DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s sports and youth minister said it's “not possible” for the country to take part in the World Cup after the United States killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in its ongoing war.
Iran was expected to take part in the World Cup that will be held across North America in June, but Iranian Sports and Youth Minister Ahmad Donyamali told state television that his country’s soccer team players are not safe in the U.S., according to a video of the interview posted Tuesday.
“Due to the wicked acts they have done against Iran — they have imposed two wars on us over just eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people — definitely it’s not possible for us to take part in the World Cup,” he said.
Iran is scheduled to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 before finishing group play against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The U.S. is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said “I really don’t care” if Iran takes part in the 48-nation tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he met with Trump on Tuesday night “to discuss the status of preparations” for the tournament and received assurances that Iran would be permitted to come to the U.S.
Mar 6, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) looks on before the first half of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
It has been a solid run lately for the Phoenix Suns as they work through the schedule following the All-Star break and move toward a spot in either the Play-In or the postseason. The team is 4–1 over its last five games. You can certainly point to the level of competition during that stretch, although when you consider the injuries and the increase in minutes for young players, what Phoenix has done deserves some credit.
A month ago this team was not rolling out lineups featuring Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, Haywood Highsmith, and Amir Coffey. Those combinations simply did not exist. Head coach Jordan Ott has pulled the right levers with those players, placing them into the rotation in moments where they can succeed, and that has helped fuel this recent stretch. Make no mistake, though. The biggest driver behind this run is not the flashiest storyline, although it might be the most reliable one.
Devin Booker is back.
His return following the injury has steadied the ship for Phoenix and helped spark this stretch that now includes a three-game winning streak. Booker does not always deliver the loudest highlights. He is not drilling a deep three and signaling for defenders to fall asleep. He is not launching himself toward the rim for poster dunks or pointing toward the floor after breaking an ankle like his teammate Jalen Green might.
Book? He simply attacks the mid-range and puts the ball in the basket. For a team that spent much of February struggling to score consistently, watching Booker operate again has been a welcome sight.
Something else has started to happen since Booker returned to the lineup. His efficiency is slowly climbing back to where you expect it to be. It has been one of the season’s most interesting paradoxes. Devin Booker has experienced a down year relative to scoring, three-point percentage, and overall efficiency. Yet the team has continued to win games.
Why? The biggest reason is the way Booker has leaned into facilitation and his overall gravity as a player. He has used his scoring ability to create opportunities for everyone else. Defenses collapse toward him, the ball swings, and teammates find clean looks. Booker is averaging 6.1 assists per game, and players around him are producing some of the best seasons of their careers. That shift has changed the structure of the offense. Booker does not need to score 30 points every night for the Suns to win.
That was one of the concerns entering the season. There was a belief that Phoenix might rely too heavily on Booker’s scoring burden. If that happened, the wear and tear over the course of the season could break him down and drag the offense with it. Instead, the opposite occurred. Even with the efficiency dip, the team continued to succeed.
And now Booker is starting to look like Booker again.
Over the last five games, he is averaging 26.6 points while shooting 42% from the field, 39% from three, and 94% from the free throw line. He is also averaging 5.8 assists during that stretch. He has four consecutive games scoring 25+ points.
The three-point shot, in particular, is beginning to rebound. Before this five-game run, Booker was sitting at 30.8% from deep. After going 16-of-41 from beyond the arc over the last five games, that number has climbed to 32%. It is slowly inching its way back toward his career average of 35.2%. And if that trend continues, the offense around him becomes even more dangerous.
As the team prepares for whatever the postseason holds, Devin Booker is starting to regain the efficiency that has defined his game. The timing could not be better. For much of the season, the team carried some of the weight created by his inefficiencies. Now the pendulum is swinging the other direction. Booker is returning the favor by looking more like the version of himself that Suns fans have grown accustomed to watching.
The mid-range assassin. The player who can halt a scoring run with a calm pull-up from fifteen feet. The player who slows the game down when things begin to spiral. One possession, one jumper, momentum changes.
It quiets a lot of the noise that has surrounded his season. Even before this recent stretch, he was putting together an All-Star-level campaign. This run only strengthens that case. If he stays healthy and plays every remaining game, there is a real path where he finds himself back in the All-NBA conversation. But more importantly, the level rises on what the Suns could be once the postseason arrives.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 17: Huascar Brazoban #43 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch in the 10th inning during the Tuesday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets on June 17, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Thanks to his relatively lengthy path to accruing major league service time, Huascar Brazobán still has one option remaining heading into the 2026 season. We’re starting there because it figures to come into play as the Mets have built another bullpen that’s designed to see a lot of roster churn, even though approach went pretty poorly as the team struggled mightily over the final few months of the season.
From June 13, the beginning of the end for the 2025 Mets, through the end of the season, Mets relievers had a 4.60 ERA that was the fifth-worst mark in all of baseball. A relief corps that might’ve already been too thin on talent and major league track records wound up being overworked by a rotation that was seemingly allergic to going deep in games, and despite using 39 different players in relief, the team didn’t find a single new arm last year that’s currently projected to make the Opening Day bullpen this year.
Nevertheless, the Mets have stuck to that approach, and hey, it certainly could break in their favor this time around. Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and Brooks Raley—to be joined soon afterwards by AJ Minter—should be a pretty solid bullpen core. If the Mets roll with a six-man rotation and a seven-man bullpen, that leaves four open spots in the Opening Day bullpen and three spots once Minter returns, assuming everyone else avoids injury in the meantime.
The Mets have made some early roster cuts, but Brazobán wasn’t one of them and figures to have a good shot at making the roster. If there’s a roster crunch to start the season or once Minter returns, though, that aforementioned option could see him spend time in Triple-A Syracuse like he did last year.
In his time with the Mets last year, Brazobán was effective if unspectacular. He had a 3.57 ERA and a 4.04 FIP in 63.0 innings of work. And since joining the Mets in a trade with the Marlins in 2024, he has a 3.96 ERA and a 4.11 FIP.
Unless several other pitchers establish themselves as better major league relievers, Brazobán looks like he’ll spend the majority of his time in Queens again this year. On average, the projections at FanGraphs have him ending up with an ERA around four with fifty-something innings pitched. If that’s how things go, it’d be a continuation of what he’s done since the Mets traded for him. There’s no bold prediction to be extracted here, but he should be able to contribute to a successful season if the rest of the team has one.
Mar 6, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Tyler McDonough (91) bunts during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins
Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Lee Health Sports Complex – Fort Myers, FL SB Nation Site:Twinkie Town Media: MLB+ Audio (Twins broadcast)
FORMER CUBS IN ROYALS CAMP: Jose Cuas, Eli Morgan and Hector Neris.
ABOUT CUBS CAMP: 53 players remain in camp: 28 pitchers (six non-roster invitees), six catchers (three non-roster invitees), 10 infielders (four non-roster invitees) and nine outfielders (four non-roster invitees). Miguel Amaya and Christian Bethancourt should be returning soon, since Panama was eliminated from the WBC.
Colin Rea will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Hunter Harvey, Caleb Thielbar, Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb.
Mitch Spence will start for the Royals. Other Royals pitchers scheduled today: Matt Strahm, Mason Black and Frank Mozzicato. The Royals are a split squad today.
No TV or radio today. This is the last Cubs game this year that will have no broadcasts. All remaining spring games will be on either TV or radio or both.
Please visit our SB Nation Royals site Royals Review. If you do go there to interact with Royals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
Feb 28, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
If it feels like a long time since you’ve seen Kyle Bradish on the mound for the Orioles, you’re not imagining things. Bradish hasn’t pitched a Grapefruit League game since Feb. 28, a full 11 days ago. But that changes today, as he takes the hill against the Pirates in Sarasota. Bradish gave up two runs apiece in his previous two spring starts and has yet to pitch more than three innings. It’s about time to get him stretched out some more, especially if he’s going to be the Orioles’ starting pitcher on Opening Day as most fans expect.
Today the O’s will get a look at mega-hyped young Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin, the #1 prospect in baseball, who has a real chance to break camp with the team despite just 21 games of experience above High-A. By all accounts he’s set to be baseball’s next superstar, joining Paul Skenes to give the Pirates a team that’s actually worth watching for once.
The Orioles’ batting order includes some of the regulars, but without the players who went on yesterday’s road trip, and Gunnar Henderson and Tyler O’Neill still away at the World Baseball Classic, it’s not exactly an Opening Day-looking lineup just yet.
This game will air locally on MASN. If you’re out of market, you can catch it on MLB Network.
Orioles lineup:
LF Taylor Ward C Adley Rutschman 1B Pete Alonso DH Ryan Mountcastle RF Heston Kjerstad 3B Blaze Alexander CF Leody Taveras 2B Weston Wilson SS José Barrero
Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Dustin May (3) pitches during spring training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will travel to the Spring Training home of the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, March 11. According to MLB.com, Dustin May will get another start for the Cardinals while Cade Cavalli will take the mound for the Nationals. Here’s the starting lineup according to the St. Louis Cardinals website:
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 08: Josh Hader #71 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 08, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hader has missed most of Spring Training with biceps tendinitis.
Houston Astros closer Josh Hader will begin the season on IL, according to a report by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Hader, who missed the last 2 months on the 2025 season with a shoulder capsule strain, experienced biceps tendinitis while rehabbing and was shut down. Yesterday, he threw his first bullpen session in weeks, as we detailed here:
Hader reportedly threw 15 fastballs, getting as high as 87 MPH before being instructed to back it down. Hader’s normal fastball velocity last season was 95.5 MPH per Statcast.
With Hader missing the start of the season, Bryan Abreu will be the interim closer. Bryan King, Bennett Sousa and Steven Okert are all expected to have roles in the pen.
With 3 spots in the pen open, the Astros will likely choose from among AJ Blubaugh, Ryan Weiss, Kei-Wei Teng, Rule 5 pick Roddery Munoz, Peter Lambert and Christian Roa to fill those 3 spots.
According to McTaggart’s report, the capsule has not been an issue for Hader while rehabbing.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 09: Braves pitcher Spencer Strider during the Saturday afternoon Spring Training baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Baltimore Orioles on March 9, 2024 at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Hmm… looks like we’re having some backend CMS difficulties. Oh well, no one wanted to read my rambling about stuff anyway.
Kyle Teel lies on second base after his sixth-inning double turned into a right hamstring strain during World Baseball Classic play. | (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel left Tuesday night’s World Baseball Classic tilt between Team Italy and Team USA after suffering right hamstring discomfort while running the bases.
White Sox and Team Italy catcher Kyle Teel is leaving with an injury. You could see him in pain just after he rounded first base pic.twitter.com/wOXUqINGgA
Team Italy manager Francisco Cervelli confirmed the injury as a right hamstring strain and that the team will replace Teel on the roster with Andres Annunziata.
Teel was cooking before injury struck. The 24-year-old launched a solo homer in the second, then ripped a double to right in the sixth. But rounding first on that two-bagger, the hamstring barked. Teel slid in, safe but furious, and that was it. Cervelli immediately removed him from the game for a pinch runner. Before exiting, Teel finished the game 2-for-2 with the home run and double as Italy built a large early lead on its way to an 8–6 stunning victory over Team USA in pool play.
The Chicago White Sox have not yet officially announced the severity of the injury, and his status for the start of the season remains unclear. Teel did seem to be in good spirits after the game, so that’s promising.
Unfortunately, soft-tissue issues have become an all-too-familiar storyline for the White Sox in recent years. Hamstrings, obliques, calves — if it can strain, pull, or tighten, it seems to have found its way onto the South Side injury report at some point over the past several seasons. Whether it’s bad luck, conditioning questions, or just the randomness of baseball injuries, the Sox have rarely enjoyed a clean bill of health for long.
Any extended absence for Teel could have ripple effects for Chicago behind the plate, where catcher Edgar Quero would likely see increased opportunities if Teel misses time. Korey Lee is also suddenly a lock to make the roster. Seems like the strategy of stacking as many quality catchers as possible is working out. Looks smart right now. Ask again in a month.
For now, all White Sox fans can do is wait and hope the hamstring gods show mercy.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -MARCH 10: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs jokes with Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics at the end of the game at Frost Bank Center on March 10, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The vibe was off from the start in this one. It almost felt like there had been too much buildup for it. Too much momentum for it not to go a little sideways.
“Two title contenders squaring off!”
“Possible Finals preview!”
“Jayson Tatum continuing his incredible return!”
“Wembanyama making an MVP push!”
“The two hottest teams in the league on NBC Coast-to-Coast Tuesday!”
And then, of course, what are we all talking about this morning? That’s right. Bam Adebayo dropping 83 on the Wizards. Sure!
It’s not that Spurs vs. Celtics was a bad game. It was actually pretty entertaining once everything settled in. It just felt… off. Like watching two dance partners who couldn’t quite decide who was leading. Everything just a little bit out of step.
I was antsy the whole time watching this. More concerned with how everything looked and what it meant than what was actually happening on the court. It’s like I can feel the eyes of people outside our specific fan Circle of Trust now trained on the Spurs, trying to figure out what the deal is. Trying to poke holes in the plan. Trying to take the air out of it.
Every time we missed a shot or turned the ball over I kept alternating between a feeling somewhere between slight panic and mortification. Boys, how could you embarrass me like this? We have company! I just cleaned in here! Please stop missing corner threes in front of Mike Tirico.
And before you start with me, just trust me: I understand that I’m being ridiculous. This is not a cool or groovy way to watch sports. It’s not a cool or groovy way to do anything.
The Spurs are in the middle of one of the most fun stretches of basketball we’ve seen in almost a decade. The vibes around this team are basically perfect. The ball is flying around. Victor Wembanyama is somehow exceeding expectations. The young guys are growing up in real time. If you sat down in October and tried to draw up the exact emotional temperature you’d want around the team right now, it would look almost exactly like this.
And yet there I was the whole night, sitting on the couch sweaty and nervous. I was mad when Jaylen Brown got ejected because of what it might mean for the narrative if they lost to a shorthanded Celtics team at home. I was frustrated we were tied at the half. I was annoyed at how many threes we were taking.
The threes were going in and I was annoyed about it. What even is that, you guys?
I mean, the Spurs won this game. By a lot! Against a really good team! And I’m sitting here spilling my guts about how miserable I was the whole time. Stupid!
But I also have a suspicion I’m not alone in this. Like most things in sports, it taps into something a little deeper in the human condition. That strange feeling of finally getting the thing you’ve been begging for and immediately wondering what’s wrong with it is familiar to anyone who’s been around the block a few times. One day you look around and realize you’re standing in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife and you may ask yourself, well… how did I get here?
Same as it ever was.
It’s just such an easy trap to fall into. You spend all of high school trying to get into college and then you’re there. Now what? You spend all of college worrying about trying to get a job and then you get one. Now what? You spend months training for a marathon and then you cross the finish line. Now what?
I think we might just be bad at enjoying things in the moment. The planning, the chase, the hunt… that’s what drives us. That’s what gives the whole thing meaning. Actually sitting there with what we’ve got feels strange. Lazy, almost. Like if we stop swimming for even a second we might sink.
It doesn’t seem particularly healthy.
I don’t think the Spurs are guilty of it, even if the guy writing this clearly is. A very lovable, if not relatable, thing about this team right now is that they really do seem to be living in the moment. They’re staying within themselves. They’re focused on each game as it comes and taking it in stride. They’re having fun out there.
You watch them after the game, all of them peer-pressuring Mason Plumlee into doing the drum thing, and suddenly everything else feels kind of silly. All the stress. All the anxiety. All the little narrative traps my brain spent the night worrying about.
It’s just noise. Mostly self-generated.
The Spurs, meanwhile, just went out and beat the Celtics. Seemed like they had fun, too.
Probably should give that a try.
Takeaways
A thing I do against my better judgment is listen to Tim Bontemps on The Hoop Collective wring his hands about Victor Wembanyama’s shot profile. He has this whole thing where he’s very against the idea of Vic taking a high volume of threes. In Bontemps’ ideal world, Wembanyama is finishing at the rim, living in the paint, and generally filling his diet with higher-percentage looks instead of bombing away from the perimeter. I get annoyed when he goes on these rants largely because… I kind of agree with him. Part of it is that my brain still can’t fully wrap itself around the concept of someone that tall playing like a guard. And part of it is just a very simple instinct that kicks in whenever I watch him float around the three-point line: yo man, you’re seven-foot-four. Go dunk it, brother. Please trust that I do not enjoy agreeing with Tim Bontemps on this.
Last night was a weird test case for those of us in the “maybe fewer threes?” camp. Of Wembanyama’s twenty shot attempts, fifteen of them were from beyond the arc. Fifteen! That’s almost the exact shot profile Bontemps is so annoying about. The good news is that he made eight of them. The problem is that he made eight of them. What am I supposed to do with that? It’s undeniably cool when he’s raining threes like that, but I also can’t quite shake the feeling that we’re getting away with something. Like the basketball gods are quietly watching this happen and making a note for later. Because without a doubt, there are going to be playoff teams that are perfectly happy to let him launch from out there and live with the consequences.
I think, overall, Vic’s game last night didn’t really feel like it was built on him just “falling back” or “settling” for threes all night. A lot of those looks came within the flow of the offense. Catch-and-shoot opportunities, pick-and-pop actions, that sort of thing. The Celtics were clearly trying to keep him out of the paint, and the Spurs were more than happy to let him drift out and punish that choice. He also got to the line a bunch, so it’s not like he was allergic to attacking the basket when the opportunity was there. I don’t know. Look, these are good problems to have. Maybe I should stop worrying about it. How about that?
De’Aaron Fox is, somehow, quietly just out here steering this whole operation along. He’s kind of perfect for what the Spurs need, isn’t he? He doesn’t seem to want or need the spotlight. He can pour it in when necessary, but he’s just as comfortable orchestrating things and keeping the whole machine running smoothly. He’s poised, he doesn’t make many mistakes, and he’s constantly plugging little holes all over the floor. I’m honestly a little flabbergasted at how cleanly this has worked out. Think about all the hundreds of names that were floated over the last couple of years for players the Spurs absolutely had to pair with Wembanyama in order to not squander his potential. And somehow the guy who fits like a glove is De’Aaron Fox. Fancy that.
I don’t know if it’s just because he’s left handed, but there’s an angle on some of Fox’s three point shots that almost looks like he’s spinning a curveball into the basket. The thing gets to the rim and just like whips down. It’s bizarre and kind of gives me a little jump every time.
The only thing I have to say about Jaylen Brown’s ejection is:
Keldon Johnson was PERFECTLY IN SYNC with the official who ejected Jaylen Brown lmaooo
– Have you ever been ejected from something you were writing?
– Oh sure, I get tossed all the time?
– Wait, really? Like you got two technicals and had to stop writing?
– For sure. Happens more than you’d think. I’ll be in the middle of making a truly excellent point and some ref will come barging into my office blowing his whistle and shouting something like, “PASSIVE VOICE!” And of course I can’t just let that slide, so I get right in his face and say, “You think THAT was passive voice? That? Are you serious? THAT’S THE LEAST PASSIVE THING I’VE EVER SAID! IF YOU WANT PASSIVE, I’LL GIVE YOU PASSIVE.”
– Ok. And that…helps?
– Almost never, the refs hate when you get in their face like that.
– Does someone usually have to hold you back?
– Yeah, PTR has security teams on the bench that come out. Sometimes Marilyn has to step in, calm things down, tell me to go take a breather, and then she finishes my… ahem… discussion. It’s all part of the game.
– What happens when you get tossed though? Does someone else finish the column?
-Yeah, we’ll bring someone off the bench. Usually it’s pretty seamless. But if you’ve ever been reading something I wrote and thought, “not his best work,” you can probably assume a biased ref with an agenda sent me to the locker room early.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Tatsuya Imai #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Houston Astros at CACTI Park on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Pensiero/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Houston Astros (6-8-3) travel to Jupiter, FL to take on the Miami Marlins (6-9-1).
RHP Tatsuya Imai will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite RHP Max Meyer for the Marlins.
TODAY’S STARTER: RHP Tatsuya Imai is set to make his third start of the Grapefruit League. In his last start on March 5 at MIA, he allowed one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings.
In January, the Astros signed free agent Imai to a three-year deal. In 2025, he was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB), where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games. Among qualified pitchers, Imai posted the lowest WHIP (0.89) in the Pacific League, while ranking second with 178 strikeouts in his 163.2 innings pitched.
Imai has been an NPB All-Star three times in his career (2021, 2024, 2025) that has spanned parts of eight seasons (2018-25). He went 58-45 overall with a 3.15 ERA in 159 games in the NPB.
TODAY’S POTENTIAL RELIEVERS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Anthony Maldonado, LHP Steven Okert and RHP Christian Roa.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, March 11, 12:10 p.m. CST
Location: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter, FL.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 19: Fans watch the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees from the The Battery at Truist Park on July 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First pitch against the Atlanta Braves is at 1:05 at CoolToday Park and the Braves will be providing TV and radio coverage.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are back in action today with a game where they will take on the Baltimore Orioles in Spring Training.
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The Denver Nuggets host the Houston Rockets tonight as Western Conference powerhouses do battle for the fourth and final time this season.
Kevin Durant has been electric on the road this season, and my Rockets vs Nuggets predictions expect him to shine offensively.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this heavyweight bout on Wednesday, March 11.
Tip-off is set for 10:00 p.m. ET from Ball Arena in Denver, with the game airing on ESPN.
Rockets vs Nuggets prediction
Rockets vs Nuggets best bet: Kevin Durant Over 24.5 points (-112)
Kevin Durant is scoring just 24.1 points per game at home, but he’s been excellent on the road, dropping 27.9 ppg outside of Houston. He’s been particularly effective across his last six road games, averaging 31.7 points and scoring 25+ five times.
Durant has scored at least 25 points in 21 of 31 road games, and he reached that mark in each of his two games at Ball Arena this season. In a matchup that should feature plenty of scoring, I expect KD to be effective on offense and keep his team competitive on the road.
Rockets vs Nuggets same-game parlay
The Denver Nuggets are just 4-6 ATS across their last 10 games overall. Denver is 14-16 ATS at home and 10-12 as the home favorite. The Houston Rockets have covered the spread in six of seven games as the road underdog. Houston is 1-2 straight up against Denver this season, but both losses were by 3 points.
The Nuggets have hit the Over more than any other team in the Association, doing so in 41 of 65 games. Denver is 16-14 to the over at home, and Houston is 18-16 to the Over on the road. Both teams are close to full strength, and offense won't be in short supply.
Rockets vs Nuggets SGP
Durant Over 24.5 points
Rockets +6
Over 230.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Jokic does it all
Nikola Jokic leads the Association with 24 triple-doubles in 49 games, reaching that statistical milestone in 13 of 23 matchups at home. He's posted a triple-double in eight of his last 14 games, including two of his last three.
Rockets vs Nuggets SGP
Durant Over 24.5 points
Rockets +6
Over 231.5
Jokic triple-double
Rockets vs Nuggets odds
Spread: Rockets +6 | Nuggets -6
Moneyline: Rockets +195 | Nuggets -240
Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Rockets vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Denver Nuggets have hit the Game Total Over in 33 of their last 50 games (+14.30 Units / 26% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Rockets vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Rockets vs Nuggets
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Rockets vs Nuggets latest injuries
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