ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 4: St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol looks on during a game against the Miami Marlins during the home opener at Busch Stadium on April 4, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals offered us an unprecedented opportunity to have direct access to the thinking of manager Oli Marmol. We were given a 30-minute online session to ask questions and one of the top recommendations from the community here was the viability of a 6-man rotation for this season.
Here’s what Oli had to say about using a 6-man rotation this season:
“I thought that worked really well last year…and here’s the way I was thinking about it. We didn’t have the depth in Triple A so it was almost this game within a game where we had to not get hurt. That was part of the strategy…so how do we keep these dudes healthy and not have to tap into the layer beneath them…thank God we were able to make it through where every starter made every start and the strategies that were put in place worked. I can say that you can plan all you want, but you have to get lucky for that to happen…With having almost every Thursday off if you look at our schedule, it would actually put guys on a 7-day which is not a great thing out of the gate. I think there’s times to plug them in in order to give guys the rest necessary, but not at the expense of part of the rotation being on a 7-day rather than a 6-day. That complicates things as well. People often talk about injury from a workload standpoint, where a lot of times it’s also not enough work and then jumping in. Relievers can go…he got hurt because he went 3 days in a row…well, there’s also the other side of the guy hasn’t pitched in 6 days and you ask for 2 innings. You have to balance that out as you think about the bullpen and the rotation. Out of the gate, I’m less likely to think of it as a 6-man, but I think there are times where you start to get into the schedule where that makes sense”.
You can expect to hear a lot of takeaways from our writers based on Oli’s comments. I was struck by the fact that this get-together with online writers and podcasters was Oli’s idea and not something that the Cardinals came up with. He expressed how vital it is as the team continues this rebuild process to help fans understand what the team is thinking as they make decisions since it’s been a long time since the St. Louis Cardinals have not been in a realistic contention position. He also did emphasize that he’s not assigning any length of time to how long this rebuild will take before the team is competing for a division title or pennant. The current roster could surprise or it could take longer. He wants transparency with the fanbase as we all move forward together.
One final thought on what Oli Marmol had to say. He emphasized that the front office is not dictating decisions on the field. He said that if you don’t like a decision that was made during a game, the responsibility is on him. He said that Chaim Bloom and his team are providing ample information so they can make informed decisions, but he completely owns the decisions on the field. I came away from our time with Oli Marmol impressed with this new direction and inclusion of online personalities into what the St. Louis Cardinals are working to accomplish. I believe the organization is in very good hands. Let’s hope that leads to winning sooner rather than later.
At 24-10, with regular-season losses to Oregon, USC and Indiana, the Badgers might not show up on many lists of projected Final Four teams. But after watching them handle Illinois and then punch Michigan in the mouth at the Big Ten tournament, don’t be surprised if Wisconsin makes a deep run over the next three weeks.
“We’ve all grown,” Austin Rapp said after scoring 18 points, all on 3-pointers, in the last 10 minutes as Wisconsin erased a 15-point deficit before falling to Michigan 68-65 on a last-second 3-pointer by Yaxel Lendeborg.
“We’re starting to show we can compete with anyone in the country.”
Just ask the Wolverines.
Michigan is outscoring opponents by more than 18 points a game, and all but seven of its 31 wins were by double figures. It has a player of the year candidate in Lendeborg, and the Big Ten defensive player of the year in Aday Mara.
But the Wolverines had already lost to Wisconsin once before Saturday’s Big Ten semifinals, its only conference loss during the regular season, and the Badgers almost made it two.
“We know we're a pretty good team,” Lendeborg said. “We haven't had many opportunities or games like this where we felt that kind of game pressure.”
No one is ever going to call Wisconsin flashy. They don’t have a roster of All-Americans. All anythings, actually. They didn’t even have experience at the beginning of the year, with seven of the eight players on the floor against Michigan in their first seasons at Wisconsin.
But the Badgers are also not easily containable.
They have slick guards, yes, with Nick Boyd and John Blackwell making a case for the best backcourt in the country. But they also have big guys who can shoot, which can make them a nightmare to defend.
Besides the six 3s from Rapp, who is 6-10, Wisconsin got three 3s from Aleksas Bieliauskas, who is also 6-10. Nolan Winter, a 7-footer who missed his fourth game with an ankle injury, went 3-of-4 from long range in the regular-season win over Michigan.
“I think we probably make a lot of teams uncomfortable because of that attribute to our team,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said.
The Badgers have had big shooters before. That team that went to back-to-back Final Fours in 2013 and 2014 was led by Frank Kaminsky. But the difference is this Wisconsin offense is more versatile than the typically stodgy Badgers.
Take away the paint, and the bigs can light you up from outside. Don’t let them get good looks, and Boyd and Blackwell will tag you for 50.
“That's one thing we try to embed in these guys is you've got to keep shooting. You've got to stay with your confidence,” Gard said. “I don't want them gun shy. I don't want them overthinking it and becoming hesitant because when we are spraying 3s, it opens up so much more and then the guards can get downhill.”
They also can score a lot in a hurry. In the first half, it took about 2½ minutes for the Badgers to turn a tie game into a seven-point lead. Rapp made five 3-pointers in a row in just three minutes.
Gard and his players are the first to acknowledge they wouldn’t have put a scare in NCAA Tournament opponents earlier in the season. Heck, maybe even a few weeks ago. But their three games at the Big Ten tournament were invaluable, especially for younger players like Rapp and Bieliauskas.
Wisconsin opened the conference tournament with a win over Washington.
“I think this group understands how good they are, but you get to this point and time of the year, they're all good,” Gard said. “So just understanding and keeping in mind what makes us good and stay true to that and do it better and keep getting better.
“That's what I said a week ago when we won at Purdue, this group has gotten better,” he added. “I think we can still get better.”
So spare a thought for anyone who sees Wisconsin in their path Selection Sunday. They’re going to need it.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
The Philadelphia Flyers have used one of their last two post-NHL trade deadline call-ups, bringing a recently signed forward into the fold to close out the season.
On Saturday, the Flyers announced that journeyman forward Garrett Wilson, who signed an NHL contract with the organization ahead of the NHL trade deadline, has been called up to the NHL, using the third of their four allotted call-ups.
The other two were previously used on Denver Barkey and Alex Bump, respectively, as they needed to be on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' roster to be eligible to participate in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs.
The same was true of Wilson, and now that Nick Deslauriers has been traded to Carolina with a chance to go win something, the Flyers have opted to bring his experience and leadership to the NHL locker room.
Wilson, 34, has not appeared in an NHL game 2019, when he played against the New York Islanders in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In 84 career NHL games, Wilson has scored two goals, six assists, and eight points in addition to adding 42 penalty minutes.
According to reports from the Flyers' morning skate, Wilson is not expected to make his Flyers debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at American Airlines Center on March 13, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cavs handled business in their last outing. Evan Mobley set the tone earlier, tying a season-high with 29 points. The Cavaliers kept their foot on the gas all game, never really allowing the Mavs to think they could win the game.
We’ll see if the Cavaliers can assert the same level of control in their second and final meeting of the season against Dallas.
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TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, WUAB 43, NBA TV, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Not yet set
Cavs injury report: Sam Merrill – OUT (hamstring), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Tyrese Proctor – OUT (quad), Max Strus – PROBABLE (foot), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Jaylon Tyson – QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
Mavs injury report: Klay Thompson – DOUBTFUL (rest), Daniel Gafford – DOUBTFUL (illness), P.J. Washington – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Caleb Martin – PROBABLE (finger), Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee), Dereck Lively II – OUT (foot), Moussa Cisse – QUESTIONBLE (G League), John Poulakidas – QUESTIONABLE (G League), Tyler Smith – QUESTIONABLE (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley
Mavs expected starting lineup: Ryan Nembhard, Naji Marshall, Max Christie, Cooper Flagg, Marvin Bagley III
Meeting with the media before the Mets traveled to West Palm Beach to take on the Houston Astros on Saturday night, manager Carlos Mendoza spoke about a number of topics and players with New York still in the thick of it during spring training.
When the Mets signed Holmes last offseason with the idea of converting the career-reliever into a starting pitcher, a lot of people were skeptical if it could work. Even if it did work and Holmes acclimated to the change and pitched well, concerns over his innings pitched were always at the forefront of discussions.
Despite a shaky second half at times, Holmes did, in fact, pitch well in his first year as a full-time starter. The right-hander went 12-8, finished with a 3.53 ERA in 33 games (31 starts) and pitched a career-high 165.2 innings.
The only time the right-hander ever really faltered came in July when he had a 4.91 ERA (1.57 WHIP) in six starts and even though he finished strong (3.09 ERA in September/October), Holmes’ midseason struggles were to be expected as he entered uncharted territories for the first time in his career.
But with that experience under his belt, Mendoza thinks his starter is now much more prepared going into his second season in the Mets’ starting rotation.
“Second year after a full year as a starter, he’s got a better understanding of what the routine looks like between outings, how he’s going to pace himself in outings, pitch usage, how he’s going to attack a lineup not only once or twice but three times through the order,” Mendoza said. “…This is a guy that wants to use all the resources, wants to use all the information and he continues to tinker with pitches. He’s got a pretty good repertoire versus lefties and righties and he’s in a good place."
Not only does Holmes have more knowledge about being a starter, he’s looked the part of a starter during camp with his 2.84 ERA (0.71 WHIP) through 12.2 innings. Not only that, but Holmes also looked dominant in his lone WBC appearance, going three scoreless innings and striking out six against Great Britain.
With the addition of Freddy Peralta as well as the emergence of Nolan McLean, New York’s pitching staff should be less of a question mark than it was last season and Holmes continuing to improve has a lot to do with that.
While it's too early to tell if Benge has proven enough in spring to be the team's starting right fielder on Opening Day, the 23-year-old has been spectacular for the Mets and has at the very least put himself in the conversation.
"Hopefully that’s the case that we get to those last few days and we have to make some tough decisions because we got a lot of guys playing well and are healthy," Mendoza said. "That’s the case with Carson. He continues to go out there, continues to give good at-bats, play good defense, run the bases, left on left – so he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing on his end."
Getting an extended look in camp, Benge has gone 10-for-27 (.370) with a triple, five RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base to go along with an .858 OPS in nine games.
After playing mostly right field so far, Benge is in center field on Saturday (batting third) which Mendoza says is about giving him exposure, like they've done with other players, to "prepare them for potential scenarios that can happen in the regular season."
Mendoza isn’t worried about how his youngster will handle the position change because from everything that he’s seen and heard from Benge, he’s as even-keeled as it gets. It's something that will benefit him in the majors whether he makes the Opening Day roster or not.
"You go by what you hear from people in player development," Mendoza said. "[Benge is a] quiet, baseball guy that doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low and that’s kind of what we’re seeing here. I don’t think the moment is going to be [too] big for him. He’s a pretty neutral guy to be honest with you. He goes about his business, he plays baseball, goes home and comes back the next day and does it again."
After playing in his second minor league game since hamate bone surgery, Lindor is considered "day-to-day", per Mendoza.
The shortstop remains on track to play on Opening Day which has been New York's message throughout the entire process. What Lindor does next remains to be seen, but he looked good in the game and had a couple of at-bats, per Mendoza.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Lauren Olson scored 17 points and had three steals as top-seeded Cal Baptist defeated Abilene Christian 74-58 to secure their second Western Athletic Conference championship in the past three seasons.
The Lancers (23-10) punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament shooting 44% from the field while holding Abilene Christian to 31%.
Emma Johansson added 15 points (6-for-10 shooting) before fouling out late, Khloe Lemon had 13, and Shawnee Nordstrom scored 12. Filipa Barros scored eight points, grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, and distributed 11 assists.
Erin Woodson paced the Wildcats (22-10) with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Emma Troxell had 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds, and Payton Hull scored 10.
Cal Baptist has won three WAC titles, but their 2021 title did not come with the conference's automatic bid as they made the transition to Division I from Division II. They made their first DI tournament appearance in 2024 as a No. 15 seed, losing 84-55 to 2nd-seeded UCLA in the first round.
The Lancers are departing the WAC for the Big West effective July 1st.
Cal Baptist awaits seeding for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday. The tournament tips off with the First Four on Wednesday and Thursday, and the first round begins Friday.
CHAPEL HILL, NC - JANUARY 25: Jared Dudley #3 of the Boston College Eagles celebrates after defeating the University of North Carolina Tar Heels during their game on January 25, 2006 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Eagles defeated the Tar Heels 81-74. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Earl Grant era officially over for Boston College Eagles Men’s Basketball, it now raises the most serious question moving forward: who is going to steer this ship straight?
Names are already being thrown around like t-shirts into a playoff crowd (let’s hope whoever is hired can get BC Basketball fans to experience that again). Based on a report by Adam Zagoria of NYTSports, Boston College has interviewed Eric Konkol, Eric Olen, Gerry McNamara, Jay Larranaga, and Joe Gallo. These names are intriguing, but a name that is also floating around is former Eagles star Jared Dudley.
Dudley, 40, retired from the NBA in August 2021. Immediately after retiring he joined the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant coach. Following his tenure as a coach with Dallas, in July 2025 he joined the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach. However, he’s widely known as being a former BC Eagle. Dudley is without a doubt one of the greatest Eagles basketball players of all time, considering he won ACC Player of the Year in 2007. As an Eagle, he averaged 15.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 50% FG shooting and 36.5% from three, per SportsReference.
Why he’d be interested:
Dudley has shown interest in returning to his alma mater in the past. In 2020, he was a guest on Bill Simmons’ Podcast, and expressed brief interest in returning to BC.
“Going back to BC, gonna clean all that up.” Dudley said. “Need to have my donors, need to get those facilities.”
Now obviously times and priorities change. He stated this back when he was still playing in the NBA and could’ve felt nostalgic in the moment. Other reports show he’s focused on NBA opportunities, but it’s still worth noting he holds Boston College in a special place within himself.
Why it could work:
Leadership defines Jared Dudley. He wasn’t a superstar like LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but he was the kind of player every team wanted in its locker room. And leadership is what the Eagles and the fans need – a voice. Dudley can be the guy to bring the team together and get the most out of his players.
In terms of X’s and O’s, Dudley’s style of play came from his versatility. The Eagles were respectable defensively this season, but their offense was borderline inept. This is where Dudley’s versatility as a coach comes in, implementing a flexible philosophy in his players. In doing so this makes the Eagles less one dimensional and more balanced overall. His basketball knowledge could instill a serious culture change if the team truly bought in – his resume both as a college and NBA player speaks for itself.
Why it wouldn’t work:
One thing must be noted with Dudley as a coach: he’s never coached college basketball before. That’s not to say he is incapable of doing the job on the collegiate level, but NBA players are different. Lots of these NBA guys are finished products, and Dudley having to tweak his coaching style to raw, unproven players may not translate in the way he’d hope.
How likely is the hire?
Bringing Dudley home would be nostalgic. Being a home grown talent would inspire his roster and athletes, but I think Boston College has their eyes set on different candidates. The chances of hiring him I’d put lower than five percent.
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The defending WBC champions will continue its title defense into the quarterfinals tonight.
Team Japan, who has won the World Baseball Classic three times, is currently undefeated going into today’s game with a 4-0 record and wins against Chinese Tapei, Australia, Korea and Czechia. The “Samurai Japan” roster is led by global superstar Shohei Ohtani and features a mix of MLB standouts and top talent from Nippon Professional Baseball.
Venezuela counters with a star-studded lineup of its own, headlined by Ronald Acuña Jr. With a deep group of major league hitters capable of changing the game with one swing, Venezuela has the offensive depth to challenge any pitching staff in the field, including Japan’s. As Pool D runners-up, Venezuela went 3-1 in the group stage, only falling to Pool D winners Dominican Republic.
2026 world baseball classic: what to know
Who: Japan vs. Venezuela (quarterfinal)
When: March 14, 9 p.m. ET
Where: loanDepot Park (Miami, Florida)
Channel: FOX
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The winner of tonight’s winner-take-all quarterfinal will advance to Monday’s semifinal against the winner of Puerto Rico vs. Italy.
Japan-Venezuela WBC 2026 start time
The World Baseball Classic quarterfinal between Puerto Rico and Italy is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET today, March 14.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching baseball live for free — its five-day free trial includes FOX (and FS1, where the rest of the WBC will air). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $59.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
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Sling TV is another affordable way to stream live TV; its Select plan includes FS1 and FOX, and starts at $19.99/month.
Japan vs. Venezuela pitchers
Ranger Suarez will start for Venezuela, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the start for Japan. Both pitchers will start their second games of the World Baseball Classic.
World Baseball Classic 2026 key dates
QF 4: Japan vs. Venezuela – March 14, 9 p.m. ET (FOX)
SF 1: Dominican Republic vs. United States – March 15, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
SF 2: QF3 winner vs. QF4 winner – March 16, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 13: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Weddings. The sacred moment when two people stand together and promise to love, honor, and cherish each other for eternity. Eternity is a long time. Anyone who has been married understands that quickly. The only way that promise survives the calendar is through teamwork. Every successful marriage carries the same understanding inside those vows. You walk through life together. You support one another. You do what you can to place the other person in a position to succeed.
So why the wedding talk? That is where I was during the Suns game yesterday.
I was attending the wedding of my 20-year-old nephew. It was outdoors in Arizona in March, which sounds like a postcard until you remember that Arizona has its own personality. The ceremony began at four in the afternoon, and the temperature sat comfortably at 97°. The vows were being read, and I could not tell if people were crying or melting.
The lovely bride and groom walked back down the aisle, hands raised, smiles wide, celebrating the fact that their bond was official. The crowd applauded. The reception hour began. I glanced down at my phone.
4:37 PM. Perfect. There was a window here. A small one, although a window all the same. Time to pull out the phone and tune into the Suns game.
Yes, I was that guy. The guy with his phone quietly propped up during the reception, trying to sneak glances at the broadcast while conversations floated around the courtyard. I was looking forward to this matchup with Toronto. In my mind, the Raptors resemble the Suns of the Eastern Conference. A team outperforming expectations and doing much of the work on the defensive side of the floor. The basketball version of that Spider-Man pointing meme.
We were standing around one of those little cocktail tables when Rasheer Fleming started cooking. He put together one of the better stretches of basketball we have seen from a Suns player all season. The kind of run that makes you lean over to the person next to you and say, “Hey, this kid might have something”. Granted, when I did, I learned the guy next to me had no clue who Fleming was and had only politely asked me what I was watching earlier. Ugh…I am a Suns Sicko.
I was in line grabbing tacos when Phoenix pushed the lead to 58–47. Up 11, I was feeling good. The team, albeit Booker and Green-centric, was knocking down their shots.
In the fourth quarter, the Suns held a 100–90 lead, and I thought to myself, “Alright, things look under control. Might as well grab another round of tacos.”
That is when it unraveled.
Standing there in line with a strawberry lemonade in hand, I watching the game on my phone as the whole thing started slipping away possession by possession. Nothing like witnessing a collapse while holding a drink at a dry wedding and wondering if you somehow caused it by stepping away from the table. It was time to splash that lemonade with some 10 Cane rum, which I discreetly pulled from my pocket.
Phoenix lost the game just as a plate of carne asada street tacos was placed in my hands. I slammed the remainder of my lemonade as I navigated back to my table. There would be no reason to dance tonight.
The larger story continues to develop on the floor. A wedding celebrates two people becoming one and learning to operate together. The Phoenix Suns are trying to build something similar with Jalen Green and Devin Booker. As Green has regained his health and rhythm, the two guards have started to look comfortable sharing the floor.
Over the past five games, the numbers jump off the page. Booker is averaging 32.6 points, shooting 43.2% from deep, while adding 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Green is right there with him. He is averaging 28.8 points, hitting 38.9% from beyond the arc while launching 10.8 threes per game. He is also contributing 3.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds.
The team sits at 4–1 over the last five games, although the lone loss arrived against the Toronto Raptors. That game served as a reminder of something simple. Like a marriage, basketball requires balance. That is what the Suns are trying to sort out as they continue reintegrating Jalen Green into the offense. Getting 61.4 points per game from your backcourt sounds fantastic. It provides options. It forces opposing defenses to think about multiple threats when the game tightens late.
Although balance still has to exist. That will be the mission for Phoenix over the remainder of the season.
One of the Suns’ quiet superpowers this year has been their balance. Devin Booker stepped back from his usual scoring volume and leaned into facilitation. That approach helped unlock strong seasons from players around him. Collin Gillespie. Royce O’Neale. Grayson Allen. Dillon Brooks. Those guys have produced some of the best basketball of their careers because the ball found them in the right moments.
Now the equation has shifted.
Insert Jalen Green into the lineup, and the offense naturally changes. That is expected. The Suns have become extremely guard-centric during this stretch. Over the last two games, Booker and Green combined for an average of 72 points. At the same time, Collin Gillespie averaged two points.
That is the lesson sitting in front of the team. It is perfectly fine for Booker and Green to carry the scoring load against certain opponents. Some nights, that is the best path to victory. But the offense still needs to involve everyone else on the floor.
Gillespie attempted 4.5 field goals per game over the last two contests and went 0-for from three during that span. That is not a sustainable formula for winning basketball. Gillespie has been one of the surprise contributors this season. Right now, he is sacrificing touches so Booker and Green can operate. The Suns need to find the middle ground where those two guards can cook while the rest of the offense remains alive. That balance will determine how far this group can go.
So that is where the Suns are right now.
They are in the learning curve portion of the season. The post-honeymoon phase. The time when the group starts figuring out where to push and where to pull, how to share the floor, and how to make the parts move together. Is it a little strange that this process is happening during the final fifth of the season? Sure. Although that is what injuries do. They disrupt the rhythm, force adjustments, and send teams back into the lab when the calendar says they should already have the answers.
These final games become the testing ground. Jordan Ott and his staff are watching closely. They are experimenting with rotations, studying which combinations work, learning when to lean on the guards and when to spread the responsibility around the floor.
The goal is simple. Find the balance that allows everyone to move forward together. A group that functions like a true team, where every player understands his role and the whole machine operates as one.
In the end, the Suns are standing at the same altar every good team eventually reaches. Talent is easy to assemble, chemistry is harder to sustain. Booker and Green can light up the scoreboard, although the real promise of this group lies in whether the rest of the roster stays part of the ceremony. If Phoenix finds that balance, the kind where the stars shine, and the role players still feel the ball in their hands, then this partnership has a chance to last a while. If not, the honeymoon phase will end quickly. And just like any marriage, the next stretch of games will reveal whether this relationship truly works.
Congrats to the happy couple, William and Brooke Lissy.
Hey there, Planeteers, we had an exciting week as the Suns delivered some crazy finishes and kicked off their road trip. We discussed the four games that took place, also talking about the standout play from the backcourt duo of Green and Booker, and breaking down Rasheer Fleming’s ascension into this team.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 14: Jaylon Tyson #20 and Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Preseason on October 14, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The playoffs are just a month away for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s exciting, but also daunting for a team that is still trying to figure out how they want to play.
The additions of James Harden, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis have bolstered the team. Each has brought something necessary to the group that should help them in the playoffs. The issue is that they haven’t had much time to figure out the lineups and rotations around the new players, given the injuries and the short amount of time they’ve had together.
Generally speaking, the Cavs will go as far as their best players take them in the postseason. Donovan Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen will each need to be healthy and playing near their best if they’re going to get through teams like the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, or New York Knicks.
That said, playoff games can also be swung by role players. The Cavs have plenty who can do so.
Earlier this week, we asked which role player is most important for the Cavs among the group of Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, Dennis Schroder, and any of the other players not listed. According to Cavs fans, Tyson is the most important, as he garnered 47% of the vote.
Tyson has made a significant leap forward this season. He’s gone from someone who could really only provide spot minutes in his rookie year to someone who has played himself into being an indispensable part of the rotation. Tyson has a well-rounded skill set on both sides of the court and plays a position of need.
Tyson showed his importance by scoring 22 points in the team’s recent win over the Pistons on March 3. However, he’s struggled since that time, as 11 points is the most he’s registered in the four games since. This includes a disappointing eight-point performance against the Celtics on March 8.
As of now, the Cavs are one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. FanDuel Sportsbook gives them the second-best chance to win the East. They’re +280 to do so behind only the Celtics. The Cavs also have the fifth-best chance to win the NBA Finals at +1000.
Maxim Tsyplakov scored his first goal as a Devils player on Thursday as the New Jersey Devils fell 5-4 to the Calgary Flames.
Tsyplakov has played 11 games with the Devils since being traded from the Islanders on January 27, 2026.
The Devils traded a third and a 2027 sixth-round draft pick, plus Ondrej Palat, for 27-year-old Tsyplakov.
Tsyplakov spent two seasons with the Islanders after going undrafted. He has 12 goals and 26 assists in 115 NHL games.
Tsyplakov's first goal came in the third period off a pass from Nick Bjugstad, deflecting off a skate past Dustin Wolf. The goal was Tsyplakov’s first in 32 games and Bjugstad’s first point as a Devil.
The team ultimately lost, allowing five goals.
After the game, Jack Hughes discussed the team’s performance.
"It's hard to win when you give up five," Hughes said. "That's probably the story of the night….Just a frustrating loss."
The Devils have lost two straight after winning three in a row. They are in the midst of a seven-game homestand with two games remaining.
The team will play again on Saturday, aiming to return to the win column against the Los Angeles Kings.
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 14: Justin Edwards #11 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 14, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 22 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 9 Paul George – 6 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4 Justin Edwards – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
Just when I think this team couldn’t possibly surprise me, they exceed my expectations (negatively).
Despite trying their hardest seemingly to lose at the end, the Philadelphia 76ers escaped Saturday afternoon with a close 104-97 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Sixers were again wildly shorthanded, remaining without Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow), Andre Drummond (back) and Johni Broome (knee). They got Adem Bona back in the lineup, who had missed the last contest due to back soreness, but lost Jabari Walker, who missed this one due to illness.
They faced off against a tanking Brooklyn Nets team with more than a handful of injury outages themselves.
So, yet another contest of stoppable force against moveable object.
Fortunately, this iteration of the Nets made the Sixers look like a real basketball team at times. By halftime, Philadelphia had already built a 22-point lead, thanks in part to Brooklyn only managing 31 points on just 11 field goals made by the break. Everything was going as well as one could ask for, with the Sixers leading by as much as 28 in the third frame (which they still managed to lose, by the way).
In the fourth, things shifted. The Sixers were ice cold from three, couldn’t buy a bucket and the Nets began capitalizing. Suddenly, we had a single-digit game once again. Brooklyn took their first lead of the game with just over three minutes to play. Despite being outscored 41-27 in the last quarter and really looking like they were about to drop a game to a 17-win team, the Sixers were able to regain control and escape with a 104-97 win.
This was the first leg of a back-to-back (yes, another one) for the Sixers, who will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday evening.
<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
After a tough game for the rookie on Thursday, shooting just 3-for-14 against the Detroit Pistons, it was great to see VJ Edgecombe get this one started off on the right foot. Or should I say on really no feet, since he spent a lot of the first quarter soaring for a few of his high-flying dunks. Those highlights are always fun of course, but even more encouraging is seeing Edgecombe just efficiently using his speed and fancy footwork in isolation to finishing at the rim or hitting the jumper. After one quarter, he led with 10 points on 5-for-8 field goal shooting with one assist, two steals and one block.
His personal scoring slowed a bit from there, but Edgecombe continued to run the offense by serving up some amazing passes to set up his teammates for open, easy buckets. The rookie is already wise beyond his years in terms of understanding the amount of attention he is going to garner with the current lineup the Sixers are having to run with, and he’s taking advantage of it to create a ton of space and opportunities for his floormates (when the openings aren’t there for him to just score himself).
If anything, Edgecombe might have started deferring to playmaking over scoring a little too much as this one went on. It’s good the rookie doesn’t want to be a selfish player, but he should be taking a lot more than 13 shots in games like this.
Edgecombe finished the game with 16 points (6-for-13 field goal shooting) with four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block.
And, of course, the rookie VJ Edgecombe. Started the day with a burst of scoring and continued it with some stellar playmaking throughout.
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Justin Edwards has really impressed me the last few games. Of course, the makeup of the team is very unusual right now, but he’s making the most of his opportunities to try some different things and get better at what he’s good at. Where I feel like Edwards has struggled in the past — not being aggressive enough to get to the paint and finish there rather than just taking some threes here and there — he has been much better these last few contests. And he’s not doing it all willy-nilly either, he’s actively waiting for and attacking closeouts to create good opportunities for himself and finishing well at the rim.
Not only that, but he’s been one of the best, most active defenders the Sixers have had as of late. Edwards had three steals and two blocks today.
It very likely helps Edwards (and other guys further down the depth chart) to know that he won’t be pulled from a game after one or two missed shots or a bad defensive play — it’s certainly showing in his confidence level on the floor.
Edwards finished this one with 19 points on 9-for-13 field goal shooting with four rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks.
Going to try to focus on the good of that Sixers-Nets game for a moment. Justin Edwards, looking confident (likely knowing he's not going to get pulled for one or two missed shots), really impressed today.
<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Quentin Grimes led the scoring today for Philadelphia by way of shooting early and often, starting with a three from the top of the key just a few minutes in and not stopping until he made a crucial late bucket to help the Sixers survive the Nets’ comeback. He was also one of the Sixers’ more active, effective rebounders today with eight boards, something the squad needs all the help they can get with considering they have just one available center in the lineup.
I’ll be honest, though, Grimes’ shot selection leaves a lot to be desired in my eyes. He took a lot of shots I wouldn’t have considered to be the Sixer’s best option on the floor, including a lot of long twos. Fortunately, he was sinking a decent amount of those today… but he also missed plenty, and has missed plenty of those types of bad shots in the past. Maybe it’s just me, but it just seems like sometimes Grimes’ stats make it look like he played a better game than he actually did.
That being said, he did lead the Sixers in scoring today, so we must give credit where credit is due.
Grimes finished the game leading the field with 28 points on 10-for-22 field goal shooting. He also had eight rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Quentin Grimes gets the jumper to go and the Sixers have a five-point lead with under a minute left pic.twitter.com/rtfzdtd2i9
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored a season-high 28 points and the Philadelphia 76ers held on for a 104-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
Grimes had eight rebounds for the short-handed 76ers, who were missing Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., among other players. Justin Edwards scored 19 points while adding three steals.
Danny Wolf had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who lost their third straight game. Josh Minott added 14 points.
The 76ers entered halftime up 53-31. Adem Bona’s free throw with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter gave Philadelphia the lead for good at 88-87.
The Sixers shot 10.3 percentage points better from the field (46.3%) than the Nets (36.0%).
Up next
Sixers: Host the Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Nets: Host the Trail Blazers on Monday to begin a three-game homestand.
