BOTTOM LINE: Dallas aims to end its eight-game home skid with a win against Cleveland.
The Mavericks have gone 14-19 at home. Dallas is fourth in the league with 53.2 points in the paint led by Cooper Flagg averaging 11.0.
The Cavaliers are 18-14 on the road. Cleveland is eighth in the NBA with 28.2 assists per game led by James Harden averaging 8.1.
The Mavericks average 10.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.2 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers give up (13.8). The Cavaliers average 118.8 points per game, 1.1 more than the 117.7 the Mavericks give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Flagg is averaging 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Mavericks. Max Christie is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Donovan Mitchell is averaging 28.3 points, 5.8 assists and 1.6 steals for the Cavaliers. Harden is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 106.4 points, 46.2 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 5.3 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.8 points per game.
Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 112.9 points, 41.3 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.7 points.
INJURIES: Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Klay Thompson: day to day (rest).
Cavaliers: Max Strus: out (foot), Tyrese Proctor: day to day (quadriceps), Jarrett Allen: out (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Golden Knights got more than a much-needed win on Thursday night; they got a long-overdue offensive burst in a 6-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.
Five different Knights scored, including Pavel Dorofeyev's 31st and 32nd goals, as Vegas ended a three-game skid and took sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division.
Colton Sissons, Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel and Brayden McNabb also scored for Vegas. Goaltender Adin Hill made 24 saves.
The six goals were the most the Golden Knights scored since a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 25, and the 10th time they've scored six or more goals this season. They scored six or more just nine times last season.
Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel scored for the Penguins while Arturs Silovs stopped 11 shots.
Marner, who moved back to the wing with the return of captain Mark Stone after a five-game absence, had the highlight of the night when he initiated a give-and-go with Dorofeyev before going airborne in the crease as he buried his 19th goal of the season.
"He was good tonight, moving over to the wing," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He's been open to whatever we use him for. So, hell of a goal, nice goal."
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 13, 2026
KEY MOMENT
Cassidy stressed the importance of extending leads, and his team answered in the third period. Over a span of 1:45 in the final stanza, Dorofeyev and Eichel essentially put the game out of reach, as they gave the Golden Knights a three-goal lead.
KEY STAT
0-for-2 ... With a third-period power play opportunity for Pittsburgh, the Golden Knights held the Penguins to just two shots on goal during a 6-on-4 advantage. With nothing to lose, Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse pulled goaltender Silovs, but the Penguins couldn't capitalize.
WHAT A KNIGHT
Dorofeyev finished with two goals and an assist, and now has a career-high in points with 54. The 25-year-old now has 17 goals since Jan. 1, second most in the NHL.
UP NEXT: The Golden Knights continue their four-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights center Colton Sissons (10) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.
Luka Doncic led the offense in the Los Angeles Lakers' 142-130 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday, March 12.
Doncic nearly produced a triple-double while scoring 51 points in front of the home crowd. It marked his first 50-point game as a member of the Lakers after putting up 12 40-point games, including a 49-point effort on Oct. 24, 2025.
The Lakers have won four straight games and seven of their last eight. Doncic put together a triple-double effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
Here's how he did Thursday night against the Bulls:
SAN ANTONIO, TX -MARCH 12: De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs shots against Denver Nuggets in the first half at Frost Bank Center on March 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For much of the night, it felt like the San Antonio Spurs had everything under control. They played fast. They shot confidently. They built a commanding lead against one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams. But against the Denver Nuggets, even a 20-point cushion can disappear in a hurry.
San Antonio watched its lead slowly slip away Thursday night as Denver erupted in the fourth quarter, rallying past the Spurs for a 136-131 victory in a game that turned from promising to painful in the final minutes.
The Spurs came out energized despite missing star center Victor Wembanyama, who was out with ankle soreness. From the opening tip, San Antonio attacked the Nuggets with pace and ball movement, finding open shooters and pushing the tempo in transition.
By the end of the first quarter, the Spurs had seized control with a double-digit lead. The offense kept humming in the second quarter as San Antonio stretched the advantage to 20 points, bringing the home crowd to life and sending the team into halftime with a comfortable cushion. For three quarters, the Spurs looked poised to pull off an impressive win against the defending champions.
But the Nuggets were never going to go quietly.
Led by Nikola Jokić and the shot-making brillance of Jamal Murray, Denver began to chip away at the deficit. Jokić controlled the glass and orchestrated the offense while Murray caught fire from the perimeter, turning routine possessions into momentum-shifting buckets. The pressure finally broke through in the fourth quarter. Denver unleashed a barrage of scoring, pouring in 42 points in the final frame while the Spurs’ offense began to stall. A decisive run erased San Antonio’s remaining lead and flipped the game in Denver’s favor with just minutes left.
Despite the collapse, the Spurs had plenty of bright spots.
Guard Stephon Castle delivered the best performance of his young career, recording a triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while orchestrating much of San Antonio’s offense throughout the night. De’Aaron Fox added 27 points and kept the Spurs within striking distance down the stretch, while Harrison Barnes chipped in 20 points with timely scoring in his return from a brief absence.
But against a veteran Denver squad, the Spurs simply ran out of answers late. In the end, what looked like one of San Antonio’s most impressive wins of the season turned into a frustrating reminder of how quickly momentum can swing in the NBA. The Spurs had the game in their hands for most of the night.
The Nuggets just took it away when it mattered most.
Game Notes
Victor Wembanyama was listed as out before the game with ankle soreness. While some fans may get upset this could dampen his chances at postseason awards, but I much prefer him to be healthy at the start of the NBA playoffs.
Keldon Johnson had a poor offensive night and could not really afford it with San Antonio missing their franchise player. He shot just 2-for-12 from the floor, scoring 5 points in 21 minutes.
In games when KJ struggles, I would love to see Mitch opt to play Carter Bryant more. The rookie had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, but he only played just nine minutes.
Speaking of Harrison Barnes, it was nice to see him return. He scored 20 points off the bench, further proving that moving him to the second unit was a genius move by the coaching staff.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander etched himself into the history books Thursday night.
After surpassing the 20-point mark during the Thunder’s 104-102 win over the Celtics, Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed Hall of Fame big man Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive games (127) with at least 20 points scored.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with a team-high 35 points, broke the record with a 3-point shot to start the third quarter after hitting two free throws on the Thunder’s previous possession.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to celebrate with a teammate during a timeout shortly after he broke Wilt Chamberlain’s 20-point streak record during the second half of the Thunders’ 104-102 win over the Celtics on March 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. AP
The four-time All-Star’s streak dates back to the beginning of the 2024-25 NBA season, when Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points in a 137-114 win over the Trail Blazers on Nov. 1, 2024.
Chamberlain held the record with 126 straight games since 1963, with the 13-time All-Star holding the next highest streak at 92 that started the following year. Legendary point guard Oscar Robertson went for 79 straight games in 1963-64.
In the modern era, Kevin Durant had 72 straight games hitting the 20-point mark in 2015-16.
Before breaking Chamberlain’s record, Gilgeous-Alexander referred to the four-time MVP as a “mythical creature,” but admitted he did not know much about him.
Wilt Chamberlain of the San Francisco Warriors grabs the rebound against the Boston Celtics circa 1963 at the Boston Garden in Boston. NBAE via Getty Images
“Not much besides he was pretty insanely dominant,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN. “Based on the stats, did whatever he wanted and was like … honestly, it feels almost like a mythical creature.
“It’s not real.”
Gilgeous-Alexander is having another MVP-caliber season for Oklahoma City, averaging 31.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 55 percent from the field through 54 games played this season, helping lead the Thunder to an NBA-best 51-15 record headed into Thursday’s game.
A fan holds a sign after Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke Wilt Chamberlain’s 20-point streak record, during the second half of the Thunders’ win over the Celtics on March 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. AP
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault recently told reporters how Gilgeous-Alexander thrives under pressure, saying that he can always mentally stay in the game.
“He never presses,” Daigneault told reporters, according to ClutchPoints. “He’s just got unbelievable awareness of the circumstance, awareness of the length of the game; I think that’s one of his superpowers. He understands how long the game is. So, he can make the right play, knowing that he’ll get his cracks. If he misses shots early, he knows that there’s more game left.
“He always stays in it mentally. I think that’s part of the reason why he’s consistent as he is.”
The Big 12 has made the decision to change out its controversial court ahead of the men's conference tournament semifinal games.
The conference has decided to switch back to a hardwood court after experimenting with LED glass floors during the early-round action and throughout the women's tournament. The court change is expected to be done overnight.
German company ASB GlassFloor developed the LED floor. But that court was said to be slippery, according to Kansas State player Taj Manning, who also claimed it caused one of his teammates to have a migraine.
"After consultation with the coaches of our four semifinal teams, I have decided that in order to provide our student-athletes with the greatest level of comfort on a huge stage this weekend, we will transition to a hardwood court for the remainder of the tournament," Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement to CBS Sports and other outlets. "We look forward to a great semifinals and championship game."
Iowa State will take on Arizona in the first of two semifinal games. Houston and Kansas will go head-to-head in the second game for a chance to play for the conference crown.
All four teams were ranked in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. Arizona was the highest-ranked team in the conference at No. 2. Houston is ranked No. 5, Iowa State is No. 7 and Kansas is No. 16.
“The focus now needs to be on four of the best teams in the country and not the court. I look forward to a great semi-finals and championship,” said Yormark in a statement to ESPN.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks scored a pair of third-period goals to erase a two-goal deficit then got a shootout goal from Jake DeBrusk to beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 on Thursday night.
The Canucks trailed 3-1 after two periods, but Marco Rossi scored with 4:05 to play to make it 3-2 and Filip Hronek tied it at 3-all with 1:01 left in regulation.
Brock Boeser also scored in regulation for Vancouver.
Tyson Jost scored twice for Nashville, and rookie Matthew Wood added a goal.
Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the Predators. Nikita Tolopilo stopped 16 shots for Vancouver.
The Canucks opened the scoring at 8:40, when the double-tip of Hronek's point shot — first Marco Rossi and then Boeser — beat Saros. But the teams went to the dressing room tied 1-1 after Justin Barron snapped up a turnover by Tolopilo before Jost scored on the rebound.
In the second, Jost gave the visitors their first lead of the night, corralling the puck after Roman Josi's blast from the blue line went wide of the net, then depositing it past Tolopilo. Wood followed, his centering pass deflecting into the net off the skate of Canucks forward Liam Ohgren.
Rossi snapped a rebound past Saros and with Tolopilo on the bench, Hronek sent the game to overtime.
DeBrusk scored the only goal of the shootout as Tolopilo stopped all three shooters he faced.
Boeser’s goal was his 16th of the year, and fourth in five games. Evander Kane returned to the lineup after missing one game while dealing with upper-body discomfort.
With 17 games remaining, the Predators remain locked in a race for a wild-card spot with three other Western Conference teams. Saros became the second NHL goalie to reach 50 starts this season. Wood has four goals in his last four games.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Big 12 Conference is ditching its slippery new glass floor for a hardwood court for the final two days of the tournament.
“After consultation with the coaches of our four semifinal teams, I have decided that in order to provide our student-athletes with the greatest level of comfort on a huge stage this weekend, we will transition to a hardwood court for the remainder of the tournament," Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement Thursday night. "We look forward to a great semifinals and championship game.”
“Obviously, the floor is a bit slippery," Anderson said. “I think I just kind of mis-stepped or did a movement that caused me to slip,”
The Big 12 announced last month that it would play the men’s and women’s tournaments on the ASB GlassFloor-made court that has been used at the NBA All-Star Game and in Europe but never before during an official U.S. competition.
“I personally didn’t have any involvement (in the decision to go to hardwood),” Kansas coach Bill Self after the No. 14 Jayhawks beat TCU 78-73 on Thursday night in the last game played on the glass floor. “If the other coaches are doing it, (they) have juice and they got more than I got. Because I didn’t have any any involvement with that at all.”
Then he added, “I think it’s the right thing to do.”
The glass floor has an aluminum and steel spring-action design that is supposed to mimic the flexibility of hardwood. The LED panels, which display everything from data-driven graphics to advertising, have ceramic coating and little dots etched into the glass that are supposed to create grip that is consistent with traditional surfaces.
The ball seems to bounce like usual, though with a different “thudding” sound. There are a whole lot more squeaks from sneakers than usual. But the biggest difference has been the traction.
But in take-care-of-business victory, the Lakers’ 142-130 win over the Bulls on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena will be memorable for one reason: Luka Doncic’s first 50-point game with the Lakers.
Luka Doncic scored his season high in points against the Bulls. AP
Doncic led the Lakers with 51 points on 17-of-31 shooting on Thursday night, scoring his 50th and 51st points at the free throw line with “M-V-P” being chanted throughout the Lakers’ home arena late in the fourth quarter.
“It feels very special,” Doncic said.
Thursday was the eighth 50-point game of Doncic’s career, and the first time he scored at least 50 points since scoring a career-high 73 points on Jan. 26, 2024, while playing for the Mavericks.
“I just feel like it’s every game..with him scoring like that,” Deandre Ayton said.
Austin Reaves added 30 points, seven assists and five rebounds during a night the Lakers’ offense was firing on all cylinders.
The Lakers shot 55.6% from the field, including 47.2% on 3s (17 of 36).
Ayton recorded a 23 point-10 rebound double-double to continue his strong run of play.
LeBron James had 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals after returning from a three-game absence.
LeBron James returned to the lineup after sitting with an injury. AP
Rui Hachimura also scored 15 points, with all of the Lakers starters scoring at least 15 points.
“I like the way we played,” coach JJ Redick said.
What it means
The Lakers moved back up to third in the Western Conference standings with Thursday’s victory.
They’re on a four-game winning streak, their longest run of consecutive wins since late November when they won a season-high seven games to close out the month.
They have a 41-25 record.
Turning point
When Ayton grabbed an offensive rebound at the 1:09 mark in the second quarter that led to the Rui Hachimura free-throw line jumper to tie the game at 62 apiece.
That started a 7-0 run the Lakers closed the first half with, flowing into a 5-0 run to start the third quarter to put the Lakers up 72-62.
The Lakers led by as many as 22 points in the third.
The Bulls cut their deficit to single digits multiple times, but the Lakers led for the remainder of the game.
The Lakers’ two stars dap each other up before the game. NBAE via Getty Images
MVP: Luka Doncic
Doncic gets the nod after having his highest scoring game as a Laker.
He also had 10 rebounds and nine assists for a near 50-point triple-double.
“He’s our best player and when he plays like that, we’re tough to guard because of his ability to make shots,” Reaves said of Doncic. “Not just that, but [passing] the ball as well and he picks apart defenses. He needs to continue to do that for us, we expect him to do that. Obviously not score 51 every night. But the type of player he is, he can get hot after seeing one shot go in. And they’ve been going in for him. So we need continue to encourage him to shoot them.”
Stat of the game: 9
That was the number of 3s Doncic made against the Bulls, which tied a career-high that he set on March 31, 2024, while he played for the Mavericks.
After a slow shooting start to the season, Doncic has been scorching from beyond the arc.
He’s shot 39.7% on 3s on 10.5 attempts since Dec. 25, and 43.7% from beyond the arc on 11.3 attempts since the All-Star break.
“He’s been high-volume, high-efficiency for about 2 ½ months now,” Redick said. “It’s so important. It just sets up the rest of his game when he’s making 3s.”
Up next
The Lakers will close out their five-game homestand, which they’re undefeated on so far, against the Nuggets on Saturday.
They hope to have Marcus Smart back in the lineup for that matchup after he was sidelined on Thursday because of a hip contusion.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Bryce Jarvis #40 of the Arizona Diamondbacks throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on March 10, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Introduction
It’s easy to dismiss Spring Training statistics. There are legitimate excuses about pitchers experimenting with different grips, situations, or just not concentrating as hard as they might during the regular season. If you layer those reasons on top of the typically ridiculously small sample sizes, I can understand why fans might wave away both good or bad results from Spring Training. And while I sincerely doubt that Vance Honeycutt, the owner of a .171/.284/.275 slash line at High-A last year, is going to hit .625 at any level, Spring Training numbers are not completely meaningless either. For instance, Nick Kurtz hit an incredible .261/.452/.522 slash line last spring – including mashing a pair homers before his unanimous Rookie of the Year campaign with the Athletics. Baseball is as much about confidence and psychology as it as about physics and strength in my opinion. Even if the actual numbers don’t matter, the direction of those numbers absolutely matters when it comes to roster construction. So now that we’re almost exactly two weeks away from Opening Day, which D-Backs players have shown the most promise?
Jordan Lawlar – 1.174 OPS
Believe me, I know. I can hear the keyboards of the commenters clacking as I type this. The much-ballyhooed prospect has, to put it mildly, been a disappointment at the major league level to this point with a measly .165/.241/.237 slash line and a woeful 34% strikeout rate in 42 games. But he’s hit the ground running through the first half of Spring Training, posting a .323/.432/.742 slash line in ten games while demonstrating a more patient approach at the plate, collecting six walks to 10 strikeouts so far. He’s also been getting some very positive reviews from the coaching staff on his latest positional change to centerfield. There are certainly some caveats to those numbers – particularly on the opponent quality (as measured by the competitive level the opposing player competed in during the past season). Not including today’s game, Lawlar has faced off against an average of 7.7 opposing quality, which equates to somewhere around a AAA pitcher. We’ve also seen this song and dance before. Last spring, Lawlar put together a solid stint with a .294/.368/.529 slash line before posting another disappointing result with the big league club. But I’d argue this season is a different beast. He’s learning a new position, he isn’t worried about making the big league team out of camp, and he’s likely a more mature person than he’s been in the past. Given how important he could be to the team, I’ll always root for him to finally find some success.
Bryce Jarvis – 1.69 ERA
I wanted to make sure to highlight at least one pitcher finding some success in Spring Training, but it wasn’t an easy exercise. Most of the rotation members have only had a small handful of starts so far and several of the relievers have only entered a few games themselves. Additionally, pitchers are particularly prone to the small sample size problem as a single bad outing can flip your stats upside down. Even with those caveats though, it’s not a pretty picture on the pitching side. Ryne Nelson has struggled to a 5.63 ERA and already given up a pair of dingers in his three starts, Michael Soroka owns an unsightly 9.63 ERA and 2.727 WHIP in his first two starts, and Brandyn Garcia saw his scoreless streak come to an ignominious end this afternoon when he failed to record an out while allowing five earned runs – ballooning his ERA all the way to 11.25 for the spring. But Jarvis is one of the few that have managed to get into a decent amount of action – he currently leads the righty relief corps with 5.1 IP – and posted good results including the above ERA and a 0.938 WHIP. After breaking out in 2024 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.433 WHIP across 44 games, Jarvis looked like a shadow of himself last season, owning a 5.73 ERA and looking much more hittable than he had in the previous two campaigns. Now a non-roster invitee, he’ll need to prove that he deserves a bullpen slot and can return to the form that made him so successful previously – and he’s certainly done that in my opinion.
Luka Doncic, left, is congratulated by LeBron James after making a three-pointer during the second half of the Lakers' 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
He didn’t miss it this time.
Luka Doncic recorded his first 50-point game of the season Thursday, hitting two late free throws as the crowd at Crypto.com Arena showered him with “MVP” chants in the fourth quarter. Doncic checked out with 1:41 remaining to a standing ovation with 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Lakers to a 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls.
The Lakers (41-25) jumped into third place in the Western Conference with their seventh win in their last eight games, climbing from sixth in just one week behind Doncic’s brilliance. The NBA’s leading scorer has averaged 40.2 points in the last four games, all wins. Doncic had a chance at 50 points in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in October, but missed a late free throw that forced him to settle for 49 points.
LeBron James returned after missing three games because of elbow and hip contusions he sustained against the Denver Nuggets on March 5. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Austin Reaves had 30 points and seven assists, surpassing 5,000 points for his career. Center Deandre Ayton held down a short-handed big man rotation with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lakers were without starting guard Marcus Smart (right hip contusion) and backup centers Jaxson Hayes (back soreness) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain). Smart has been playing through the injury for several games, but with a six-game road trip starting next week, “we need it to calm down,” coach JJ Redick said. The coach expected Smart to be available Saturday when the Lakers play the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers gave up a 12-3 run to end the first quarter and led the struggling Bulls (27-39) by only five at halftime. James helped give them the breathing room going into the locker room as he scored his first points of the game with 54 seconds left in the first half. His three-point play sparked a quick five-point run to end the half, which ended with a dunk from Rui Hachimura.
Lakers star LeBron James, center, drives between Chicago's Rob Dillingham, left, and Matas Buzelis during the second half Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
James came alive in the third quarter, beginning with his dunk off a hit-ahead pass from Doncic. He returned the favor by diving out of bounds for a steal on the next possession and the save led to a three-pointer from Doncic.
Doncic made nine of 14 three-point attempts as the Lakers made 17 of 36 shots from beyond the arc, their best three-point percentage in a game since Feb. 20.
After not taking a single shot in the first quarter, James had 11 points, three rebounds and two assists in the third quarter as the Lakers’ lead grew to 22 points.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 12: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a three point basket during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 12, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers push their win streak to four with a 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. They now have sole possession of the 3rd seed in the Western Conference.
The game began with LA scoring seven in a row. Austin Reaves put the first points on the board with a triple. He also picked up a steal and a block. LeBron James was the only starter not to score yet in the quarter.
Matas Buzelis converted on a layup to give the Bulls their first points of the night.
Rui Hachimura put up five points. Luka Dončić began to surge, draining two 3-pointers. Buzelis was leading Chicago with seven points. At the 3:05 mark, the Lakers were up by six.
Luka entered double figures with 12 points. He was also a rebounding machine, grabbing seven. Chicago then went on a 9-0 scoring run to make it a tied game at the end of the first.
The Lakers took control of this game early, and led by 9 late in the period, but Chicago ended the quarter on a 9-0 run to tie the game at 26.
Dončić had 12 points and 7 boards in the period.
The second period began just as the first did, with a triple by Reaves. The Bulls responded with five straight points. Deandre Ayton then scored four in a row to put the Lakers up by two early. LeBron James had a slow start for Los Angeles, taking only two shots, both of which he missed.
Buzelis put Chicago back in the lead with a 3-pointer.
LA was shooting 41% from the field, while the Bulls were shooting a hot 87%. Ayton, Reaves, and Luka were the first Lakers in double figures with 12, 10, and 17, respectively.
Deandre Ayton is having another solid game. He has 10 points on 5-7 shooting in his 12 minutes of play.
Buzelis and Luka had some friendly chatter amongst themselves, leading to Luka pushing his point total to 20.
At the 4:04 mark, the purple and gold were down by four. Los Angeles went on a 9-2 scoring run to retake the lead. LeBron finally put some points on the board, converting on a three-point play with 54 seconds left in the half.
The Lakers had four of their five starters in double figures entering halftime, leading by six.
LeBron started the second half with an emphatic dunk, and it was followed by a Bulls turnover that turned into a 3-pointer from Luka on the other end. Chicago called a quick timeout. Out of the break, Buzelis was fouled and converted on both free throws.
The Lakers erupted for a 14-2 scoring run that expanded their lead to 18.
Hachimura drained his third triple of the night. He was shooting a red-hot 74% from behind the arc. Luka notched two more 3-pointers, marking seven for the game so far out of 11 attempts. LeBron eventually entered double figures with 11 points.
Coming into this game, Luka Dončić was shooting 41.3% from 3 after the All-Star break on 11.0 attempts per game, and that's not counting his 7 for 10 tonight.
At the 4:55 mark, the lead was 21 for Los Angeles.
Chicago cut the deficit to 14 after they went on a 9-2 run. Josh Giddey was up to 15 points for the Bulls and was four for six from behind the arc. At the end of the third, the Lakers were up by 10, after they had once led by 22.
LeBron started the final frame with a midrange jumper. On the other end, Nick Richards completed a three-point play. Luke Kennard finally got a triple to fall after four attempts. At the 8:45 mark, LA was up by single digits.
Reaves then scored a quick five in a row to push the lead back to double digits.
With six minutes left, Los Angeles continued to have a good lead, led by the efforts of Reaves, who was up to nine points in the quarter, and Ayton, who was up to six. Luka swished two 3-pointers in a row.
With 3:19 left, the Bulls were down by 17.
Chicago tried a small comeback, but failed after Luka converted on two free throws for his 50th and 51st points.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 51 points,10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals. Reaves ended with 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists. LeBron scored 18 points with seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Ayton had another dominant game, scoring 23 points with 10 rebounds. Hachimura notched 15 points in 40 minutes.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at 5:30 PM PT.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 12: Khris Middleton #20 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 12, 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
The Dallas Mavericks continued their season-long road trip, taking on the Pelicans win on Wednesday night. With the Grizzlies entering Thursday’s action with two more wins than Dallas and one more win than New Orleans, these games carry importance relative to how things may shake out in respect of draft odds, following Dallas’ 120-112 victory.
Let’s get to the grades!
Naji Marshall: C-
5 PTS / 6 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 23 MIN
It can be puzzling to see Marshall struggle when he so often hits 50-plus percent from the floor. This was not that game. He was 2-for-7 and had a mind-blowing six turnovers. Maybe his worst game of the season.
Max Christie: C-
13 PTS / 0 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 25 MIN
Christie was 5-for-12 from the floor, including another corner three-pointer that hit the side of the backboard. Overall, there were aspects that were better, but his five turnovers would be utterly shocking had he not been outdone by Marshall.
Cooper Flagg: C+
13 PTS / 5 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 33 MIN
Flagg is either hitting the rookie wall (it doesn’t really seem like it) or still nursing his injured foot. He’s struggling with his shot (6-for-16) and picked up three fouls before you could say his name. Nonetheless, he did what he has done even in his less than ideal games – contributed in almost every aspect of the game.
A double-double with a sprinkle of defense was nice to see from Washington, who has been struggling recently. It wasn’t his most efficient shooting night (5-for-12; 0-for-3 from downtown) but it was a solid well-rounded game compared to most of his games lately.
After a long season, it appears Gafford is back to being the player Mavs’ fans enjoyed watching when the team was competing for a championship. He was 9-for-12 and basically went beast-mode all night, doing his double-double damage in less than 30 minutes of action.
Brandon Williams: B+
10 PTS / 8 REB / 6 AST / 2 STL / 2 BLK – 28 MIN
Williams hit 4-for-8 from the floor despite going 0-for-3 from deep. He had three fouls and two turnovers, but played very good defense as shown in his stocks and rebounds. Solid game breaking down the defense and doing some damage.
Khris Middleton: A+
35 PTS / 3 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN
Middleton single-handedly took over the game after the Grizzlies rallied back to tie things up. He had the highest-scoring quarter (in the final frame) of any Maverick this season, which was also the highest scoring quarter of his career. This was also his first 30-point game in nearly three years. He was a scorching hot 10-for-17 with an even more impressive 8-for-10 from deep. He had zero turnovers and zero fouls, hit all seven of his free throws and even had two steals. Oh, he did all of that in 25 minutes of play. This was just plain epic.
Final Thoughts
For the first time in a long, long while, the Mavs whooped an opponent for most of the game, ultimately getting the win. Granted that opponent is not especially good and was only able to roll out eight players, but the Mavs were starved for a win and finally got one. Although it hurts them in terms of the tank-a-thon, the road ahead remains rough and breaking the skid has to be good for morale as the season winds down.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
After taking a two-goal lead in the second period, the Nashville Predators gave up a pair of goals in the third period and went scoreless in the shootout, falling to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, on Thursday at Rogers Arena.
Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos all failed to score as Jake DeBrusk scored the lone goal in the shootout.
It's Nashville's first shootout loss of the season and just the Canucks fourth win of the 2026 calendar year. The Predators have also lost five straight overtime/shootout games.
Tyson Jost scored twice for Nashville, recording his first multi-goal game since May 13, 2021, when he had two goals as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. He also has three goals in the last two games.
Matthew Wood scored his 14th goal of the season, shooting the puck from the left corner, and it deflected off of Vancouver's Liam Ă–hgren and into the net. That score gave Nashville a two-goal lead.
Marco Rossi scored off a rebound to cut the Predators' lead down to one with five minutes left in the third period. With a minute left in the game and the extra attacker on, Filip Hronek scored to tie the game.
Despite picking up the loss, Juuse Saros had a massive performance, making 24 saves on 27 shots. The Predators were outshot 12-5 in the first period with Saros making a handful of big saves to prevent Vancouver from expanding its lead.
A victory would've tied the Predators with the San Jose Sharks for the final Wild Card spot in the West, with 68 points; however, the Sharks would've had the tiebreaker over them in wins.
Sitting at 67 points, Nashville is in a three-way tie with Seattle and Los Angeles. With the most losses and more games played of the three, the Predators don't have the tiebreaker.
The Predators will look to keep pushing for the playoffs on Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers at 7 p.m. CST.
At least Lenyn Sosa brought a little energy to the group tonight. | (Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
The White Sox and Giants kept the game low-scoring and close all evening, which in turn made it harder for me to keep my eyes open. And all for nothing, as it ended in a tie. Here is the breakdown for a mostly uneventful game:
The first run Trevor McDonald has allowed this spring went to Lenyn Sosa, giving the Good Guys an early lead.
Jonathan Cannon stepped in for Ryan Borucki in the second, after Borucki had only fired off seven pitches. The Giants put Cannon to work with long at-bats, and he managed to give up a walk and a hit in the second.
Derek Hill interrupted what was likely a wonderful interview with Ryan Walker with a solo home run to further insult McDonald’s decent Spring Training run.
Cannon battled with his command and issued back-to-back walks in the third, but got Rafael Devers to ground into an inning-ending double play with the White Sox up 2–0. During the extended frame, Brooke Fletcher shared an update on Brooks Baldwin.
Will Venable told me Brooks Baldwin got imaging on his elbow and there’s some inflammation there. He’s still being evaluated and is day-to-day. They’re having several specialists to look at it to get more information. Will went on to say that it’s similar to what he felt last…
The Sox had some luck with a walk and a single after two quick outs in the fourth, but Tristan Peters ended the small rally with a ground out. Matt Chapman singled to center field to kick off the bottom of the inning, and with one out, Bryce Eldridge drew a walk. Jared Kelley came in with two on and two outs, only to immediately give up a hit to Will Brennan, cutting the lead in half and putting runners on the corners. Thankfully, Casey Schmitt was called out on strikes to prevent further damage.
Matt Gage replaced McDonald for the fifth. After two quick outs, Luisangel Acuña beat out a throw to first for a single, but Miguel Vargas struck out after losing a challenge to end the inning.
Cannon was back on the mound for the bottom of the fifth. With two strikes, Victor Bericoto opened with a knock, and with a White Sox blooper in center field, Harrison Bader singled. The Good Guys tried to make up for it with a double play, but Chapman drove in the second run for the Giants, making it 2-2. The RBI single chased Cannon out of the game again, with Eric Adler replacing him. While Willy Adames worked up a full count, pinch runner Christian Koss got picked off to end the inning.
Sosa continued his hot night with a two-out single, but was caught stealing for a quick top half of the sixth. Jedixson Paez stepped in to pitch for the Sox in the Giants’ half of the inning. The righthander secured back-to-back Ks working a battle leading to a full count with Daniel Susac, who picked up a walk in the fight. Paez bounced right back when Jerar Encarnacion flew out to right.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Peters managed a triple, Hill walked, and William Bergolla Jr. singled on a soft bunt to plate Peters. The Good Guys took the lead back, 3-2, right before Acuña promptly hit into a double play.
Darren Baker, the son of Dusty Baker, worked a full-count walk to open the ninth and quickly swiped second and third. Another Baker — Dru (no relation) — followed with a walk and stole second as well. Josh Breaux then drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Unfortunately, in the most White Sox fashion, Mario Camilletti bounced into a rally-killing double play to strand them all.
In the bottom of the frame, Eric Haase walked and was replaced by Jared Oliva, who promptly stole second and third. A sac fly from Jerar Encarnacion tied the game at 3-3. With two outs, Parks Harber was hit by a pitch, but McCray ended the game with a ground out.
No winners, no losers, just an anticlimactic tie. But just like Spring Training, this game is meaningless, and the points don’t matter.
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