The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are officially headed back to the Calder Cup Playoffs.
They needed a point against the Belleville Senators on Friday night to clinch a spot and got two, winning 2-1 in a shootout. Aidan McDonough scored in regulation for WBS before Avery Hayes scored the shootout winner.
Hayes had a really nice move in the shootout, going backhand, forehand, tucking the puck under the pad of the Senators' goaltender.
AVERY HAYES WITH A NASTY SHOOTOUT GOAL.
After getting stopped on two breakaways in OT, Hayes makes it count in the shootout.#WBSPens win in the shootout in Belleville to clinch their playoff spot with an !@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/AhjbCEjLcj
This was his first game back in WBS after the Penguins re-assigned him on Thursday. Hayes has played in 11 NHL games, recording two goals. Both goals came in his NHL debut on Feb. 5 against the Buffalo Sabres.
With the win, WBS is now 38-16-6-2 overall, good for 84 points. They're the second team to clinch a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, joining the Providence Bruins.
Giancarlo Stanton swings during the Yankees' March 19 spring training game.
Observations from Yankees spring training Friday:
Back in blank
David Bednar and Tim Hill made their returns from Team USA following the World Baseball Classic, each tossing a scoreless inning of relief.
Tech support
The scoreboard at Steinbrenner Field was not working through the first four innings, forcing public address announcer Paul Olden to give the count every few pitches.
It finally turned on in the fifth inning.
Caught my eye
Giancarlo Stanton played five innings in right field Friday, his first game action in the outfield this spring, and it was indicative of how well he is doing physically this camp.
Giancarlo Stanton swings during the Yankees’ March 19 spring training game. Imagn Images
While he likely won’t play much outfield during the regular season, the Yankees want to keep it in play in case they need to use someone else in the DH spot from time to time.
Saturday’s schedule
Cam Schlittler makes his final tuneup as the Yankees visit the Tigers for a 1:05 p.m. game at Joker Marchant Stadium.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Tyler Fay pitched Alabama's first nine-inning, complete-game no-hitter in 84 years, striking out 13 in a 6-0 victory over Florida on Friday night.
Fay retired the last 10 batters, getting Brendan Lawson to fly out to left to end the game. Fay, who had never pitched more than seven innings in college, threw a career-high 132 pitches, 85 for strikes.
The redshirt junior from Doniphan, Nebraska, issued a walk in the second inning and another in the sixth against the Gators (19-4, 3-1 SEC), who are ranked as high as No. 17. Fay came into the season as Alabama's No. 1 starter and entered the game with a 3-2 record and 5.43 ERA.
The Crimson Tide (16-7, 1-3) hadn't had a pitcher throw a complete-game, nine-inning no-hitter since Eddie Wocar did it at Mississippi on April 24, 1942.
Florida was no-hit for the first time since Jacksonville’s Tom McMillan did it in a seven-inning game June 1, 1963.
DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren scored 23 points as the Detroit Pistons beat the Golden State Warriors 115-101 on Friday night in a game missing two of the NBA’s biggest stars.
The Pistons beat the Warriors in the first matchup of the season between the teams on Jan. 30, but that was the last game Golden State’s Steph Curry (knee) has played this season. Now, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (chest) has joined him for an extended absence.
Golden State’s injury situation got worse in the first half when Kristaps Porzingis left the game with lower back soreness.
Daniss Jenkins, starting for Cunningham, had 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for Detroit, which has won six of its last seven games. Paul Reed added 15 points for the Pistons, who won despite shooting 23.8% (5 for 21) on 3-pointers.
Golden State, which has lost seven of eight, turned the ball over 26 times, leading to 32 Pistons points. Brandin Podziemski had 15 points to lead Golden State.
KNICKS 93, NETS 92
NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and New York outlasted the Brooklyn for their fourth consecutive victory.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 points and OG Anunoby finished with 16 for the Knicks, who trailed by 13 points in the first half, then blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Ben Saraf had a chance to win it for the Nets at the buzzer but missed a 45-footer.
The Knicks beat the Nets for the 14th straight time, the longest winning streak for either team in the local rivalry. The Nets’ last victory over the Knicks was on Jan. 28, 2023, shortly before trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Josh Minott scored 22 points and Ziaire Williams added 17 for the Nets, who have lost six straight games.
ROCKETS 117, HAWKS 95
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Jabari Smith Jr. added 23 and Houston snapped Atlanta’s 11-game winning streak.
Alperen Sengun had 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Houston, which was just 4-6 in its previous 10 games and was coming off back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 21 points, but the Hawks shot just 42% from the field and 26% (9 for 35) from 3-point range. Houston shot 51% overall and 47% (14 of 30) from deep.
CJ McCollum had 17 points and Zaccharie Risacher had 16 for Atlanta, which was riding its longest winning streak in over a decade that had positioned the team for a play-in berth.
The Rockets outrebounded the Hawks 51-37.
CELTICS 117, GRIZZLIES 112
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Luka Garza added a season-high 22 points and Boston used a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Memphis.
Payton Pritchard added 19 points for the Celtics, who have won four straight. The win kept Boston in second place in the East, 1 1/2 games ahead of the New York Knicks who held on for a 93-92 victory over Brooklyn earlier Friday night.
Tyler Burton, who signed a 10-day contract with Memphis on March 12, led the Grizzlies with 23 points, a career-high. Ty Jerome added 16 points and seven assists. Javon Small and DeJon Jarreau finished with 13 points each.
TRAIL BLAZERS 108, TIMBERWOLVES 104
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jerami Grant made a 3-pointer with 22.2 seconds left and Portland escaped with a win over Minnesota.
After a timeout by the Trail Blazers, Grant took an inbound pass from Jrue Holiday and made his fourth 3 of the night from the right corner. Grant grabbed a defensive rebound at the other end and made two free throws to finish with 26 points in Portland’s third straight win.
Donovan Clingan scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for his sixth straight double-double. Deni Avdija added 25 points and eight rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who moved into eighth place in the Western Conference. Holiday had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Rudy Gobert led short-handed Minnesota with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds.
Julius Randle added 19 points for the Timberwolves, but they lost for the first time in three games without All-Star guard Anthony Edwards, who remains out with right knee inflammation. Center Naz Reid, a top bench player, missed his second straight game with a right knee sprain.
NUGGETS 121, RAPTORS 115
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 31 points, Nikola Jokic made a go-ahead jumper with 45 seconds left and Denver held on for a victory over Toronto.
Jokic finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 23 points and shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range and Aaron Gordon added 16 points for the Nuggets, who improved to 8-8 since the All-Star break.
Jakob Poeltl scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Brandon Ingram added 19 points and R.J. Barrett had 18.
The Islanders have a decision to make about Ilya Sorokin's usage with David Rittich struggling.
MONTREAL — The Islanders did not practice here Friday, meaning there were no clues on offer as to how they’ll approach the goaltending decisions over a must-win weekend back-to-back that begins Saturday against the Canadiens.
Conventional wisdom would dictate that Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich split the two games, but given how Sorokin has handled playing on consecutive days, that may not be a guarantee.
The Islanders haven’t needed Sorokin to play two straight days this season, but he did so four times last year, winning both games twice, losing both games once and splitting the pair once.
Rittich has been good enough for most of the season to keep the Islanders from giving Sorokin too heavy a workload — the Russian has started 43 of 69 games this season — but the backup netminder has flagged since the new year.
Over his past 10 starts, Rittich has an .861 save percentage, though his last outing, a 3-2 win over Calgary in which he stopped 30 shots, was his best since early January.
Is that enough to trust him against either Montreal or Columbus, two four-point games in a playoff race where the Islanders got a shock to the system on Thursday night when they fell below the cutline following a loss to the Senators?
Ilya Sorokin is pictured during the Islanders’ March 13 game against the Kings. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
How Patrick Roy handles it bears watching, but all year long, Sorokin has been the Islanders’ rock.
His six shutouts lead the league, and he’s second only to Washington’s Logan Thompson in Evolving Hockey’s goals saved above expected metric.
Even Thursday, Sorokin kept the Isles in the game when they were outgunned the entire third period, getting over to make a ridiculous stop on Michael Amadio on a 2-on-1 late in the third.
If the decision is to split the starts, then who gets which game is equally as interesting.
David Rittich makes a save during the Islanders’ March 1 game against the Panthers. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
The Columbus game Sunday means slightly more since the Blue Jackets and Islanders share a division.
The Islanders could use that logic to save Sorokin for the second game of the back-to-back, but would they dare leave him on the bench Saturday, when he has a .939 save percentage and zero regulation losses in eight career tries against the Canadiens?
Then again, Sorokin has never lost in regulation to the Blue Jackets — he’s 7-0-3 against Columbus.
His .916 save percentage against the Jackets, though, is the exact same as Rittich’s.
HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 25 points, Jabari Smith Jr. added 23 and the Houston Rockets snapped Atlanta's 11-game winning streak with a 117-95 victory over the Hawks on Friday night.
Alperen Sengun had 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Houston, which was just 4-6 in its previous 10 games and was coming off back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 21 points, but the Hawks shot just 42% from the field and 26% (9 for 35) from 3-point range. Houston shot 51% overall and 47% (14 of 30) from deep.
CJ McCollum had 17 points and Zaccharie Risacher had 16 for Atlanta, which was riding its longest winning streak in over a decade that had positioned the team for a play-in berth.
The Rockets outrebounded the Hawks 51-37.
The Rockets ked 62-54 at halftime then pulled away by outscoring the Hawks 39-22 in the third quarter.
Onyeka Okongwu had three assists including the 600th of his career. He is averaging 3.2 assists per game this season, the most of his career.
Up next
Hawks: Return home to play Golden State on Saturday night.
The Brooklyn Nets were so thoroughly “embarrassed” last time out (Jordi Fernández’s word, not mine) that the loss didn’t reflect just their own shortcomings, but for many, a spiritual rot at the center of the NBA. Brooklyn scored just 24 points in the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic defense, not just a poor output but a disgraceful one.
Hark! The doubtless millions who tuned in to watch the defending champions face an Eastern Conference cellar-dweller with less than a month left in the regular season were rudely treated to a 29-point blowout. What is the NBA prepared to do about it? A question that surely must be asked and debated every day, all the time.
On Friday evening, the Brooklyn Nets didn’t just cap off their three-game homestand. They defended their honor, against the New York Knicks no less.
The 17-52 Nets were the more physical team from the jump, more engaged on defense than they’ve been in weeks. The visitors underestimated their opponent, yes. But Brooklyn’s multiple efforts were no less impressive…
Knicks seem (understandably) taken aback by Nets' physicality/effort to start this one pic.twitter.com/szkflIPP7q
After a successful first half, Ziaire Williams told YES Network’s Meghan Triplett: “We owe them one. They whooped on us last time we played ‘em, this one’s a little more personal. We’re just getting after it.”
Williams spoke no lie. This was not going to be another 120-66 win for the ‘Bockers. The Knicks scored a season-low 14 points in the first quarter. This marked quite a role reversal for Brooklyn, who took a 50-44 lead into the break, much to the dismay of the majority blue-and-orange Barclays Center crowd. Brooklyn defended Jalen Brunson particularly well, trapping his ball-screens and showing aggressive help when he had a one-on-one matchup. The Knicks captain shot just 7-of-19 in this one while ex-Net Mikal Bridges (boy that feels like ages ago) scored just nine points .. one point for each of the assets the Knicks gave up for him. Instead, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns took the offensive lead.
Dare I say it almost felt like a rivalry? Perhaps the Knicks were just pissed about their sluggish start, but Mitchell Robinson and Ziaire Williams got double-techs in the first half after Robinson took great offense to a Nolan Traore foul…
Nic Claxton and OG Anunoby continued the fun in the second half, picking up double-techs after refusing to keep their hands to themselves.
Sadly, it was not Brooklyn’s first-round rookies that kept them in this one. At least offensively. Danny Wolf, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, and Ben Saraf combined to shoot 9-of-33. Traore, at the very least, had seven assists (to four turnovers) while Powell and Saraf applied noteworthy ball pressure on Brunson.
Brooklyn’s rangy wings led them in this one. Ziaire Williams scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, two of them coming on this pick-six…
Said Fernández: “Sometimes we gotta let Ziaire be Ziaire, right? His energy is contagious, and a lot of times it’s not going to be perfect, but he just makes up — sometimes he’ll make mistakes and he makes up for them with, like, that extreme energy.”
Josh Minott, age 23, led the team with 22 points, making a career-high six threes. Once again, it was his best game in a Nets uniform, perhaps the best game of his career. He also recorded a couple blocks and a steal, even hitting OG Anunoby with a nasty pump-fake and score at the end of the first quarter…
“Played really, really, really hard,” said Fernández. “And then you see his line right … he’s playing very well, took advantage of his minutes. And you know, it’s good to see, you know, continuing to evaluate these guys going into the summer.”
Yet again, it was the bench outplaying the starters, and they were rewarded with major second-half minutes. It appeared the Knicks were finally running away with it toward the end of the third quarter, taking their first double-digit lead of the game.
Then, out of nowhere, Chaney Johnson, Malachi Smith, Ochai Agbaji, Saraf, and Minott lead an 11-0 Nets run to make things tight once again…
It was nail-biting time. Unsurprisingly, neither Claxton nor Williams ever returned to the game, but tank or no tank, the reserves truly earned the opportunity.
Per Fernández, the veterans even urged their head coach to keep rocking with the two-ways and 10-day: “‘They’re rolling, they’re rolling, stay with them,’ and it was good to see. It’s good how they support each other and how they see that we have a chance to win.”
Brooklyn took an 87-84 lead with just over three minutes to go. They were really about to do it. This was beyond tanking — the deepest part of Brooklyn’s roster was outplaying the nonchalant Knicks. Alas, it was not to be. Brunson hit a pull-up, KAT continued to bulldoze his way to the line, as he shot more free-throws than the Nets by himself.
Postgame, Fernández hinted but did not explicitly say that poor refereeing really killed his team: “It comes down to the free-throw line and some of those things we cannot control. You know, 32-to-10, it’s absolutely — if you do your math, it’s 22 free-throws of difference. Yeah. Right there is the game, but the guys played the right way.”
KAT, however, missed his final two attempts, giving the Nets one last chance to pull off the stunner. But their first sideline-out-of-bounds play was deflected, and all they could muster was a Ben Saraf half-court heave that fell ten feet short. That may be for the best in the long run, and this will go down as just another loss, same as the 54-point blowout they experienced in MSG.
But it sure didn’t feel that way.
Final Score: New York Knicks 93, Brooklyn Nets 92
Milestone Watch
As previously mentioned, Minott made a career-high six 3-pointers against the Knicks, and his 22 points, marks the second-most in his career. Additionally, his six 3-pointers tie Ziaire Williams as the most 3-pointers by a Net off the bench this season.
Josh Minott Speaks
Yes, this one deserved its own category.
Postgame, a passionate Josh Minott sat at the podium and cursed, a lot. Normally, we censor that sort of thing on NetsDaily, but given that it might be the best quote any Net has given in years, I’ll make an exception for Minott, who was asked what his first taste of the crosstown rivalry meant to him.
“I wanted that shit so fucking bad,” he began…
Josh Minott had a passionate response when asked about tonight’s tight loss in his first Nets-Knicks matchup:
“I wanted that shit so fucking bad. Ever since we’ve been here, it’s like every game’s an away game. Tonight was just the night to really just stick it to everybody.… pic.twitter.com/RDyYkYf55u
Yes, Minott went there, touching on the “away” crowd that dominates most games at Barclays Center, particularly when the Celtics (his former team) or the Knicks pay a visit. But man. It’s tough not to root for Minott — particularly as a Nets fan — after Friday night.
“It’s just all about trying to just help the team win. Like I said since I’ve been here, we have such a good group of people, it’s easy to like them. I know we’re all young, but I’d say that damn near adds to us … I feel like it’s so easy to just click with everybody. I mean, they’ve welcomed me, they’ve uplifted me since I got here. And it’s like, you just know right there. So I’d say tonight, it was a demonstration of what we have moving forward.”
Injury Report
Pregame, Jordi Fernández provided a couple updates on injured Nets, including one for Michael Porter Jr.
Brooklyn announced on Thursday that an MRI revealed a left hamstring strain for their leading scorer, scheduled to be re-evaluated in two-to-three weeks. The regular season, of course, has just over three weeks left. It would be quite the surprise if Porter Jr. plays in another game this season, though Fernández wouldn’t commit to that.
“Two-to-three weeks, but obviously there’s ramp-up to get back to a competition level,” said Fernández. “So, you know, we cannot predict [if he will play again], but it will be close. So we go through these two, three weeks, and then put the work in and so forth. And then we’ll see where we are.”
The head coach also revealed that Noah Clowney will miss at least one more game — the Nets travel to Sacramento on Sunday — with the sprained right wrist he suffered on Wednesday evening.
Next Up
<p>Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images</p><br>
We have one hell of a tanking battle on our hands. The 17-win Nets travel to Sacramento to face the 18-win Kings in their first of two meetings this month. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET. At the moment, the Nets hold the third best odds for the overall No. 1. That puts them two games behind the Kings and a half game behind the Wizards with 12 to go.
Meanwhile, the Nets have opened a four-game gap over the Jazz. Absent an unlikely Nets win streak and season closing losing streak by Utah, it seems increasingly likely that the Nets will finish the season with a top four pick.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 20: Duncan Robinson #55 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 20, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors entered Friday night’s road game with the 16th-best offense in the NBA, a number that has dropped to 23rd during Steph Curry’s prolonged absence. Their opponent, the Detroit Pistons, entered the game with the league’s second-best defense.
It wasn’t a fair fight, though the broadcast’s frequent mentions of how long Detroit had gone since winning 50 games or a playoff series — 18 years in both cases, though they reached the 50-win plateau yesterday — served as a reminder that the recently-dynastic Dubs won’t be getting sympathy points from any team or fanbase. They had their run in the sun, and now they’re subject to other teams’. Somewhere out there, John Tesh is making a synth-heavy remix of The Lion King’s “Circle of Life,” and it’s quite lovely.
The Warriors caught the Pistons during a bad stretch, which is to say that MVP candidate Cade Cunningham has a collapsed lung and is sidelined for the foreseeable future. But once Cunningham’s All-Star running mate Jalen Duren was cleared to play, shortly before tip-off, the outcome of the game became somewhat predetermined.
Golden State — sans Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Al Horford, Quinten Post, and Moses Moody — would surely struggle to both score on Detroit’s dynamic, athletic, Bad Boys V3.0 defense, and struggle to contain their large and hyper-athletic squad. And wouldn’t you know it — sometimes basketball makes sense. Sometimes the square peg fits in the square hole and it all works, even when you don’t want it to. And so it was that the Pistons beat the Warriors 115-101 in a game that went precisely as you expected it to.
Well, almost precisely. It took a detour at the start, as the Warriors tried to make the Pistons the latest team that they shocked with a March Madness underdog-inspired upset. The Dubs matched Detroit’s defensive pace early, with a tremendous amount of energy, effort, and aggression. It made for an atrociously ugly game in the early goings, but it was fun: it was physical and sloppy, which was compounded by poor officiating and separate incidents of players flying off the court that resulted in a spilled drink and an overturned candy container. Five minutes in, the score stood a 1990s-esque 7-7, with all of Golden State’s points coming courtesy of De’Anthony Melton (he would net their first nine, and take a breather before a single teammate had scored).
The Warriors were scrappy on offense, but not good. They were accomplishing things through sheer will, in spite of their poor execution. Their defense, on the other hand, was good, if unconventional. Steve Kerr kept things from getting predictably by running a zone late in the quarter, which silenced Detroit, and suddenly the Warriors took the lead. Despite having seven turnovers in the opening frame, they ended things on a 12-1 run, and led 26-21.
Things got even rosier when the second quarter began. Two-way contract LJ Cryer, back after a few absences due to a hamstring injury, wasted no time impacting the game, with a pair of threes in the first few minutes, pushing the Warriors lead to 38-29, and forcing a Pistons timeout.
Whatever J.B. Bickerstaff said in that timeout worked. It was as if the Pistons magically remembered that they’re an elite defensive team, and suddenly Golden State’s offense went flatter than a frat keg on a Tuesday morning. And as it did, Detroit started to find their rhythm on offense, and began cutting away at the nine-point deficit. With just over four minutes, the Pistons finally tied the game, and shortly after they retook the lead. The Warriors were leaking oil, yet somehow staying right with the Pistons … they didn’t look as good as their counterpart, but the scoreboard certainly didn’t reflect that (in part because the Warriors were red-hot from deep, while Detroit couldn’t buy a bucket beyond the arc).
Inside of a minute remaining in the half, the Warriors trailed by just two points. But then came a game-shifting sequence of events. The Pistons had the ball, and were playing for a two-for-one, which they executed perfectly. Duncan Robinson drained a three, and on the other end, the Warriors could only hoist a shot-clock beating circus shot. As the prayer went up, Robinson leaked out, and after a quick outlet, he had an easy transition layup right before the halftime buzzer.
Just like that, the Pistons had landed what felt like — and proved to be — the knockout blow, and took a 57-50 advantage into the break.
Things went from bad to worse before the second half even began. Kristaps Porziņģis, who had subbed himself out of the game late in the first, was nowhere to be found on the court or in the bench, with Malevy Leons taking the court in his stead. The Warriors announced that Porziņģis — who had finally been healthy — was ruled out for the game with lower back soreness. The slim chances of winning the game grew slimmer still and, more importantly, Porziņģis’ future for the final 12 games of the season now hangs in doubt.
From there, it just kept getting worse. The Warriors could not get anything going on offense, as the Pistons completely suffocated them. Possession after possession, the Warriors looked like they were playing five-on-six against their big brothers. Not only was every shot contested, but every pass, every cut, and every dribble. It was a truly swarming defensive effort, and if you haven’t watched Detroit much this year, it left you tipping your cap to a team that has it truly figured out on that end of the court. Add in the sheer physicality, and you can bet that Bill Laimbeer and Ben Wallace are grinning every time they turn on a game.
As the quarter went on, the Pistons used their elite defense to generate easy offensive opportunities, either through transition buckets or clear mismatches. The deficit grew to double digits, and then ballooned into the high teens. The Warriors tried to find opportunities on offense, but every bucket felt like a chore, and they trailed 87-73 at the end of the quarter.
Whatever closeness they had entering the final frame was immediately lost. The Pistons scored before the quarter even began, on a free throw courtesy of a between-quarters technical foul on Gary Payton II. Duren followed that up with a layup. Leons turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, and then Duren sank a pair of free throws. Ömer Yurtseven turned the ball over, and then Duren finished an alley-oop with emphasis. The Pistons scored the first 10 points of the quarter, and Kerr called a timeout before Golden State have even made a bucket. It took more than three minutes for the Warriors to score in the fourth, and nearly four-and-a-half minutes before they made a field goal.
By then, the outcome was long concluded, and all that was left was to see what the final score would be. It wasn’t as close as the 115-101 outcome, but a little garbage time preening will have that effect on a scoreboard.
The Warriors dramatically outshot the Pistons from deep, going 12-for-33 (36.4%) compared to Detroit’s 5-for-21 (23.8%). But everything else was one-sided. Detroit’s advantage in the paint was sizable — literally and figuratively — and led to a chasm separating the two teams’ marks from inside the arc. Golden State shot 53.5% (23-for-43) on twos, while the Pistons shot an absurd 61.5% (40-for-65).
Detroit scored an eye-popping 74 points in the paint, while the Warriors had just 44. Despite how much they played like an old-school, bruising, back-to-the-basket squad, they held an equally dominant advantage in fastbreak points: 19-5. And any chance that the Warriors had to keep things close evaporated with their 26 turnovers (which just 23 assists), while forcing 15.
Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 15 points, and also led the way with six rebounds (a mark that Yurtseven matched). Melton and Gary Payton II contributed 14 points, while Gui Santos had a well-balanced 13-5-5 line. Draymond Green led the playmaking with six assists, but was held scoreless against his hometown team.
The Warriors, who fell to 33-37, now get to face Jonathan Kuminga and the Atlanta Hawks in the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday night. It’s the penultimate game of the six-game road trip, and tips off at 5:00 p.m. PT.
MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Hyo Joo Kim doubled her lead to four strokes Friday in the Fortinet Founders Cup, capping a late afternoon rally with a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth.
A day after holing out for eagle on the par-5 18th hole for a 9-under 63 and a two-shot lead, Kim shot 70 in her afternoon round at tree-lined Sharon Heights.
Gabby Lopez was second at 7 under after a 70 in the morning session, with top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda in the group another shot back.
Playing the back nine first Friday, Kim bogeyed Nos. 11 and 17, then rebounded with birdies on 18, 1 and 3 and 8.
“The golf course is a bit hard,” Kim said. “The tee shots are hard to play and the shape of the course is a little tricky. I try my best to just try to do what I need to do.”
The South Korean player, ranked eighth in the world, won the 2015 Founders Cup in Phoenix for the second of her seven LPGA Tour titles.
“It’s been so long.” Kim said about the 2015 victory. “I think I won my rookie year. It was an unforgettable memory because it was my first win as a LPGA member.”
Coming off a third-place finish last month in Thailand, Kim is the defending champion next week in Arizona in the Ford Championship at Wild Horse Pass.
Lopez, from Mexico, had three front-nine birdies and dropped a stroke on the par-4 16th.
Thitikul rebounded from an opening 72 with a 66 in the afternoon. She opened with a bogey and birdied five of the next seven. On the back nine, she birdied 12 and 18.
“You have to be on the fairway first,” Thitkul said. “Find the fairway. The rough was rough.”
Korda, who skipped the Asia swing after winning the season opener in Florida, had a 68 in the morning to get to 6 under. She had late birdies on the Nos. 7 and 8.
“It’s tricky. You really have to shape it out here,” Korda said. “Some of the trees are a little bit intimidating and the greens are tough, too. Not only are they really undulated, but sometimes they’re a little bit harder to read, too.”
Minjee Lee (70), Aditi Ashok (66), Karis Davidson (68). Hye-Jin Choi (70) and Jin Hee Im (72) also were 6 under. Lee closed with a bogey after making four straight birdies.
“A little bit of things to clean up, but I think I’m in a pretty nice position going into the weekend,” Lee said.
The tournament began as a tribute to the 13 founders of the LPGA. It began in Arizona in 2011 and last year was the second event of the season and played in Florida. It has attracted eight of the top 10 players in the world ranking and kicks off a four-tournament stretch in the West ahead of the first major of the year.
Earlier this season, Florida basketball 7-9 center Olivier Rioux became the tallest player to play in an NCAA basketball game.
He broke the mark of Manut Bol, who was 7-7 and played at Division II Bridgeport.
Rioux has appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 0.5 points and 0.4 rebounds a game in 14 total minutes.
Rioux made his on-court debut Nov. 6 in the final minutes of Florida’s 104-64 win over North Florida, the Gators student section began chanting for the redshirt freshman giant to enter the game and got its wish.
Florida’s student section chant for 7-foot-9 Oliver Rioux to get a chance to play in the game.
After a few moments, Florida coach Todd Golden simply turned to his player and gave in to the crowd.
“Todd just looked at me,” Rioux said. “And I just (pretends to take shirt off) with my t-shirt."
“It felt great. The support from everybody was amazing. Even on the bench and even with the fans. Everybody supported me. I’m very grateful.”
Rioux’s moment came with 2:09 left in the game, which officially made him the tallest player in college history and left the official crowd of 10,065 erupting.
“It’s another day, I guess,” Rioux replied, what it meant for him to own that record.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks were a misfiring mess all night, but apparently it’s never too late to get off the struggle bus against the pathetic Nets.
An inexcusable defeat Friday night was only averted because Brooklyn couldn’t generate a potential game-winner at the buzzer — instead mismanaging an out-of-bounds play that left rookie Ben Saraf launching an airball — allowing the Knicks to escape Barclays Center with a 93-92 win that was more shameful than respectable.
“They brought the fight to us. They came out, obviously they wanted to prove a point,” Knicks center Mitchell Robinson said. “Our approach got to be better. We can’t just look at their record and say, ‘We’ll whoop their ass.’ We just got to be better altogether. Until we figure that part out, then it’s going to be a long rollercoaster.”
Brunson, who missed the previous game with a neck strain, scored just 17 points on 7-for-19 shooting overall, including 1-for-6 from beyond the arc. But he finally awoke in crunch time, dropping two of the night’s biggest buckets — a go-ahead pull-up jumper with 2:20 remaining and another one less than a minute later.
He and Karl-Anthony Towns could’ve then put the win away, but they combined to miss three of four free throws in the final 10 seconds.
So the Knicks (46-25) were lucky the Nets, who shot under 40 percent on the night, couldn’t score. And they left with two winning streaks intact — five straight victories overall, and 14 consecutive against the Nets.
Jalen Brunson looks to pass during the Knicks’ March 20, 2026 win over the Nets. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
But it was ugly.
“Jordi [Fernández, the Nets coach] outcoached me,” Mike Brown said. “They outplayed us in a lot of areas. And we were just able to find a way to get a win.”
For the Knicks, who’ve had problems starting games, Friday night brought another discouraging first quarter. They managed a pitiful 14 points in that opening period and trailed by eight, saved only by Brooklyn’s ineptitude.
Karl-Anthony Towns fights for possession during the Knicks’ March 20 win over the Nets. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
On Sunday night, Brown ranted about his team’s lack of focus and energy immediately after tipoff. He was so upset after a nail-biting win over the short-handed Warriors that he stopped the tradition of awarding a defensive player of the game.
But the message didn’t sink in for the crosstown game, and the Knicks seemed shocked by Brooklyn playing harder than usual.
“This is probably the most physical they got with us,” Robinson said. “So you can’t take their record and say, this is an easy one. They’re grown-ass men just like us. They’re in the NBA just like us. So our approach got to be better and more respectful.”
It got feisty in the second quarter, when Robinson, clearly upset with a previous possession, stepped over Brooklyn’s Nolan Traore under the basket. Robinson stood over Traore — a universal basketball sign of disrespect — and Brooklyn’s Danny Wolf stepped in before all parties were separated.
New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (L) and teammate New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson reacts during their teams game against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at the Barclays Center in New York, New York, USA, Friday, March 20, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Robinson was given a tech. So was Brooklyn’s Ziaire Williams. Then in the third quarter, OG Anunoby and Nic Claxton were whistled for techs after a shoving exchange.
“You get physical back. That’s how it’s got to be,” Robinson said. “Got to stand on business about that.”
The Nets are operating with a talent deficit and under a front office prioritizing ping-pong balls over victories. Still, the Nets played as if pride were at stake Friday.
Not only are the Knicks the crosstown rivals who entered Friday with a lengthy winning streak in head-to-head matchups, they also punked the Nets in a 54-point victory at the Garden in January.
“The last one when we played at the Garden, it was embarrassing,” Wolf said. “So, it’s just a little bit of added extra motivation. And obviously I would like to say this isn’t how we wanted the season to go in terms of wins and losses, but each game we’ve got to prepare the same way. But obviously tonight there’s definitely some extra motivation to try to get this one.”
Karl-Anthony Towns dunks the ball during the Knicks’ March 20 win over the Nets. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Still, a tanking roster with tanking strategy can only hold off its destiny for so long.
And, not coincidentally, the Nets had rookies, a 10-day contract and two two-way contract players on the court down the stretch when they gave up the game, like they usually do.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 20: Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 20, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons are officially heading back to the playoffs. It is the first time the franchise has gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2009. The clinching victory came at the hands of an undermanned Golden State Warriors team, 115-101.
Cade Cunningham missed his second consecutive game with a collapsed lung, and Jalen Duren once again led the team to victory. He scored 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting and added six rebounds. Daniss Jenkins, who has really been struggling with his offense lately regained a bit of his scoring punch. Starting in place of Cunningham, Jenkins scored 22 points, dished eight assists, and secured seven rebounds.
The Pistons dominated in their typical phases of the game. They had a 30-point edge in the paint (74-44), almost quadrupled them in fastbreak points (19-5) and forced (or were gifted) 26 Golden State turnovers. Ausar Thompson led the way with seven swipes. Detroit was down nine midway through the second quarter, but then they turned on the pressure, started to get out and run, and never looked back. They led by a smany as 24 in the second half.
Paul Reed continued his stellar showing in place of the injured Isaiah Stewart with 15 points off the bench, while Tobias Harris had 13 and Duncan Robinson and Ron Holland also had double figures with 11 apiece.
Next up for the Pistons is hosting the white-hot Los Angeles Lakers, who have won eight games in a row.
That chat with Keith Hernandez occurred last weekend, following the former Gold Glove first baseman’s final spring training broadcast.
“[Hernandez] is a very nice guy and very humble,” Polanco told The Post on Friday.
Polanco, the new Mets first baseman — he had only one inning of major league experience at the position before camp began — said Hernandez found him in the home clubhouse at Clover Park and opened the dialogue.
“We talked about how important it is to be confident over there,” Polanco said. “Don’t [press] to be too good: You are going to be good because you used to play middle infield, so it’s, ‘You’re used to ground balls, all you have to do is try to be on time to the base and stay confident, stay positive.’ ”
Jorge Polanco participates in a drill during the Mets’ spring training workout Feb. 20. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Polanco said the big theme was arriving on time to the base on grounders hit to the infield.
“Know your infielders’ arms and what the balls do to them,” Polanco said. “It’s so you can be early to be a target, so being on time to the base is the most important thing. And I agree, because sometimes you might be looking and you might be late to the bag. Just get to the bag. The middle infielders, they have to wait for you, but you have to be on time. Don’t worry about looking before you get on the base.”
Hernandez won 11 straight Gold Glove Awards at first base for the Cardinals and Mets.
He was a key part of the last Mets team to win the World Series, in 1986.
“It was really good to hear from him,” Polanco said. “He’s a great man. I am going to see him again in New York, so I am looking forward to keep talking.”
In the meantime, Polanco is focused on these final few days of camp — the Mets will leave Florida following a workout Monday — ahead of Thursday’s season opener against the Pirates at Citi Field.
Polanco, after a slow start in the Grapefruit League, owns a 1.013 OPS this spring with two homers.
He arrived on a two-year contract worth $40 million after Pete Alonso’s departure through free agency.
“I am really happy with my spring so far,” Polanco said. “I am feeling really good. My body is feeling really good. I am really happy with the work we are doing over there in the training room.”
Keith Hernandez is pictured in August 2022. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Last season, Polanco spent time working out at first base during pregame instruction, but only got into one game at the position, as a defensive replacement.
“I like how he’s using the whole bag, the footwork,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The communication, getting used to his right and seeing where the second baseman is playing. But overall I think he’s making the transition smoothly and he’s in a good place.”
Polanco last season posted a .265/.326/.495 slash line with 26 homers and 78 RBIs.
In his new situation, he will likely hit cleanup, but in a lineup that also includes Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Bo Bichette, he won’t necessarily be considered a focal point.
“I feel really good to be part of this lineup,” Polanco said. “We have got a special group, special hitters, special lineup.”
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 20: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On a night when the Celtics shot 26% from three, they found a way to beat the Grizzlies 117-112 behind 30 points from Jaylen Brown and a season-high 22 points from Luka Garza.
The Celtics started their usuals with only Nikola Vucevic missing the game. Joe Mazzulla put Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta out there to start the game. Memphis had a slew of injuries. Ja Morant, Cedric Cowherd, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Scotty Pippen Jr., GG Jackson, Jahmai Mashack and Taj Gibson (yes, he is on the Grizzlies) were out for this one. They started Ty Jerome, Javon Small, Jaylen Wells, Taylor Hendricks and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
The Grizzlies were leading the Celtics at the first timeout, 11-9. It was a slow start for the Celtics offense; they made only one of their first 6 shot attempts, but were able to stay in the game at the foul line, a place Jaylen Brown has been living the last few games.
Payton Pritchard came in and flipped the energy for the Celtics, scoring 10 points as the Celtics took the lead late in the quarter.
The Celtics led the quarter after a massive dunk from Hugo Gonzalez, 29-27. Pritchard’s 10 points led the team while Jaylen Brown had 6 points and Luka Garza had 4.
Memphis was playing with a lot of hustle and the Celtics could not make a shot so Memphis led 41-38 in the middle of the 2nd quarter.
Ty Jermone, Tyler Burton and Javon Small were all getting the ball in the hoop for the Grizzlies with 8, 8 and 7 points respectively.
Jayson Tatum could not get it going for the Celtics, he missed his first 8 shots of the game going 0-5 from beyond the arc as well. He made his first shot with 1:20 to go in the 2nd quarter.
It was a frustrating half for the Celtics as they shot 38% from the floor. However, they led 55-54. Jaylen Brown led the team with 16 points while Payton Pritchard had 12 and Neemias Queta had 10 points to go along with 7 rebounds.
The Celtics were just sleepwalking through much of the game. Memphis was just a step quicker for much of the early part of the game.
We did get a Nikola Vucevic update during the game.
NBC Sports Boston reporting Vucevic will have an X-Ray in a week and return to contact, play in the final few regular season games if all goes well.
The Grizzlies just would not go away, every time it felt like the Celtics were getting ready to pull away, Memphis would get a big basket. They took their largest lead to that point in the middle of the third quarter, 74-68, off of a Cam Spencer three pointer.
The two teams went back and fourth the rest of the quarter as the Grizzlies led the Celtics 88-84 at the end of three. Jaylen Brown’s 26 points and Payton Pritchard’s 17 points led the team in scoring.
The Grizzlies had built a 7-point lead early in the fourth but 7 straight Derrick White points tied the game back up at 98.
The Celtics finally went on their run in the fourth quarter, going on a 19-5 run to take a 7-point lead with 3 minutes left.
Luka Garza had his best scoring game as a Celtic with 22 points on 9/12 shooting.
Derrick White dominated the fourth quarter with 11 of his 14 points along with 3 assists and 1 steal in the quarter.
The Celtics were able to hang on for the win, 117-112. Jaylen Brown led the team with 30 points while Payton Pritchard had 19 points to go along with the previously mentioned 22 from Garza.
Boston shot 45% from the field and 26% from three while Memphis shot 47% from the field and 32% from three. The Celtics’ next game is Sunday night at 8 EST from TD Garden against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
