Brisbane will become the home of an elite state-of-the-art sporting facility that will rival the world’s best stadiums after confirmation on Tuesday that a contentious 63,000-seat venue will be built in Victoria Park to host the 2032 Olympic Games.
Texas hires Xavier’s Sean Miller, the coach who beat the Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament
The news comes a day after Texas fired Rodney Terry, and less than a week after Miller and Xavier knocked the Longhorns out of March Madness.
If The NHL Expands, So Should The Playoffs – Here's How
More NHL expansion could be on the way. If it happens, the playoffs should expand as well.
American billionaire Dan Friedkin of The Friedkin Group, which owns soccer clubs AS Roma and a majority share of Everton, reportedly met with the NHL multiple times about a potential Houston franchise, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. This comes after past news about the interest in bringing a team back to the Atlanta area as well. That could bring the NHL up to 34 teams, with 17 in each conference, if interested owners in each city get their wish.
An offshoot of potential NHL expansion should be the Stanley Cup playoff format.
As it stands, half the NHL’s 32 teams make the playoffs. But if the NHL kept its 16-team structure after bringing on another expansion squad or two, that number would drop below the 50-percent mark.
So, how could the league address its post-season in a 34-team setup?
From our perspective, there are a couple of options. The first would be along the lines of what the NBA does, which is assuring the top six teams in each conference of a playoff spot, with the top four teams in the wild-card race squaring off in a play-in tournament to decide the final two spots in the Eastern and Western Conferences. Another option could be a best-of-three series between the second- and third-place teams in the wild-card race for the second wild-card berth.
With the best-of-three-series option, 18 teams advance to the post-season – just over half – but only two teams in the East and West battle for the final spot in each conference’s quarterfinals. You’d have four teams fighting for two playoff spots in each conference with the NBA system. From this writer’s preference, an expanded NHL playoffs using the NBA format would be the right way to go, as there’s the potential for more upsets while keeping a thrilling end to the regular season.
The first and second teams in the wild-card race get two chances to advance anyway. They would face off, with the winner clinching the first wild-card spot. The loser takes on whoever wins in the No. 3 vs. No. 4 game for the second wild-card place.
If this wild-card play-in format happened this season, the potential matchups could have been full of drama. Ahead of Monday night’s games, the standings would have had the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens facing off in the East’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 game and the New York Rangers taking on the New York Islanders in the No. 3 vs. No. 4 match. In the West, the Minnesota Wild would battle the St. Louis Blues for the first wild-card spot, while the loser would take on the winner of a Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks contest for the second wild-card spot.
The NHL only introduced wild-card berths in 2013-14 as the league continued to evolve. If the league grows, it makes sense to continue to grow the playoff pool like what happened 45 years ago.
The NHL expanded to a 16-team playoff format in the 1979-80 season, when there were only 21 teams in the league. So this notion that there can’t be a majority of the league’s teams involved in the post-season flies in the face of the NHL’s history.
It's Clear NHL Expansion Isn't Ending Anytime Soon: 'I Don't Think We're Necessarily At That Ceiling'Unexplored markets — not a return to Canada — remain a focus when considering NHL expansion after Vegas and Seattle's successes spurred interest in other cities.
Ultimately, an expanded NHL playoffs is all about increasing the value of regular-season games, which would be true if the NHL adopted an NBA-style play-in system. In fact, all the teams that were in the wild-card race for most of the season but are running out of time would still have everything to fight for.
As of March 24, four teams trail the 10th-place Islanders by fewer than five points. In the West, the Utah Hockey Club is only one point behind the 10th-place Canucks, and the Minnesota Wild are only four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the third spot in the Central Division – which would hypothetically make them safe from a play-in round. That means more teams are playing important games deeper into the regular season, and that’s what it’s all about.
If more NHL expansion ever happens, which would come with sky-high expansion fees, a revamped playoff system should come with it. Teams with the most regular-season success wouldn’t be affected by an increased playoff field, but games would matter more for more teams, and any way you look at it, that would be a success.
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Maple Leafs Win The Luke Haymes Sweepstakes, Everything To Know About The Coveted Center
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Monday that they signed Dartmouth College center Luke Haymes to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26.
Before that contract starts, the 21-year-old Haymes will sign a professional tryout contract with the Toronto Marlies for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Details | https://t.co/tj5Ym0NQn2
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 25, 2025
The Ottawa, Ontario native was reportedly linked to the Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and hometown Senators as potential destinations to begin his professional career. He posted 12 goals and six assists in 22 games in a season hampered by a broken hand sustained early in the campaign.
Haymes is consistently described as a tenacious and gritty two-way forward, known for his effectiveness on both sides of the ice . He plays with a high level of energy and determination and strong hockey IQ. His style allows him to generate quality scoring opportunities through a combination of intelligent play and physicality.
Haymes attended Toronto's summer development camp in 2023.
Scouting reports suggest that he projects as a potential bottom-six player with the possibility of developing into a middle-six role with further refinement. Perhaps he could help the center prospect depth for the Leafs that was vacated when the club traded Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins along with a conditional first-round pick for defenseman Brandon Carlo.
'I Haven't Told Them Yet': Maple Leafs React To Fraser Minten Being Traded To Bruins For Brandon CarloToronto sent Minten, plus a first and fourth-round pick, to Boston in exchange for Brandon Carlo.
At 6-1, 203 pounds, Haymes is considered pro-hockey ready and his recent growth spurt (previously listed at 185 pounds), explains why the player wasn't drafted and has recently garnered a lot of interest.
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Celtics-Kings takeaways: Tatum stars in 113-95 win despite ankle injury
Celtics-Kings takeaways: Tatum stars in 113-95 win despite ankle injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
What to Know
- Jayson Tatum steered Boston from the get-go, but couldn’t finish the game after rolling his ankle on a late closeout by Domantas Sabonis.
- Payton Pritchard and the bench played a key role in Joe Mazzulla’s eight-man rotation.
- Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday each had quiet games, but got help from elsewhere.
- New soon-to-be majority owner William Chisholm was in attendance in Sacramento.
The Boston Celtics are lighting the beam.
Boston on Monday got its revenge on the Sacramento Kings, winning in a 113-95 road rout after its 114-97 home loss on January 10.
Sacramento led by as much as nine points midway through the first quarter, with Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis getting off to fast starts in the absence of Malik Monk (illness). But Jayson Tatum did Jayson Tatum things to pull it back, logging 11 points and five assists, including one that set up Payton Pritchard’s buzzer-beating triple that gave Boston a 30-29 lead after one.
After a heavy back-and-forth second 12 minutes, Boston eventually extended its lead to five at 56-51 thanks to a mini late push. Tatum still led the Celtics with 17 points and six assists on 4-for-7 3-point shooting, while Pritchard’s 14 points off the bench was more than any King at that point.
Boston then pushed its lead to 14 late in the third quarter following a Kristaps Porzingis 3-pointer, but maintained an 88-78 advantage going into the final 12 minutes. Tatum increased his point total to 25 despite suffering an ankle injury on a late closeout by Domantas Sabonis, while Porzingis got up to 14 points.
The Celtics simply saw out the game in the fourth, with Sacramento putting up little resistance with 17 points in the quarter. Baylor Scheierman got in on the action in a big game for the bench.
With the Phoenix Suns next on Wednesday, here are three takeaways from the Celtics’ win over the Kings:
Jayson Tatum stars prior to ankle injury
This game was all about Tatum for the majority of the first three quarters. Tatum posted a game-high 25 points to go with eight assists and seven rebounds on 8-for-15 shooting overall and 5-for-9 from beyond the arc. He uncharacteristically went just 4 of 8 from the foul line.
Tatum also showed off a unique one-legged pull-up three in the early stages, which set the tone for his nice output.
However, Tatum had to leave the game in the second half after suffering an ankle injury. Tatum stepped into a triple over Sabonis, but didn’t get any room to land and suffered the injury. He managed to attempt his free throws before being helped to the bench.
Sabonis was issued a Flagrant 1 foul after a review.
Payton Pritchard leads strong bench effort
The Celtics received a significant lift from its bench that helped Tatum and Co. build a cushion against Sacramento. Pritchard was the catalyst as he continued his hot end to the month of March, finishing with 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal on 8 of 18 shooting overall, including a 5 of 13 clip from distance.
Luke Kornet put in a robust shift, too, ending with 13 points on 6 of 7 shooting overall to go with eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and a block in 26 minutes, which included heavy playing time in the fourth.
Even Scheierman did his part with nine points on 3-for-6 shooting from deep, adding seven rebounds, two steals, one assist and a block in 28 minutes.
Sacramento’s bench could not keep pace, with Markelle Fultz’s eight points in 11 minutes leading the way. Jonas Valanciunas was held to just four points in 13 minutes, while Jake LaRavia mustered only two in 17.
Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday stay quiet
Despite the score advantage, the Celtics didn’t get much production from two of their stars. Brown had just nine points in 26 minutes, though he went 4 of 5 from the floor. He also added two rebounds and a steal, but the former Finals MVP could’ve offered more in what’s been a slow back half of March from a statistical perspective.
Holiday tried to deal damage offensively, but fared much better on the other end. He shot 2 of 11 from the field for just five points, while adding three assists, one rebound and a block in 31 minutes.
Arizona vs Duke Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends and Stats for 2025 March Madness Sweet 16
Arizona Wildcats vs. Duke Blue Devils Game Preview
LaVine claims Kings' vibes ‘not good' after third straight loss
LaVine claims Kings' vibes ‘not good' after third straight loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO – Sixty-four days after Keon Ellis described the vibes around the Kings as “immaculate,” the atmosphere in Sacramento has hit a full 180.
“The vibe is not good,” Kings guard Zach LaVine said Monday night after Sacramento’s 113-95 loss to the Boston Celtics put the team back under .500 for the first time since Feb. 7.
“It shouldn’t be. We’re not happy with the way we’ve been performing. Individually and as a group. The games aren’t going to stop. It’s nut-crunching time. You figure out how to get a win. We’re playing good in spurts, but that doesn’t win you a game.”
LaVine, visibly frustrated while speaking to reporters postgame, likely was projecting some of his annoyance from his recent performances.
It took a few games for LaVine to get his feet wet in Sacramento’s system since being shipped to the Kings at last month’s NBA trade deadline, but he was playing some of his best basketball over an 11-game stretch before missing last week’s contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to personal reasons.
He returned the following game, but his hot streak didn’t. Over the last three games, LaVine is averaging just 12.7 points on 15-of-42 shooting (35.7 percent) from the field and 3 of 15 (20 percent) from 3-point range.
There was a slight glimmer of hope for LaVine in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game, though, when he scored eight consecutive points for the Kings after finishing the first half with four. While it wasn’t enough to get the Kings past the defending champs, it’s certainly a promising sign that LaVine can overcome whatever it is he might be going through.
The competitor in him always will keep it real, but he also doesn’t want the team to get too ahead of itself after falling in a tight Western Conference playoff race.
“We understand the standings, but we just got to take it one game at a time and figure out how to get one,” LaVine said. “We can’t look too far ahead in that because if you do that, you start snowballing.”
While there’s still time to stay afloat, Monday’s slate of games didn’t help Sacramento’s chances with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns right on their tail. Just last week, the Kings were 35-33 and two games above .500 while Dallas (33-37) and Phoenix (33-37) were four games below .500.
Six days later, the Mavericks, who beat the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, and the Suns, who defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, sit a half-game back of the Kings for the No. 9 seed.
“We’re aware,” Kings center Domantas Sabonis said postgame of the tight race in the West. “It’s a very tough position and every game matters. We just got to play our best basketball and win the most games we can.”
Things won’t get any easier for the Kings as they face the Oklahoma City Thunder, who sit way atop the West standings with a 59-12 record, Tuesday night on the second night of a back-to-back.
They then wrap up their seven-game homestead against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday before embarking on a six-game road trip with visits to the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.
While it undoubtedly has been a rough few days for the Kings during a crucial stretch of the season, Ellis countered LaVine’s comments about the vibes in the locker room.
“I think the vibes in the locker room are great, actually,” Ellis said, “but I just think on the court, we have to figure out how to come together a little bit more. But I think at times where you’re seeing those quarters where we’re not really scoring a lot, I think you just have to look at that as we’re not really as connected as we would like to be in a sense of playing a certain way consistently, and just trying to execute what we’re really trying to do.
“So I think that’s where those moments of the vibe not being there together can kind of show. But we definitely all pull for each other, and we’re all wanting the best for each other. So I think off the court, without a doubt, the vibe is great. I think on the court is what we’re just trying to get better at.”
Some of the connectivity issues might stem from instability the team has endured in recent weeks and, really, over the past couple of months. From a head-coaching change to trading their franchise player while incorporating a bunch of new pieces, it has been a challenge for the Kings to find a consistent groove with so many missing parts.
And when it seemed like they came close to some sort of stability, injuries and absences wiped that all away.
Ellis believes that could be a contributing factor to the team’s connectivity conundrum.
“For sure,” he said. “When your main guys go out, it’s kind of tough when you’re already adding in new pieces. So it definitely adds a little bit of a curveball to try to figure those things out as you’re moving forward.
“But it’s just something that we have to do. Other teams aren’t really going to feel bad for us, so just have to figure out a way.”
As far as LaVine’s comments, Ellis isn’t too worried about it. Instead, he hopes the team collectively can do a better job of making his new teammate, and everyone else, feel in-tune.
“I don’t really put too much thought into it,” Ellis said of LaVine’s observation. “I mean, when we’re out there, we just have to try to pick each other up and try to eliminate that feeling. But I personally don’t worry about it too much.
“I think we can do a better job at making sure that everyone feels like that we’re on the same page.”
With 11 regular-season games remaining, the Kings have one final shot to bring back the “immaculate” vibes. Things change fast in the West, so they’ll need to find a way to get back into the win column before it’s too late.
Texas hires Sean Miller of Xavier as basketball coach
Texas hires Sean Miller of Xavier as basketball coach.
Domas feels ‘horrible' for play that injured Tatum's ankle
Domas feels ‘horrible' for play that injured Tatum's ankle originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Domantas Sabonis is no stranger to injuries over the course of his NBA career — and especially the 2024-25 season.
So when the Kings center was charged with a Flagrant 1 foul after stepping on the ankle of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum on Monday, he was filled with remorse.
“I feel horrible, you know,” Sabonis told reporters after Sacramento’s 113-95 loss to Boston at Golden 1 Center. “I’ve had a crazy month myself personally, you know, and you never want that to happen …
“So I apologize.”
Domantas Sabonis feels "horrible" for the play that injured Jayson Tatum in tonight's game pic.twitter.com/nXyQYYpjt0
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
The incident occurred with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter. Tatum drained a 3-point jumper, then fell to the floor in immediate pain after Sabonis landed on his foot while coming down from trying to block the shot.
Jayson Tatum leaves game with ankle injury 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XPjsdrmHsR
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) March 25, 2025
The Celtics forward shot both of his free throws, making one, then was helped off the court as “MVP” chants from Boston fans in Sacramento rained down around him.
It’s amazing how much Celtics fans travel all over the world Jayson Tatum MVP chants when he left with ankle injury pic.twitter.com/XSLHl8anMd
— CELTICS ☘️ BANNER 19 (@BiggLynch) March 25, 2025
The Celtics listed Tatum as doubtful to return after the injury with a left ankle sprain, and he didn’t re-enter the game. After the contest, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla offered an update on Tatum but didn’t disclose if the Celtics star would miss any more time.
“He seems to be doing OK,” Mazzula told reporters. “He’s icing it right now. I didn’t see the play. They made the right call — it was a flagrant foul. Fortunate that he was able to shoot the free throws. [He’s] taking care of it right now.”
Sabonis on Monday was playing in his first game back after sustaining an ankle injury of his own in the Kings’ 132-122 win over the Memphis Grizzles one week prior. And when he was injured last Monday, he was playing in just his second game after missing six contests with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
The Kings star knows how devastating injuries can be, and it’s clear Sabonis is sending well wishes to Tatum after the unfortunate play.
Joe Veleno Seems To Be Getting Comfortable With Blackhawks
On Sunday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks took on the Philadelphia Flyers at United Center. It was a barn-burner as the Blackhawks defeated the Flyers 7-4 to end a seven game losing streak.
One of the most impressive players during the game was Joe Veleno. This makes it two straight games that he has played well but this one saw him collect a couple of points for the first time in a Blackhawks sweater.
It started with Veleno’s first goal since being acquired by the Blackhawks. He came down the wing and placed a perfect shot into the net to give Chicago a 2-1 lead at the time.
Later on, Veleno added an assist, also his first with the Hawks, on a goal scored by Tyler Bertuzzi. This one gave the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead which eventually led to the aforementioned victory.
Interim head coach Anders Sorensen spoke about Veleno after the game. After talking about how difficult it is to switch systems, and mentioning how different Chicago is from Detroit in terms of style, he made it clear that he likes what he sees from Veleno.
"His last two games [were] really good.” Sorensen said in his media availability. “It started in St. Louis there. We got him on the PK again and he was really aggressive and created some turnovers, made some plays. Him and [Bertuzzi] have found something. They've been playing well together."
This is great praise for Veleno from Sorensen. This isn’t a player coming in to be an offensive star but he has the talent as a former first round pick to contribute every now and again. He’s there to play the right way and help the team in other areas.
This game against the Flyers is a great example of how offense can come if the other areas of your game are strong. His chemistry with Bertuzzi, as coach Sorensen alluded to, has helped him get going in Chicago.
If Veleno can play as he has over the last two games, the Blackhawks will certainly consider him in a bottom-six role going forward. A guy who can kill penalties, play the right way at even strength, and contribute some offense here and there, will be valuable to a team learning to win.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
3 observations after Sixers wrap up long trip with loss in New Orleans
3 observations after Sixers wrap up long trip with loss in New Orleans originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers’ long road is finally due to wind back to Philadelphia.
They wrapped up a 1-5 trip and dropped their fifth consecutive game Monday night, falling to a 112-99 loss to the Pelicans.
Justin Edwards and Jared Butler scored 19 points apiece for the 23-49 Sixers.
Rookie Pelicans center Yves Missi tallied 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting and nine rebounds. Karlo Matković scored 19 points off the bench and Elfrid Payton dished out 14 assists. Kelly Olynyk had 14 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
The Sixers had nine players sidelined by injuries. Quentin Grimes also rested on the second night of a back-to-back.
Here are observations on the Sixers’ defeat in New Orleans:
Edwards trending up beyond the arc
The Pelicans regularly beat the Sixers early in transition and did tons of damage inside. New Orleans posted the night’s first 16 points in the paint.
The Sixers’ offense also wasn’t sparkling. The team started 2 for 10 from the field, though Edwards kept on knocking down shots. He sunk three first-quarter three-pointers and scored 11 of the Sixers’ 23 points in the opening period.
Edwards has let jumpers fly his rookie year, rarely turning down open, in-rhythm looks. His results have been impressive lately, too.
Over the last five games, the lefty wing has gone 18 of 36 (50 percent) from long range. For the season, Edwards is up to 37.1 percent.
New faces in the mix
The Sixers rolled out their 48th starting lineup of the season. Butler, Ricky Council IV, Edwards, Chuma Okeke and Guerschon Yabusele opened the game.
The second unit included Adem Bona, who returned from a five-game absence with a left ankle sprain.
While slamming in a dunk in the second quarter, Bona took a hand to the eye from Matković. He exited the game but was deemed good to go for the second half. In 19 minutes, Bona finished with six points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block.
New Sixers 10-day contract signing Marcus Bagley made his NBA debut in the second quarter and hit a short push shot on his first attempt. Bagley was largely peripheral Monday, recording two points, two rebounds and a steal in 18 minutes.
Former Sixers two-way contract player Lester Quinones debuted for New Orleans and drilled a second-quarter three. For injury-riddled teams near the bottom of the standings like the Sixers and Pelicans, there’s seemingly a new face or two every game this time of year.
Not much comeback juice
Council and Yabusele each had frigid shooting starts. The pair combined to miss their first 10 field goals.
All of a sudden, just about every Sixers jumper began to fall. Yabusele made two straight triples in the third quarter. Council got a wide-open jumper off of a nice two-man action with Yabusele and canned it. An Edwards three capped a 15-2 run and gave the Sixers a 67-65 lead.
Okeke didn’t have a brilliant shooting night (4 for 9 from the floor, 2 for 6 from three-point range), but he again played a decent overall game and did a little bit of everything with 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. He recorded 20 offensive rebounds on the six-game trip.
The Sixers’ lead was short-lived, which was not shocking given the context — few first-choice rotation players available, wrapping up both a back-to-back and an extended road trip. The Pelicans regained control and built their lead to 23 points early in the fourth quarter.
The Sixers will now rest a day and then kick off a three-game homestand Wednesday against another team in the NBA draft lottery picture, the 15-56 Wizards.
Anthony Davis set to make his return to Mavericks' lineup Monday night vs. Nets
Anthony Davis has pushed to play again and Monday night he gets his wish.
Davis will return to the Mavericks lineup Monday night when Dallas takes on Brooklyn in New York, something Mavericks coach Jason Kidd confirmed pregame, adding Davis was on a minutes restriction (28). Davis has been out since Feb. 8, when he strained his adductor during his one game as a Maverick since the stunning trade that sent him to Texas for Luka Doncic.
Davis had pushed for this return despite Kyrie Irving being out for the season with a torn ACL and Dallas being in danger of sliding out of even the play-in (the Mavericks and Suns are currently tied for the tenth seed in the West and the final play-in spot). All the talk about how Dallas made a mistake with the Doncic trade likely plays into that (even though the frustration of Mavericks fans is not aimed at Davis).
Davis is averaging 25.7 points and 12 rebounds a game while shooting 52.8% from the floor and playing elite defense this season — he was on his way to an All-NBA spot before the latest injury.
If the Mavericks slide further out of the playoff picture over their final 11 games, even with Davis, he could get pulled to avoid risking further injury (some in the organization argued that should have happened anyway).
But starting Monday night, Davis is back. It's what he wanted.
Pontypool boost top four chances with big win over Quins in SRC
Pontypool boosted their hopes of a top four finish in Super Rugby Cymru with a comprehensive 42-17 victory over Carmarthen Quins. Holding a narrow 18-17 lead at half time, having been outscored three tries to two in the first half, Pooler then ran in four tries, scoring 24 unanswered points in the second to down […]
The post Pontypool boost top four chances with big win over Quins in SRC appeared first on Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions.
Penguins Have Become True One-Line Team
For anyone who has been following the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, it's been a pretty remarkable campaign for their top-line trio of Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust.
The trouble is that - in comparison to the rest of their teammates - it's been a bit too remarkable.
Individually, each player has been playing some of his best hockey. Several milestones and career-highs are in play for each player:
- Crosby (25 goals, 53 assists, 78 points): Crosby is just two points shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky's point-per-game seasons record, which he figures to clinch at 20. He also has a chance to register his 13th season at 30 or more goals, as he has six goals in his past seven games.
- Rakell (32-30-62): Rakell's 32 goals is just two below his career-high mark of 34, which he set in 2017-18. He is also just seven points shy of his career-high of 69 points set that same season.
- Rust (25-29-54): With two goals in Sunday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers, Rust is just three goals shy of 200 for his career. The six-time 20-goal scorer - all in succession over the last six seasons - would be just the ninth player in franchise history to reach the 200-goal plateau with the organization.
But the success of the first line has really exposed the Penguins as a true one-line team this season. Of the 212 total goals the Penguins have scored this season, at least one of Crosby, Rust, and Rakell has factored in on 56.6 percent of them, and they have scored 38.7 percent of the team's goals this season.
In addition, Crosby (20:21), Rust (19:43), and Rakell (19:22) are, on average, playing two minutes more per game than the next-closest forward, Evgeni Malkin (17:54).
For a frame of reference, there are very good NHL teams that get very top-heavy production, such as the Edmonton Oilers. The difference is that Edmonton - in addition to scoring more goals than the Penguins - have arguably the best player in the NHL this season in Leon Draisaitl.
His 49 goals lead the NHL - he is also the only player in hockey this season with more than 40 goals - and his 101 points are second to only Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon's 105. Connor McDavid, the consensus best player in the world, also has 26 goals and 90 points for the Oilers this season.
Teams with a one-two punch like that can afford to have most of their production come from those players because they're simply producing more than guys like Crosby - the Penguins' best player - at this juncture. Their respective teams typically have a higher goal output, too, and McDavid and Draisaitl - both in their primes - mostly play on separate lines.
The best NHL teams need at least two high-end lines in terms of production, and Pittsburgh simply doesn't have that luxury anymore. Penguins second-line center Malkin, 38, has just 15 goals and 46 points in 62 games, which can be partially explained by injuries and lack of talent on his wings.
He is also aging, as is Crosby. The Penguins' captain has showed less age than Malkin the last few seasons, and the Penguins have discovered throughout the course of this season that it's better to load up their top line and hope for the best with the rest rather than try to weaken the top line for the benefit of more balance in the lineup.
The fact of the matter is that the Penguins cannot simply rely on those two to completely carry their production anymore. And if they're going to compete, they can't rely on an entire first line of players age 31 or older carrying their production, either.
If the Penguins are to return to contention as quickly as possible, they need to acquire or develop at least two young, top-six talents who can take some of the burden off of Crosby's line - as well as Malkin - to produce.
They have a ton of draft capital, they have a lot of cap space for free agency, they have some near-NHL-ready prospects, and they have some leverage for trade opportunities. A priority for POHO and GM Kyle Dubas this offseason should be landing a player who can make the Penguins at least a two-line team again.
You can track Crosby's pursuit of Gretzky's point-per-game seasons record here.
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What we learned as Tatum, Celtics hand Kings third straight loss
What we learned as Tatum, Celtics hand Kings third straight loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SACRAMENTO — The defending NBA champions were in town Monday night, and it was evident from before tip-off to the final second of regulation.
The Boston Celtics extended their win streak to six games with a 113-95 win over the Kings at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento has lost three consecutive games and dropped to 35-36 on the 2024-25 NBA season.
Kings star center Domantas Sabonis made his return to the court after missing the last three games with a moderate ankle sprain. But Sacramento was without Malik Monk (illness), Devin Carter (illness) and Doug McDermott (elbow).
Sabonis was back to his double-double ways, finishing with 16 points and 17 rebounds in 32 minutes. DeMar DeRozan also joined the double-double club Monday, finishing with a team-high 20 points and 10 assists.
DeMar DeMiddy 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FJW1wJLW9w
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
Keon Ellis, starting in place of Monk, added 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting with three rebounds, four assists and two steals in 37 minutes.
But the reigning champs put on a show — especially six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, who exited the game early with an ankle injury. Payton Pritchard added five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points off the bench.
The last time these two teams met, the Kings went into a hostile TD Garden and upset the Celtics in their own building amid a seven-game win streak in January. That was not the case Monday.
Here are the takeaways from the Kings’ loss:
Sabonis returns
The Kings got their star big man back Monday night – and everything he brings to the hardwood.
Domas is BACK 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZvGKfZEWDa
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
Sabonis has had a rough patch of injury luck. Earlier this month, Sabonis returned from a hamstring injury that kept him off the court for six games. The Kings went 2-4 over that stretch before Sabonis returned on March 14 against the Phoenix Suns. He played Sacramento’s next game against the Memphis Grizzlies before exiting that game early with an ankle injury.
The Kings went 1-2 in the most recent three-game stretch without Sabonis.
It is evident they’re a better team with their All-Star center. And that continued to be the case in Monday’s game.
Sabonis finished the game with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with 17 rebounds and one assist in 32 minutes.
It wasn’t enough to hold off the reigning NBA champions, but the Kings certainly are happy to have their star back.
Late-Night LaVine
Zach LaVine appears to be in a bit of a funk.
After missing last week’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to personal reasons, LaVine’s shot has gone cold again.
He was 9 of 27 from the field and 2 of 11 from 3-point range over the last two games entering Monday’s game, and he had just four points at the half against the Celtics.
LaVine added two points in the third quarter, but appeared to have caught a quick spark in the fourth and final frame. He scored eight straight points for the Kings that led to a Celtics timeout in the fourth.
Zach LaVine with the step-back triple ☔ pic.twitter.com/H5zsRpK69U
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
But it was too late for Sacramento, as Boston, even without Tatum, got the job done.
LaVine finished with 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting and 1 of 5 from downtown, with five rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes. While the Kings didn’t get the win, LaVine’s late surge hopes to be a good sign for Sacramento as the team prepares for the second night of a back-to-back against the Western Conference’s No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
Champs in town
Golden 1 Center is home to some of the most passionate fans in the entire NBA. Even the greatest opposing players have discussed the challenge of playing in the building.
But it wasn’t an issue for the visiting Celtics on Monday, whose fans took over an arena 3,000 miles from Boston.
It looked like Mardi Gras inside the arena as Celtic green meshed with Kings purple by tip-off. “Let’s go, Celtics” chants broke out within the first two minutes of the game, and shortly after, “MVP” was belted aloud as Tatum shot free throws.
Jaylen Brown, who attended UC Berkeley about 75 miles away, received a warm welcome to Sacramento and greeted several fans in attendance pregame.
And the Celtics gave the hundreds of Boston fans at G1C something to cheer for.
Tatum, who exited the game early with an ankle injury, finished with 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point range, with seven rebounds and eight assists in 26 minutes.
Payton Pritchard was 4 of 9 from downtown and finished with 17 points off the bench.
Brown added nine points, Kristaps Porzingis had 16, Jrue Holiday had five and Derrick White contributed 12.