CHICAGO (AP) — Zoom Diallo had 22 points and 11 assists and scored the go-ahead basket in overtime as Washington defeated USC 83-79 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.
The 12th-seeded Huskies (16-16) will take on fifth-seeded Ohio State in a quarterfinal on Thursday.
Diallo scored 15 points over the second half and overtime despite staying on the floor after picking up his fourth foul with nearly 13 minutes left in regulation. Quimari Peterson made five 3-pointers for his 15 points and Wesley Yates III also scored 15. Hannes Steinbach, who scored 24 and 22 points in Washington's two regular-season wins over the Trojans, finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Kam Woods scored 24 points with seven assists for the 14th-seeded Trojans (18-14), who lost their eighth straight. Jacob Cofie added 14 points, Jordan Marsh had 13 and Ezra Ausar and Ryan Cornish 10 each.
Diallo’s bucket with 2:18 left in overtime gave the Huskies the lead and Peterson added a 3-pointer with a minute to go. Woods completed a three-point play to get the Trojans within a point and forced a turnover by Diallo with 24.2 seconds left. But Woods missed on a drive and fouled Diallo, who made two free throws for an 82-79 lead. USC called timeout with eight seconds remaining but Marsh missed an awkward 3 and Hannes Steinbach made 1 of 2 free throws.
USC led by as many 13 in the second half then Washington went on a 20-4 run to go up 64-61 with six minutes left in regulation. The game was tied at 71 with a minute left but Diallo and Woods missed jumpers on their teams' final possessions.
Up next
Washington beat Ohio State at home 81-74 on Jan. 11.
When captain Anze Kopitar retires at the end of this season, the Los Angeles Kings will have a hole down the middle of their lineup. Kopitar has been the team's top-line center for well over a decade, and the organization will have to pivot to another middleman to fill the gap.
One of those candidates for the upcoming off-season has been crossed off Los Angeles' list of potential targets on Wednesday. That's because Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz signed a contract extension with the club, removing his UFA status for this summer.
Schmaltz inked an eight-year, $64-million deal with the Mammoth. He will be the third-highest-paid player on the roster next season, earning $8 million per season through the 2033-34 campaign. The 30-year-old will be 38 when this contract expires.
This year, Schmaltz has scored 24 goals and 59 points in 65 appearances for Utah. Last season, he recorded a career-high 63 points, but is on track to blow that personal best out of the water by the end of this regular season.
For Los Angeles, that's another UFA off the free-agent market for this summer. The options for the Kings to find an outside candidate to help with their lack of depth down the middle next season are dying out.
Potential targets remain, but only on the trade market. In terms of centers who are pending UFAs, none would be suitable candidates to play in the Kings' top six for many years.
On the trade market, there are a handful of players that could work and are available to pursue.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson could be a potential player to chase. Not long ago, he was a 89- and 103-point scorer for the Canucks. What's tricky there is that Pettersson earns $11.6 million for the next six years, and hasn't been playing up to that standard lately. Not to mention, it sounds like Vancouver won't retain some of his contract.
Nonetheless, barriers are blocking each of those potential marriages. If Holland can't make a notable addition at the center position this summer, Quinton Byfield will need to step up in a big way if the Kings want to remain in playoff contention.
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Not only did the Detroit Red Wings suffer a frustrating defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers on Tuesday evening for the second time within a week, but they also lost another key forward to injury.
Andrew Copp, who had taken the injured Dylan Larkin's place on the top line, was hurt after getting tangled up with Panthers forward Tomas Nosek after a face-off; Nosek fell onto his left leg, and Copp wasn't able to put any weight on it as he was assisted off the ice.
Following the game, McLellan announced that Copp was "doubtful" to play on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and that Larkin is also doubtful for the remainder of the trip.
Now, the Red Wings are calling up multiple reinforcements from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins.
Detroit announced that John Leonard, Sheldon Dries, and Eduards Tralmaks have all been recalled under emergency conditions.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Sheldon Dries, John Leonard and Eduards Tralmaks from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. pic.twitter.com/SFLihKjvVr
Leonard is playing in his first season with the Red Wings organization after signing as a free agent during the offseason. He's already played in nine games with Detroit in the NHL, scoring twice while adding two assists.
He's tallied 27 goals in 34 games for the Griffins, who clinched a postseason spot last month.
Dries, a Metro-Detroit native, has yet to appear in a game with the Red Wings but has scored 20 goals with 17 assists in 48 games in Grand Rapids this season.
Tralmaks, who signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings last March, has scored 18 goals with 10 assists in 48 games in Grand Rapids.
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BODO, Norway (AP) — The Champions League’s Cinderella club Bodø/Glimt wrote another chapter Wednesday in its fairytale run through the competition.
The homely Norwegian club won 3-0 against Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of a round-of-16 clash at its tiny Aspmyra Stadium.
Sporting became the latest favored team to travel far north and struggle inside the Arctic Circle this year.
Manchester City and Inter Milan were each beaten 3-1 on the artificial turf field since Bodø/Glimt began the year looking sure to fall short of reaching the knockout rounds.
It is now a remarkable five straight wins in the Champions League — all during the offseason in Norway. The country's domestic league does not start until this weekend.
Bodø/Glimt led in the 32nd minute when Sondre Brunstad Fet scored with a penalty kick, deceiving Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva who dived right as the ball went low to his left.
Ole Blomberg added a second in first-half stoppage time, sliding in a low shot after the ball bounced through to him.
Center forward Kasper Høgh added a third in the 71st being strong in the goalmouth to connect with Jens Petter Hauge’s hard-driven low cross. It was Høgh's fifth goal in the five-win streak.
None of the goalscorers has even played for their national team. Fet at age 29 and the 25-year-old Blomberg are yet to be selected for Norway which is soon going to its first World Cup in a generation.
Høgh, also 25, has not been picked for Denmark, which is in a World Cup qualifying playoffs bracket this month.
The team from the Norwegian Sea fishing town would be the most unlikely Champions League quarterfinalist of recent years. APOEL from Cyprus reached the last eight in 2012 and was beaten by Real Madrid.
The winner after the return game in Lisbon next Tuesday will advance to play either Arsenal or Bayer Leverkusen who drew 1-1 Wednesday in the first leg in Germany.
The entire population of Bodø, just 55,000 people, could all fit inside Arsenal’s stadium.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 12: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics hugs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder after a game at the TD Garden on March 12, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jayson Tatum could miss his first game since returning from injury when the Celtics face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. Tatum is listed as questionable to play with “right Achilles repair reconditioning.” He’s appeared in three games so far for the Celtics, averaging 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.
Derrick White is also questionable to play as he deals with a right knee contusion. It appears likely he suffered that injury at the end of the third quarter of Tuesday’s Celtics game against the San Antonio Spurs, though the team has yet to specify.
And, the Celtics continue to be without Nikola Vucevic, who fractured his right index finger last Friday and underwent surgery on Saturday. The Celtics said then that Vucevic would be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, meaning he’s unlikely to return with much time to spare in the regular season.
With Vucevic sidelined, Luka Garza is likely to keep seeing increased minutes. Across the three games since Vucevic’s injury, he’s averaged 6.7 points in 17.7 minutes, after falling out of the rotation since the trade deadline.
Payton Pritchard, who missed Tuesday’s game due to neck spasms, is probable.
How the Celtics, Thunder stack up
The Thunder, despite an injury-riddled 2025-2026 campaign, have been the NBA’s best team all season long. They’re 51-15, have the league’s best net rating at +10.8. The Thunder have the NBA’s best defensive rating at 106.2, and its 7th-best offensive rating at 117. They’ve won 9 of their last 10 games, and 6 straight.
The Thunder have been without Jalen Williams (hamstring), Alex Caruso (hip), and Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) of late.
But different players have stepped up in their absence. For example, against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, Jaylin Williams exploded for 29 points and 12 rebounds. And guards Ajay Mitchell (a 2024 second-round pick) and Jared McCain (acquired at the trade deadline) have played key minutes off the bench.
And, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks like the MVP front-runner; he’s averaging 31.7 points and 6.6 assists per game, while shooting 55.1% from the field and 38.3% from three.
After losing to the Spurs on Tuesday, the Celtics are 43-22 and have the NBA’s second-best net rating at +7.9. The Celtics have the league’s second-best offensive rating (119.8) and fifth-best defensive rating (111.8).
The two teams have yet to face each other this season, but will meet twice this month, the second match-up coming on March 25th at TD Garden.
Last year, the Celtics went 0-2 against the Thunder.
The Celtics are set to face the Thunder on Thursday at 9pm ET at Paycom Center.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 10: Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 10, 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
Good lord, these hits just do not stop coming.
A day after their win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Sixers announced that Kelly Oubre Jr. suffered an LCL sprain in his left elbow. He will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks with updates to follow, per the team.
The injury occurred early in the second half of that win when Oubre was fouled on a drive and hit the deck. He didn’t come out of the game for any time, finishing with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Oubre wore a sleeve over his left arm in his postgame press conference. When asked, he told reporters that his arm was feeling OK, but clearly the MRI he underwent the following day showed that it needed more attention.
As if this team wasn’t in enough danger with the injuries that are piling up. They needed every bit of those 31 points to take down a tanking Grizzlies team. Now they try to fight for playoff positioning with 14.7 points per game sidelined as well as all of their max contract players.
Of course their first test of this is about as hard as it gets. The Sixers next opponent is the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons.
They may be without more than just Oubre and the stars as well. Adem Bona has also been added to the injury report, he is questionable with back soreness.
Injury report for tomorrow @ DET:
OUT: Joel Embiid (right oblique strain), Tyrese Maxey (right finger tendon injury), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left elbow sprain)
So it’s not just possible that the only available starter for the Sixers in that one is a 20-year old rookie, but Andre Drummond could be their only available center as well. Not great Bob!
The St. Louis Blues have been playing much better hockey as of late, posting a 4-1-1 record in their last six games.
While most of their success can be attributed to Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway’s return to both the lineup and their form, rookie Jimmy Snuggerud deserves his flowers for his play as of late.
On the season, Snuggerud has scored 13 goals and 32 points in 52 games. His 82-game pace would see him score 21 goals and 51 points. The 21-year-old is back to playing his game, firing pucks on goal at will and getting to high-danger areas of the ice.
Following the trades of Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk, the Blues are entering a new era, led by their youth. Currently, the Blues’ roster features eight players under 25. Those players are Snuggerud, Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Jake Neighbours, Philip Broberg, Logan Mailloux, and Theo Lindstein. At this point next season, the Blues’ lineup could also feature first-round picks Adam Jiricek and Justin Carbonneau.
Jimmy Snuggerud (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
While the positional value of Broberg and Dvorsky may make them more valuable, there may not be a more important piece to their young core than Snuggerud.
Snuggerud possesses a shot rivalled by few players around the NHL, and at 21, he’s already piecing together how to utilize it to the best of his abilities.
With 18 games remaining, coach Jim Montgomery will keep Snuggerud on the top line with Holloway and Thomas, and Snuggerud will continue to improve.
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As the Winnipeg Jets push to keep their playoff hopes alive, the organization may already have another reason for optimism brewing in the pipeline.
Winnipeg sits just five points behind the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, leaving the door open for what could become one of the NHL’s more surprising late-season turnarounds. But even if the club ultimately falls short of a postseason berth, Jets fans have a promising prospect to watch in the coming years with 19-year-old forward Kevin He.
The young winger has enjoyed a breakout season in the Ontario Hockey League, emerging as one of junior hockey’s most productive players. He began the campaign with the Niagara IceDogs before being traded to the Flint Firebirds, continuing his offensive surge after the move.
Through 55 games this season, He has recorded 35 goals and 35 assists for 70 points, firmly establishing himself among the OHL’s elite scorers. The Chinese-Canadian forward has been particularly dominant down the stretch. Over his last 24 games, He has tallied 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points, putting him on pace for what could become a career-best season with a projected 76 points.
Two primary assists for Jets prospect Kevin He (2024 4th) who was named 1st Star of the Game in Flint’s win.
Beyond his scoring totals, he’s also making history in the sport. Born in Beijing, He first discovered hockey by skating and rollerblading with his father before eventually relocating to North America. He developed his game in minor hockey programs in North York, where his skill set steadily evolved into that of a top junior prospect.
When the Jets selected He in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, he became just the second Chinese-born player ever drafted into the NHL, following Andong Song, who was selected by the New York Islanders in 2015. He later made history again by becoming the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract.
The list of Chinese-born NHL draftees has since grown. Defenseman Haoxi Wang became the third when he was selected 33rd overall by the San Jose Sharks at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
While Winnipeg’s immediate focus remains on chasing a playoff spot, the organization’s future appears bright as well. If the Jets’ postseason push falls short, the emergence of a rising prospect like He could still give the fanbase plenty of reason for excitement in the years ahead.
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The Golden State Warriors have lost three consecutive games and 10 of 15 since All-Star guard Stephen Curry went down with a right knee injury.
The team, for at least the short term, will continue to be without the 37 year old.
Golden State issued an update indicating that Curry was reevaluated Wednesday, March 11 for patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising in the injured knee. The Warriors said Curry continues to “make good progress” and that he has been going through individual on-court workouts, which will intensify over the coming days as he improves. Golden State added that Curry will be reevaluated in 10 days.
Curry suffered the injury Jan. 30 in a contest against the Pistons and has missed the following 15 games.
What does Stephen Curry’s injury mean for the Warriors?
It’s a continued blow for the Warriors, who are in danger of falling outside of the play-in picture. Golden State is currently 32-33 and in ninth place in the Western Conference.
The team, and the offense in particular, has struggled significantly in Curry’s 15-game absence. Over that span, the Warriors rank 21st in offensive rating, generating 111.7 points per 100 possessions.
Curry’s injury compounds what has been a tough season for Golden State. The Warriors have also been without forward Jimmy Butler (torn anterior cruciate ligament) since Jan. 19, and new addition Kristaps Porziņģis has made just three appearances for the team.
The Warriors only have 17 games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, but the good news is that the No. 11 seed in the West, the Grizzlies, are well behind the play-in picture, currently 8 ½ games back of Golden State. Four teams, the ones finishing from seeds No. 7 through 10, are the ones that qualify for the Play-In Tournament.
For Golden State to have any chance to make some noise in the play-in — and the playoffs, if they qualify — it will need Curry to be fully healthy, so taking a measured approach with his health makes perfect sense.
Curry, though, thrives on off-ball movement and is one of the hardest-working players in the NBA who travels a significant distance in an average game, so his playing style is not without its toll.
Stephen Cury stats
In 39 appearances this season, Curry is averaging a team-high 27.2 points per game on 46.8% shooting. Curry has also recorded 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Tarik Skubal’s plan was always to leave Team USA after one World Baseball Classic start. He wavered but ultimately never changed course. His responsibility to the Tigers meant more to him.
What wasn’t in the blueprint were social media comparisons to Benedict Arnold, the infamous military officer that swapped from the Americans to the British during the Revolutionary War.
Skubal doesn’t think the comparison is fair — he didn’t defect to another team, he was simply prioritizing his other duties.
Tarik Skubal allowed just one run in his only start with Team USA. Getty Images
“It’s just not fair,” Skubal said of the claims, per The Athletic. “But that’s part of the business. It’s part of the game. If they know me, though, on a personal level, and they know what my peers think of me, I don’t think it’s fair to say those things.
“This was always the plan, and as emotional or how much I wanted to (stay), it just didn’t make sense, given the timing,” he added about the reasoning behind his decision.
Skubal added that the criticism he received online didn’t affect his choice, citing they’re “created by people that don’t know me.”
His teammates, though, made a major impact. He mentioned that he talked to many of them to help make his decision, though he ultimately realized it wasn’t feasible to return.
“I was just trying to navigate all that information and then trying to create a plan,” Skubal said. “I just felt like I was trying to do too much. So I just kind of was, like, ‘OK, as bad as I want to do this, as bad as I want to get there and play, this was the plan from the jump.’”
Tarik Skubal has posted an ERA under 2.40 in both of the last two seasons. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In his lone WBC start versus Great Britain, Skubal pitched three innings and allowed just one run, which came on a Nate Eaton leadoff homer. He struck out five and allowed just one more hit, paving the way for an easy 9-1 U.S. win.
But his ultimate responsibility is to the Tigers, who are vying to make a deep playoff run with one of the best rotations in baseball.
Besides Skubal, who’s won the last two American League Cy Young Awards, Detroit added Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in the offseason and retained Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty.
If Skubal had decided to stay with Team USA through the WBC final — if it makes it — he would’ve only had nine days between then and his Opening Day start. He did say, however, that if the U.S. does advance that far, he’d try to come back to cheer on his teammates from the bench.
Does that really make him Benedict Arnold? Skubal sure doesn’t think so.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a spring training game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After being named the Opening Day starter this morning, Cade Cavalli took the ball for the Nats in their Grapefruit League showdown with the Cardinals. He only went three innings in this one, but he looked impressive. Cavalli did not allow a hit and struck out two Cardinals, setting the tone for a strong afternoon for Nats pitchers.
Opening day starter Cade Cavalli getting ready to go for his start against the Cardinals this afternoon pic.twitter.com/8sS0uRooSq
Following his start, I actually got the chance to talk to Cade in the clubhouse. Cavalli said he was “Super honored” to be named the Opening Day starter. After missing two seasons due to injury, this was clearly a big moment for the 27 year old right hander. He told Jessica Camerato of MLB.com that the first person he called was his wife, before quickly texting the rest of his family.
Finding out he was the Opening Day starter was probably the highlight of Cavalli’s day, but he still had to go out and execute in the game. A big part of the success he had today was the sweeper, which he used 25% of the time, and half the time against right handed hitters.
Cavalli told me that he thinks the pitch will be “really good to righties and we can sprinkle it in to lefties to show them a different shape off of the curveball”. Last season, right handed hitters batted over .380 against Cavalli, and he is looking to change that. He said that, “Most hitters know I have a north to south curveball. If I can show something horizontal to them, I think it can help”.
Overall, it was a great day for Cavalli, who has faced a lot of trials and tribulations over the past few years. Now he is on the other side of that, and ready to be the high end starting pitcher the Nats envisioned when they drafted him in the first round.
Another pitcher who threw the ball well today was Brad Lord. He went three innings, allowing only one run. Lord was getting a ton of ground balls with his sinker. His changeup also looked great against left handed pitchers. Yesterday, he mentioned that he tweaked his grip on that pitch, and it looked nasty, particularly against Nolan Gorman, who swung through two of them.
Brad Lord was telling me about how he tweaked his changeup grip when he talked yesterday. He made Nolan Gorman look silly on back to back changeups to get a strikeout
Despite the solid outing, Lord was still not satisfied with himself. Manager Blake Butera said Lord was “Frustrated because in that last inning he has two outs with nobody on, and then he walks a guy who ends up scoring”. Lord is typically an even-keeled guy, who Butera described as quiet, but he could tell that the end to his outing bothered him.
On the offensive side of things, the Nats did not light up the score board, but did enough to win. One guy who is starting to heat up is Daylen Lile. At the beginning of the spring, he looked a bit rusty, but he has been finding his swing over the past week.
Daylen Lile started this spring slow but he is heating up as we close in on Opening Day
Butera figured this is what would happen, adding that “sometimes we get too caught up in stats during Spring Training”. Given the fact that the games do not count, and the whole point of this process is to get ready for the season, this is a take I agree with, though I can be guilty of falling into that trap at times. One thing that Butera does value is hitters finding their timing. He told me that, “sometimes it takes hitters a couple weeks to get their timing down. I think Daylen is just getting going now and he looks like Daylen”.
I think his point about timing is something to really consider. These guys can train as much as they want in the offseason, but there is no substitute for in-game reps. Sometimes pure hitters like Lile just need time to find that perfect swing. It seems like Lile has found it, and that is great for the Nats. He was such a spark for them in the second half.
The Nats got a lot of production from their first basemen as well in this game. Andres Chaparro got a hit, and hit the ball hard a couple times. Also, Abimelec Ortiz ripped a 110 MPH RBI double to give the Nats the lead. Ortiz started the spring slowly, but looks like he may be finding his footing.
Manager Blake Butera admitted the club has not settled on a starter at first base. He said that “At first base in general, we are pretty open minded on how this is going to work”. It also sounds like the Nats will experiment with a few different options throughout the season. He made sure to emphasize that the situation will be fluid and just because a guy starts the season at first base, it does not mean he will be the guy for all 162.
Overall, it was a nice and clean performance for the Nats. It has also been awesome to get all this access and get thoughts from the players and coaches. The Nats have been winning a lot this spring, but as we know, these games do not count. However, it seems like there is a good vibe to this group and we are seeing that manifest on the field.
Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Devon Levi is currently blocked from the NHL roster. This is because the Sabres have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis all ahead of him on their depth chart.
Now, there is a chance that Levi could be made expendable because of it.
"The Buffalo Sabres were shopping goalie Devon Levi and are expected to keep those talks going this summer," Pagnotta wrote.
With the Sabres having multiple goalies ahead of Levi on their depth chart, he could be a good trade chip for Buffalo to dangle this off-season to try to upgrade their roster elsewhere. It is likely that teams out there would be interested in adding Levi to their system, as he has the potential to become a good NHL goalie in the future.
Levi has spent all of this season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, where he has a 17-14-8 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.75 goals-against average. In 39 career NHL games with the Sabres, he has a 17-17-2 record and a .894 save percentage.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 27: A view of an Apple TV microphone during the ninth inning between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Earlier today, we received some massive news regarding the Atlanta Braves and the new Braves.TV platform. Shortly after that news broke, we got some more important news on where to watch the Braves during the upcoming season. While the lion’s share of games will be on BravesVision, they also have to make room for nationally televised contests — and nationally streamed contests as well.
Apple TV is doing Friday Night Baseball for another season and they’ve announced their schedule through the month of June and the Braves are now set for three games that will be streaming-exclusive for that particular platform. We won’t have to wait long for the first game, as Atlanta’s road game against the Diamondbacks on April 3at 9:45 p.m. ET will be on Apple TV. Their only scheduled home game on Apple TV (as of right now) will take place on April 24 at 7:15 p.m. ET against the Phillies. After that, it’ll be a long wait between that game and the next Apple TV appearance for the Braves, as they’ll be playing a road game against the Mets on June 12at 7:15 p.m. ET.
Friday Night Baseball returns to @AppleTV this season!
Again as a reminder, you’ll have to sign up for Apple TV in order to have access to these games. To sum up the state of watching the Braves during the 2026 season, you’ll have to make sure you have access to the following platforms if you want to make sure you’ll have the ability to catch all 162 games:
BravesVision (or Braves.TV)
Fox Sports 1
TBS
ESPN (solely for the Little League Classic on August 23)
Peacock
Apple TV
I didn’t list NBC or FOX since technically you can have access to those broadcast networks for free. Good luck keeping up with all of that!
The Oklahoma City Thunder finally arrived as an NBA powerhouse with a championship run in 2025, defeating the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the NBA Finals. This year, they look equally dominant – and they are gaining plenty of respect from sportsbooks as a result.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Thunder as +130 to win their second consecutive title, -135 to win the Western Conference, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as +135 to be NBA Finals MVP.
But is the market respect deserving?
Using FTN’s NBA StatsHub, we can take a deeper look at Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, and whether the Spurs, Nuggets, or another team out west has a chance to dethrone them.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has put up strong numbers since coming back from an oblique injury that sidelined him through the All-Star break – averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists.
That said, the underlying metrics suggest that his recent production has been more volume-driven, rather than efficient.
Overall, this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has a 7.3% Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation, which ranks third among players averaging 30-plus minutes per game. His +3.0 Points Over Expectation trails only Nikola Jokić, Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić.
Since returning from injury, Gilgeous-Alexander has a -2.5% FGOE and -1.4 PTOE.
The scary thing? Oklahoma City is 5-0 during that span, with wins over the Nuggets (twice) and the Knicks – both of which are widely regarded as teams that could make a deep playoff run.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Through the close of play Tuesday, Oklahoma City (+9.5) leads the NBA in FTN’s Model Team Ratings. They are 3.2 points better than the next-best team in the Western Conference – the San Antonio Spurs.
Similar to last year, their dominance has been driven primarily by a defense that is significantly better than any other team in the NBA.
During the 2024-2025 campaign, the Thunder finished the regular season with a 106.6 defensive rating. The next-best team was the Orlando Magic, a distant second with a 109.1 defensive rating.
This season, Oklahoma City once again leads the league in defensive rating (106.2), despite having to navigate injuries to some of their best defensive players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein are four of the team’s top defenders, per our FTN Player Ratings – they have all missed 10-plus games.
Put another away, the Thunder have decisively been the best team in the NBA this season by most advanced metrics, despite not having their core contributors available for a considerable portion of their games.
Thunder, or the field?
All of that said, is there any realistic probability that another team – perhaps the Spurs or Nuggets, could dethrone the Thunder in the Western Conference?
San Antonio is the only non-Thunder team in the Western Conference that ranks in the top-five in our FTN’s Model Team Ratings. They are also the only team that has proven capable of causing matchup issues for the Thunder this year.
The Spurs have played the Thunder four times this year, winning three times – twice by convincing margins:
Dec. 13: Spurs defeated Thunder 111-109
Dec. 23: Spurs defeated Thunder 130-110
Dec. 25: Spurs defeated Thunder 117-102
Jan. 13: Thunder defeated Spurs 119-98
The Nuggets have struggled in their head-to-head meetings this season:
Feb. 1: Thunder defeated Nuggets 121-111
Feb. 27: Thunder defeated Nuggets 127-121
March 9: Thunder defeated Nuggets 129-126
Denver has struggled in general lately, too, which isn’t a great sign as the postseason draws near. Since Nikola Jokić returned from injury Jan. 30, the Nuggets are 7-10 overall, ranking 15th in Net Rating.
They have suffered losses against the Clippers and Warriors in that span – fringe playoff teams. They have also struggled against the Jazz and Grizzlies, a pair of teams that are aggressively participating in this year’s NBA tankathon.
The Takeaway
If ranking the top teams in the NBA with a month remaining in the regular season, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that the Thunder are in their own tier at the top of the league.
In the Western Conference, in particular, Oklahoma City has a sizable lead over San Antonio and Denver in FTN’s Model Team Ratings – and that’s with the Thunder missing a number of their core pieces for significant periods of time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t looked as good post-injury, in terms of (FGOE) and (PTOE), as he did pre-injury, but the Thunder have still been dominant with a slightly less efficient version of their best player. Right now, it’s the Thunder, followed by a big gap, then everybody else.
The Minnesota Timberwolves head to Inglewood tonight as they take on the surging Los Angeles Clippers.
My Timberwolves vs Clippers predictions target another big outing on the boards for Julius Randle, who remains a key contributor to Minnesota's title chances.
Get the lowdown with my free NBA picks for Wednesday, March 11.
Timberwolves vs Clippers prediction
Timberwolves vs Clippers best bet: Julius Randle Over 6.5 rebounds (-120)
Although Rudy Gobert is always going to be the prime candidate to rack up boards for the visitors, Randle is a worthy sidekick — and he’s nailed this prop in five straight games.
The Los Angeles Clippers were outrebounded 51-36 in Monday’s victory over the Knicks, and that’s a weakness that Minnesota can attack tonight.
Timberwolves vs Clippers same-game parlay
The new-look Clippers are rolling, and they’re 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games. With Minnesota on the second night of a back-to-back set, I’ll take the L.A. moneyline and pair it with standout efforts from Darius Garland and Derrick Jones Jr.
Garland is finding his feet with the hosts, dishing 21 dimes in his last three games, while Jones Jr. has had consecutive 16-point performances.
Timberwolves vs Clippers SGP
Clippers moneyline
Darius Garland Over 6.5 assists
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 12.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Counting on the Klaw
The Kawhi Leonard vs. Anthony Edwards showdown should be spectacular, and I’m banking on The Klaw to continue his steady scoring after sinking the Knicks with 29 points earlier this week.
A turnover-prone T-Wolves team should also be easy prey for Leonard on the defensive end.
Over/Under: Over 226.5 (-110) | Under 226.5 (-110)
Timberwolves vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Timberwolves are 2-7 ATS in their past nine games. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Clippers.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN North, FDSN SoCal
Timberwolves vs Clippers latest injuries
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