Passing Michael Jordan in the record books is the stuff of legends.
Kevin Durant is unquestionably that. With a late-game corner 3 on Saturday night, Durant passed Jordan to move into fifth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 32,294 points.
KD PASSES MJ
With this three, Kevin Durant passes Michael Jordan for 5th on the all-time SCORING list! pic.twitter.com/byqx3AFLer
" It's cool, butit'ss hard to take in when you're still on the journey, when you just care about getting better," Durant said post game, via the Associated Press. "I don't ever want to downplay stuff like that, but I've got to get up and come to work tomorrow."
Next up on the all-time list is Kobe Bryant, who's fourth with 33,643 points. Durant already passed Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki this season.
Durant was asked post game about his favorite Jordan memory.
"No. That's like asking me do I got a favorite Drake song," he said, via the Associated Press. ."No, they're just all great. MJ has so many great moments. He just personifies iconic god level – just everything that I believe in, he personifies."
Houston beat the Heat 123-122 because, when Durant missed the game-winning shot, Amen Thompson had the tip-in for the win.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Luke Raley #20 of the Seattle Mariners walks into the dugout during a Spring Training game against the Colorado Rockies at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there was much to be seen in tonight’s game, it came early. Ironically, in a match up that was moved to the night time so as to mitigate the record heat wave scorching nearly the entire American West, the only things of major consequence came while the sun was still up.
A sloppy first inning for Seattle starter George Kirby set a troubling scene in the righty’s final tune-up before the regular season begins in under a week. Thankfully, while Kirby does continue to be an enigmatic arm as he continues tweaking and refining his repertoire, by the time he departed the game in the sixth inning, he’s yielded just a single run. Kirby’s velocity sat between 96 and 98 mph all evening on his fast ball and wow, his slider was intermittent in its efficacy, he threw a number of impressive change ups and/or splitters.
This was not the most potent version of the Chicago Cubs, with no Ian Happ, Alex Bregman, or Nico Hoerner. But these were largely big league hitters, and ones Chicago expects to play every day or significant roles this year. That estimation holds true for Colin Rea as well, who’s start went disappointingly smoothly against a mostly opening day Mariners lineup. Josh Naylor scattered some singles as he is wont to do, but on the whole it was a quiet night offensively.
Of the rest…
Gabe Speier got roughed up once again. Nothing particularly seemed awry for the southpaw, so I’m not inclined to fret. It’s just been a tricky spate in spring and in the World Baseball Classic for Seattle’s lefty.
Cole Young looked fine at shortstop, albeit without too much high-strain work.
Cole Wilcox continues to impress, with another sharp inning in the 9th that has me considering his capacity to help this club in the very near term.
Yosver Zulueta could not record an out, which is why the final total looked so grim. After some solid location to start his outing, things fell apart swiftly and he was getting rocked by the time Michael Rucker came in to mercifully retire the side.
Nothing entirely standout for Luke Raley, but he did a number of little things that reminded me just how nice of a player he is when properly healthy, something Seattle rarely if ever got in 2025 out of him.
Cal and Randy appear to have fully made nice, with Arozarena delivering an apology and related it to the press.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Nikita Kucherov had two goals and two assists to take the NHL scoring lead from Edmonton star Connor McDavid in the Tampa Bay Lightning's 5-2 victory over the Oilers on Saturday night.
Kucherov scored his 39th and 40th goals and had his 77th and 78th assists to push his season points total to 118. McDavid had his 38th goal to get to 116. Kucherov has 12 points in his last three games and 22 in his last eight.
Anthony Cirelli also scored twice, Jake Guentzel added a goal and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for Tampa Bay. Second in the Atlantic Division, the Lightning have won three in a row and four of five.
Josh Samanski also scored for Edmonton, and Connor Ingram stopped 22 shots. Second in the Pacific, the Oilers have lost two in a row.
The Lightning took a 3-1 lead with three minutes left in the second period. Kucherov emerged from the penalty box at the end of the first half of an Edmonton five-on-three advantage. and J.J. Moser sprung him on a breakaway for his first career short-handed goal.
McDavid is just shy of three milestones. He's a goal away from 400, an assist from 800 and two points short of 1,200.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Beau Leroux scored in first-half stoppage time and Daniel De Sousa Britto made it stand as the San Jose Earthquakes cooled off Vancouver with a 1-0 victory on Saturday night, ruining the start of a five-match homestand for the Whitecaps.
Leroux scored unassisted in the second minute of stoppage time to give the Earthquakes (4-1-0) the lead for good. Leroux's first goal this season comes after scoring five times in 33 matches as a rookie last year.
Daniel finished with six saves in posting his fourth clean sheet in five starts this season and his 15th in 68 career starts — all with the Earthquakes. He's never had more than five in one season.
Yohei Takaoka saved one shot on goal for the Whitecaps (4-1-0), who outscored their opponents 14-1 in winning their first four matches.
Vancouver falls into a second-place tie with San Jose, one point behind Los Angeles FC in a hotly-contested Western Conference that boasts seven teams with at least three victories through the first five weeks.
The Earthquakes also evened the series at 13-13-12.
Vancouver entered the match with a 20-4-7 all-time record at BC Place under head coach Jesper Sørensen.
St. Louis City was the last team to open with five straight victories — doing so in its 2023 expansion. season.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket against Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Suns cannot get out of this funk as of late, and it keeps continuing. These injuries continue to keep this team depleted, and with some late-game offensive struggles again, they fall to the Milwaukee Bucks 108-105. This is very sad for the team as they are now continuing this losing streak at home, but not only that, they lost to a Giannis-less Bucks team.
This team was led by Jalen Green, who had 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. He was able to find his rhythm early and late for this team, like he usually has, but struggled throughout the middle once again. One thing the team needs to figure out is how to work all three of their scorers together effectively, as it hasn’t been clicking lately.
For the Bucks, they were led by Ryan Rollins, a great underdog story, who kept finding his spots against a defense that got lost in the second quarter. He had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, leading their team. Kyle Kuzma also had a great game, but left early due to some tightness. preventing an injury. If he had finished the game, who knows, this one could have been out of reach earlier.
One thing is clear, though: they are missing Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, and the veteran wings tremendously.
Game Flow
First Half
The Suns started this one off on the right note, getting to an early 9-0 lead. The Suns were actively hunting the paint to find baskets going to Oso Ighodaro and Jalen Green early. This hot start is something we are used to, but seeing it strike once again gives the fans hope of breaking this losing streak. The Bucks did answer back, but the Suns were able to maintain the defensive intensity to keep the lead.
Quick 9-0 start for the Suns, as Devin Booker creates this extra possession by crashing from the corner pic.twitter.com/81pfjLGxAZ
With the team back home, they want to make sure they show out for their fans, and they did, to start. The Bucks have been able to find ways to the free-throw line, creating opportunities. But it went over 5 minutes without a field goal.
The one scary moment was when Jamaree Bouyea went up for a rebound and fell hard. Luckily, he was able to get up and walk off on his own. But the team could use his energy with them, so, depleted without Giannis, the Bucks are just struggling on both ends, and the Suns lead 26-15 after one quarter of play.
In the second quarter, it sadly was a bit of a different story to start. The Suns’ lead started to shrink after the Bucks had some big shots from Pete Nance and AJ Green. Jalen Green tried his best to keep the team afloat offensively, but it was just not enough as the Suns were forced to take a timeout and stop the bleeding.
Sadly, after that timeout, Phoenix did not change much as the Bucks slowly crawled back into this one, with the Suns struggling at the free-throw line; they are currently 1-5 to start. Once again, Kyle Kuzma is getting hot, too, which allowed the Bucks to tie it up at 37 halfway through this quarter.
If you read the preview for this game, you would know I mentioned that stopping Kyle Kuzma would be key. Unfortunately, he heats up in the second half once again, making some big shots. For the Suns, though, they did find some rhythm here offensively from Green and Goodwin.
The Bucks saw this hot streak continue with Ryan Rollins, who started making some tough baskets and bringing that lead bigger for Milwaukee. At the end of the quarter, though, the Suns woke up a bit and made some tough shots, especially the last one from Bouyea, to only be down five at half. The Suns’ defense has to be stronger on rotations and stopping the Bucks from getting to their spots on offense.
Second Half
In the third, the Suns saw a resurgence, with Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro finding some baskets early. Ighodaro’s growth this season has been incredible, and recently, he has found his way to get some big slams that have brought some nice rewards. Gillespie also made another big three as he looks to be on one so far, with 4 triples. This gave Phoenix the lead back, but not for long.
The Nucks would then continue their onslaught, as they had just been dominating on the glass. Jerachio Sims was controlling every offensive rebound for them, allowing the Bucks more opportunities for second-chance points. This, with Kuzma and Rollins continuing to make threes, left the Suns trailing once again.
Unfortunately for the Bucks, Kyle Kuzma left with right Achilles tightness, and with one of their snipers now out, the Suns found a way back into this one. After back-to-back threes from Rasheer Fleming and Ryan Dunn, the Suns saw the lead and held it into the fourth, up by one, 82-81.
To start the fourth, the Suns went with the man who started it all for them in Jalen Green. He started finding his rhythm again after missing two free throws he had seven straight. Cam Thomas, though, wanted to keep the Bucks alive and made sure they stayed in striking distance.
Ryan Dunn also had some nice plays in this game and really shone when the Suns needed him most. His activity on the glass has been present as the Suns are still without veteran wings and their starting center. He currently leads the team with eight boards and has been an x-factor to give the Suns some much-needed second-chance points.
Even though they tried to fight late, it was just not enough for the Suns. They missed some key shots late, even with Green going crazy for the fourth for a bit. Some big shots late from Myles Turner and Ryan Rollins put this one away, even though Phoenix was in it to the end.
Up Next
The Suns have yet another back-to-back game, this time against the Toronto Raptors again.
If action was what you sought, action you found as prospects of the Dodgers and White Sox engaged in a slugfest to wrap up Saturday evening on one of five MLB Spring Breakout games on the docket. Despite trailing 8-2 at one point in the middle of the second inning, the Dodgers crawled back for a thrilling 11-10 win, putting on a show with some of their more exciting young hitters.
One of the standout performers in spring training, James Tibbs III, had the biggest hit of the game. Facing Nick Weyrich and his funky throwing angle in the second inning, the left-handed hitter had no reservations about swinging 3-0. Fed the pitch he was looking for, Tibbs III got a hold of a tasty fastball and crushed it to the opposite field for a three-run blast.
Counting his spring numbers as well, this was Tibbs III’s eighth extra-base hit and fourth home run. Acquired from the Red Sox for Dustin May last season, Tibbs III ended the year strong in Tulsa, and if his spring stats are any indication, he is a name to watch out for.
Much higher up on the Dodgers’ prospects leaderboards, Josue De Paula might not have had quite the flashy moment that Tibbs III did, but he made his presence known. The young outfielder reached base on three of four plate appearances, scoring twice and driving in someone. De Paula, who is 9 for 24 in spring, went 1 for 2 with a couple of walks and stole a base.
Moving over to the pitching side of things, we can say Cristian Zazueta did not allow an earned run, and that would be true, even if a misleading affirmation when it comes to the quality of his performance. For starters, the first run he allowed came largely because of a throwing error from himself on a failed pickoff attempt. An inning later, when the White Sox scored seven in the second, one defensive error doesn’t justify the frame snowballing quite so rapidly and radically as it did. Zazueta left the game with three runs having come across and the bases loaded—Lucas Wepf couldn’t strand any of them. Luckily, the offense was there to back him up. Eight for 18 with runners in scoring position, the Dodgers didn’t need a whole lot of extra-base hits to score these 10 runs, only two total.
Up next
It’s Freeway Series time as the Dodgers get ready for Opening Day by traveling to Angel Stadium for a date with the Angels. Youngster George Klaasen and the ultratalented Tyler Glasnow make up the starting pitcher duel; the first pitch is set for 6:07 p.m. PT.
Nebraska, already having won its first-ever NCAA Tournament game in the first round this season, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history after its 74-72 win over the No. 5 seed Commodores in Oklahoma City. Tanner's shot was so shocking in the moment that Nebraska's players on the floor took a few moments to even process the shot missed.
"My heart sank as that ball went in the hoop and went out," Sam Hoiberg said after the game. "I think it took me half-a-second to register that it didn't go in, and then I just screamed in elation. I thought it was in."
Braden Frager added: "I had a perfect shot on it from the bench, and I just froze for two seconds. I thought it went in and I didn't know how to react. Everybody started celebrating and I was like, 'yeah, he actually missed it.'"
Tanner, a first-team All-SEC selection this season, ended the game with 27 points, four assists and four steals in front of a heavy pro-Nebraska crowd that traveled over six hours for the Cornhuskers' first-weekend games. When the shot bounced out of the hoop, his Vanderbilt teammates and coaches fell to the court in shock.
Frager's go-ahead driving layup with 2.2 seconds remaining ultimately led to Nebraska's historic win amid its best season in program history. The true freshman scored a team-high 15 points off the bench, tied with leading scorer Pryce Sandfort.
Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said immediately after the game on the TNT broadcast that he couldn't believe the final shot. Drenched in liquid after the Cornhuskers' postgame celebration in the locker room, he reflected on the shot again.
"That kid is an unbelievable player," he said of Tanner. "When that thing was up in the air I was like, 'Oh, that's going in.' Hit every part of the rim, thankfully bounced out and looking forward to next week."
Tanner, of course, was broken up by the miss after the game.
"It hurts pretty bad," he said.
Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington added: "We were in an inch away from being in the Sweet 16. It's going to take a while for us to get over."
For Tanner, the shot results in the end of his breakout sophomore season that saw him turn into one of the most dynamic guards in the country. He had a minor role of the bench for Vanderbilt last season, averaging 5.7 points per game before increasing his average to 19.7 per contest in 2025-26.
It could be the end of his college career, as he's projected to go No. 28 overall in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to USA TODAY Sports' latest mock draft. It'd be an end similar to that of Gordon Hayward, whose near-halfcourt make against Duke in the 2010 national championship still lives in college basketball lore.
Nebraska is just happy its unprecedented run is continuing into the second weekend.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Jericho Sims #00 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Phoenix Suns on March 21, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks respond to their worst game of the year with a gritty win tonight, beating the Phoenix Suns 108-105 in a nail-biting affair. Ryan Rollins dazzled for the Bucks with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jalen Green led the Suns with 24 points.
Like their previous game against the Jazz, the Bucks started poorly, allowing a 9-0 run to open. Also, like their game against Utah, Milwaukee turned the ball over at an unacceptably high rate to open, giving it away three times in as many minutes. Ultimately, it was not a pretty first quarter for both teams; from 7:27 to 3:50, there were just three points scored. The Suns got going to close the period, though, up 26-15 after one.
It was the AJ Green resurgence to open the second quarter. The Bucks ran their customary ATO (after timeout) set for Green, and he finally nailed a shot after a rough few games. AJ used that stroke on the next possession to get his defender in the air, driving and dumping off to Pete Nance for the layup. Then, he caught it on the wing with minimal space and let that thing fly, bringing the deficit back to just four, 25-29, after three minutes. It wasn’t as if the Bucks lit the world on fire over the next few minutes, but they collectively bought in on the defensive end and were able to get easier looks running off misses; over a 3:30 stretch, the Bucks went on a 20-7 run to take a six-point lead with four minutes left. Kyle Kuzma was key during the second, scoring 13 points on 5/7 shooting. Bucks up 57-52 at half.
A Ryan Rollins three on Milwaukee’s first possession put the Bucks up eight, but the Suns responded with an 11-2 run, spearheaded by Oso Ighodaro and Collin Gillespie. The visitors hung tough, though, with Prince and Rollins firing right back with a quick seven points between them. The game remained within six (or so) points for the rest of the quarter. I do want to note that Ousmane Dieng was given the job on Devin Booker and, although Booker made shots here and there, Ous did a great job moving his feet and being physical; it really opened my eyes as to what his future role could be on this team. Some late scrappy play by Phoenix had them up one, 82-81, at the end of three.
A nifty Cam Thomas cameo to open the fourth had the game tied at 84 after the opening few minutes. With Devin Booker on the bench, the Suns responded with a 7-0 run primarily through Jalen Green. However, a crucial step-back jack from Gary Trent Jr., followed by a Rollins swing-through and-one, had the Bucks down just one, 93-92, going into the final five minutes. Doc called a timeout after Jalen Green knifed into the lane to put Phoenix up three, drawing up a down-screen set for the aforementioned Trent, who nailed the triple—all tied up at 95 with 4:30 on the clock. Back to my prior point, Dieng would later rip Jalen Green and score on the break, followed by a floater in the lane, and voila, the Bucks were up five with 2:20 left. But of course, this game had more turns to come, with Booker nailing an and-one three to bring the lead back to just one. However, the Bucks would close with one of their best sequences of the year: kick out three to Myles Turner (cash), Dieng stonewalling Booker another time, and Rollins nailing the and-one; Bucks up 108-104 with 23.8 seconds on the clock, grabbing the win.
Stat That Stood Out
The Bucks had 20 assists on 39 made field goals; they moved the ball extremely well.
He passed Michael Jordan (32,293 points) for fifth place on the list.
Durant is now one of two active players on the list, joining LeBron James. He trails LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant. James is No. 1 on the list with 43,241.
He needs 1,351 points to pass Bryant for fourth on the list.
🚨 KD PASSES MJ 🚨
With this three, Kevin Durant passes Michael Jordan for 5th on the all-time SCORING list! pic.twitter.com/byqx3AFLer
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Ariel Armas #89 of the Chicago Cubs at bat during the seventh inning of a Spring Training game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on February 23, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Will Sanders started for the Cubs and he was impressive, throwing his fastball at an average 95 miles per hour, which is about 2.5 mph harder than he threw it last year. Yes, it’s expected that pitchers throw harder in early in the season and when they know they’ll be on a low pitch count, but he was still hitting 94.8 in his third and final inning.
Ayers was the big Cubs story of the Arizona Fall League last year, so he’s definitely one to keep an eye on this year.
But the Padres tied the game up in the top of with a solo home run by Kale Fountain off of Sanders. But that’s about all Sanders would give up. He would leave after throwing three innings and allowing just the one run on two hits. He struck out three and walked no one.
The Cubs would go back up in the top of the fourth. First baseman Cole Mathis doubled with one out, went to third on a ground out to second and scored on an infield single by pinch hitter Carter Trice.
The Cubs would plate two more runs later in the sixth. Trice, who stayed in the game, singled after Arias. Next, last year’s second-round pick Kane Kepley doubled to put runners on second and third. Two wild pitches would score both Trice and Kepley.
The Padres scored once in the top of the ninth off of reliever Luis Martinez-Gomez, who gave up a leadoff double. The runner then went to third on a flyout to right field and scored on a sacrifice fly. Martinez-Gomez got the save after giving up one run on one hit over one inning. He did not walk or strike anyone out, but he did hit one batter.
Yenrri Rojas threw two innings of relief and got the win. Rojas gave up no runs on two hits. He struck out two and walked one. Last year’s fourth-round pick, Kaleb Wing, pitched the eighth inning. He issued a two-out walk, but no other baserunners. Wing struck out one.
Trice didn’t even start this game, but he ended up as the big bat, going 3 for 3 with the home run.
Mathis was 2 for 3 with a double.
Kepley played the entire game in center field and went 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and a stolen base.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 21: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks goes to the basket as Isaiah Jackson #23 of the Los Angeles Clippers defends during the first half at American Airlines Center on March 21, 2026 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. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Darius Garland had a savant performance, pouring in 41 points and 11 assists. Kawhi Leonard also had a great performance, scoring 34 points on just 22 shots.
The Mavericks almost pulled off the upset, but were eventually overwhelmed by the more talented team.
Let’s get to the numbers.
50: Three-point percentage for the Clippers
The Clippers were absolutely red hot from three all game, and consistently relied on outside shooting to outpace the Mavericks.
Garland and Leonard combined to be 13-of-21 from three, and the duo made the same amount of threes as the entire Mavericks team combined.
This game is yet another showcase of why the Mavericks desperately need more three-point shooting next year.
+17: Ryan Nembhard’s plus, minus
Ryan Nembhard has quietly found a resurgence in the last couple of weeks. Nembhard had the best plus/minus on the team, and the offense flowed better with him on the court.
While he didn’t start in the game, he showed his value as a bench guard, as he had nine assists with no turnovers.
The Mavericks guard room will look much different next year, but Nembhard is showing that he cannot be forgotten when discussing next year’s team.
3.5: Cooper Flagg’s assist to turnover ratio
While Cooper Flagg did not have an efficient shooting night, his playmaking was great once again.
His jump shot has been woefully off since returning from injury, but the rest of his game has improved, and his impact hasn’t changed. Flagg’s passing and court vision have always been solid, but he has been at a different level since returning.
If the Mavericks are going to continue the Flagg at point guard plan, than his playmaking chops become even more important.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 21: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz rushes the ball up the court as he is pressured by Justin Edwards #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of a game at the Delta Center on March 21, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philly has been stuck between a rock and a hard place during March. Maxey will miss at least three weeks due to a finger tendon injury. Embiid has statistically missed more games than he has played. Paul George was suspended for 25 games after violating the league’s anti-drug policy — I don’t know how he didn’t see that coming. Perhaps a voodoo curse after the disgraceful victory they took against the Jazz from five seasons ago, where Embiid told the refs to eject Donovan Mitchell, and then they actually did it. No, I don’t need to let things go. What are you talking about?
Things did go in the Sixers’ favor, perhaps in the hand of fate, as they were swift to hand Utah their 50th loss of the season in a 126-116 finish in the Delta Center. The Jazz battled, but it was obvious what was really happening, considering Ace Bailey was pulled from the floor in the final quarter despite it still being a close game.
But despite it all, they’ve still won three of their last four games. And tonight was an opportunity for them to inch closer to the 5th-seeded Raptors. Utah would have paid them to take this game from themselves.
The Jazz, on the other hand, had all the regulars on their side of the injury report with the addition of Isaiah Collier. That’s probably why the Jazz inked a deal with G League assist leader Kennedy Chandler this morning after the end of Andersson Garcia’s deal.
Utah threw the first punch with a 10-2 run in just 90 seconds, turning a three-point early hole into a five-point lead. It wasn’t too long for Philly to exploit the holes in the Jazz defense; their 15-3 run left the Jazz down by 4 in the opening quarter. Cam Payne knocked down back-to-back triples in under a minute. The Sixers held a 10-2 point lead in fastbreak points. Utah missed eight consecutive shots. There wasn’t a lick of hustle to be desired. Except for the awesome Ace Bailey buzzer beater and the awesome crowd celly to go with it:
Kennedy Chandler, meet your basketball savior Will Hardy. No exaggeration. The 2022 second-rounder led the Jazz in scoring in the first half despite the ink not even dried on his new contract. He finished the first half with 13 points, 3 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal on 3-7 shooting. It’s his first NBA game since April 8th, 2023. Two days ago, he was on the Delaware Blue Coats roster; now, he’s torching the Sixers in his brand-spankin’ new purple uniform. Ace Bailey wasn’t too far behind 13 points, 3 assists on 3-11 shooting, which included a career-high 3 blocks in the first half. Jazz shot 42% from the field and only committed 2 turnovers, which pales in comparison to Philly’s 10.
Sixers kept the intensity in the second half, opening the third quarter on an 11-2 run to erase Utah’s 8-point lead to jump ahead 75-74. Quentin Grimes, or how I’d like to call him “Destined Jazzman”, scored or assisted on 7 of those points. Then that period turned into the Ace Bailey show. Bailey poured in 12 points, 5 boards to total 25 on the night. He set a new career-high of 4 blocks.
His rookie marquee matchup, VJ Edgecombe, kept things up on his end as well, recording a double-double through three quarters, and finished with 13 points and 11 boards. It’s a neat little stat line and all, but I know who I’m going to choose.
No matter the opponent, the Jazz will ensure their opponent is fighting tooth and nail to scrape out a win against the 14th-seeded Utah Jazz. Equally as hilarious, the closing Jazz lineup included a mix of Kennedy Chandler, Elijah Harkless, Bez Mbeng, John Konchar and Cody Williams. Just your average 6’8” 190 lbs big man, nothing to see here.
Now we should keep it a buck, the Jazz had no intentions of walking out this building with a two-game winning streak, reflected by a late 20-8 surge by the Sixers in the last 5:05 minutes. Philly finished with 64 rebounds, including 16 offensive that led to 26 second-chance points. Utah had 7 blocks and just 8 turnovers in this one. Both teams sealed the deal with a firm handshake and a nod of approval.
Your Honor, I would like to introduce Ace Bailey to the courtroom for your consideration for the All-Rookie team. Never mind all the nonsense you saw at the beginning of the year, half of it being sabotaged by the Will Hardy Rookie Training Course™. He’s made a rebirth as a reliable shot-maker and elite shotblocker. After seven rotational injuries, Ace is paving his way as a primary scorer late in the season. We can jump straight into the “turning into a star” thing if you want, or whatever. No biggie.
I feel I am the only person to notice Bez Mbeng’s existence on the basketball court tonight, despite a solid career-high 13-6-7 outing on an efficient 5-7 shooting whilst committing zero turnovers. He had his first ever NBA-start in just his fifth NBA game, and in Will Hardy fashion he was tasked with a 45-minute shift in the junkyard.
Up Next
The games roll on; The Jazz welcome the 39-30 Toronto Raptors at the Delta Center, March 23rd, at 5:00 PM MST.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Hugo Lloris finished with two saves for Los Angeles FC in a record fifth straight shutout to begin a season, and Brad Stuver stopped the only shot he faced for Austin FC in a scoreless draw on Saturday night.
Lloris and LAFC (4-0-1) began the season with four shutout victories, just one of four teams in league history to accomplish the feat. His scoreless stretch of 450 minutes is the longest in league history to begin a season.
Lloris nearly surrendered his first goal of the season in the 63rd minute, but a Myrto Uzuni netter off a corner kick by Facundo Torres was disallowed after Ilie Sánchez was charged with a foul following a video review — and that led to a yellow card on Uzuni.
Neither keeper faced a shot on goal in a scoreless first half.
Austin (1-2-2) swept LAFC last year during the regular season but couldn't get past the Western Conference stalwarts in the playoffs. Both of the club's losses this season have come on the road.
LAFC eliminated Alajuelense on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The club is 7-0-2 so far through all competitions.
LAFC began the day tied with the Vancouver Whitecaps for first place in the hotly-contested West.
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots between Orlando's Tristan da Silva, left, and Wendell Carter Jr. during the first half Saturday. (Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season in Saturday’s dramatic 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic, putting the Lakers superstar in line for a one-game suspension as the Lakers take their nine-game winning streak to Detroit on Monday.
Doncic and Magic forward Goga Bitadze were jawing back and forth in the third quarter when Doncic was at the free-throw line. Doncic missed his first free-throw attempt and paused before taking his second, speaking with an official while wagging his finger in the direction of Bitadze.
Doncic said Bitadze told him in Serbian “he’d f— my whole family,” which prompted him to react.
“Obviously, I let my team down getting that last tech,” said Doncic, who is hopeful the NBA will rescind the technical. “But honestly, I wasn't trying to. … This is a basketball court. At some point, I just can't stand it. I gotta stand up for myself. But I know I gotta do better. My teammates, I know they have my back, so I let them down today.”
The NBA automatically suspends any player who receives 16 technical fouls during a season. Doncic has reached the threshold two other times, but the NBA rescinded the 16th technical each time, allowing him to avoid suspension.
Bitadze, who is Georgian and played several professional seasons in Serbia, refuted Doncic’s account of the interaction, saying he first heard inappropriate comments from Doncic and only repeated what he heard Doncic say first.
“I'm a fan of his game and don't want to look like it was directed to his family, or anything,” Bitadze said in a phone interview with ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel. “It was just in the heat of the moment. I heard what he said and I felt like I had to respond the same way. So, from my side, if he feels like I said something too much or crossed the line, I apologize as a man. I can take [accountability], but I didn't say anything but what he said. What he came out and said, I don't think that's the truth. I know that's not the truth.”
Crew chief Marc Davis said in a pool report that both players were “assessed technical fouls for their continual taunting of one another.”
“They were both warned to cease their comments directed towards one another between the two free throws,” Davis said. “After the free throw and as the ball entered the frontcourt, they were both correctly assessed technical fouls for their unsportsmanlike comments directed towards one another.”
Officials played a pivotal role in the game that came down to a winning three-pointer from the Lakers’ Luke Kennard with 0.6 seconds remaining. The Lakers trailed by two when LeBron James forced a turnover from Jalen Suggs on an in-bounds pass with 4.7 seconds left. The close play went through several minutes of hawkeye replay on the videoboard that zoomed in on James’ leg and Suggs fingertips. Officials called it Lakers ball in real time. The Magic crowd — announced at 19,597 as the second-largest in Magic history, trailing only last year’s game against the Lakers that drew one more person — was confident that referees would overturn it.
But Davis said in a pool report “there was not clear and conclusive evidence to overturn the on-court ruling.”
Players from both teams were pleading for foul calls most of the game. The Magic and Lakers are first and third in the NBA in free-throw attempts, but the Lakers attempted only nine in the first half. The Lakers finished 19 of 29 from the free-throw line while the Magic were 21 for 23.
“[Officials] didn't have a real good control of that basketball game,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season against Denver on March 5, putting him on alert for a possible suspension. It was the last time that the Lakers lost before their current nine-game winning streak, which is the franchise’s longest since the 2019-20 season that culminated with their 17th NBA championship.
Doncic has averaged 40 points per game and has shot 40.3% from three-point range during the scorching run. The Lakers climbed from sixth place in the West to third place.
Doncic hit daring fadeaway three-pointers, threw sky-high lobs to teammates and nailed a dramatic winning shot against the Nuggets at home to add cinematic highlights to his budding most valuable player case. On defense, he had five steals against Miami and four more against the Magic.
