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Nike Hoop Summit men’s rosters 2025: Kiyan Anthony, Cameron Boozer headline high school basketball event

There is one place in April where fans can see the NBA stars of tomorrow today — and it's not the NCAA Tournament.

It's the Nike Hoops Summit, which takes place this Saturday. It can be seen starting at 7 p.m. on the USA Network and streamed on Peacock. It's a USA vs. the World game featuring the best high school players from around the globe. The list of alums from the summit includes 15 former No. 1 picks and 94 top-10 picks, featuring such names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett — and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Who are this year's participants? Here are this year's rosters for the Nike Hoops Summit men's teams.

MEN’S TEAM

USA roster

• Darius Acuff Jr., 6’2” guard. The Arkansas commit was the top-ranked point guard in this class. He was tournament MVP when the USA won gold at the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup, averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4 assists a game.

• Nate Ament, 6’7” forward. He led his high school squad to the Virginia state championship three times, averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this past season.

• Cameron Boozer, 6’9” forward. The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer (and the twin brother of Cayden Boozer), Cameron is the early projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Duke commit won two gold medals and was named MVP for USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup.

• Cayden Boozer, 6’3” guard. The other son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer and the fraternal twin of Cameron Boozer, like his brother and father he is committed to Duke. He has won two gold medals with Team USA: the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup.

• Mikel Brown Jr., 6’2” guard. The man can shoot the rock, he won the 2025 McDonald's All-American 3-point contest. Brown has committed to Louisville.

• Chris Cenac Jr., 6’10” center. The Houston commit was the MVP at the 2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp, averaging 18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks a game.

• AJ Dybantsa, 6’8” guard. He has been on this stage before: Dybantsa had a game-high 21 points in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit playing for the World Team (his parents are from the Republic of Congo and Jamaica. He has committed to BYU for college.

• Jalen Haralson, 6’8” forward. He averaged 21.2 points per game last spring in the Nike EYBL circuit and was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. He has committed to college at Notre Dame.

• Jasper Johnson, 6’4” guard. The bucket getter and sharp-shooting guard was always destined for Kentucky for college, his father, Dennis, and his uncle, Derrick, both played football at Kentucky (Dennis also played three seasons in the NFL). He and big man Malachi Moreno, also playing for the USA in Portland, will form an impressive freshman tandem for the Wildcats.

• Nikolas Khamenia, 6’8” forward. The Duke commit starred at Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, the school that produced former NBA players Jarron and Jason Collins, as well as current NBA player Johnny Juzang (not to mention actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal).

• Trey McKenney, 6’4” guard. The big-bodied combo guard with a soft shot has committed to play for the Michigan Wolverines next season.

• Malachi Moreno, 6’11” center. Kentucky's Mr. Basketball for 2024-25, he is staying home and will play for Mark Pope and the Wildcats. He has shown some chemistry in Nike Hoops Summit practices with the other Kentucky commit here, Jasper Johnson.

WORLD ROSTER

• Shon Abaev (Israel), 6'7" forward. He recently led Calvary Christian Academy to a Florida Class 3A state championship, and he is committed to the University of Cincinnati for next season.

• Ikenna Alozie (Nigeria), 6’2” combo guard. He was the MVP of the 2025 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

• Kiyan Anthony (Puerto Rico), 6’5” guard. The son of Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, he was a standout at Long Island Lutheran high school in New York and, following in his father's footsteps, is committed to Syracuse. He has Puerto Rican ties through his mother, Alani "La La" Vazquez, a well-known actress and producer.

• Tajh Ariza (Japan), 6'7" forward. He is the son of Trevor Ariza, who played 18 years in the NBA and won an NBA title in 2009 with the Lakers. He recently led Westchester High School in Los Angeles to its 16th City Section championship.

• Bogoljub Marković (Serbia), 6'11" forward. He has played professionally in the very physical and intense Serbian league for the past two seasons. He plays for KK Mega Basket, the team that produced Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, Nikola Jovic and Goga Bitadze.

• David Mirkovic (Montenegro), 6'9" forward. He is playing professionally for SC Derby Podgorica in Montenegro but reportedly is interested in playing collegiately in the USA next season.

• Omer Mayer (Israel), 6'4" guard. Mayer currently plays professionally for Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv. At the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he led Israel, averaging 18.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game.

• Jaion Pitt (Canada), 6'10" forward. Originally from Norwood, Ontario, he moved with his family to play his high school ball in Arizona, and now is committed to playing for Arizona State next season.

• Eric Reibe (Germany), 7'0" center. He was the top-ranked player in Maryland this last season and is committed to UConn for next season.

• Dame Sarr, (Italy) 6'5" guard. He is currently playing for FC Barcelona's top team (but has been linked to Illinois if he comes stateside for college). He was a member of the Italian national team for the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.

• Tounde Yessoufou (Benin), 6'6" forward. He moved from the West African nation to California at age 15 but adjusted well on the court — he became California's all-time leading scorer in February, breaking DeMarcus Nelson's record.

• Boyuan Zhang (China), 6'8" forward. He plays professionally in China for Shanxi Fenju and has represented China in a number of international basketball events.

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Watch Anthony Edwards score 44, Timberwolves put up 52 in third quarter, beat Grizzlies

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Memphis Grizzlies

Apr 10, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves were hot, resulting in a still-tight Western Conference with two games to play.

Edwards poured in 44 points Thursday night, including 18 in the third to spark a 52-point quarter by Minnesota against Memphis.

The result was a 141-125 Minnesota win between two teams hoping to avoid the Play-In Tournament, but if the playoffs started today these two teams would face each other in the 7/8 game.

The West sees the Warriors, Timberwolves and Grizzlies all tied at 47-33, sitting as the 6/7/8 seeds. The trio is just one game back of the Clippers and Nuggets, who are the 4/5 seeds, and every team has two games left to play.

This was Minnesota's sixth win in its last seven games, and was also sparked by Julius Randle, who added 31 points and 10 rebounds.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 36 points, although what will make headlines is his new 3-point celebration: Pretending to throw a grenade into the crowd. Desmond Bane scored 28 and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 23 points.

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Three takeaways: Panthers clip Wings' speed, Samoskevich continues to impress

Apr 10, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The wins are starting to come again for the Florida Panthers.

After a rough stretch in which the Cats dropped five straight games but had been playing some decent hockey, Florida has been able to string a couple wins together since returning to Sunrise.

On Thursday, the Panthers took down the Detroit Red Wings 4-1, moving back within one point of Tampa Bay and four points behind first place Toronto.

It was the second straight game where Florida left the ice feeling like they had earned a win and actually picked up the two points.

Now the test will be to see if they can keep it going over the final games of the regular season and carry some momentum into the playoffs.

We know how well that worked out for them last year.

Let’s get to Thursday’s takeaways:

MARCHAND FINDS BACK OF NET

It took eight games, but Brad Marchand has scored his first goal as a member of the Panthers.

He’d been used on a few different lines while acclimating himself to Florida’s systems, now skating with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.

They’ve now put together a solid stretch of hockey and are finding the back of the net.

We’ve seen several players flourish on the Lundell-Luostarinen line (Sam Reinhart comes to mind) so it’s not terribly surprising to see Marchand hitting his stride with the fun Finns.

“It was good coming off the last game, because the line scored and you think there's something there,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “You like the players to have the belief in it, too, and they had a bunch of chances and some really good zone time, but guys who produce big points need to put numbers up to feel good, for them to feel like they're contributing, so I like that belief in the line, and I like the way they played.”

CLIPPING THE WINGS

Florida knew they were going to face a desperate Red Wings squad.

Detroit came into Thursday’s game with no margin for error.

At this point, they basically needed to win every one of their remaining games and hope for a lot of help in order to make the playoffs.

Despite allowing the Wings to score first, Florida controlled much of the play and never felt like they were chasing the game.

It certainly looks like the Cats are rounding themselves into postseason form.

“They did have some zone time – a long shift in the second period, Sergei (Bobrovsky) made a bunch of saves – but there wasn't the danger off the rush, and that's where that team is hard,” said Maurice. “(We were) smart enough to stay out the penalty box, because their power play is elite., I like the kill-and-a-half that we had.”

A ROOKIE’S PROGRESSION

Mackie Samoskevich scored his 15th goal of the season on Thursday while skating on Florida’s top line with Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart.

The rookie has seen his game grow by leaps and bounds since the start of the season, in far more ways than just on the scoresheet.

Despite being one of the smaller guys on the ice, listed at 5-foot-11, 180 lbs., Samoskevich has shown a propensity for throwing his body around and used his speed to enhance his physical prowess.

Based off the skills and progress he’s shown this year, it would appear the sky is the limit for the young sniper.

“It’s highly unusual for a young man to cover the distance that he's covered, because he was still physical in the game and hard where he needed to be,” said Maurice. He's played now with every single line and in every section, so good for him and to his credit, because you don't see young guys come in and learn the hard things and be willing to do the hard things as quickly as he has.”

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Jesper Boqvist speaks on being Bill Masterton Trophy nominee from Florida Panthers

Lundell, Forsling help Panthers get back in win column with 3-1 victory over Toronto

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Kings dominate Ducks to maintain gap over Oilers in Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, right, stops as shot by Los Angeles Kings.
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, right, stops a shot in front of Kings forwards Andrei Kuzmenko, center, and Anze Kopitar during the second period of the Kings' win Thursday at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

The Kings moved two points closer to clinching home ice for the first round of the playoffs Thursday, riding two goals from Kevin Fiala and goals from Quinton Byfield, Anze Kopitar, Alex Laferriere and Jordan Spence to a 6-1 rout of the Ducks at Crypto.com Arena.

Andrei Kuzmenko and Adrian Kempe each had three assists.

Cutter Gauthier scored for the Ducks, his 20th of the season, early in the second period. But Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper didn’t give up another, extending his streak of games yielding two or fewer goals to 15, one short of the modern NHL record.

Read more:Kings fall to Kraken but stay four points ahead of Oilers

The win gave the second-place Kings a four-point lead over the third-place Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division with four games to play. The Kings and Oilers are almost certain to meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fourth consecutive season and home ice could be critical for the Kings, who have the NHL’s best home record (30-5-4).

The Oilers won the last three playoff series with the Kings but all three opened in Edmonton.

The Kings needed just 84 seconds to take the lead, with Byfield scoring from the slot on a power play. Gauthier matched that 1:46 into the second period, blasting a snap shot past Kuemper from the right faceoff circle. But Kopitar put the Kings in front to stay 31 seconds later, redirecting in a Mikey Anderson shot from the blue line for his 20th goal of the season.

That marked the 14th time Kopitar has scored 20 or more goals in a season.

Fiala doubled the lead on a power-play goal from the top of the right faceoff circle 2 ½ minutes later before Laferriere made it 4-1, batting down a loose puck at the top of the left circle, then fanning on a shot from the crease before backhanding a second shot.

Read more:Kings' top line is one of the NHL's best scoring trios. So why don't they have a nickname?

Fiala and Spence closed the scoring in third period, with Fiala netting his 32nd of the season on the power play and Spence getting his fourth. For Kuzmenko, the three assists gave him 10 points in the last six games while Kempe, whose wife, Sian, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a girl, earlier this week, has nine points over the same six-game span.

The Kings were without defenseman Drew Doughty for a second straight game. Doughty’s absence was related to the broken left ankle that caused him to miss the first 47 games of the season. He is listed as day to day

Despite the loss the Ducks, with 35 wins, have already matched their best regular-season total since 2018-19.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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CFP Waiver in House v. NCAA Settlement Draws Scrutiny

Atlanta attorney Michael McGlamry has reviewed his fair share of settlement agreements over a 30-year career representing plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death cases—including former NFL players who sued the league over the long-term effects of head trauma. His process usually begins the same way: examining the release language tucked near the end of …

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Knicks on pursuit of No. 3 seed: 'You want to be playing well and be the highest seed possible'

Thursday night was a potential clinching game for the Knicks, as they took on the Pistons in Detroit.

New York needed to win just one game to capture the No. 3 seed but the Pistons turned up the defensive intensity in the second half and dominated the fourth quarter to beat the Knicks for the third time in four games this season.

Granted, the Knicks were without OG Anunoby and Josh Hart -- two starters -- and a key bench player in Mitchell Robinson but New York still held a lead as large as 13 points and led for most of the game.

“First half played pretty good,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “Third quarter got up 13. And then I thought our turnovers really hurt us. Tight score with probably six, seven minutes left in the game. But, again, turnovers really hurt us.”

The Knicks gave up an uncharacteristic 14 turnovers in the game, seven coming from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns, who was held down by foul trouble for most of the game, broke out in the fourth quarter. He scored 15 of his team-high 25 points in the final frame but also turned the ball over four times in the fourth.

“We said we gotta play 40, 48 minutes Including myself,” Towns said of the game. “Just got to be better and finish the game out, play all 48 minutes. We had a good first half just didn’t play the second half the way we needed to.”

The Knicks won’t have much time to dwell on Thursday’s loss, they are back in action Friday against the Cavaliers at MSG. The loss coupled with the Pacers' win means the No. 3 seed is still up in the air with two games remaining in the regular season.

One more win -- or one Pacers loss -- clinches the three-seed for the Knicks. Towns said they aren’t thinking about that, just worried about getting the next win, echoing his coach.

“We talked about it, we don't want to change our approach for anything,” Thibodeau said about the team’s pursuit of the No. 3 seed. “I'd say just take it step by step, and you go into the game to prepare to win and play as hard as you can. Fight to win every possession.

“And then you want to check as many boxes as you can. You want to be playing well and be the highest seed possible going into the playoffs.”

If the Knicks do take the No. 3 seed, a collision course with the upstart Pistons may be in New York's future. Detroit is close to keeping the No. 6 seed, which means both will meet in the first round.

This year’s Pistons team has become known for being a physical group, and it showed in Thursday’s game. Drives to the basket from Jalen Brunson or Towns were met with force, the Pistons crashed the boards with their myriad of bigs -- they outrebounded the Knicks 35-34 -- and forced those costly turnovers with their active hands

That physicality is something the Knicks will have to combat if they meet in the playoffs. But Towns is unbothered by the style of play and felt the game was still the Knicks’ to be had.

“That's Detroit basketball. They play physical basketball,” he said. “They upped their physicality in the second half, just didn't do enough to win the game, including myself. Take responsibility and move on to the next one, and get ready for that.”

The playoff seedings still need to be sorted out over the regular season’s final two games, but barring some very specific scenarios playing out, the Knicks and Pistons will meet in the first round, and New York will need to be ready.

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Braves OF Ronald Acuña Jr. to have knee reevaluated as the slugger works to return to lineup

ATLANTA (AP) — Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will have his injured left knee reevaluated next week as he works to return to the Atlanta lineup after ACL surgery last year.

Acuña, who tore his left ACL on May 26 and had surgery on June 6, will travel to Los Angeles for the checkup, Braves manager Brian Snitker said Thursday.

Acuña has been taking live batting practice, but has not been cleared to do any start-and-stop running or cutting, Snitker said. The 27-year-old slugger has not run out of the batter’s box in his workouts.

“They just have to check him out and sign off on it before they can do that,” Snitker said. “And I think this was just part of the plan initially. I don’t think he’s going to rush it or anything. This has been the case from the get go.”

Acuña was hurt after 49 games last season and hit just .250 with four home runs, one year after winning the National League MVP with 41 home runs, 73 steals and a .337 batting average.

“It’s going to be about, just like other guys that miss spring training, getting his body in shape when he gets cleared,” Snitker said.

The Braves have struggled without Acuña in the lineup this season. Atlanta lost nine of its first 11 games and were tied for 28th with 34 runs scored entering play Thursday.

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Jalen Wilson led the Nets with 20 points in 133-109 loss to Hawks

NEW YORK (AP) — Zaccharie Risacher scored a season-high 38 points as the Atlanta Hawks routed the Brooklyn Nets 133-109 on Thursday night.

The No. 1 pick in the draft shot 15 for 20 from the field, including 6 for 11 from 3-point range.

Trae Young added 24 points and 12 assists for the Hawks, who shot 57 percent. Dyson Daniels had 10 points, nine assists, nine rebounds and three steals to raise his NBA-leading total to 226.

Jalen Wilson finished with 20 points for the Nets. Tosan Evbuomwan added 18 points and six rebounds.

The Hawks never trailed and led 69-45 at halftime behind 23 points from Risacher.

Takeaways

Hawks: Atlanta is touting Risacher for Rookie of the Year and Daniels for Defensive Player of the Year. A good case could be made for both.

Nets: Brooklyn had won the season series every season since 2017-18, but the loss Thursday allowed Atlanta to win 2-1 this season.

Key moment

The Hawks made their first 12 shots in the second quarter, the first time they made that many consecutive field goals since hitting 15 in a row against Cleveland on Feb. 24, 2023.

Key stat

Risacher has scored 30 or more in four games, most among this season's rookies. He made at least five 3-pointers in each of them.

Up next

The Hawks visit Philadelphia on Friday.

The Nets are in Minnesota on Friday.

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Rangers stave off elimination after 9-2 win over Islanders

NEW YORK (AP) — Artemi Panarin and Brett Berard each scored twice and the New York Rangers trounced the New York Islanders 9-2 on Thursday night for their third straight victory.

Mika Zibanejad, Will Cuylle, Vincent Trocheck, Juuso Parssinen and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist, Adam Fox had three assists and J.T. Miller and Sam Carrick each added two assists. Igor Shesterkin made 44 saves.

Marcus Hogberg made 21 saves before being replaced by Tristan Lennox, who made his NHL debut after Berard gave the Rangers a 6-1 lead at 7:54 of the third period. Lennox played 4:43 and made one save before Islanders coach Patrick Roy reinserted Hogberg following Berard’s second goal at 12:37.

The Rangers took control early, scoring four goals in the first period, capped by Panarin’s 36th of the season.

Parssinen, acquired in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in March, had his first goal with the team.

Takeaways

Rangers: Panarin leads the Rangers with 87 points and has points in 56 of his 77 games this season. Since the start of last season, he has points in 123 of 159 games.

Islanders: Hudson Fasching scored his first goal of the season. His previous goal came on March 23, 2024, against Winnipeg.

Key moment

Zibanejad scored 3:17 into the first period, giving the Rangers early momentum.

Key stat

The Rangers swept the season series against the Islanders, winning all four meetings by a combined score of 19-4.

Up next

Both teams play Saturday. The Rangers are at Carolina, and the Islanders travel to Philadelphia.

Highlights

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Ryan Donato Reaches 30 Goals; Blackhawks Beat Bruins At TD Garden

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The Chicago Blackhawks were beaten by the Pittsburgh Penguins so badly on Tuesday night that they had a team meeting after, despite it being the 78th game of the season.

Well, something they said worked as they played much better against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. 

After going down 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by David Pastrnak, the Blackhawks lit the lamp a handful of times in a row. 

It started at 7:55 of the second period when Nick Foligno made a great play with his hand-eye coordination. He eventually used Ryan Donato as a decoy to tie the game with a perfectly placed shot. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XChicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xaye aye cap🫡

In the third period, with things evened up at one, the Blackhawks had a burst of three goals in 1:33. The first one was scored by Ryan Donato to give the Blackhawks the lead. This was his 30th goal and 60th point of the season. 

Donato has never reached either of those plateaus before in his NHL career. He put in the work during the summer to improve his skating, and the results speak for themselves. Donato did this in his hometown of Boston one day after his birthday. 

Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XBlackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on X30 ON THE YEAR FOR DONO!!!!😁

When this year is over, Donaoto is an unrestircted free agent. The Blackhawks decided not to trade him at the deadline and there is no extension in place yet. He is going to get a nice pay upgrade after this off-season, whether it is with the Blackhawks or somewhere else. 

The second and third goals of three scored in 1:33 were scored by Tyler Bertuzzi and Kevin Korchinski. Both of them were impressive, but Korchinski's goal will be talked about a bit more because of what it means. 

Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XBlackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XBERT MAKES IT 3-1 ‼️Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XBlackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XThe Blackhawks are making admin work... 😅 KORCH GOAL KORCH GOAL !!!!!

For one, it looked like a snipe scored by a 50-goal man. This perfectly placed shot showed exactly what he can do when he's on top of his game. This was his first NHL goal and point of the 2024-25 season. 

Connor Bedard collected an assist on this tally, which was the 80th of his young career. That ties him with Eddie Olczyk for the most assists by a teenager in franchise history. He is sure to break that record before the season comes to an end in three games. 

The Bruins eventually scored one more before Nick Foligno scored his second of the game by throwing one into the empty net to seal a 5-2 victory at TD Garden. 

Arvid Soderblom made the start in goal for Chicago. They needed him to be great early in the game before they had that scoring burst. If he wasn't great, they may have never gotten hot in the third period to win the match. 

Soderblom made 31 saves on 33 shots to earn the win. When you win a game in which you were outshot by 12, you know the goaltender played well. 

Next up for Chicago is their final home game of the season. They are going to take on the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets to shut down the United Center for the hockey season. This will be the fanbase's last chance to catch them on home ice in 2024-25. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Shorthanded Knicks crumble in second-half, fall 115-106 to Pistons

The Knicks held a 13-point third-quarter lead, but a poor-shooting second half and a turnover-filled fourth quarter sentenced the shorthanded side to a 115-106 defeat at the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

Playing without Josh Hart (knee), OG Anunoby (thumb), and Mitchell Robinson (injury management), New York didn’t have enough from Karl-Anthony Towns or Jalen Brunson to overcome the missing pieces and succumbed to a hot-shooting Detroit side that could be a tough matchup come playoff time.

The Knicks led for most of the game, leading by double-digits for long stretches, but the Pistons' physical play saw them by nine with two minutes to play. Brunson had a good look from three to cut the lead to two with 38 seconds to play, but he drew iron. The Knicks guard had just three second-half points as he went 1-for-8 from the floor and 0-for-2 from the free-throw line. Brunson missed a portion of the third quarter after rolling his left ankle.

Here are the takeaways...

- “Yup, two!” Brunson said before adding an emphatic toss of his thumb after Cade Cunningham picked up his second foul just five minutes into the game. But the foul trouble did not halt the Pistons’ leading scorer, who remained in the game and scored eight in the first.  Instead, it was Towns who was forced to the bench with three personals after he committed offensive fouls on back-to-back possessions early in the second quarter, which limited him to just 11 minutes of first-half action with six points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Cunningham, who picked up his third foul before the half, was able to thrive despite the fouls. The Detroit guard poured in 30 points (13-for-19 from the field) through three quarters and helped the home side with a 20-7 run to close the gap and tie the score entering the fourth. 

Towns appeared to come alive in the fourth, scoring six straight Knicks points. But he committed four turnovers in the quarter, and the Pistons soon led by six. He finished with 25 points (10-for-19) with 10 rebounds and five assists, but seven turnovers meant he was a minus-5 in 29 minutes.

Cunningham finished with 36 points (connecting on 9-for-13 in the second half alone) and was a plus-9 in 35 minutes.

- Brunson and Miles McBride each had 12 points in the first half, and that was it for their impact as they combined to go 1-for-18 from the floor in the second half. Brunson (5-for-15 for the game, 3-for-9 from deep) finished a minus-11 in 29 minutes. McBride (5-for-18, 2-for-10 from deep) was a minus-15 in 39 minutes.

- Precious Achiuwa, in the starting lineup, poured in 13 first-half points (10 in the opening quarter) with a few emphatic dunks. Achiuwa continued to shine in the third, including a special sequence blocking a Cunningham three, running the floor for a skip pass leading to an and-1 slam to give him 18 points (8-for-13) in the game.

But he didn't attempt a shot in the fourth. He had 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, two steals, and was a minus-7 in 39 minutes.

- With the Knicks shorthanded, it was P.J. Tucker, the first man off the bench. The second unit to close the first quarter was Tucker, Achiuwa, Landry Shamet, Cam Payne, and Delon Wright and that group helped give the Knicks a six-point lead after 12 minutes of play.

- The Knicks connected on 67 percent (16-for-24) from the floor in the first quarter and 50 percent (9-for-18) in the second for a 62-56 lead at the interveal. But Detroit hit 55 percent in the first half (23-for-42) to keep pace and limit the pace of the game, as well.

The home team kept the pace in the third (58 percent, 11-for-19), and the visitors did not connect on just 32 percent (9-for-28, including 2-for-11 from deep). That continued in the fourth, New York shot 40 percent (8-for-20) in the fourth as Detroit connected on 62 percent (13-for-21).

What's next

The Knicks return to New York for their final two games of the regular season, first playing the home finale Friday at 7:30 p.m. against the Cleveland Cavaliers before heading across the East River for Sunday's 1 p.m. tip at the Nets.

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Marchand scores first with Panthers as Florida downs Detroit 4-1

Apr 10, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) celebrates with defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The results are starting to go the Florida Panthers way again.

Florida scored four unanswered goals on Thursday, skating to an impressive 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena.

A strong start to the game by Florida was snuffed out when the Red Wings scored a quick goal on a seemingly harmless play.

Dylan Larkin carried the puck behind the Panthers net and made a perfectly timed pass to Alex DeBrincat, who snapped a one-timer past Sergei Bobrovsky to put the Wings up 1-0 at the 6:13 mark.

That’s how the score would remain until the second period, when the Panthers started finding the back of the net.

With Florida on the power play, Evan Rodrigues took a pass from Nate Schmidt at the left faceoff circle and drove to the net, powering the puck past Cam Talbot to tie the score at one.

About five minutes later, Gus Forsling found Mackie Samoskevich in the slot and the rookie spun around before wiring a shot past Talbot to give Florida their first lead of the game.

A quick passing play up the ice led to the Cats’ next goal.

Eetu Luostarinen sent a cross-ice pass to Uvis Balinskis entering Detroit’s zone, and he quickly found Brad Marchand driving the slot.

Marchand flipped the puck over Talbot’s glove for his first since joining the Panthers, sending the Cats into the second intermission with a 3-1 lead.

Florida captain Sasha Barkov decided to get in on the fun, deflecting a shot by Seth Jones past Talbot with just under six minutes left in the game, cementing the victory for Florida.

On to Buffalo.

QUICK THOUGHTS

This was the first time since March 8th Florida scored four goals.

Rodrigues’ goal, his 15th of the season, was his first since March 1, snapping a 17-game goal drought.

Forsling logged a pair of assists, giving him eight points over his past 11 games.

Barkov’s goal was his 20th of the season. He’s scored at least 20 goals in 10 straight seasons for the Panthers.

Uvis Balinskis logged a pair of assists, his first points in 15 games and his first multi-point outing since Dec. 30 against the Rangers. 

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Spencer Strider dominates with 13 Ks in Triple-A start and may soon join the Braves

ATLANTA (AP) — Spencer Strider struck out 13 batters in 5 1/3 innings for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday in his second injury rehabilitation start and appears ready to return from elbow surgery to make his Atlanta Braves season debut next week.

Strider allowed three hits, two walks and one earned run against Norfolk, then was removed after 90 pitches, as planned. He struck out his first six batters, had nine strikeouts through three innings and reached 97 mph with his fastball.

“I watched most of it,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Most of it looked really good. ... As dominant as he is, it looks like he’s becoming even more of a pitcher.”

Strider last pitched for the Braves on April 5 last year and had internal brace surgery a week later with Texas Rangers physician Dr. Keith Meister. He led the major leagues in 2023 with 20 wins and 285 strikeouts, finishing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Strider has made three Triple-A rehab starts, allowing two runs in 13 2/3 innings.

“He got back out for the sixth, got his pitches,” Snitker said. “It was exactly what we wanted to happen.”

Snitker did not commit to Strider joining the Braves rotation for his next appearance. He said he wanted to see how Strider felt after the start and his next side session.

“I kind of feel like he’s right where we want him to be before he gets here,” Snitker said.

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Nashville Predators vs. Utah Hockey Club: Live Game Thread

The Nashville Predators (28-42-8, 64 points) visit Salt Lake City for the first time to take on the Utah Hockey Club (36-30-12, 84 points) Thursday at Delta Center.

Head coach Andrew Brunette will be back behind the Predators' bench after missing Nashville's last two games while attending to a family matter, which he revealed Thursday morning was a medical emergency with his father. 

Both Nashville and Utah have been eliminated from playoff contention. The Predators have secured a lottery pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, while Utah is projected to finish between 12th and 16th place in the draft order.

This is the second of three meetings between the Central Division rivals this season. The Predators beat Utah 4-0 on Nov. 9 at Bridgestone Arena, and the two teams will play again in Nashville on Monday.

Brady Skjei, Nashville Predators & Alex Kerfoot, Utah Hockey Club

How the Predators Lined Up vs. Utah

Bunting-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Forsberg-Stamkos-L'Heureux
Vrana-Svechkov-Marchessault
Smith-McCarron-Wood

Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Barron
Englund-Oesterle

Saros
Annunen

Extra: Sissons (week-to-week, lower-body)
IR: Lauzon, Josi, Wilsby

Predators vs. Utah Hockey Club: Live Updates

First Period (NSH 0, UTA 0)

Both teams played a tight defensive game in the first 20 minutes. Utah had more scoring chances, but Predators goaltender Juuse Saros was sharp early.

Late in the first period, Predators rookie Matthew Wood nearly scored his first career NHL goal off a nice pass from Cole Smith, but Karel Vejmelka came up with the save.

Shots at the end of the period were 11-5 in favor of Utah, but the score remained tied at 0-0 after the first 20 minutes.

Second Period (NSH 1, UTA 2)

Nick Bjugstad broke the scoreless tie for Utah early in the second period when he lifted a shot over the shoulder of Saros to give Utah a 1-0 lead at the 4:49 mark.

Josh Doan doubled Utah's lead with a goal off the rush at 13:54 of the period. Vejmelka made a massive save on a scoring attempt by Filip Forsberg to kickstart the rush heading the other way, and Doan cashed in on a rebound opportunity to score.

Nick Blankenburg cut the deficit in half on the power play at the 17:21 mark of the second period, beating Vejmelka on a shot from the point to give the Predators their first goal of the game.

Trailing by a goal after 40 minutes, Nashville held a 13-11 shot advantage in the second period.

Third Period (NSH 3, UTA 3)

The Predators went from down a goal to up a goal in less than four minutes at the start of the third period.

Opening the period on the man advantage after a Sean Durzi hooking penalty at the end of the second, Nashville quickly capitalized with a power-play score from Filip Forsberg at the 1:19 mark to tie the score at 2-2.

Less than two minutes later, Ryan O'Reilly gave the Predators their first lead when he capitalized on a Utah turnover and scored on his own rebound to make it 3-2 at the 3:17 mark.

The lead wouldn't last long, though, as Guenther scored in transition by depositing the rebound of a Logan Cooley shot to tie the game back up at 3-3 at the 5:42 mark.

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Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The Ship

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) looks on at the face-off circle against the Ottawa Senators during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

On Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

Regardless of when it happened or how it happened, it was always going to be a special moment. But the Washington Capitals have not only revelled in the anticipation and excitement of the “Gr8 Chase,” they’ve also earned their opportunity to enjoy the experience along the way as one of the best teams in the National Hockey League.

Whether or not Ovechkin’s pursuit of hockey history elevated this Capitals team - that, just one year ago, was one of the worst teams in the modern era to make the playoffs - may never actually be known to the fullest extent.

However, it has been in stark contrast to the season-long sequence of events just four hours north of Washington, where another all-time great player - for most of the season - was in pursuit of besting The Great One for a record of his own.

Sidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordSidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordAfter 20 years in the making, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has made NHL history.

Woven within a 7-3 whimper of a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Mar. 27 was Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time point-per-game seasons record, and - although not quite as sexy and mainstream a record as Ovechkin’s - it’s equally as impressive and speaks to Crosby’s greatest attribute, which is his longevity. 

But Crosby - dejected in his locker stall after the brutal loss - didn’t even get the chance to enjoy the record in that moment, in a third consecutive lost season marred by far too many forgettable team performances like the Buffalo one. 

It’s hard to watch Crosby turn back the clock like he’s 27 and, simultaneously, witness the team around him crumbling. Ovechkin’s goal chase had so much more meaning because his team has been playing meaningful games along with it.

For better or for worse, Crosby deserves the same thing. And he should be granted his best shot at it by GM/POHO Kyle Dubas and his staff.

With Alex Ovechkin's Chase Over, Capitals Ready To Turn Page & Lock In For PlayoffsWith Alex Ovechkin's Chase Over, Capitals Ready To Turn Page & Lock In For PlayoffsARLINGTON, V.A. — As much as coach Spencer Carbery didn't want to admit it, the Washington Capitals' focus hasn't been entirely there over the last handful of games as Alex Ovechkin has chased the record.

Following in the Caps’ footsteps?

Now, it’s worth pointing out a few key areas of difference between Washington’s retool situation and the Penguins’ scenario. 

The Capitals got ahead of their efforts starting back in 2019, when they selected forward Connor McMichael - who is now making an impact - in the first round (25th overall). They were savvy as far as largely retaining higher-value capital for several years, and it turned out well for them. 

But it’s also true that the Capitals never actually bottomed out. None of their higher-value selections - other than Ryan Leonard (eighth overall) in 2023 - were top-10 picks. They simply selected well, and it got them to where they are now - marrying that younger talent with veteran talent, adding on in some necessary areas via the trade market, and witnessing the combined group thrive, even with two big-name players in TJ Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom on long-term injured reserve.

BREAKING: Capitals Sign Ryan Leonard To Entry-Level Contract, NHL Debut Likely vs. BostonBREAKING: Capitals Sign Ryan Leonard To Entry-Level Contract, NHL Debut Likely vs. BostonIt's official: Ryan Leonard is a Washington Capital.

The Capitals have begun to prove that - although a generational talent like Gavin McKenna certainly helps a rebuild effort - it’s not always necessary to rebuild from high draft selections. They have gone full-force with their scouting and development to add value finds, and it’s paying dividends.

The Penguins also have some talent in their system dating back to 2020, with the selection of goaltender Joel Blomqvist in the second round (52nd overall), and 2021 with Tristan Broz (58th overall). But 2022 is when things really started to pick up for them. 

They drafted defenseman Owen Pickering (21st overall) and goaltender Sergei Murashov (118th overall) that season, along with Brayden Yager (later traded for Rutger McGroarty), defenseman Emil Pieniniemi, and forward Mikhail Ilyin in 2023. And last season - despite having no actual first-round selection - they arguably got first-round value out of blueliner Harrison Brunicke (44th overall), added high-upside forward prospect Tanner Howe, and defensemen Chase Pietila and Finn Harding. 

The Penguins may be a few years behind the Capitals in terms of timeline, but - like the Capitals - they are finding more and more non-top-10 value because of their strong scouting and development staff.

Oct 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Harrison Brunicke (45) skates in on goal against Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly (7) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Crosby’s still got it - and the kids do, too

So, back to Crosby. 

It’d be one thing if he was clearly in decline and aging out along with the team. But he’s not. In fact, Crosby is doing quite the opposite with no signs of slowing down, as he is - at age 37 - scoring at a higher point-per-game clip (1.13) than he did a decade ago at age 27 (1.09). 

So it’s not like Dubas would be retooling a roster around a guy who is declining. He’d be retooling a roster around a guy who seems to be outpacing Father Time, which is something very few at his age have managed to do across all major sports.

Yes, it’s true that Crosby is deserving of the effort from management to build a better roster as quickly as possible. But it’s also true that he’s still capable of being the guy, which is something that could, honestly, still be the case two or three years from now. 

And given the Penguins’ situation, it certainly isn’t impossible for them to go big as soon as this summer to reap the rewards quicker than initially thought.

With The Salary Cap Spiking, The Penguins Have A Huge - And Unique - OpportunityWith The Salary Cap Spiking, The Penguins Have A Huge - And Unique - OpportunityPittsburgh will be in a unique position to accelerate their retool this summer - and they need to take advantage if they can

For one, Pittsburgh is already seeing some of the fruits of Dubas’s labor unfold, as top forward prospects Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen - both acquired via trade - are showing that they can be difference-makers next to Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at the NHL level. There is also the rest of the near-NHL-ready prospect pool in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), as players like defensemen Pickering and Brunicke as well as forwards Avery Hayes, Vasily Ponomarev, and Broz -  adding onto three solid goaltending prospects - makes for a decent outlook in the immediate future, even without anyone else added to the NHL roster.

Then, there’s the overstocked draft cupboard, which may include two first-round picks this season. They could very well use both picks to draft impact players, but they could also leverage what will probably be the first-round pick from the New York Rangers to acquire a young center or defenseman who can help the team both short-term and long-term. 

And, finally, there’s free agency - both restricted and unrestricted - that can help the team in both the immediacy and the long-term, too. The Penguins are in a very unique position over the next couple of seasons where they’ll have a ton of free cap space, but they won’t have to allocate any of that free cap to extending players on their current roster. This means they can afford higher offer sheets and bigger-name free agents if they so choose.

And they should choose.

Apr 2, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser (6) during pre game warm up against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena. (Simon Fearn-Imagn Images)

Is a free agent splash worth it?

Think about it this way: Hypothetically, the Penguins could dabble in unrestricted free agency - which is only going to get more and more expensive with each passing season and the salary cap going up more and more each year - to sign a bigger-name player this offseason and still have plenty of cap space to spare. Again, they do not have major extension obligations on their roster.

Even if they wanted to be in the mix for McKenna next season - which, don’t be surprised if they decide against that - adding one big-name player wouldn’t “fix” the roster enough to make them much better, if at all. With UFAs like Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner and Vancouver Canucks scoring winger Brock Boeser - who said he is "unlikely to return" to the Canucks this summer - potentially out there, this is the offseason to get the goods while they’re still a reasonable price.

Where Could Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Sign In The Summer? Five Potential FitsWhere Could Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Sign In The Summer? Five Potential FitsFollowing last week’s NHL trade deadline, a major storyline has been the future of Toronto Maple Leafs star right winger Mitch Marner. 

Unrestricted free agency actually isn’t a bad scenario for the Penguins because they wouldn’t need to sacrifice any draft capital, prospect talent, or NHL talent in order to bring in an impact player. They will likely need to save a few assets in order to offload some bad contracts, anyway. So, if you couple a big free agent signing with using that Rangers’ first for another impact player, things are already starting to look much better for this team.

Instead of just having McGroarty, Koivunen, Pickering, Brunicke, and more, they would then have a big-name free agent, an impact young talent, and McGroarty, Koivunen, Pickering, Brunicke, and more. And combining those guys with the veteran talent in Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Kris Letang, and - if not traded - Erik Karlsson, you start to see a vision - especially with a draft cupboard mostly untouched and their likely top-10 draft pick this season potentially vying for a roster spot in the near future.

Most of those younger guys will need at least a season or two of development at the NHL level before they begin reaching their potential. That is the case for the majority of young players. But the readiness that McGroarty and Koivunen have already shown at this point - and Brunicke, if he repeats his 2024 training camp performance next season - introduce the possibility that some of their prospects may be able to make an impact sooner than anticipated. And that’s a good thing for a team trying to build a competitor again as soon as possible.

If some of their prospects’ timelines are accelerated, why not accelerate a few other timelines as well? Navigating that timing is going to be the challenge for Dubas moving forward, as he’s, somewhat, at the mercy of prospect development and how his stars continue to age out. 

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas speaks to the Pittsburgh media. (Screenshot credit: Pittsburgh Penguins)

But if all goes right - and Dubas pushes the right buttons this summer - this team could, conceivably, be in the playoff conversation next season and be contenders as soon as 2026-27. A lot needs to happen - the defensive corps need revamped, they need at least one other impact top-six forward, and at least one of their goaltending prospects needs to be playing at the NHL level and succeeding - but it’s not impossible. In fact, it’s actually semi-realistic because of the options that their cap flexibility and overstocked draft cupboard offer them.  

With more and more teams attempting to rebuild on-the-fly successfully rather than tank for several seasons - which certainly is no guarantee, anyway, especially with the way the draft lottery functions - why can’t the Penguins be one of them? This team is already almost two years deep into their rebuild effort, and they’ve positioned themselves nicely with futures and with NHL-ready prospects.

As Dubas said post-deadline, they will now “shift to the execution” phase of their rebuild program. What that execution will start to look like this summer is anyone’s guess.

But one thing is for certain: There are only so many years left for Crosby, one of hockey’s top-five players of all time. There will never be another player like him in terms of consistent and sustained greatness.

And a once-in-a-lifetime talent is not something you waste.

‘We’ll Begin To Shift To The Execution’: With Assets Collected, Dubas Eyes The Next Phase For Penguins Hockey‘We’ll Begin To Shift To The Execution’: With Assets Collected, Dubas Eyes The Next Phase For Penguins HockeyPittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas knew that the decision to shift to the future a year ago with the Jake Guentzel trade to Carolina wasn’t going to be a popular one. 

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