Wisconsin would certainly prefer that the score displayed on the CBS score bug was the score of record.
2024-25 Fantasy Basketball Week 21 Schedule Breakdown
For many fantasy leagues, Week 21 is "Championship Week." And with the growing injury lists, crafting lineups is more difficult now than during winter. The good news is that every team will play at least three games during Week 21, and the schedule is evenly distributed. Let's look at the Week 21 schedule breakdown and some of its key storylines.
Week 21 Games Played
4 Games: BKN, DAL, IND, LAL, MIL, NYK, ORL, PHI, PHO, SAC, SAS, TOR, WAS
3 Games: ATL, BOS, CHA, CHI, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, LAC, MEM, MIA, MIN, NOR, OKC, POR, UTA
Week 21 Storylines
- There are no extremely light games during Week 21.
Week 21 should be good for fantasy basketball, as no day has fewer than six games on the schedule. And with the four busiest days all boasting eight-game slates, there should be no shortage of options available to fantasy managers. At this point in the season, targeting teams well on their way to the draft lottery is a good place to start. While the Jazz will only play three games during Week 21, San Antonio, Toronto, Washington and Philadelphia are among those who will play four.
- Philadelphia will have to navigate two back-to-backs.
The 76ers are the only team with two back-to-backs scheduled between March 23 and March 30. With Joel Embiid and Paul George officially done for the season and Tyrese Maxey still sidelined with his injuries, the door has swung wide open for Quentin Grimes. However, he's played so well that it's fair to wonder if there will come a point when Philadelphia looks to cut his playing time under the guise of an "injury." Justin Edwards, Ricky Council IV, Adem Bona (when healthy) and Jared Butler are a few players who will have added value as the 76ers look to improve their draft lottery odds.
- How many games will LeBron James (groin) play during Week 21?
James returned to the Lakers' lineup on March 22 against the Bulls, making his first appearance since March 8. His return impacts the entire Lakers' rotation, beginning with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves not taking on as much of the offensive workload. Also, Jordan Goodwin would return to the bench, where he has minimal fantasy impact. Rui Hachimura's return will also impact the rotation, as the matchup with Chicago was his first game after missing nearly one month with a left knee injury. The Lakers play four games during Week 21, including a midweek back-to-back. In addition to James' injury, Doncic and Reaves (among others) have recently been held out of a game for injury management reasons.
- Kings are expected to provide an update on Domantas Sabonis (ankle).
At the time of Sabonis' sprained right ankle, the Kings announced that he would be re-evaluated in 10 days. March 29 would be the tenth day, and the Kings are scheduled to play the Magic that night. That's the third of three games Sacramento is scheduled to play during Week 21, so fantasy managers will continue to rely on Jonas Valanciunas. However, he's rostered in over 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues, meaning fantasy managers looking to make an addition will need to focus on Keon Ellis, Trey Lyles or Jake LaRavia. The Sabonis question will be more about Week 22 than Week 21, and the Kings have a four-game schedule for Week 22.
- Will Nikola Jokic (ankle) be able to return from injury during Week 21?
The Nuggets' March 23 game against the Rockets will be the fourth Jokic has missed with a sprained ankle. With the Nuggets' three-game Week 21 beginning with a Sunday/Monday back-to-back, the three-time MVP may be available for all three games if he's cleared. And beggars can't be choosers; three games or Jokic is superior to none, given his impact on the Nuggets and fantasy basketball. The Joker's absence has raised Aaron Gordon's fantasy ceiling, and he's scored 23 points or more in three straight games.
- Can Stephen Curry (pelvis) return during the Warriors' road trip?
Before the Warriors' March 22 game against the Hawks, head coach Steve Kerr said he hoped Curry would be able to return from his injury at some point during the team's six-game road trip. The trip won't conclude until April 3 against the Lakers, and the Warriors have a home game against the Nuggets the following night. Rookie center Quentin Post returned to the starting lineup in Atlanta, but he may not be a lock to retain that role for the entire trip. Golden State can (and has) used Draymond Green at the five as part of a smaller lineup, which could be used to get Jonathan Kuminga more time on the court. Buddy Hield will be more valuable to managers needing three-point production, while Brandin Podziemski and Jimmy Butler should see their respective usages increase. The Warriors play three games during Week 21, starting with the Heat on Tuesday.
- It's "Red Velvet Time" in Chicago despite the Bulls only playing three games.
Bulls backup point guard Tre Jones has played well since moving into the starting lineup, filling the void left by the injured Lonzo Ball. However, he suffered a left midfoot sprain on March 20 and will be out for at least two weeks. Jones' injury makes things simple for the Bulls, as Josh Giddey's return to the starting lineup did not bump Kevin Huerter to the bench. While a three-game schedule isn't the best, Huerter's status as a starter makes him worth holding onto for Week 21. The Bulls will play four games during Week 22.
Light Game Days
Wednesday: 6 Games
WAS vs. PHI
TOR vs. BKN
LAL vs. IND
LAC vs. NYK
MIL vs. DEN
BOS vs. PHO
Week 21 Back-to-backs
Sunday (Week 20)-Monday: BOS, DEN, NOR, PHI, TOR
Monday-Tuesday: DAL, ORL, SAC
Tuesday-Wednesday: NYK
Wednesday-Thursday: IND, LAL, WAS
Thursday-Friday: CLE, UTA
Friday-Saturday: BKN
Saturday-Sunday: PHI, SAS
Sunday-Monday (Week 22): HOU, LAC
Cam Payne, Tyler Kolek provide Knicks with the spark they needed in win over Wizards
The Knicks’ guard depth is really being put to the test.
New York is already without All-Star captain Jalen Brunson as he missed his eight consecutive game with a right ankle sprain -- and on Saturday night his replacement was sidelined as well, as Miles McBride was ruled out pregame due to a lingering groin injury.
Insert Cam Payne and Tyler Kolek.
The veteran Payne jumped into the starting lineup for just the second time this season and he provided an immediate boost on both ends of the floor -- leading the way for New York with 10 first quarter points, four assists, and three points to open an early advantage.
“Shout out to Cam,” Karl-Anthony Towns said postgame. “He stepped in like a true professional and led us. He gave us the spark we needed, without that kind of start from him I don’t know how this game goes -- shoutout to him for real.”
Even with that big spark, Tom Thibodeau elected to turn to Kolek to play the entire second quarter as the Knicks held a big lead and he provided a boost of his own -- recording four points while dishing a career-high eight assists.
The 23-year-old has been bouncing back-and-forth between the pros and the G League throughout his rookie campaign, but he was certainly impressive in what was his first first-half action since January 1.
“Tyler gave us great minutes,” Thibodeau said postgame. “We built the lead which allowed Cam to get some rest there. It was more how the team was functioning. We stayed organized and he was making the right reads — it was good to see, he’s done a good job for us.”
And later on, it was Payne again, who provided one of the biggest shots of the night.
New York led by as many as 33 points early in the third quarter, but a tremendous Wizards run enabled them to cut that all the way back down to four -- before the veteran guard knocked down a massive three to get the Knicks back on track.
They ended up holding on from their to snap their two-game losing skid with a 122-103 win.
“We have to play tougher with the lead,” Thibodeau said. “But that was a big shot for us. Cam ins’t afraid to let it fly in those spots, which is what we like about him. He stepped up and gave us some really good minutes tonight.”
It remains to be seen if McBride will miss any more time with the injury, but with Brunson still only participating in controlled activities, the Knicks will certainly need their guards to build off this strong showing.
New York plays again on Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
Houston ends Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 streak in men’s March Madness
Gonzaga's Sweet 16 streak ends at nine and Houston is in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive time.
Houston holds off Gonzaga to make 6th straight Sweet 16
Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and former Big 12 player of the year Marcus Morris Sr. react to the Cougars’ 81-76 win over the Bulldogs to advance to the regional semifinal for the sixth consecutive season - and end the ‘Zags run of nine straight Sweet 16 appearances.
BYU outshoots Wisconsin to advance to Sweet 16
Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and former Big 12 player of the year Marcus Morris Sr. react to the Cougars’ 91-89 win over the Badgers to advance to the regional semifinal for the first time since 2011.
'I Haven't Seen Mistakes Like That In A While': Maple Leafs Falls To Struggling Predators And Miss Out On Atlantic Division Lead Opportunity
NASHVILLE — The Toronto Maple Leafs arrived in Nashville with momentum, carrying a three-game winning streak as they prepared to face the struggling Nashville Predators. The Leafs looked like a team that had overcome their struggles from just a couple of weeks ago, and in the first 20 minutes of action at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, they appeared unstoppable.
However, the game completely flipped in the second period, with Nashville scoring five unanswered goals for a 5-2 victory.
"It was a total flip," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said after the game. "What we did to them in the first what they did to us in the second and we had breakdowns that cost goals. There was no reason for it."
Maple Leafs forward John Tavares said his team "should be pissed off" by the inability to finish off the two-game road trip. Ironically, the Leafs had a 2-0 lead as out-of-town games with their opponents had concluded. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers lost in regulation. A single point would have given the Leafs sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. Instead they are second place, holding the same 42-25-3 record as Florida, but losing out on the first tiebreaker (regulation wins) However, they couldn't stop a team ranked 30th out of 32 in the NHL, playing for nothing but pride.
"It's a huge opportunity missed for us," Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev said. "We're trying to win every game. So 12 games left, try to go 12-0. Start of the year, you try to go 82-0. Our mindset's the same. We want to win every game and we want to win our division."
With 12 games remaining, Berube sounded the alarm on some mental mistakes he was seeing from the Leafs on Saturday. The odd-man rushes allowed have been a problem, but is he surprised to be seeing this so late in the season as the club gears up for the postseason?
Berube said, "I'm not sure if I'm surprised. These kinds of mental mistakes can happen throughout the year. However, I haven't seen mistakes like we made tonight in a while."
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No. 1 seed Houston holds off Gonzaga comeback, beats No. 8 seed Bulldogs 81-76 to reach Sweet 16
LJ Cryer matched a career high with 30 points, including two free throws with 14.2 seconds left, and No. 1 seed Houston held on to beat eighth-seeded Gonzaga 81-76 on Saturday night to reach the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight NCAA Tournament. J'Wan Roberts added 18 points and Milos Uzan made two last free throws with 2.1 seconds left, giving the Cougars (32-4) their 15th consecutive win and pushing them into a regional semifinal against No. 4 seed Purdue on Friday night in Indianapolis. Houston also ended Gonzaga's run of nine straight Sweet 16s, which had been the longest active streak in the nation.
Red Wings Unravel for 6–3 Loss in Vegas
Not quite five minutes into Saturday night's game from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Lucas Raymond benefitted from a fortuitous deflection off a Golden Knight stick in the slot to put his Red Wings up 1–0 with a power play goal. Detroit, loser of eight of its last 10 games entering the night, had energy and a reward for a strong start. By the end of the first period, that momentum ran dry, and the Red Wings trailed by two on the way to a 6–3 loss, their distant playoff hopes fading just a bit farther into horizon.
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Vegas would've scored for in the first had coach Todd McLellan not successfully overturned a goal for offside, but before two minutes were played in the second, Patrick Kane buried the rebound from a Moritz Seider shot, and Detroit cut the score to 3–2 with another power play goal.
For the second time on the evening, an early period Red Wings goal inspired a Vegas volley in return. Mark Stone made it 4–2 Knights just over five minutes later, then Tomas Hertl (who'd scored twice in the first, both goals exploiting open ice around the Detroit crease, while the Red Wings failed to tie up his stick) added another a minute after Stone.
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In the third, Alex DeBrincat got Detroit the first goal again, a wrist shot rifled in and back out of the net before Adin Hill could react in the Vegas crease. DeBrincat's goal made it 5–3 Knights with just over half the final period still to play. This time, Vegas only answered once, but it was all the Knights would need: Jack Eichel fighting through three Red Wings to tuck a backhanded empty net goal home with the clock showing 2:01 to play.
The loss, coupled with the results on the out-of-town scoreboard, leaves Detroit five points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference (the Montreal Canadiens, who overturned a late 4–1 deficit to salvage a point in a 5–4 OT loss to Colorado Saturday night).
The Red Wings have 13 games with which to make up that gap, beginning Monday night in Utah. They entered their present trip with their postseason aspirations potentially hanging in the balance. Now, the back-to-back in Salt Lake City and Denver will be their last chance to salvage any points from the road. It's not quite do-or-die yet, not mathematically anyway, but Detroit desperately needs positive results.
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Bryant scores 17, leads No. 8 Illinois to first March Madness win in 25 years over No. 9 Creighton
Illinois came into the NCAA Tournament on a four-game losing skid and hadn’t won a game since Feb. 16.
March Madness 2025: Houston halts Gonzaga’s record-tying Sweet 16 streak
The last time Gonzaga failed to make the NCAA tournament’s second weekend, TikTok didn’t even exist.
Roddy Gayle’s second-half surge leads Michigan past Texas A&M 91-79 in March Madness turnaround
Gayle helped the Wolverines overcome a 10-point deficit to advance to Atlanta for a matchup with Auburn.
In March Madness, BYU gets a stop, then gets to go … to Sweet 16 with 91-89 win over Wisconsin
The BYU Cougars led the entire game Saturday but still had to make one, final defensive stop against Wisconsin's irrepressible guard, John Tonje, to seal a 91-89 victory over the Badgers and the program's first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2011 — the days of Jimmer Fredette. In a much-welcomed and rare March Madness nailbiter, Tonje finished with 37 points to become the first player to crack 30 this year in the tournament. “You watched the game and you’re kind of like, ‘How did we get to a two-point game here, you know?’” said Fredette, who took things in from about 10 rows up in the stands in the same arena where he led BYU to its last Sweet 16 trip.
Top overall seed Auburn reaches first Sweet 16 since 2019, turning away Creighton 82-70
Bruce Pearl’s team was upset in the first round last year and he had not taken Auburn past the second round since it reached its only Final Four in 2019.
March Madness: BYU fends off stunning Wisconsin rally, hands Big Ten its first loss after 10-0 start in NCAA tournament
Few saw the final moments of this game coming.