewed after the final buzzer, Josh Hart said he was able to have a big scoring night because Brunson wasn’t around to hog the ball. When you become just the fourth Knickerbocker* to score 30+ points shooting 90% or better, you can say whatever you want. 33 points on 12-of-13 shooting for Hart. For you Knick numerologists out there, that’s a holy trinity of digits: Patrick Ewing, Dick Barnett and Malik Rose. Amen y amen.
Hart was joshing, but the Knicks let many hands make light work of the captain’s absence. Six Knicks scored in double-figures with five dishing four or more dimes. It all added up to a Pleasantville-like frictionlessness: 38 assists to nine turnovers. If this were a video game, you’d have raised the difficulty level a few. Not that Indiana didn’t make it a game for most of the night; the fifth law of thermodynamics states the Pacers will always be more of a problem for the Knicks than it seems they should. For Knicks fans of almost any age, any win over any Pacers team goes down smooth.
That’s four straight wins for your favorite team’s favorite team. Russell Richardson’s got your recap a-comin’. Cleveland’s in a dogfight late with the Giannis-less Bucks. Go Giannis-less Bucks!
*Hart joins Walt Bellamy, Willis Reed and Bernard King
TORONTO (AP) — Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist on a pair of first-period power plays as the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since being acquired from St. Louis ahead of the trade deadline, and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won nine of 12.
Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for New York, and Mathew Barzal had three assists.
Steven Lorentz scored for Toronto. Joseph Woll stopped 31 shots.
The Leafs fell to 2-1-1 since losing captain Auston Matthews for the season to a knee injury — a run on the heels of an ugly 0-6-2 slide that all but cratered their playoff hopes.
New York's Matthew Schaefer picked up an assist to move within one point of becoming the fourth rookie defenseman in franchise history to reach 50 in a season. The 18-year-old is looking to join Stefan Persson (56 in 1977-78), Denis Potvin (54 in 1973-74) and Vladimir Malakhov (52 in 1992-93).
Schenn scored on the game's first power play at 4:15 of the first. Ritchie doubled New York's lead at 9:43, also with the man advantage.
Toronto entered Tuesday with the NHL’s third-best penalty kill at 83.5%. New York’s power play was 29th at 15.9%.
