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Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Clippers

After a dominant victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, the San Antonio Spurs will travel south for a matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers. It’s the third and final regular-season matchup between the two squads. However, it may not be the last time they play this year. The Clippers have won 5 of their last 6 games and are looking like a serious contender for the play-in tournament and the seventh seed.

The Clippers and Spurs have played some interesting games this season. In both matchups, one team took a massive lead only for the other to come back and make the game interesting. Despite the funkiness of both games, the Spurs are 2-0 in the matchup this year. A win on the second night of a back-to-back would be a statement victory for San Antonio against a potential first-round playoff opponent.

San Antonio Spurs (58-18) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (39-37)

April 2nd, 2026 | 9:30 PM CT

Watch: Fan Duel | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Filed by 1 p.m. CT.

Clippers Injuries: Bradley Beal – Out (hip), Isaiah Jackson – Out (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser – Out (foot)

What to watch for:

First quarter offense

The Spurs score the second-most first-quarter points in the NBA. On the second night of a back-to-back on a West Coast road trip against a tough Clippers squad, getting out to a hot start will be important. San Antonio lost the first quarter in both games they’ve played against the Clippers this season. Los Angeles can fill it up, especially from three. San Antonio has to come ready to play, even on short rest, if they want to walk away from LA with a win.

Small ball

Luke Kornet missed the Spurs’ last game against the Warriors. Mason Plumlee backed up Victor Wembanyama with mixed results. San Antonio found more success when they went to a small-ball lineup with Carter Bryant playing center. The Clippers will be without both Isaiah Jackson and Yanic Konan Niederhauser, so they’ll likely have to play small themselves. This could turn into a fast-paced, perimeter-oriented game when Wembanyama and Brook Lopez head to the bench.

Guarding the perimeter

The Clippers have shot the ball well from three against the Spurs this season. They are 7th in the NBA in three-point percentage. San Antonio is an average team at defending the three-point line. With Wembanyama roaming the paint, teams are forced to attack them from deep. With players like Darius Garland, Brook Lopez, and Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers have multiple players who can make it rain from outside. San Antonio is going to have to slow down LA from deep to win this one.

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Celtics vs. Heat player grades: Brown scores 43, Tatum records triple-double in blowout over Miami

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 2: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts with Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics in the third quarter against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on April 2, 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 Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Phew. Boston’s 147-129 thrashing of Miami was something else.

It’s always tough sledding against the Heat, but a 53-point first quarter (11-15 from 3) and 80 points in the first half are indicative of just how much these teams have changed. The Heat and Celtics are on both ends of the pace spectrum at 104.4 vs. 95.46 possessions per game respectively. However, Boston was happy to ramp up the speed. Even with more possessions to deal with, they finished with just seven turnovers and allowed only twelve offensive boards.

The Celtics are 2-1 on their road trip against potential first round opponents and continue to be a steady +600 to raise Banner 19 with our friends at FanDuel and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown

37 minutes, 43 points (4-10 from 3, 5-7 from the free throw line, 17-29 from the field), 3 rebounds, 7 assists, one turnover, +9

Achilles tendinitis cost Brown two games last week and he looked a little unsettled by his own standards in his Atlanta homecoming on Monday.

Andrew Wiggins was a defensive menace against Brown and Tatum in the 2022 NBA Finals, but Brown enacted some revenge, scoring the first 11 points for Boston on 4-4 shooting. He was more relaxed and deliberate with his drives and post-ups and didn’t seem hellbent on just creating contact and trying to draw fouls.

By the end of the night, Brown tallied 43 points on South Beach after ESPN’s Doris Burke called him a dangerous scorer on all three levels. The seven assists with just one turnover was a nice bounce back after six TOs against the Hawks.

Grade: A+

Jayson Tatum

37 minutes, 25 points (4-13 from 3, 3-4 from the free throw line, 9-21 from the field), 18 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, +7

A masterclass in Charlotte helped earn Tatum the Player of the Week honor and after two days off, he continued his recovery to that all-around game that made him an MVP-candidate over the last three seasons before his Achilles tear.

How about a triple-double against a heated rival?

25-18-11 plus some effective defense against Bam Adebayo is another notch on Tatum’s belt.

Grade: A+

Neemias Queta

33 minutes, 16 points (6-8 from the free throw line, 5-7 from the field), 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers, 3 blocks, +28

Queta does so many unsung things on the court like setting wide screens on the perimeter and rebounding the ball, but sometimes, it’s just nice to see him make a couple of loud blocks on the defensive end.

In the fourth quarter, with all eyes on the Jays, Queta was the beneficiary at the dunker spot and grabbing offensive rebounds on pursuit alone.

Grade: A-

Sam Hauser

29 minutes, 23 points (5-7 from 3, 0-1 from the free throw line, 9-11 from the field), 3 rebounds, one steal, one block, +23

After coming off the bench during days off for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Hauser was back in the starting lineup and started off hot, hitting his first six shots including five 3s in the first quarter.

After halftime, Hauser went to his mid-range game. After Miami cut it to ten heading into the fourth, Hauser attacked a pair of closeouts for a couple of 12-footers that kept the Heat at bay. It was a nice breakout for Hauser after scuffling through the road trip.

Grade: A

Derrick White

34 minutes, 6 points (0-1 from 3, 3-4 from the field), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, one block, +6

If you’ve read the last couple player grades, we’ve documented White’s shooting slump over the last several games. He only took four shots in the game, but his fingerprints are all over the win. This sequence is akin to that scene in Top Gun: Maverick when they’re playing dogfight football on the beach.

Grade: B-

Payton Pritchard

31 minutes, 14 points (4-7 from 3, 5-9 from the field), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, one block, +20

Pritchard was the fifth leading scorer in this offensive exhibition and acted as more of a play finisher rather than a playmaker last night. That will happen with Tatum and Brown going nuclear on the Heat.

Grade: B+

Baylor Scheierman

18 minutes, 8 points (2-2 from 3, 3-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, one turnover, one steal +14

Scheierman’s contributions can often go unseen. His blue collar work shouldn’t go underappreciated. When he shoulders a drive from the free throw line to the baseline and makes the right pass around the horn don’t seem like much, but it’s that consistency that has made him a mainstay in the rotation.

But every once in a while, Baylor Showmanship will pull out the bag of Pistol Pete passes and connect on a fancy behind-the-back:

Grade: B

Luka Garza

15 minutes, 12 points (2-4 from 3, 5-10 from the field), 2 rebounds, one block, -10

Former CelticsBlogger Sam LaFrance over at Hardwood Houdini documented Garza’s near-the-rim shot package and they were all on display in Miami: the decel step, the up-and-under, and his three-point shot. Twelve points in under fifteen minutes is making it easy to forget that Nikola Vucevic is still out with a fractured finger.

Grade: A

Jordan Walsh

5 minutes, 0 points (0-1 from the field), one rebound, one assist, one steal, one block, -7

The defensive demon notched two stocks (steals plus blocks) in a game where both teams combined for 276 points. Sometimes, you’re a square peg for a round hole.

Grade: B

DNP-CDs: Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, Amari Williams, John Tonje, Charles Bassey

Inactives: Nikola Vucevic

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Series Preview #3: Braves @ Diamondbacks

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 04: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves slides safely into second base against Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks on a wild pitch by Justin Martinez #63 in the ninth inning at Truist Park on June 04, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

If you look at the current Diamondbacks’ win-loss record, you could say that the season is going according to expectations, although, all truth told, the Diamondbacks do not necessarily have an easy start of the season with the World Series champions in our first series, a 2025 play-off team in our second series and a traditional contender like the Braves, who missed out on the play-offs in 2025 for the first time in 7 years, in our third series of the season.

Not entering April until just yesterday, the season is still very young, but sweeping the Tigers is a mighty statement from our side. What is there to say about our opponent beside the fact that we had their number last year, going 4-2?

Familiar faces.

The Braves have an okay start of the season, nothing spectacular. They beat the Royals in their opening series of the season at home and had a similar kind of matchup with the Athletics in their second series, winning both series 2-1. They will arrive at Arizona going 4-2.

They do so with quite a familiar team and lineup: Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley are familiar faces on the dirt. So are the now healthy Ronald Acuña Jr and Michael Harris II in the outfield. Former Giant Mike Yastrzemski is nowadays manning left field, after being signed to a 2-year $23MM contract, while Mauricio Dubón, a utility gold glover whom the Braves acquired from the Astros for Nick Allen, is currently the fixed name at short stop.

Dubón should have lost that position to Ha-Seong Kim, were it not that the former Korean Padre injured his hand in Korea during the off-season and will be out until May-June. It puts another remarkable note to Kim’s career thus far in the major leagues. Injured during the final months of the 2024 season, he missed the play-offs with the Padres and surprisingly decided to decline an $8MM player option. Boras got him signed by the Rays, who stepped out of their comfort zone by offering $29MM over 2 years. He was injured for most of the year and only played from July to August, before getting injured again. The Rays put him on waivers and the Braves claimed. After a good showing in a small sample size in September, once again Kim surprised and decided to opt out of his final year and $16MM. Many jaws dropped when the Braves signed him again to a 1-year contract worth $20MM, supposedly declining a 4-year $48MM offer from the Athletics. That signing, right now, might have cost the Braves more than just money, because they could have allocated funds to areas that are in more need of improvement.

Have the Braves improved?

While we won’t see Kim, and apart from former foe Yastrzemski, there are a couple of other notable free agent signings: hard throwing Robert Suarez, well known from the Padres, was signed to a three year deal worth $45MM. Relievers Raisel Iglesias and Tyler Kinley also returned, respectively on 1 year $16MM and $4.25MM deals. Former friend Joel Payamps and veteran Martin Perez were also added to deals, the latter one as swingman between bullpen and starting rotation. On the depth chart we can find known names as Kyle Farmer (with the Rockies in 2025), Jorge Mateo, catcher Jonah Heim, and Dominic Smith (with the Giants in 2025).

On paper they seem to have become better, with Marcell Ozuno being the only 1+ fWAR player to have left the organization. As we probably know, former Padre and “Koninkrijk” buddy of mine Jurickson Profar is suspended for the entire season after testing positive again for PEDs, forfeiting around $15MM.

In 2025, the Braves’ offence and starting rotation were middle of the pack. Atlanta is surely banking on better production from Ozzie Albies (89 OPS+ in 2025), Michael Harris II (88 OPS+ in 2025) and Austin Riley (106 OPS+ in 2025 compared to 130 OPS+ in 2023) and a full season of Ronald Acuña Jr (95 games in 2025).

The rotation is lead by ace Chris Sale, who seems unstoppable ever since joining Atlanta, and we might be lucky he won’t pitch in this series. Spencer Schwellenbach makes for a fine 2nd, though is currently injured, he too is out for this series. Spencer Strider struggled in 2025, his first full season after returning from TJ, and also sustained an injury recently and is ruled out for this series too, so the number 2-3 now looks to be Reynaldo López. After him the starting rotation looks cloudy for the moment with Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes, though the first had a good start of the season. Prospects JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes might be on the lookout for showing off what they have on the highest level in the first months of the season.

The weakest link in 2025 for Atlanta was the bullpen. They were better than Arizona’s, which isn’t that hard you’d say, but FanGraphs rated it as one of the worst in the league. Understandable that they went hard for Robert Suarez and were keen on bringing back valuable 2025 pieces Kinley and Iglesias. Together with lefties Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer and new acquisitions Martin Perez and Joel Payamps, they should make for a stable relief corps, and thus could aspire a play-off spot once again.

All of that is lead by a new manager. After years of Brian Snitker, the manager wasn’t keen to commit and doubts about the 2025 performance by both sides resulted to bench manager Walt Weiss to be promoted to head coach. Weiss was the head coach of the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2016 and will look to improve on his highest total of 75 wins in that final season.

As normal, the Braves arrive with a team that will be tough to beat.

Matchups.

No confirmed starters as of writing.

Game #1 Thu 04/02 6:40 PM MST, Ryne Nelson (ARI) vs Reynaldo López (ATL).

  • Ryne Nelson. 1 GS, 4.2 IP, 0 W-1 L, 7.71 ERA, 8.98 FIP, 1.07 WHIP, 4/3 K/BB.
  • Reynaldo López. 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 0 W-0 L, 1.50 ERA, 5.36 FIP, 0.83 WHIP, 3/2 K/BB.

He deserves to be the Opening Day starter! That was what many of us said, including me, about Ryne Nelson. After that disappointing first performance we might be a bit less vocal now, and above all hope Nelson bounces back as soon as possible.

Opposite is Reynaldo López, who surfaced as an interesting bullpen piece in 2022 on the Chicago White Sox, after some anonymous years on that same team the years before. He followed that up with a good 2023 season in relief for White Sox, Angels and Guardians only to become an All Star as a starting pitcher on the 2024 Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury after that and didn’t return until the end of the 2025 season. The hopes are high again in 2026, though it remains to be seen if Lopez can reach his 2024 heights. The righty, if fully healthy, normally sports a 95 mph fastball, a slider, changeup and curve.

López never faced the Diamondbacks as a starter, Nelson faced the Braves for the last time as a starter two years ago.

Game #2 Fri 04/03 6:45 PM MST, Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) vs Grant Holmes (ATL).

  • Eduardo Rodriguez. 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 1 W-0 L, 0.00 ERA, 2.40 FIP, 1.20 WHIP, 5/2 K/BB.
  • Grant Holmes. 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 0 W-1 L, 5.40 ERA, 5.40 FIP, 1.40 WHIP, 4/2 K/BB.

E-Rod was lights out in his first appearance and we all hope he continues to perform that way in his second appearance of the season, opposite Grant Holmes.

Holmes debuted in 2024 and pitched in 22 games last season, providing 115.0 valuable innings with a 3.99 ERA until he went down late July with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament and was done for the year. Instead of undergoing TJ, he opted to rehab the elbow and thus far has ducked surgery and avoided a long absence. Holmes had a great Spring, and had two good opening innings against Kansas before giving up a run in each of the next 3 innings. The righty has a good slider and curve, but his 94 mph fastball is one of the weakest in the league.

Holmes faced the Diamondbacks twice in his career, both of the times last season. It were two no-decisions, though he gave up 3 runs in 3.1 innings on June 5 and 6 runs in 5.2 innings on April 26. In the April matchup the Diamondbacks blew a 6-2 lead and lost after 10 innings (8-7). In the June outing the Diamondbacks rallied for 7 runs in the 9th inning, beating the Braves 11-10.

Rodriguez faced the Braves twice in his career, the last time in 2021, when he was still with the Red Sox.

Game #3 Sat 04/04 4:15 PM MST, Michael Soroka (ARI) vs Bryce Elder (ATL).

  • Michael Soroka. 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 1 W-0 L, 0.00 ERA, -0.20 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 10/1 K/BB.
  • Bryce Elder. 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 1 W-0 L, 0.00 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 5/1 K/BB.

We surely hope the Canadian will continue his good work in his second outing, where he will face Bryce Elder, who wasn’t as good as Soroka was in his first matchup, but completed 6 innings without giving up a run. Bryce Elder was an All Star in 2023, but has lost his shine ever since that 2023 All Star break, last season pitching to a 5.30 ERA. The league seems to have adjusted to him, though he kept the Royals off the board in his first serious outing of 2026. Elder is a soft-tosser with a 91 mph sinker and needs his off-speed pitches to work, but his changeup was his worst pitch in 2025.

Soroka has faced the Braves just once in his career, in 2024, and got a no-decision. No-decisions were also the outcome for Elder’s starts against the Diamondbacks, one in 2024 and the first one in 2023.

Game #4 Sun 04/05 1:10 PM MST, Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) vs TBD (ATL).

  • Brandon Pfaadt. 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 0 W-0 L, 7.50 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 1.17 WHIP, 3/1 K/BB.
  • TBD.

Atlanta’s starter is a question mark. This spot in the rotation was given to Jose Suarez but the Venezuelan had a short start of 3.2 innings, giving up 4 runs. He could get another start, but the odds are good that the Braves might give the starting job for this matchup to veteran Martin Perez or one of the rookies, like Didier Fuentes. That might give Pfaadt the chance to get his first win of the season and forget about his tough 3rd inning against Detroit.

At home, Pfaadt has faced the Braves twice in his career, getting two wins, the last time on April 27 in 2025. The last time he faced the Braves, he gave up 6 runs in 3 innings in Atlanta, but it was that June game where the Diamondbacks went on to rally for 7 runs, so he got to avoid a loss.

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Wembanyama's 41 points help Spurs win 10 in a row

Victor Wembanyama holds up his fist and is wearing a grey vest
Victor Wembanyama was a first-round draft pick for San Antonio in 2023 [Getty Images]

Victor Wembanyama scored a season-high 41 points as the San Antonio Spurs earned a 10th successive win by beating the Golden State Warriors 127-113.

The Spurs have emerged as NBA title contenders during the second half of the campaign, winning 26 of their past 28 games.

The 22-year-old achieved his haul in just 29 minutes at Chase Center in California and also finished with 18 rebounds.

Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie chipped in with 15 points each for San Antonio, who are second in the Western Conference - just two wins behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"We're still going to play 100% to try to win this championship," Wembanyama said.

The Golden State Warriors are 10th after losing two consecutive games.

In the Eastern Conference, Boston tightened their grip on second place as Jaylen Brown registered a game-high 43 points in the Celtics' 147-129 win in Miami.

Tatum's triple-double of 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists helped Boston bounce back from defeat against the Atlanta Hawks.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks halted a three-game losing run with a 130-119 win at the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Knicks are third in the Eastern standings while the Grizzlies are 12th in the Western Conference.

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Lauren Price: ‘I want to win as much money as I can, build a legacy for boxing in Wales and get out safe’

The IBF and WBC welterweight champion on returning to the ring, boxing politics and her imminent wedding

A year ago, on a historic night for boxing when an all-women card of fights was held at the Royal Albert Hall last March, Lauren Price produced an imperious headline performance which should have led to a series of even more prestigious bouts. Her dominant display in outclassing the venerable Natasha Jonas appeared to be the ideal launching for a new stage of Price’s career as the IBF and WBC world welterweight champion.

But when she finally steps back into the ring on Saturday night in Cardiff to defend her titles against Stephanie Piñeiro Aquino, the little-known Puerto Rican challenger, almost 13 months will have passed since that high point. Only frustration and inertia have followed.

Continue reading...
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Spurs get tenth straight win with a blowout victory over the depleted Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a shot against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Chase Center on April 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Coming off a season-high 41-point game, Wemby picked up right where he left off with an identical scoring line in a blowout victory over Golden State on Wednesday night.

The Alien scored two quick layups to start, and spooked the Warriors into shooting tough threes instead of driving into the paint. The home team didn’t make a basket until the 9:00 mark of the first, resulting in the good guys going on a 17-3 run. As soon as Wemby subbed out, though, the Warriors responded. Brandin Podziemski hit back-to-back threes and helped his team cut the deficit down to just 6. It didn’t help that the Spurs committed 5 turnovers in quick succession, forcing Mitch Johnson to call a timeout. 

Thankfully, his message was heard loud and clear. San Antonio only had two more turnovers for the remainder of the half and reasserted their dominance in the game. With Kornet taking the night off, Mitch elected to play small ball in the non-Wemby minutes, putting Keldon at the 5. That lineup’s rim pressure and speed in transition gave the Warriors fits, helping the Spurs build a 20-point lead to go into halftime up 70-49. 

San Antonio didn’t let up in the second half. Golden State continued to go on mini runs to keep the game within 20, but failed to ever cut the lead down to single digits. It did keep the Spurs honest and forced them to play the starters more than they liked, but the final result was never in question. Garbage time was officially underway halfway through the fourth when Wemby subbed out with the Spurs up 20, and the game ended in a 127-113 victory for San Antonio.

Game notes

  • Wemby finished with 17 and 9 in the first quarter and 27 and 13 in the first half. He racked up a double-double in just 11 minutes and seemed so bored that he took some ill-advised threes just to see if the shot was falling. Overall, he finished with 41, 18, and 3 on 16-22 shooting with 3 blocks. At this point, it genuinely feels like he deserves to play in a higher-level league made just for aliens.
  • The Warriors played a zone against Wemby at certain points. It didn’t work (see clip below), but I wouldn’t be surprised if other teams try that against him in the playoffs. They essentially let Draymond play him one-on-one while the other four players zoned up to prevent lobs and drives. The Warriors were too small to do any damage, but most other West teams will have enough size to potentially cause some issues.
  • Credit the Warriors for fighting and staying in the game. They fielded a lineup full of “who he play for?” guys but kept the game within striking distance.

Play of the game

How many players does it take to stop Wemby?

Next game: @ Clippers on Thursday

The Spurs will look to make it 11 in a row Thursday night when they take on Kawhi and the Clippers in LA.

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Derrick White did something that didn’t make any sense in Celtics win over Heat

Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA;Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

MIAMI — With just a few seconds to spare in the second quarter of Wednesday’s Celtics-Heat game, Derrick White found Jaylen Brown for an alley-oop.

Brown finished the layup — marking his 10th basket of the first half — and the Celtics bench rejoiced.

But, there was one problem: 1.5 seconds remained on the clock after the ball sank through the net. Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was well aware of the situation and immediately fired a perfect pass down the court to Pelle Larrson, who had already sprinted down the court, seemingly poised for a wide-open layup.

But White had another idea.

For 1.5 seconds, he looked the fastest man on the planet. White somehow caught up with Larrson, altered his shot, and ultimately forced a miss.

Sitting on press row, I gasped at the speed with which he got from one end of the court to the other.

On the court, White’s teammates expressed the same disbelief.

“That was impressive to make the play,” Brown said. ”I look up, and I’m thinking that Larson has a wide open layup, and then D-White comes flying out of nowhere. That’s impressive. That’s like First Team All-Defense type stuff. Those are Defensive Player of the Year-type plays.”

“It was a great play,” Joe Mazzulla echoed.

After the game, White sat at his locker room chatting with Baylor Scheierman. He wasn’t one of the four players selected to speak to the media after the win, and was surprised when I approached him.

“You’re the subject of my postgame story,” I announced.

He looked at me, a tad surprised

Jaylen Brown had just tallied one of his best offensive performances of the season, erupting for 43 points on 17-29 shooting, and marking his 7th game of 40+ points of the year.

Jayson Tatum posted a 25-point, 18-rebound, 11-assist triple-double, his first triple-double since returning from his Achilles injury.

Sam Hauser finished with 23 points on 9-11 shooting, his second-highest scoring game of the season.

And, Neemias Queta finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks.

White’s confused glance seemed to indicate: Why me?

I explained to him that from an onlooker’s perspective, his play to close out the first half didn’t make any sense. I simply needed to understand it.

“I don’t even know,” he said, laughing. “I looked up, and I saw Pelles was open, and I just ran back as fast as I possibly could.”

I asked Derrick if he thought it was the fastest he’d sprinted all season.

“It might be,” he said, after pondering the question for a few seconds. “It was definitely the longest I’ve sprinted for.”

Scheierman, sitting at the adjacent locker, chimed in.

“He’s a pro, man,” Scheierman told me. “We call that ethical hoops university.”

As the halftime buzzer sounded, White’s teammates met him at center court, congratulating him for his effort. Luka Garza fervently slapped him across the chest.

White admitted it felt good to create such an energizing moment, but, as per usual, didn’t give himself too much credit.

“Inspiring basketball — that’s what we call it when guys make plays like that with the extra effort over and over again,” Neemias Queta said, praising the Celtics guard for putting his body on the line for the play.

White only had 4 points at the half — and 6 in the entirety of the ball game — but it didn’t matter.

“That set the tone for the second half,” Queta said.

The play won’t show up on the stat sheet: though White significantly altered Larrson’s layup attempt, it didn’t count as a block or a steal.

The two points his hustle saved also ultimately didn’t come into play; the Celtics won the ball game by 18 points and led by as many as 27.

Still, the moment perfectly captured why White is one of the most impactful players in basketball, according to almost every advanced metric. (White has the 7th-highest LEBRON rating in the league, trailing only legitimate MVP candidates).

I asked Derrick if that’d be the play he thinks would best represent his career at a Hall of Fame nomination ceremony.

He chuckled.

“I told JT — that’ll go in my Hall of Very Good nomination.”

Why Derrick White’s play epitomized Celtics basketball

For Joe Mazzulla, the moment stuck out because it came in a game in which he only attempted 4 shots.

Regardless of offensive production or opportunity, White’s effort, intensity, and attention to detail never wavered.

That’s been the hallmark characteristic of his basketball career.

Mazzulla similarly praised the contributions of players like Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, and Jordan Walsh — all guys who committed to doing the little things in the Celtics’ win, given that Tatum, Brown, and Hauser had the hot hand.

“When you have a team, you have to understand, there are nights where the other guys have it,” Mazzulla said, pointing to Brown and Tatum’s big-time offensive performances. “Tonight, those guys had it going. And you have a group of guys that commit to the other stuff; they commit to transition defense, they commit to rebounding, they commit to defense. And so those [other] guys did that tonight.”

Most nights, White will attempt far more than 4 shots — the Celtics guard averages 16.8 points per game, after all.

But on this particular Wednesday night, the game didn’t call for him to put the ball in the basket.

He just needed to sprint back as fast as he possibly could.

“Every game will have its own story,” Brown said. “This game, offensively, I got off to a great start, but every game has its own story. So, just got to be ready to play basketball and be versatile. Be ready for any scenario. Our team is built on that versatility.”

It’s human nature for players to lose focus, lose some momentum when they’re not as involved in the offense. But, for the Celtics to play their best basketball — and ultimately contend for a title — those kinds of lapses need to happen as little as possible.

“That’s just being a team,” Mazzulla said.

It’s those kinds of plays that have propelled the Celtics to the most improbable 51-win season — and counting.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Lucas Erceg steps up for Royals, Paul Sewald secures closer role in Arizona

Welcome back to the Fantasy Baseball Closer Report. The first week of baseball provided us with some early saves targets to go after, including Lucas Erceg, Jordan Romano, and Paul Sewald. Other ambiguous situations, like the Rangers and Rays, gave us more questions than answers. We'll break it all down as we run through my weekly closer rankings and end with some middle relievers making an early impression.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

▶ Tier 1

Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Edwin Díaz - Los Angeles Dodgers
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies

There's not much movement in the top two tiers as it's far too early to overreact to anything. Miller worked around a walk while striking out two batters to earn his first save against the Tigers on Saturday. He then recorded the final out of the eighth against the Giants on Wednesday and finished out the game with three strikeouts for a four-out save. That's five strikeouts to one hit and one walk over 2 1/3.

Díaz struck out two and worked around a walk for his first save as a Dodger on Friday against the Diamondbacks, then converted his second on Saturday with a clean frame. He then pitched the ninth with a four-run lead on a rainy night in Los Angeles on Tuesday and surrendered a run before closing it out.

Smith converted his first save of the season on Opening Day, striking out one in a clean inning against the Mariners. His next two outings didn't go as well, giving up a run to blow a save and earn the win on Saturday before giving up two runs with a four-run lead in a non-save situation against the Dodgers on Monday.

Muñoz pitched on back-to-back days against the Guardians over the weekend, both in non-save situations. He worked a scoreless inning with a four-run lead in his first outing, then gave up three runs, two earned, in extras to take the loss on Saturday.

In Philadelphia, Duran recorded the final two outs to record his first save of the season on Opening Day, then gave up two runs, one earned, in extra innings to take the loss on Saturday against the Rangers. He bounced back with a pair of scoreless innings on Tuesday and Wednesday for a win and a save. Duran has thrown eight sweepers and six knuckle curves and induced a whiff on all 14 pitches so far.

▶ Tier 2

Devin Williams - New York Mets
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Ryan Helsley - Baltimore Orioles

Williams struck out two in a non-save situation on Saturday against the Pirates, then converted his first save chance against the Cardinals on Monday, tossing a scoreless frame with a strikeout. With another scoreless appearance on Wednesday, he's struck out four with one hit and two walks through three innings. And for the Yankees, Bednar worked back-to-back saves in the team's opening series against the Giants with a pair of scoreless outings, then battled through some trouble on Wednesday, giving up one run before holding on for a four-out save.

Chapman also has two appearances under his belt, working two scoreless innings against the Reds with one save. In Chicago, Palencia is still waiting for his first save opportunity. He's made two scoreless appearances, collecting two strikeouts over two innings in non-save situations. And Helsley has looked great so far. He struck out the side on Opening Day for a save against the Twins, then picked up his second save with a scoreless inning on Sunday. He's struck out four with no walks through two outings.

▶ Tier 3

Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers

Hoffman is looking great in the early going. He collected four strikeouts while giving up one run and falling in line for a win on Opening Day, then worked three scoreless outings, including his first save against the Athletics on Sunday. Hoffman has struck out ten batters with zero walks across four innings of work.

Iglesias has made two scoreless appearances, though both have come with a four-run lead in non-save situations. He's still clearly ahead of Robert Suarez, who has made all three of his scoreless outings in the eighth inning.

The first mover in the rankings, Fairbanks, jumps a few spots with his solid start on the mound. He's made three scoreless appearances, converting two saves with five strikeouts and no walks. Megill also moves up a bit. He converted a save on Sunday, then gave up one run to take the loss against the Rays on Monday. His movement here is based on the early usage, as it appears manager Pat Murphy has saved Megill for save situations while using Abner Uribe in the eighth inning in both of his outings. That can change, but early indications suggest Megill will be used as the primary closer.

Pagán recorded four outs and gave up a solo homer with two strikeouts in a non-save situation on Saturday, then locked down a save on Sunday against the Red Sox. He was then roughed up a bit in a non-save situation on Tuesday, giving up four runs against the Pirates.

Walker got some work in on Friday, recording one out while working around a hit and a walk against the Yankees. He pitched the next day again in a non-save situation, tossing a clean inning with a strikeout. Walker got his first save chance on Monday and gave up two runs before holding on for the save. Meanwhile, Jansen struck out the side to lock down his first save on Friday against the Padres before giving up the lead on a solo homer Tuesday in Arizona.

▶ Tier 4

Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Josh Hader/Bryan Abreu - Houston Astros
Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Riley O'Brien/JoJo Romero - St. Louis Cardinals
Jordan Romano - Los Angeles Angels
Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Griffin Jax/Garrett Cleavinger/Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Robert García/Chris Martin - Texas Rangers

Now we're getting into the committee and questionable situations. Though Sewald makes a jump to the top of this tier with his early performance. Manager Torey Lovullo indicated that Sewald could be the reliever he leans on in the ninth out of the gate. So far, he's held true to that. Sewald has made three scoreless appearances, including striking out the side against the Tigers on Tuesday for his second save.

Filling in for the injured Josh Hader, Abreu hasn't had the best start as the Astros' closer. He got some work in with a five-run lead against the Angels on Saturday and surrendered three runs. Abreu then got the call for a save chance on Sunday and gave up one run and recorded one out before Bryan King stepped in to close it out. Abreu was summoned with another three-run lead on Wednesday. Hader continues to ramp up his throwing progression, but has yet to face live hitters, something he hopes to do by mid-April. He'll likely remain out until at least May, meaning Abreu will have to get right, or the Astros may need to figure out a new plan for the ninth.

Domínguez pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Saturday, then came out for presumably a four-out save on Sunday before giving up two runs to blow the lead and take the loss. Still, Domíguez figures to have a fairly long leash when it comes to save chances.

Santana has yet to see a save opportunity despite making four scoreless appearances. He's given up one hit and two walks with two strikeouts over four innings of work. With Santana unavailable after pitching three times in four days, Gregory Soto got the call for Wednesday's save chance against the Reds, working a clean inning with two strikeouts.

Stanek worked the Cardinals' first save chance, loading the bases before holding on for the save on Opening Day. He blew the following opportunity two days later and has since worked the seventh inning in two straight appearances, while O'Brien picked up a save Tuesday and pitched the ninth in a tie game against the Mets on Wednesday. O'Brien has tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks. There's a good chance he just takes hold of the closer role, with JoJo Romero working the occasional ninth if there's a group of left-handed hitters up.

Romano is getting his chance to run with the closer role for the Angels. He's made three appearances, picking up two saves with four strikeouts over 2 2/3 scoreless innings. It's hard to trust Romano after two injury-riddled down seasons, but you take the saves while they're there. That also applies to Erceg, who takes over as the Royals' closer after Carlos Estévez was placed on the 15-day injured list with an ankle injury. Estévez might not have been long for the job, anyway. His velocity remained way down in his long outing in which he surrendered six runs in a loss. Erceg hasn't exactly been overwhelming, but he will get the chance to earn some saves during Estévez's absence, if not longer. He's already 2-for-2 after locking down his second on Wednesday against the Twins.

Jax seemed due for a bounce-back season after a 4.23 ERA last year masked his elite skillset. That's going to be hard to do given the start he's off to in the early going. Jax surrendered five runs, three earned, without recording an out in the eighth inning of a tie game against the Brewers on Wednesday. He's given up five earned runs with just one strikeout over four appearances. Cleavinger hasn't been so sharp so far, either. He's given up two runs with four walks and three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. Kevin Kelly has the team's only save so far, while Bryan Baker has been sharp over his two outings. To put it simply, this is a mess and will likely remain that way for the entire season.

From one mess to another, neither García nor Martin has recorded a save for the Rangers yet. Instead, Tyler Alexander has converted the team's first two saves of the season. García and Martin remain the favorites for saves, albeit in a matchup-based committee.

▶ Tier 5

Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals
Cole Sands/Taylor Rogers - Minnesota Twins
Hogan Harris/Mark Leiter Jr./Justin Sterner - Athletics
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies

Beeter has the only save of the season for the Nationals. Manager Blake Butera hasn't necessarily used him as a traditional closer, with his outings coming in the sixth, tenth, seventh, and eighth innings. He recorded the final two outs in the eighth on Wednesday against the Phillies with a two-run lead, then left with one out and a runner on in the ninth before PJ Poulin and Cole Henry combined to blow the save in the team's extra-innings loss.

We really have just one data point to work with for the Twins situation. Sands got the team's first and only save so far, striking out two batters in a scoreless inning against the Orioles on Saturday. He should earn more looks in the ninth inning if he continues to be effective, but it remains a fluid situation. Just as the Athletics and Rockies remain situations you'd rather have no part of.

Relievers on the rise/Stash candidates

Erik Sabrowski (LHP) - Cleveland Guardians

Sabrowski has slotted in as the Guardians' primary setup man behind Cade Smith. He's already up to four holds after recording the final out of the eighth inning against the Dodgers on Wednesday, striking out Shohei Ohtani. The 28-year-old left-hander has struck out six over 3 2/3 innings after posting a 1.84 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings last season. He'll issue a fair share of walks, but the strikeout stuff is impressive. And if he's working directly behind Smith in a setup role, he'll be in line to record plenty of holds.

Keaton Winn (RHP)/Caleb Kilian (RHP) - San Francisco Giants

Winn and Kilian, former starting pitching prospects, have looked excellent pitching out of the Giants' bullpen, working their way up the leverage ladder into setup roles. Winn is up to three scoreless innings with six strikeouts, one walk, and no hits allowed. Meanwhile, Kilian has opened some eyes with a big jump in velocity, averaging 98.6 mph, up from about 94 mph he's previously exhibited as a starter. He's pitched 2 2/3 clean innings with two strikeouts. The 28-year-old right-hander was once a highly touted starting pitching prospect who was traded from the Giants to the Cubs in the Kris Bryant deal that sent Bryant to San Francisco in 2021. Kilian was released by the Cubs a year ago and picked up by the Giants over the offseason. Ryan Walker is coming off a shaky season, and a new managerial regime is calling the shots for the Giants. So, Winn and Kilian could be names to watch over the season should Walker struggle to close out games.

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Podziemski and the Warriors take on Mitchell and the Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers (47-29, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (36-40, 10th in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cavaliers -10.5; over/under is 226.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Golden State Warriors in cross-conference play.

The Warriors have gone 21-16 at home. Golden State is second in the league averaging 15.9 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 35.7% from downtown. Moses Moody leads the team averaging 2.5 makes while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range.

The Cavaliers are 23-15 on the road. Cleveland ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference shooting 35.9% from 3-point range.

The Warriors average 114.9 points per game, 0.4 fewer points than the 115.3 the Cavaliers allow. The Cavaliers are shooting 48.0% from the field, 0.3% higher than the 47.7% the Warriors' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Warriors won 99-94 in the last matchup on Dec. 7.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brandin Podziemski is scoring 13.3 points per game with 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Warriors. Pat Spencer is averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 44.3% over the past 10 games.

James Harden is scoring 23.7 points per game and averaging 4.9 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Max Strus is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 4-6, averaging 112.5 points, 39.7 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 9.6 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.4 points per game.

Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 123.0 points, 44.1 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.6 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Quinten Post: out (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: out (calf), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), Gui Santos: out (pelvis), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Gary Payton II: out (knee), De'Anthony Melton: out (thumb), Kristaps Porzingis: out (illness).

Cavaliers: Max Strus: day to day (foot), Jarrett Allen: day to day (knee), Sam Merrill: day to day (injury management), Dean Wade: out (ankle), Jaylon Tyson: out (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Brown leads Boston against Milwaukee after 43-point performance

Boston Celtics (51-25, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (30-46, 11th in the Eastern Conference)

Milwaukee; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Boston visits the Milwaukee Bucks after Jaylen Brown scored 43 points in the Celtics' 147-129 win over the Miami Heat.

The Bucks are 20-27 in Eastern Conference games. Milwaukee is fourth in the league averaging 14.9 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 38.6% from downtown. AJ Green leads the team averaging 2.8 makes while shooting 40.8% from 3-point range.

The Celtics have gone 32-15 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 12.6 offensive rebounds per game led by Neemias Queta averaging 2.9.

The Bucks' 14.9 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.8 more made shots on average than the 14.1 per game the Celtics allow. The Celtics average 15.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Bucks allow.

The two teams play for the fourth time this season. The Celtics defeated the Bucks 108-81 in their last matchup on March 3. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 25 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 19 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is averaging 17.1 points, 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bucks. Ousmane Dieng is averaging 13.2 points and 3.9 assists over the past 10 games.

Brown is scoring 28.8 points per game and averaging 7.0 rebounds for the Celtics. Pritchard is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 3-7, averaging 109.3 points, 39.6 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.0 points per game.

Celtics: 8-2, averaging 115.1 points, 48.2 rebounds, 24.4 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points.

INJURIES: Bucks: Gary Harris: day to day (personal), Kevin Porter Jr.: out for season (knee), Kyle Kuzma: day to day (achilles), Myles Turner: day to day (ankle), Thanasis Antetokounmpo: day to day (calf), Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (ankle), Ryan Rollins: day to day (hip), Bobby Portis: day to day (wrist), Taurean Prince: day to day (neck), Gary Trent Jr.: day to day (hip).

Celtics: Nikola Vucevic: out (finger).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Spencer, Grizzlies to host Barnes and the Raptors

Toronto Raptors (42-34, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (25-51, 12th in the Western Conference)

Memphis, Tennessee; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Cam Spencer and the Memphis Grizzlies host Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in non-conference play.

The Grizzlies have gone 14-25 in home games. Memphis is 3-5 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Raptors are 21-17 in road games. Toronto is fifth in the Eastern Conference giving up only 112.3 points while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.

The Grizzlies average 13.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 12.7 per game the Raptors give up. The Grizzlies average 114.4 points per game, 5.1 fewer points than the 119.5 the Grizzlies give up to opponents.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Raptors won 117-104 in the last matchup on Nov. 2. RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 27 points, and Santi Aldama led the Grizzlies with 15 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Spencer is averaging 11.1 points and 5.5 assists for the Grizzlies. Tyler Burton is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Brandon Ingram is scoring 21.4 points per game and averaging 5.5 rebounds for the Raptors. Ja'Kobe Walter is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 2-8, averaging 110.8 points, 35.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 9.9 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.4 points per game.

Raptors: 5-5, averaging 119.7 points, 39.9 rebounds, 33.8 assists, 10.2 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points.

INJURIES: Grizzlies: Santi Aldama: out for season (knee), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), Taylor Hendricks: day to day (finger), Ja Morant: out for season (elbow), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out for season (toe), Zach Edey: out for season (ankle), Ty Jerome: day to day (ankle), Jaylen Wells: out for season (toe), Taj Gibson: day to day (foot), Brandon Clarke: out for season (calf).

Raptors: Brandon Ingram: day to day (rest), Immanuel Quickley: day to day (foot), Jamison Battle: day to day (illness).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Houston faces Utah, aims for 5th straight home win

Utah Jazz (21-56, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (47-29, fifth in the Western Conference)

Houston; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Houston hosts Utah looking to extend its four-game home winning streak.

The Rockets are 25-22 against Western Conference opponents. Houston averages 14.5 turnovers per game and is 19-8 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents.

The Jazz are 11-36 against Western Conference opponents. Utah is sixth in the league scoring 17.1 fast break points per game. Lauri Markkanen leads the Jazz averaging 3.3.

The Rockets score 114.4 points per game, 11.0 fewer points than the 125.4 the Jazz give up. The Jazz score 7.4 more points per game (117.3) than the Rockets give up (109.9).

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Rockets won the last matchup 125-105 on Feb. 24. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 31 points to help lead the Rockets to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Ace Bailey is averaging 13.5 points for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 17.2 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 116.3 points, 46.8 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points per game.

Jazz: 1-9, averaging 117.1 points, 42.0 rebounds, 29.8 assists, 9.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.2 points.

INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).

Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (hip), Isaiah Collier: out (hamstring), Keyonte George: out (leg), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Elijah Harkless: day to day (hamstring), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Dallas plays Orlando on home slide

Orlando Magic (40-36, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (24-52, 13th in the Western Conference)

Dallas; Friday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Dallas takes on Orlando looking to stop its 13-game home losing streak.

The Mavericks have gone 14-24 in home games. Dallas ranks second in the Western Conference with 53.2 points per game in the paint led by Cooper Flagg averaging 11.3.

The Magic are 16-20 on the road. Orlando ranks ninth in the Eastern Conference with 32.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Paolo Banchero averaging 7.2.

The Mavericks are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point lower than the 47.7% the Magic allow to opponents. The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Mavericks give up.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Magic won the last matchup 115-114 on March 6, with Tristan da Silva scoring 19 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Naji Marshall is averaging 15.5 points and 3.3 assists for the Mavericks. Flagg is averaging 22.1 points over the last 10 games.

Desmond Bane is scoring 20.3 points per game and averaging 4.1 rebounds for the Magic. Jevon Carter is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 115.6 points, 43.3 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.9 points per game.

Magic: 2-8, averaging 111.6 points, 38.4 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 7.4 steals and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.3 points.

INJURIES: Mavericks: Naji Marshall: day to day (illness), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Caleb Martin: day to day (foot), P.J. Washington: day to day (illness), Daniel Gafford: day to day (shoulder), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Marvin Bagley III: day to day (shoulder), Klay Thompson: day to day (rest).

Magic: Anthony Black: out (abdomen), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Knicks’ Landry Shamet has strong first game back in return

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Landry Shamet, who scored 13 points, in the Knicks' 130-119 win over the Grizzlies on April 1, 2026 in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Landry Shamet reminded the Knicks what they were missing when he was out.

The reserve guard turned in 31 productive minutes in Wednesday’s 130-119 victory over the Grizzlies, which followed his five-game absence because of a knee bruise.

Shamet dropped 13 points on 3-of-5 from beyond the arc while providing his usual pesky defense.

The Knicks outscored the Grizzlies by 13 points with Shamet on the court.

Coach Mike Brown was excited for the comeback of one of his favorite players.

“He’s arguably one of our, if not the best, on-ball defenders,” said Brown, whose team went 2-3 without Shamet. “Especially when it comes to ball screens and dribble handoffs. He’s really physical in that area. And you feel him. His pace offensively creates gravity for others. And then his ability to shoot. He can string together two or three 3s. And it can create separation for him and give our group confidence. We had to find other ways. But we missed that from him, especially from his size.”

Shamet, too, was satisfied. But he felt the fatigue that usually accompanies a return.

“I was definitely a little tired at the end of the game,” he said. “The legs — that’s obviously the biggest thing. You can do all you want to stay in shape but playing a real NBA basketball game, that’s like the next layer of your rehab or whatever. You just got to get reps and get your legs back under you. So I felt really good. Just naturally a little heavy at the end. But that’s alright.”

Landry Shamet, who scored 13 points, in the Knicks’ 130-119 win over the Grizzlies on April 1, 2026 in Memphis. NBAE via Getty Images

Mikal Bridges played in his 633rd consecutive game Wednesday, eclipsing Andre Miller for the eighth-longest streak in NBA history.

Everybody ahead of Bridges completed their streak in the 1980s or before.

Next up at No. 7 is Harry Gallatin at 682 straight games before he retired in 1958.

“Hopefully, I have kids one day and I’ll brag about it,” Bridges said.

Miles McBride took a night off for load management on a back-to-back, one day after he shot 1-for-9 in a loss to the Rockets.

McBride is easing back from sports hernia surgery, and he has struggled in his two comeback appearances while shooting 1 for 12 combined.

Brown said he’s good with the attempts

“If you’re open, let it fly,” Brown said. “I even told him this before, I don’t care if he’s 0-for-15. I just want him to feel the aggression, get to his spots.”

Brown noted that McBride had a 3-point attempt blocked in the Rockets game, an indication he didn’t have his legs under him yet.

“I don’t think I’ve seen anybody block Deuce’s shot — his 3-point shot. Because he gets so high, he gets lift,” Brown said. “That’s just him not playing. So I want guys like that, if you’re open, let it fly.”

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Bednar Blasts Avalanche After Embarrassing Loss To Last-Place Canucks

DENVER — Jared Bednar is typically the picture of a smooth operator — calm, cool, and collected.

But even the Stanley Cup-winning head coach has his limits. Wednesday night pushed him there.

The Colorado Avalanche, the NHL’s top team, were stunned on home ice, falling 8–6 to the league’s last-place Vancouver Canucks — a result as jarring as any they’ve produced this season.

Makar was not in the lineup due to an upper-body injury.

Vancouver entered the night on a six-game losing streak, scoring just 11 total goals over that stretch. They also carried one of the worst penalty kills in NHL history since the stat has been tracked. Still, Colorado conceded a shorthanded goal and unraveled defensively in a way that’s becoming increasingly concerning.

In short, the Avalanche were outplayed, outworked, and out-executed for the first 40 minutes. While they showed pushback in the third — something Bednar acknowledged — it did little to soften the larger issue.

"I (liked) the way we played in the third, but the reality of it is, if you want to win in this league, you have to play that way for 60 minutes," he told The Hockey News. "And we weren't even close.

"Wasn't a great first, it got worse in the second. Yeah, if you want to hand out like badges for good effort and stuff like that, I think we're beyond that. Effort for 20 minutes and doing the right things for 20 minutes isn't good enough."

When asked if there were any positives to take, Bednar didn’t hesitate to shut that down.

"Close as I get to a positive is what we just talked about. Again, we're past that. If this was the start of the season; we're making all sorts of mistakes...and build on what we did in the third period, is like trying to get a standard of play and the way you need to play an exhibition with a bunch of kids, but not now.

"I think if we're making excuses for that performance, it's gonna be a short run."

What Went Wrong

To put it plainly: everything.

Mackenzie Blackwood got the start and allowed six goals on 19 shots, with several falling into the category of stoppable. But the defensive structure in front of him was just as culpable, repeatedly breaking down and leaving Grade-A looks unchecked.

“He’s one of 20. That’s all I can say,” Bednar said. “One of 20 guys that wasn’t good enough.”

Sam Malinski scored twice, while Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog, Brent Burns, and Parker Kelly each added a goal. After falling behind 6–2 and pulling Blackwood, Colorado mounted an impressive rally to tie the game at 6–6.

Then, much like the revamped power play from the last month, it vanished.

Just 23 seconds after the equalizer, Marcus Pettersson — without a goal since November — restored Vancouver’s lead, a backbreaking sequence that perfectly encapsulated Colorado’s night. An empty-netter followed to seal it.

The Avalanche missed a chance to take another step toward clinching the Central Division with a win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. They remain firmly in control, but a performance like this — against the worst team in the league — does nothing to inspire confidence. If anything, it amplifies the inconsistencies that have lingered beneath the surface all season.

What Happened

Vancouver struck on the opening shift, setting the tone immediately. Nathan MacKinnon answered less than a minute later with his 50th goal of the season, becoming the first player in the NHL to reach the milestone this year.

But the response didn’t spark stability.

The Canucks regained control before the first intermission, scoring on both the power play and while shorthanded. Colorado managed to hang around with a late goal, but the warning signs were already there.

They only intensified in the second.

Vancouver poured in three unanswered goals, chasing Blackwood from the game. At the time of the third tally, the Avalanche had just three shots in the period — a telling snapshot of a team disconnected in all three zones. Defensive coverage was loose, the forecheck ineffective, and nearly every dangerous look against ended up in the net.

Then, suddenly, life.

Malinski opened the third-period scoring after Scott Wedgewood took over in relief. Fourteen seconds in, Parker Kelly struck to cut the deficit to two. Brent Burns made it a one-goal game at 13:21, and Malinski completed the comeback at 13:58, tying it 6–6.

Ball Arena came alive. Momentum had fully flipped. The Avalanche had erased a four-goal deficit.

And then, just as quickly, it was gone.

Twenty-three seconds later, Vancouver answered to reclaim the lead — and that was all she wrote.

If Colorado has any intention of making a deep playoff run, this has to be a wake-up call. Cale Makar’s absence is notable, but as Bednar made clear, it’s no excuse. Not now. Not with the postseason looming.

Because if this version of the Avalanche shows up in two weeks, Bednar’s warning may prove prophetic: it will be a short run.

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