Unadventurous team will need to improve significantly on multiple fronts if they are to poop France’s potential title party in Paris
So let’s rewind for a moment. Just four weeks ago England had beaten Wales 48-7 in round one and were looking towards Scotland with a collective glint in their eyes. “The message to the players is: go out, move the ball, play fast, play brave,” Steve Borthwick said after announcing a pretty settled side for Murrayfield. “It suits the team we have.”
And now? Not unlike the Ashes cricket series in Australia this winter, the team sheet for the final game of an already torpedoed campaign is a case of too little too late. Similarly to the cult of Bazball, the bell is tolling for the Borthball era. Even if the head coach remains in post, it is inconceivable that England’s tactical approach can remain unchanged.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo made history on Tuesday in the team's 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. After scoring 31 points in the first quarter, a franchise record for points in a quarter, he also broke the Heat record for points in a half with 43.
By the end of the night, Adebayo had accumulated 83 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks and seven three-pointers. Shooting 20-of-43 from the field and 36-of-43 from the foul line, Bam became the first player in league history to record at least 22 three-point and 30 free-throw attempts in the same game, and his 36 points from the foul line were also a league record.
Of course, Wilt Chamberlain is the only player in league history to have scored more points in a game, having put up 100, but Adebayo is now second on that list, jumping past Kobe Bryant's 81-point effort against the Toronto Raptors. Obviously, Adebayo's fantasy stat line was elite, but what were some of the other great nights in fantasy basketball history? Let's take a look at some other nights that would have, or did, set the fantasy basketball world on fire.
Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets (March 10, 1987 vs. Seattle)
Fantasy basketball may not have been the industry that it is today back in the 1980s, but Olajuwon was one of the players of that era who would have been an elite option, regardless of league format. On March 10, 1987, the Hall of Fame center produced a stat line the likes of which we have not seen since. Shooting 14-of-29 from the field and 10-of-14 from the foul line, Olajuwon finished the double-overtime defeat with a stat line that included a staggering 19 defensive contributions. He finished with 38 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, seven steals and 12 blocked shots.
Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls (March 28, 1990 vs. Cleveland)
Considered by many to be the greatest of all time, Jordan could supplement high-scoring nights with excellent production across the entire stat line. That was the case in a March 1990 overtime loss to the Cavaliers. Shooting 23-of-37 from the field and 21-of-23 from the foul line, Jordan scored 69 points while also recording 18 rebounds, six assists, four steals, one block and two three-pointers. Also, he was responsible for just two turnovers while playing 50 of a possible 53 minutes.
David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs (February 17, 1994 vs. Detroit)
Shooting 12-of-20 from the field and 10-of-17 from the foul line, "The Admiral" recorded a 34-point quadruple-double in a win over the Pistons. In 43 minutes, he was also responsible for 10 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and 10 blocked shots. Not a single fantasy manager would complain about the free-throw shooting after a performance of this caliber.
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (January 22, 2006 vs. Toronto)
The man whose point total Adebayo eclipsed on Tuesday, Bryant's 81-point night against the Raptors remains the stuff of legend. And who was defending him throughout the course of that game didn't matter. Playing 42 minutes, Bryant shot 28-of-46 from the field and 18-of-20 from the foul line. In addition to the 81 points, Kobe put up six rebounds, two assists, three steals, one blocked shot and seven three-pointers. Clearly, there have been more robust fantasy stat lines. But scoring 81 points efficiently can compensate for that.
James Harden, Houston Rockets (December 31, 2016 vs. New York)
While Harden has four 60-point games to his credit, those performances don't make the cut. What made the cut was the triple-double he recorded in a win over the Knicks on the final day of 2016. Shooting 14-of-26 from the field and 18-of-20 from the foul line, Harden scored 53 points while also recording 16 rebounds and 17 assists. He didn't record any steals or blocks, and there were also eight turnovers, but on some nights, the production is too good to overlook.
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (March 29, 2017 vs. Orlando)
During his MVP 2016-17 season, Westbrook recorded two 50-point triple-doubles in March. One was recorded during an overtime win over the Magic, with the point guard tallying 57 points (21-of-40 FGs, 9-of-11 FTs), 13 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and six three-pointers. Like Harden, the turnover count was a bit high for Westbrook on that night, as he recorded seven. However, few will complain about that when the turnovers are part of a 50-point triple-double on efficient shooting percentages.
Joel Embiid (November 13, 2022 vs. Utah)
"The Process" appeared hellbent on winning Most Valuable Player from the start of the 2022-23 campaign, and he would achieve that goal. One of Embiid's best performances, and best fantasy stat lines, came in a mid-November win over the Jazz. He shot 19-of-28 from the field and 20-of-24 from the foul line, putting up 59 points to go along with 11 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, seven blocks and one three-pointer.
G Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks (December 27, 2022 vs. New York)
Dončić also put up some elite stat lines during that 2022-23 campaign. Having scored 50 points in a win over the Magic two days before Christmas, the then-Mavericks star was even better in an overtime win over the Knicks two days after the holiday. Shooting 21-of-31 from the field and 16-of-22 from the line, Dončić scored 60 points while also recording 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, one blocked shot and two three-pointers. And he played 47 of a possible 53 minutes.
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers (January 2, 2023 vs. Chicago)
On the second day of 2023, Mitchell torched the Bulls in an 11-point overtime victory. In 50 minutes, he put up 71 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, one block and seven three-pointers. Mitchell was efficient, shooting 22-of-34 from the field, including a 15-of-19 night from two, and 20-of-25 from the foul line. Like the other players on this list, Spida was unstoppable on that night, much to the delight of fantasy managers who had him on their rosters.
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets (March 7, 2025 vs. Phoenix and April 1, 2025 vs. Minnesota)
Jokić boasts a long list of stat lines that basketball fans can sift through to find some of his "greatest hits." But these two games, played within a month of each other last season, stick out. In the early March win over the Suns, the three-time league MVP scored "only" 31 points but also recorded 21 rebounds, 22 points, three steals and three three-pointers. Also, Jokić attempted only three free throws that day.
As for the April Fool's Day masterclass against the Timberwolves, Jokić recorded the first, and to this point, only 60-point game. Shooting 18-of-29 from the field and 19-of-24 from the foul line, The Joker finished with 61 points while also recording 10 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and six three-pointers. He's one of three players in league history to have recorded a 60-point triple-double, with Harden and Dončić being the others.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers walks off the court after the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 10, 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
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers had plenty of excuses ready if they lost to the Wolves.
Minnesota entered the night as the third-best team in the West. The Lakers entered the night without their All-Star LeBron James for the thirdstraight game as well as bigs Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber.
But they still had Austin Reaves.
Behind their budding star and the superhero of the night, the Lakers earned a hard-fought 120-106 win over Minnesota.
Reaves ended the night with 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. It was his second consecutive strong showing after scoring 25 in a win against the Knicks.
“Really it was [that] he was able to get downhill,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “I mean, that’s the biggest thing. That’s when he’s at his best. He’s a fantastic shooter, but he’s at his best when he’s touching the paint.
“I thought early on, him getting into the paint, getting fouled, seeing the ball go through the hoop [was good]. And then we saw him as the half wore on, he just got into his bag and a lot of those were on paint touches and he hit those non-rim paint two.”
Reaves’ big night wasn’t so great at the start.
In the opening quarter, his jumper was cold as he went 0-3 from the field. At the halftime break, he had just one made field goal and a sensational night seemed out of reach.
However, as the third quarter began, Reaves’ jumper began to warm up. He drove to the paint and converted on a layup. He found Luka Dončić for a floater, giving the Lakers a two-possession lead.
Then, Reaves’ confidence and productivity really ratcheted up.
First, heconverted on a four-point play. He followed that up with another deep make and then drove into the paint and scored on a foater. Suddenly, a close contest became a double-digit lead for LA.
“I think he’s just a great player,” Dončić said. “He’s very talented defensively. He gets to his spots, he tricks the defense, and that’s why he’s a great player.”
Reaves’ dominance continued in the fourth. He checked in with 10:38 left to play and immediately had another four-point play. After another lob connection with Deandre Ayton and a floater, LA had put the Wolves to bed with three minutes left on the clock.
In the NBA, things can change in the blink of an eye. After their tough loss to the Nuggets a week ago, the Lakers have bounced back with three straight wins and are now fourth in the West.
While Luka has been at the center of that streak, Austin hasn’t been far behind. He showed glimpses against the Pacers before really finding his groove in the last two games.
As a result, both he and the Lakers are on an upward trend now
“It feels like we’re trending in the right direction, just got to continue to stick to the plan,” Reaves said. “And continue to get better every single day and compete at a high level.”
For the Lakers’ to be at their best, Reaves must play his best against elite teams.
LOS ANGELES — For the second straight game, we saw the vision of how the Lakers want to play around Luka Doncic starting to manifest.
There is Austin Reaves as the secondary playmaker, putting up 31 points on Tuesday night and getting downhill (plus having two four-point plays). Then, with LeBron James out again, the Lakers start Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura as defense-first players who can space the floor — and they were dialed in on the defensive end. Then the Lakers got an engaged Deandre Ayton for a night.
And, for the second straight game, the Lakers beat a quality team, knocking off Minnesota 120-106.
The win moved the Lakers into fourth in the tight Western Conference, technically tied with the Timberwolves at 40-25, but the Lakers take the tiebreaker by sweeping the season series from Minnesota.
The way the Lakers looked against the Timberwolves, and how they played against the Knicks on Sunday, is the kind of team the Lakers want around Luka Doncic — the kind they need around him to be a threat in the playoffs. Why is it not always that smooth with LeBron on the court?
"It's what they're comfortable doing as basketball players..." Lakers coach JJ Redick said. "For one of those guys, having scored the most points in NBA history and doing it for 23 years, is to have the ball in his hands. For another guy who's had five First Team All NBAs — should make another First Team All NBA this year — it's having the ball in his hands... [Austin Reaves] ascending to an All-Star level. But the human struggle to want what you want while also having the emotional maturity and recognition that you got somebody next to you, it hasn't been as clean."
It was clean on Tuesday night, although it wasn't always pretty.
Having Luka Doncic put up a 31-point triple-double — 11 rebounds and assists — helps.
It also helped that the Timberwolves were just ice cold shooting the ball — give the Lakers defense some credit, but the Timberwolves also just missed shots they normally knock down. For the night, Anthony Edwards was 2-of-15, and made his first 3-pointer with 4:18 left in the third quarter, after missing his first nine.
But this is the second straight game in which a team with a good offense and an elite shot creator running the show has struggled against the Lakers.
"You can talk about schemes and rotation and low man, all that stuff, our guys have been a lot better just guarding the basketball…" Redick said of the last couple of games. "And when we were in rotation, we did a really good job. I thought, our attention to detail on the [Julius] Randle and Edwards coverage was really good. DA (Deandre Ayton) was fantastic tonight on that end."
This game was not pretty early.
The Lakers started 0-of-8 from the floor and that theme continued for the first 12 minutes — Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards were 3-of-18 combined. It led to a low-scoring first quarter — 21-16 Timberwolves — in which Minnesota shot better at just 34.8%. The Lakers didn't hit a 3-pointer until Luka Doncic did with six minutes left in the first half.
"I think I think we started the game slow and sluggish," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. "That was my concern against the defense that they load so heavily. Wanted more pace early, wanted more quicker decision making early. And we just fell into a lot of iso basketball and then just everything was a beat late. We're very out of rhythm right now offensively, and we've gotta fix that."
Both teams shooting improved to decent in the second half, but neither side got hot or created much separation. A Rui Hachimura 3-pointer in the final five seconds tied the game up at 45-45 at the half.
That dynamic started to change in the third, when the Lakers started 6-of-10 and the Timberwolves remained ice cold, not hitting a bucket for the first six minutes of the half. Suddenly, the Lakers were up double digits, and that stretched to 19 on an uncontested Luke Kennard driving layup.
From there, Minnesota could never hit enough shots in a row to make it a game.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Head Coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers talks in the huddle during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 10, 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
A week ago, the biggest question surrounding the Lakers was whether they were a serious team capable of beating good opponents. Fast forward a week and the answer is much clearer.
Two games do not define a team, but the Lakers beating the Knicks and Timberwolves in back-to-back contests at this time in the season should go some way in quelling the notion that they can’t hang with the top teams in each conference.
Do the teams they beat have flaws? Yes. But they largely dominated both contests, too. On Tuesday, they had one of their worst quarters of the season offensively to open the game, found their footing in the second period and took off after halftime.
The result is the Lakers winning six of their last seven games as they’re finding their groove at the right time.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Another game where Smart doesn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but he’s still fantastic. He took a pair of charges and was making all sorts of plays defensively for the second game in a row.
Rui had the unenviable task of being the nominal big in some small ball looks the Lakers had to go to with so many of their forwards and centers out. That meant he got into foul trouble pretty quickly in the second half and didn’t have much of an impact in the final two quarters.
There’s an argument, given the opponent and the context of who wasn’t available, that this was Ayton’s best game of the season. There was a lot of pressure on him to perform because the Lakers had noone else to turn to and he responded in a huge way.
Austin was very quiet in the first half and very loud in the third quarter and second half overall. He roared to life out of the locker room and started burying four-point plays and every midrange jumper possible.
Another ho-hum triple-double and a game where he has a plus-minus of +20. Nothing big here. In a race for so many in the national media to try to explain why Luka’s numbers actually aren’t that good, they seem to just be overlooking how consistently great he’s been.
On a night where he was great yet again, it could have been even better. He had a three roll all the way around the rim and out and set up Ayton with a fantastic pass before he was blocked by Naz Reid.
This was a great Marcus Smart imitation from LaRavia. He could not hit a shot to save his life, but made up for it with his activity, effort, hustle and defensive playmaking. It was a great game from him despite shooting 14% from the field.
Vando was up to his old tricks in this one. He had some great defensive sequences by staying in front of ball handlers. But it was the stuff he did when the ball wasn’t even in play that is typical Vando with small brouhahas with Bones Hyland and Donte DiVincenzo.
As a quick aside, since we’re on the topic, I’m sure I didn’t see Hyland tell the Lakers bench to sit down after hitting a shot when his side was trailing by nearly 20 points, right? Because that would be a crazy thing to do.
I was a little surprised we didn’t see more Timme in this one, but Redick clearly tends to go small and space the floor when he doesn’t have centers.
JJ Redick
Even the most ardent Redick non-believers surely have to admit that he’s, again, doing a great job of getting this team playing its best basketball late in the season.
The Lakers are playing terrific defense and have navigated injuries all year long. Despite how infrequently he’s had his big three together, they are 15 games over .500 heading into the final month of the season with home court advantage well within their grasp for the playoffs.
Friday’s inactives: Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, LeBron James, Nick Smith Jr., Chris Mañon
The Los Angeles Kings (26-23-15) played one of their tightest defensive games of the season on Wednesday afternoon, but it still wasn't enough to escape Boston Bruins (36-22-6) territory.
Boston extended its home dominance, defeating the Kings 2-1 in overtime at TD Garden, securing its 13th consecutive home victory while continuing its elite defensive performance, holding the Kings to their fewest shots taken all season, 15.
The Bruins also improved to 3-1-0 this season in games tied 0-0 after two periods.
For much of the night, the game resembled a playoff-style grind, with physical defense and strong goaltending.
As for the Kings' side of things, Drew Doughty was the lone scorer in tonight's game, while Adrian Kempe finished with one assist and one point; meanwhile, Artemi Panarin had his first bad game as a King, recording zero in the statsheet.
Darcy Kuemper had a great game, especially early on when both teams were struggling to score. Kuemper was the main catalyst at holding the Bruins to three shots in the first period and zero goals for the first 40 minutes, posting 21 saves on the night.
Scott Laughton had another great game, despite not putting up any points; his defense, energy, and speed were all positive for Los Angeles and have been a great fit for the Kings in his short time.
A Scoreless Defensive Battle Through 40 Minutes
The opening 40 minutes featured little offensive rhythm from either team. It was one of the fewest shot attempts we've seen in a game this season, as Los Angeles outshot the Bruins 6-3 after the first period.
Every inch of the ice has been contested tonight and now a heavyweight scrap between Helenius and Zadorov.
Despite the number of shots being very low, the Bruins had plenty of chances to score, especially on the power play, where they were terrible today, finishing 0/4, including a shot that struck the post, while Kuemper kept Boston off the board multiple times, making key saves.
Meanwhile, Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was also dominant on the other side of the crease, stopping 14 of 15 shots from Los Angeles. He was everywhere on the ice, not giving any easy goals for the Kings.
Special teams struggled on both sides. Boston's power play was again nonexistent tonight; even with the penalties they drew, the Bruins failed to take advantage.
Los Angeles also failed to convert on the man advantage, leaving the game scoreless entering the third period with just 20 combined shots between the teams.
Bruins Break Through Late
After the defensive battle between the two teams lasted more than 48 minutes, Boston finally cracked the scoreboard.
Defenseman Mason Lohrei jumped into the offensive zone and beat Kuemper, breaking the tie at the 8:22 mark of the third period, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. The goal energized the crowd after both teams were cold on offense, and it appeared that the Bruins were set to seal another home win.
Doughty Forces Overtime
But the Kings didn't go away and responded again in the clutch.
Just over five minutes later, Drew Doughty tied the game 1-1, with under six minutes remaining in the final regulation, firing the point shot off Elias Lindholm's skate at the net front and in to tie things up.
LAK Goal - Mass-a-Drew-setts!
Doughty hammers home the game-tying goal with six minutes on the clock! 1-1. Kings have pushed since going down, get rewarded there.
But, just 39 seconds in overtime, Charlie McAvoy buried the overtime winner to give Boston the 2-1 victory in one of the most tightly defensive battles we've seen in a regular-season match in a long time.
Despite the loss, the Kings competed very well on the road against Boston, which has been pretty much unbeatable at TD Garden, winning their 13th straight game there, and the defense was excellent.
Key Stats
Los Angeles managed only 15 shots on goal, struggling to generate any offensive momentum all night despite playing one of their best defensive games of the season.
The Kings once again struggled on the power play, finishing 0/2 and winning just 44.9% of their faceoffs, two major stats that've been ailing them this season.
Disappointing for Los Angeles not to get two points, but it resulted in a hard-earned point and got some help tonight in the fight for a wild card spot, as the San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken all lost today.
The good news for Los Angeles is that they're now tied with Seattle for the final wild-card spot in the postseason and are five points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers for the second seed in the Pacific Division.
Los Angeles will continue its five-game road trip on Friday, when it takes on the New York Islanders at 7:00 PM EST.
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ST. LOUIS – By his own admission,
Brayden Schenn is usually one not to disclose his emotions for all to
see.
But
even the human in the New York Islanders center, who was acquired by
the St. Louis Blues just four days ago at the NHL Trade Deadline,
couldn’t even simulate what was about to happen at the first TV
timeout in the first period.
It’s
a rarity to see, but Schenn’s return after getting traded was
overwhelming, to say the least.
One
day, the former Blues captain is at one side of the hotel in San Jose
to sliding over to the next, absorbing the pitch from Islanders
brass, to making his way back into the city he’s called home the
past nine years to dressing in the visiting locker room and facing
guys he went to war with countless times.
Everyone
understands the business side of being a professional athlete, but
when Schenn was the focal point, first on the jumbotron, then getting
the thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd of 18,096 who will
never forget being an integral part of the city’s first Stanley Cup
in 2019, it admittedly got to the 34-year-old.
There was applause. There were obvious tears. A part of the Blues fabric was leaving, and the fans wanted to show their appreciation.
“It
was a pretty emotional night,” said
Schenn, who picked up the primary assist on Mathew Barzal’s OT
winner and first point with the Islanders.
“I can usually hold it together pretty good, I’m not going to
lie, but driving into the rink today got me a little bit. The fans
have been so good to me, the organization has been so good.”
The
Blues knew what was coming, too, and were rightfully impressed with
how the crowd showed its appreciation after 650 regular-season games and 485 points, 58 more playoff games and 29 points.
“Brayden
Schenn’s meant a lot to this organization,” Blues
coach Jim Montgomery said.
“Stanley Cup champ, one of the players that brought home the
Stanley Cup to St. Louis for the first time. He’s just an
incredible family person and husband, father and community guy.”
Blues
rookie Jimmy Snuggerud has known Schenn for less than a year and even
felt the emotions during the tribute, calling Schenn’s mentorship
“massive.”
“That
was sad, honestly,” he
said.
“Even for a guy like me watching whose only known him for not even
a year now. Just what he’s done for this franchise and this program
bringing a Cup and being a great captain. … it’s really great to
see ‘Schenner’ and what he has to do with the Islanders. I’m
watching him, I’m cheering him on. It’s really cool to see that.
I’m just so happy for him.
“From
the day I stepped foot in, I moved in with him right away. From
off-ice antics to on-ice antics, a guy I’d go to basically for all
answers because he’s been through just about everything as a
player. It’s honestly really cool just to see what he’s done and
not knowing him for this long and still get the opportunity to live
with him and more or less play with him on the ice. Honestly it was
really cool.”
Schenn
stayed in St. Louis to pack up as many belongings as he could and
help his wife process and gather up whatever was needed while his new
teammates headed home. He will make his Islanders home debut on
Friday while getting in one last day with his former teammates, who
also gathered at the Schenn household on Monday to spend as much time
together now that that time is gone.
“It
has been a tough couple days,” said
Blues goalie Joel Hofer, who often played with Schenn’s two sons in
the locker room after practices.
“Him and ‘Faulker,’ two good friends. It was definitely fun to
battle it out against him.
“I
wanted to take (the
tribute)
all in. He means so much to this organization and such a good person
to us. He’s great. I definitely wanted to take it all in.”
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Chicago Bulls (27-38, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (40-25, fourth in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Thursday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago visits the Los Angeles Lakers after Matas Buzelis scored 41 points in the Bulls' 130-124 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers have gone 21-12 at home. Los Angeles ranks eighth in the Western Conference with 14.5 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.7.
The Bulls are 11-20 in road games. Chicago is 16-21 against opponents with a winning record.
The Lakers make 49.8% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.6 percentage points higher than the Bulls have allowed to their opponents (47.2%). The Bulls average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Lakers give up.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Lakers won the last matchup 129-118 on Jan. 27, with Luka Doncic scoring 46 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Doncic is averaging 32.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Lakers. Austin Reaves is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Buzelis is averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Bulls. Collin Sexton is averaging 14.1 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 114.6 points, 41.3 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points per game.
Bulls: 3-7, averaging 109.4 points, 47.6 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Jaxson Hayes: out (back), Maxi Kleber: out (back), LeBron James: out (elbow).
Bulls: Anfernee Simons: day to day (wrist), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: out (knee), Zach Collins: out for season (toe), Patrick Williams: day to day (ankle), Collin Sexton: day to day (leg).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Milwaukee Bucks (27-37, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (37-29, sixth in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Miami hosts the Milwaukee Bucks after Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in the Miami Heat's 150-129 win against the Washington Wizards.
The Heat have gone 21-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is 6-3 in one-possession games.
The Bucks are 19-24 in Eastern Conference play. Milwaukee is 15-24 in games decided by 10 points or more.
The Heat score 120.6 points per game, 4.6 more points than the 116.0 the Bucks give up. The Bucks are shooting 47.9% from the field, 2.3% higher than the 45.6% the Heat's opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Feb. 25 the Bucks won 128-117 led by 32 points from Kevin Porter Jr., while Norman Powell scored 26 points for the Heat.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adebayo is shooting 44.8% and averaging 20.0 points for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Myles Turner is shooting 44.1% and averaging 12.3 points for the Bucks. Bobby Portis is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 8-2, averaging 126.2 points, 49.0 rebounds, 29.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points per game.
Bucks: 3-7, averaging 104.7 points, 41.2 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.9 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (back), Kel'el Ware: day to day (shoulder), Andrew Wiggins: day to day (toe), Norman Powell: out (groin), Tyler Herro: day to day (quadriceps).
Bucks: Bobby Portis: day to day (back), Kevin Porter Jr.: day to day (knee), Jericho Sims: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles hosts Minnesota looking to extend its three-game home winning streak.
The Clippers are 20-19 against conference opponents. Los Angeles is 16-24 against opponents over .500.
The Timberwolves are 24-17 in conference games. Minnesota is ninth in the league with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.6.
The Clippers are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 46.3% the Timberwolves allow to opponents. The Timberwolves are shooting 48.3% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 46.5% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves won the last matchup 94-88 on Feb. 27, with Anthony Edwards scoring 31 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kawhi Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals for the Clippers. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 20.5 points and 6.7 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Julius Randle is scoring 21.4 points per game and averaging 7.0 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Edwards is averaging 4.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 117.6 points, 42.8 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points per game.
Timberwolves: 8-2, averaging 116.0 points, 43.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 9.9 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), John Collins: out (arm).
Timberwolves: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Phoenix Suns (38-27, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (15-50, 15th in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana hosts Phoenix looking to stop its six-game home slide.
The Pacers have gone 10-22 at home. Indiana is 4-30 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Suns are 16-14 in road games. Phoenix has a 7-7 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Pacers score 111.4 points per game, 0.4 more points than the 111.0 the Suns give up. The Suns average 14.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.3 more made shots on average than the 11.6 per game the Pacers give up.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Suns won the last meeting 133-98 on Nov. 14. Devin Booker scored 33 points to help lead the Suns to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jarace Walker is averaging 11.1 points for the Pacers. Micah Potter is averaging 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Booker is averaging 24.9 points and 6.1 assists for the Suns. Jalen Green is averaging 18.3 points and 1.6 steals over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 0-10, averaging 112.6 points, 40.2 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.3 points per game.
Suns: 6-4, averaging 105.3 points, 44.8 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.6 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 41.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.7 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Pascal Siakam: out (knee), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: out (back), Ivica Zubac: out (ankle), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Suns: Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Philadelphia 76ers (35-30, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Detroit Pistons (46-18, first in the Eastern Conference)
Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia hits the road against Detroit looking to break its three-game road losing streak.
The Pistons are 31-10 in Eastern Conference games. Detroit is fifth in the Eastern Conference in rebounding averaging 45.9 rebounds. Jalen Duren paces the Pistons with 10.6 boards.
The 76ers are 21-22 in conference matchups. Philadelphia has a 6-8 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Pistons average 10.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 fewer makes per game than the 76ers allow (13.3). The 76ers score 6.3 more points per game (115.9) than the Pistons give up to opponents (109.6).
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Pistons won 114-105 in the last matchup on Nov. 15.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cade Cunningham is averaging 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Duren is averaging 22.7 points over the last 10 games.
Quentin Grimes is scoring 13.0 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the 76ers. Cameron Payne is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 5-5, averaging 114.9 points, 47.3 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 10.0 steals and 7.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points per game.
76ers: 5-5, averaging 115.6 points, 41.7 rebounds, 24.4 assists, 10.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.1 points.
INJURIES: Pistons: Ausar Thompson: day to day (ankle), Caris LeVert: day to day (wrist).
76ers: Tyrese Maxey: out (finger), Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (oblique).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Brooklyn Nets (17-48, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (34-31, ninth in the Eastern Conference)
Atlanta; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta will try to keep its six-game home win streak alive when the Hawks play Brooklyn.
The Hawks are 19-21 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is first in the Eastern Conference with 30.5 assists per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 7.9.
The Nets are 12-29 in conference play. Brooklyn is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference scoring averaging 107.0 points per game while shooting 44.6%.
The Hawks score 117.8 points per game, 1.9 more points than the 115.9 the Nets give up. The Hawks average 107.0 points per game, 10.2 fewer points than the 117.2 the Hawks allow to opponents.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Hawks won the last meeting 115-104 on Feb. 22, with Johnson scoring 26 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is averaging 23 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 17.6 points and 4.7 assists over the last 10 games.
Nic Claxton is averaging 12.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and four assists for the Nets. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 19.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 42.8% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 8-2, averaging 119.6 points, 48.5 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 9.7 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.
Nets: 2-8, averaging 108.2 points, 37.5 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.6 points.
INJURIES: Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga: day to day (knee).
Nets: Ziaire Williams: day to day (illness), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: day to day (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
The Nuggets have gone 23-14 against Western Conference opponents. Denver averages 120.3 points while outscoring opponents by 3.7 points per game.
The Rockets have gone 22-18 against Western Conference opponents. Houston is 15-7 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 14.7 turnovers per game.
The 120.3 points per game the Nuggets average are 10.6 more points than the Rockets allow (109.7). The Rockets are shooting 47.6% from the field, 0.5% higher than the 47.1% the Nuggets' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Dec. 20 the Rockets won 115-101 led by 31 points from Durant, while Jokic scored 25 points for the Nuggets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 28.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 10.3 assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 23.8 points over the last 10 games.
Amen Thompson is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 7.6 rebounds for the Rockets. Durant is averaging 26.6 points and 6.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 4-6, averaging 119.7 points, 46.4 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points per game.
Rockets: 6-4, averaging 115.2 points, 47.0 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Jamal Murray: day to day (ankle), Cameron Johnson: day to day (back), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
Rockets: Jae'Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Charlotte Hornets visit the Sacramento Kings in non-conference action.
The Kings have gone 11-22 at home. Sacramento has a 3-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Hornets are 19-16 on the road. Charlotte is second in the Eastern Conference with 46.3 rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 8.7.
The Kings average 10.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer makes per game than the Hornets give up (12.9). The Hornets' 45.9% shooting percentage from the field this season is 3.5 percentage points lower than the Kings have allowed to their opponents (49.4%).
TOP PERFORMERS: Russell Westbrook is shooting 43.1% and averaging 15.5 points for the Kings. Malik Monk is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 4-6, averaging 113.6 points, 45.8 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.7 points per game.
Hornets: 7-3, averaging 117.2 points, 47.8 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.0 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
Hornets: Liam McNeeley: day to day (ankle), Coby White: day to day (calf), Tidjane Salaun: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
