Lace up your hiking boots! Tonight the Knicks (40*-23) scale the mountains of Denver to face the Nuggets (39-24) at Ball Arena. New York plans to leave with a season sweep in this cross-conference matchup. Our heroes have won six of their last ten games on the schedule, while Denver have split their last ten.
The teams last met on February 4, 2026, when the Knicks won 134-127 in double overtime slog at MSG. Jalen Brunson topped New York with 42 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, while Jamal Murray scored 39 points and six assists for the visitors.
Denver has built one of the league’s top offenses this season, ranking first in offensive rating (121.7) and points per game (120.4). Shoot well? Why yes, they lead the NBA in three-point percentage (39%) and effective field goal percentage. Their downfall is their defense: they rank 22nd in defensive rating and last in steals and opponent turnovers.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić anchors the Nuggets with 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, leading the league in PER and box plus-minus. He’s also the Nugget most likely to smell like a barn. Murray averages 25.7 points and 7.3 assists, and is capable of posting a lot of points (137 over his last four games), while Christian Braun (10.9 PPG) provides wing defense and energy.
Depending on who’s available, the home team will likely start Murray, Braun, Julian Strawther, Zeke Nnaji, and Jokić. On their injury report, Peyton Watson (hamstring) is OUT, while Aaron Gordon (hammy), Cameron Johnson (ankle), and Spencer Jones (shoulder) are all listed as game-time decisions. For the Knicks, Josh Hart is questionable (back), and Miles McBride is still healing from hernia surgery.
Prediction
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Knicks a 52% chance to win. Excellent. The Nuggets an elite offense, but the Knicks have muscled up their defensive pressure lately, making this a great test for our heroes. Injuries have depleted Denver, and three of their top six scoring options could be scratches tonight. Look for New York to take a while getting used to the altitude but to buckle down in the second half for a 10-point win.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (40*-23) at Denver Nuggets (39-24) Date: Friday, March 6, 2026 Time: 9 PM ET Place: Ball Arena, Denver, CO TV: MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins are gaseous, not solids.
CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Esmerlyn Valdez #85 of the Pittsburgh Pirates watches his grand slam home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on February 22, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, March 6, 2026, 1:05 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are splitting the team up, with half staying home to face the Phillies and the other traveling to visit the Blue Jays.
Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Bucs Dugout is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
The commenting system was updated during the summer. They’re still working on optimizing it for Game Day Threads like ours. If you don’t like clicking “Load More Comments”, remember that the “Z” key can be your friend. It loads up the latest comments automatically.
BD community, this is your thread for today’s games. Enjoy!
Sep 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3), designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) and catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) celebrate winning National League East Division with a win against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Despite a dramatic midseason battle for first, the NL East was fairly clear cut for most of last season.
At the end of May, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets were tied in a dead-heat, and the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves, and Washington Nationals had all started a downward trend out of contention. By the end of July, the Phillies’ and Mets’ fortunes began to split. The teams were within a half game of each other on August 1st, but the Phillies pulled away and never looked back, finishing in first place, 12 games ahead of the Mets.
Ultimately, the NL East yielded only one playoff team in 2025. The Braves hobbled out of the gate, plagued by injuries. The Mets imploded down the stretch, despite a stacked roster. But betting odds predict a brighter future for those two teams and the reigning division champs. Following the two-team race to the division crown for most of last season, things in the NL East could look a lot closer in 2026, with the potential for three teams to push for the postseason.
Key Additions: Walt Weiss (Manager), Robert Suarez, Mike Yastrzemski, Ha-Seong Kim
Key Departures: Marcell Ozuna, Alek Manoah
The Braves were as consistent as it gets in divisional dominance and playoff berths, so last year was a rough break from the norm.
Coming into 2025, Atlanta was riding a seven-year postseason streak, winning the NL East in six of those seasons. Unfortunately, they were doomed by a challenging start that they couldn’t quite shake. They lost their first seven games to begin the year and were plagued by injuries and absences throughout: Ronald Acuña Jr. started his year on the IL; Jurickson Profar was suspended for the first 80 games; and a bulk of the rotation (Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenback, and Spencer Strider) was limited throughout the season.
The team’s focus for 2026 will be to get healthy and back on track. They’ll also have a new skipper at the helm looking to right the ship as Brian Snitker, the team’s manager for the last 10 seasons, was replaced by long-time bench coach (and Rockies’ legend) Walt Weiss. Weiss is hoping for fireworks from a “gauntlet” of a lineup, banking on Acuña Jr. and a slew of others to return to form offensively.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, breaking news this week forecasts another lineup hurdle. Profar will yet again be suspended for violating the league’s PED policy, this time for a full 162 games plus bans from the World Baseball Classic and the postseason.
The Braves will hope to avoid another avalanche of bad news. If they can weather the loss of Profar and ongoing injuries to the pitching core, they may have enough talent to make a run at the division.
Key Additions: Christopher Morel, Esteury Ruiz, Chris Paddack
Key Departures: Edward Cabrera, Eric Wagaman
Although Miami posted a losing season in 2025, it in many ways was a win. Last year was about carving out a path to the future holistically. The team lost GM Kim Ng at the end of the 2023 season and parted ways with manager Skip Schumaker after 2024. In all of the chaos, they went 62-100 in the 2024 campaign, so 2025’s 79 wins were a marked improvement.
That being said, there is little optimism that the Marlins will make a similar jump or seriously compete this season.
The Fish didn’t make a big splash in the offseason, sticking with a handful of lateral moves. With that, they retain a roster very similar to last year’s and are one of just four teams with zero players on ESPN’s Top 100 list. They were right around or under the league average in a number of key batting and pitching stats, so the lack of an influx of talent doesn’t inspire confidence in a win increase. Rather, they will rely on youth and upside, building towards long-term stability.
There’s a new look in Queens as the Mets have retooled while still maintaining high expectations.
The Mets pushed all of their chips in (figuratively and financially) when signing Juan Soto for $765 million over 15 years heading into 2025. Soto is a top-5, MVP-caliber player, so pairing him with a core of Alonso, Nimmo, and Lindor should have been a recipe for success.
Things were going well in the Big Apple… until they weren’t.
Despite rocketing out to 45 wins and a 5.5 game lead on the division, things fell apart as the season went on. New York would finish 13 games behind Philadelphia in the division, while losing out to the Cincinnati Reds for a Wild Card spot.
The Mets will look to find a path into the postseason with a brand new core. In addition to retooling their roster, they’ve revamped their coaching staff with a slew of changes in key positions. Fortunately, it’s a talent-out, talent-in situation, and the team shouldn’t lose much steam despite a sporting different look. The addition of a number of big names should allow the team to pick up where they left off and try their hand at competing for the NL pennant.
Key Departures: Nick Castellanos, Harrison Bader, Walker Buehler
As the reigning division champs, the Phillies’ offseason was less defined by sweeping change and more by consistency. They feel they have what it takes to strike while their window of contention is firmly open.
Despite losing a good bat (and questionable clubhouse presence) in Castellanos, they re-signed both Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto to run things back with the same cast of characters that locked up the 2-seed in the last playoff field
Schwarber will lead the way in batting after leading the NL in homers and RBI. The Fighting Phils finished second in the league in hits, third in batting average, fourth in OPS. They weren’t too shabby on the mound either, finishing top-10 in ERA, top-3 in saves, and first overall in FIP.
A well-balanced attack on both sides of the ball with little roster turnover should position Philadelphia at the top of both the East and the league.
Key Departures: MacKenzie Gore, Paul DeJong, Josh Bell
The Nats flirted with a 100-loss season in a year full of growing pains. But growing pains are to be expected with a youth movement and the Nats are fully leaning further into that this year, starting at the top. In the offseason, Washington hired 31-year-old Anirudh Kilambi as the new GM and 33-year-old Blake Butera as manager.
One of their primary roster acquisitions was 23-year-old catcher Harry Ford, adding a highly-touted prospect to the pipeline.
Continuing the trend throughout the roster, the team sent 2025 Opening Day starter MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers for prospects with the idea that young guns will get the bulk of starts in the year ahead, learning on the job. The pitching rotation is in desperate need of development, posting the league’s second highest ERA last year. They have a handful of pitchers climbing the ranks, but many of these prospects aren’t expected to join the big leagues until 2027, at the earliest.
For now, Washington will embrace “wait and see” mode.
Who do you think will win the NL East this year? Do you think the NL East will send multiple teams to the postseason? Let us know!
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 16: Kansas City Royals fans rise to their feet for the final out of a MLB game between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals on Jul 16, 2021 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Royals have had unheralded players come up with big hits in key situations, guys like Buddy Biancalana, Dane Iorg, and Christian Colon. They have had really good players that just played on a lot of bad teams, like Kevin Appier, Jeff Montgomery, and Mike Sweeney. Or maybe it is someone forgotten over time, great players from the early days of the franchise like Amos Otis, John Mayberry, Paul Splittorff, Dennis Leonard, or Steve Busby.
Who is the most underrated player in Royals history?
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 8: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics pregame against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 8, 2023 at the TD Garden 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The first thing that popped into my mind when I heard the news about Jayson Tatum was, I suspect, the first thing that popped into the minds of many of you.
“Anticipation” by Carly Simon.
No? Well, bear with me anyway.
Anticipation for Tatum’s return has reached a fever pitch over the last month or so, and I’m here to break down Tatum’s return lyrically…
We can never know about the days to come But we think about them anyway
Half of what we do as sports fans in general is speculate about what’s coming. We can revel in the past and enjoy the present moment, but part of the fun of being a fan is looking to the future. The next game, the next week, the next season. Right now, the next game is potentially Tatum’s first of the season, and it looks like he’s going to get a nice run-up to get back into game shape before the games start to really matter in May.
If he comes back tonight, he’s going to get a 20-game preseason before things get real.
But I, I rehearsed those words just late last night When I was thinking about how right tonight might be
Yesterday, when I was cooking up the theme for this column, I couldn’t help but imagine what it will be like in Boston Garden tonight, if Tatum’s name is read out as the Celtics’ starting power forward. Again, these are moments you live for as a fan. Moments that are foundational, “I-was-there,” “I-remember-when…” moments. All of you, I’m sure, remember seeing Tatum hoist Deuce up to the rafters after the C’s clinched the title in 2024. The return will be a moment like that.
These are the good old days
This is the main thing that I want to talk about today…
Why are we so excited for Tatum to return?
Sure, a little bit of it is about Tatum, but most of it is because of everyone else.
Try to imagine what it would be like to welcome Tatum back to a 21-41 team instead of a 41-21 team.
I mean, there would be a vocal segment of the fanbase that would want Tatum to just shut it down for the whole year because, hey, lottery picks.
Instead, we’re excited because everyone else on the team refused to take a “gap year.” The C’s young guns refused to take the year off, and have all continued to work on their games. Joe Mazzulla didn’t change what his goals were for the season because of some little thing like the loss of a First Team All-NBA player, along with four other key contributors to past successes.
The story of this season has been one of ongoing improvement, especially on defense. Hugo Gonzalez was a cipher coming into the season, and he’s now a key contributor on the defensive side of the ball. Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman have continued to improve as well.
On offense, Jaylen Brown’s points per game scoring average has jumped from 22.2 to 28.9, and everyone in the C’s rotation has stepped up a little bit. No one’s seen a drop in points per game, from last season to this. Collectively, the C’s have filled in the gaps, and that’s down to each individual player accepting the challenge and refusing to back down.
On the brink of Tatum’s return, it’s good to reflect on how different this team is than the Celtics team assembled to win Banner 17.
When Boston traded for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, we were getting two superstars who were, respectively, dang near 33 years old and 32 years old at the time the C’s won their title in 2008. Pierce was the youngster, being only 30 at the time. They had a limited window to work with, and due to a variety of factors, they didn’t have a lot of support by the end of their time with Boston.
We’re not living in those times. While Tatum and Brown are getting older (as we all are), they’ve got a young core surrounding them. They’re not being asked to carry as much of a load as the C’s Big Three had to carry. This year’s team has the reigning 6th Man of the Year. The Big Three Celtics had good bench support in 2008, but it just got thinner and thinner as the years went by. In the final real game of the Big Three era, Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics lost by 13 points and got a grand total of two points off their bench.
You have to go to the early 80s to find a Celtics team that was as solid from top to bottom as this one is.
In a league where ‘per 36’ stats have become de rigueur, reflecting the average minute load for starters, Joe Mazzulla and Brad Stevens have focused on winning all 48 minutes of the game, and that’s shown up this season as the Celtics have barely dropped off their 2025 pace, despite losing Holiday, Horford, Kornet, Porzingis and Tatum.
As we look to welcome back Jayson, let’s revel in the fact that he’s coming back to a complete team; a team that is perfectly capable of thriving without him, and a team that could be something truly special with him.
Savor these moments, because these are the good old days.
Mar 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (12) in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
For most of the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have desperately searched for quality play from their bench. Aside from Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner Naz Reid, the Wolves had gotten incredibly little production from their reserves as they ranked 23rd in bench scoring per game from the start of the season through the trade deadline.
Coming into the year, the Wolves seemd well set up to deal with the offseason departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham, and Jaylen Clark all appeared to be ready to join the rotation, and Mike Conley, despite his age, still appeared to have enough left in the tank to still be a solid backup point guard.
None of that came to fruition. Just a few weeks into the season, it was clear the Wolves’ bench was going to be shorthanded for a while with all three of the Wolves’ young trio struggling to find consistency on the court, and as father time finally caught up to Conley. The Wolves had a massive gap in their rotation, making it clear that if they wanted to make another deep playoff run this spring, they were going to need to add bench production from outside of the organization.
“We got options and depth and versatility,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said about the team’s new-look bench. “Super blessed right now. Again, you know, our front office did a great job of rounding out this roster with exactly what it needed.”
Thursday night’s 155-107 win over the Toronto Raptors showcased what the pair of Dosunmu and Anderson can bring to the Wolves the rest of the season. Ayo finished with 13 points including multiple baskets in transition as he has added a new level of pace to the Wolves’ offense.
Last night Ayo Dosunmu showcased what he can bring to the Wolves offense with 13 points including a pair of transition buckets, a 3 after a double of Ant, and a pretty back cut for a layup
Here's all of his makes from last night plus a miss that directly led to a Rudy putback pic.twitter.com/0u0I4vUehg
“Speed, I think that’s the main thing,” Anthony Edwards said about Dosumnu after the game. “The speed that he brings when he checks into the game is the main thing.”
Ayo has also shown flashes on the defensive end of the floor. He finished Thursday’s game with three steals and provided physical defense while chasing around opposing players on the perimeter.
“I have a lot of trust,” Rudy Gobert stated about Dosumnu’s denfensive game. “I keep telling him and I keep telling everyone, when you guys are physical on the ball and disruptive, even if you get beat, I’m there. It’s much easier for them to get beat while being physical than letting guys get comfortable. I think tonight was a great example of that.”
Anderson put up four points, four rebounds, and three assists while filling in perfectly on the defensive end for Jaden McDaniels who had to go to the bench in the first half with foul trouble.
“He makes the game easy,” Finch said of Anderson’s performance against the Raptors. “You put the ball in his hands late in the shot clock you know you’re gonna find something. He kinda sees the floor and anticipates where the defense is going to be. It’s all the same things that we love about him when he was here before. You can put the ball in his hands and the game slows down so you know you’re going to get something good.”
The pairing of Dosumnu and Anderson have also found a quick chemistry together on the court. Late in the third quarter Anderson found Dosunumu on a back cut for an easy layup, a play the two had drawn up over text a few days prior.
I asked Ayo Dosunmu about playing with Kyle Anderson and the back door cut he had in the 3rd Q. Here's what he said along with the play referenced in my question.
"The second day he got here he shot me a text at like 7 in the morning and told me hey that cut be there I swear." pic.twitter.com/4QzTMspZl9
Just two games into his now second Timberwolves tenure, Slo-Mo is doing again all the same things that made him such a valuable signing for the Wolves back in the summer of 2022. His combination of defense, playmaking, and on-court leadership and accountability have already begun to show dividends just two games back with the organization.
Dosunmu has also quickly taken to a leadership on the floor for the Wolves. Edwards pointed to Dosunmu along with Slo-Mo, Conley, and himself as to who have been the connectors for the team during games.
Anthony Edwards on the hardest part of gelling as a team, and making it feel like a family
“I mean you just need connectors on the team, we got Slomo back, getting rid of Mike would have been hard because like he’s one of the connectors, so getting him back was big for us,… pic.twitter.com/BVi5AsS9IG
With Dosunmu and Anderson quickly hitting their stride with the team, the Timberwolves have completely transformed their bench in the blink of an eye and they did so at little to no cost.
Anderson was signed last week as a free agent, costing about half a million dollars the rest of the season and Dosumnu was acquired for second round draft capital, Leonard Miller, and Dillingham who, despite the large cost to acuire in the 2023 Draft, had largely fallen out of favor with the organization making a trade the best path forward for both parties.
While the starting lineup plus Naz Reid have been the workhorses so far this season for Minnesota, the bench is finally catching up as the Wolves look to close the regular season strong before the playoffs. With just 19 games remaining on the schedule and the Wolves now sitting as a top three seed for the first time in two seasons, the finish line is now finally in sight.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 19: The Houston Astros 2025 first round draft pick, Xavier Neyens, takes batting practice before a game against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on September 19, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Thursday, the Astros released their roster for the Spring Breakout game, which will be played on March 19. The Spring Breakout event showcases some of the top young talent from each organization’s farm system.
This year’s roster is highlighted by several of the Astros’ top prospects, along with a few players fans may be seeing in game action for the first time.
The Astros’ new top prospect, Kevin Alvarez, is listed on the roster, along with fellow top-five prospects Ethan Frey and Xavier Neyens. Fans will also get a look at right-hander Ryan Forcucci, who has yet to appear in a game since being drafted.
Former first-round picks Walker Janek and Brice Matthews are also included. The Astros will show off their outfield depth as well, with Zach Cole, Lucas Spence, Joseph Sullivan, and Anthony Huezo joining Frey and Alvarez.
Below is the full roster:
Which prospects are you looking forward to seeing?
The Edmonton Oilers have brought in reinforcements ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, and they won’t have to wait long to see the impact with a tape-measure matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.
My top Hurricanes vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks are calling for Edmonton to pull off the win, with winger Jack Roslovic also picking up two or more shots on Friday, March 6.
Hurricanes vs Oilers prediction
Hurricanes vs Oilers best bet: Jack Roslovic Over 1.5 shots (-125)
Roslovic is penciled into a top-six role alongside Leon Draisaitl and Matthew Savoie, and the trio has driven five-on-five possession with a high-end 58.1 Corsi For percentage.
While the Carolina Hurricanes are an elite shot-suppressing team, it’s built into this price, and Edmonton also has the last-change advantage on home ice to find favorable matchups for its top players.
Hurricanes vs Oilers same-game parlay
I expect the Oilers to start a late-season surge, and Carolina is also in the middle of a four-game road trip, going a ho-hum 5-4-3 over its past 12 games on the highway.
Turning to the final leg of this SGP, goals have been coming in bunches for Edmonton, as the Over has cashed in nine of their last 11 games (+9.00 Units / 67% ROI).
The Oilers pace the league with 4.45 goals per game during that stretch, and with the Hurricanes scoring 3.73 per game over the same span, I anticipate another high-scoring result at Rogers Place tonight.
Edmonton has hit the Over in nine of its last 11 games (+9.00 Units / 67% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Oilers.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Oilers
Location
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-South, Sportsnet West
Hurricanes vs Oilers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Mar 3, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts after making a basket against the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns is an enigma, a polarizing figure, and also happens to hold the keys to just how good the Knicks can be this season.
KAT possesses a rare combination of talent and size that is matched by only a handful of basketball players in the world, and on many a night, we see plenty of flashes of it, leading to a Knicks win. But on other nights, especially earlier this season, those flashes seemed harder to come by, leading to disappointed, confused, and frustrated fans, as well as some ugly Knicks losses.
And while a non-insignificant portion of New York’s fanbase continues to dislike Towns and find every reason to pit every loss on the big man, the truth is, Towns has actually been playing well. Very well. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that he’s overall been the best Knicks player for some time now, and he’s gotten there right ahead of the playoffs, at the exact best possible time.
KAT has been playing really wonderful basketball lately. Playing super hard. Smart plays. Some of his best defense of the season, especially against San Antonio. Great, clutch shot making. Doing it all.
Over their last 20 games, in which they are 15-5, Towns leads the team in plus-minus at a +202, while plus-minus darling, OG Anunoby, ranks second at just +176. And over his last 10 games, he’s turned it around offensively, averaging 19.8PPG, and 11.9RPG while shooting 46.4% from the field, and 34.8% from three. Those numbers still pale in comparison to the usual 23+PPG on 50%+ shooting from the field, and 40%+ shooting from three, but it’s still a trend in the right direction as it includes a five-game stretch of 20+ points, which is the longest of the season. And whether he’s had 17 shots as he had in Chicago, or eight shots like he had last night, there’s no questioning just how much more efficient Towns has been.
But why is this? What has suddenly changed for Towns? Some of it comes down to a very mundane answer of, “he’s just playing better”. He’s been more decisive, more aggressive, and he’s just been more efficient with the shots he’s gotten. Yet a lot of it goes beyond that.
It seems like the team as a whole, both Mike Brown and the players, have made a more concerted effort to play through the big man. While Brown hasn’t changed much in how he uses Towns, he understands more than anyone just how important Towns is to this team’s success. And while there are still multiple times every game where players, most notably Jalen Brunson, miss an open Towns, guys have looked to get the ball to the big guy.
And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Towns’ best stretch on the offensive end came just two games after Jose Alvarado joined the Knicks. It has been clear as day that the backup point guard has looked to feed Towns. And the numbers back it up. Evident by the graphic below, which shows Towns’ possessions with Alvarado entering last night’s game, Towns has a higher usage rate when playing with Alvarado, and his points per 76 possessions, as well as his overall efficiency, are significantly higher.
I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that his best stretch offensively coincides with maybe the best defense he’s played as a Knick. Now, Towns will never turn into a Mitchell Robinson or Rudy Gobert level of elite rim-protecting, shot-altering defender. But during this recent stretch, likely due to the increased offensive involvement, he’s been very solid, dare I say, even good. He looks more attentive, the energy and effort are there, and he’s had much fewer of the head-scratching mistakes we saw so much over the last season and a half. Brown, who has not been shy of calling Towns’ defensive efforts out this season, has been very complimentary of what Towns has done on that end of the floor, and for good reason.
Mike Brown on KAT D: "Everybody looks at KAT like 'Oh he can't do it blah blah blah'––well he can do it & he's showing he can do it…been fantastic…Also been really good communicating…I can hear him talking very loud & early & continuous…Lot of credit for stepping up his game" pic.twitter.com/DNRBHi3McN
Obviously, this isn’t the largest sample size. And there are still things he can do better. But given what this team is asking of him, his role in Brown’s system, and his early-season struggles, it’s been an awesome sight to see such a crucial part of this team finally finding his way.
The Boston Celtics are about to get a whole lot better.
Jayson Tatum is back! The five-time All-NBA wing is officially questionable and appears set to return to the Celtics lineup Friday night against Dallas, 10 months after tearing his Achilles in a playoff game against the Knicks.
Whatever rough patches may come in adjusting to bringing back one of the 10 best players in the world when healthy, it's worth it to have his dynamic offense and presence on the floor. As Zach Lowe said, there is always a place in the league for tall guys who can shoot, and at his core, Tatum is just that (a career 37% from 3-point range). Plus, this is a man with an NBA title and a gold medal — you want him around in big playoff games.
Tatum will be on a minutes limit — and not just a few games, likely for the remainder of the regular season. Boston has to think big picture. The top priority is keeping Tatum healthy, working on his conditioning and ramping him up so he is physically ready for the playoffs (and ready for an offseason of work so he can come back hitting the ground running next season).
Does Tatum's return make Boston the title favorites in a wide-open East? We're going to find that out in the coming days and weeks, but the answer just may be yes.
The question now is what will Tatum's return look like?
Tatum, Jaylen Brown and starters
With Tatum out the first three quarters of the season, Jaylen Brown has taken the larger role on his shoulders, carrying the Celtics to a top-three seed in the East, and putting himself in the MVP conversation. Brown is averaging 28.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and five assists a game, and, more impressively, has maintained his efficiency while taking a massive leap in usage.
There will be a "don't take shots away from Brown" crowd, but Tatum should take some shots away. Brown's 35.6 usage rate is second in the league (only Luka Doncic's is higher). If Brown — and Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, and Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez — all lose a few minutes and take a couple fewer shots a game so that Tatum can get his looks, that will be good news for an offense that is already second in the league. It's also baked into Joe Mazzulla's culture in Boston, there is not going to be any "but I need to get mine" backlash.
There will be some rough patches as Brown and Tatum strike a new balance, one in which the MVP candidate Brown often has a larger role than the returning-from-injury Tatum. Brown has earned it. That said, Tatum and Brown have been playing together for their entire careers, they have won a championship together, and they will figure that balance out. The narrative that persists with some, that Brown and Tatum can't play together, should have died years ago. Maybe after they won a ring together. It's certainly not going to stand in their way now.
When Tatum is with the bench units
This is the more interesting dynamic to watch.
When Brown has gone to the bench this season, Boston actually gets better, outscoring its opponents by 13.7 points per 100 possessions (9.6 more than when Brown is on the court). A bench unit that at points has featured Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, Scheierman, Gonzalez, and lately Payton Pritchard (returning to his Sixth Man of the Year role) has thrived in a high-energy system. They fly around, coming off a series of picks, the ball moves and there are shooters everywhere. It works.
What Mazzulla can't allow to happen is the second unit just deferring to Tatum every time down.
There will be some of that, and there are matchups and times to let Tatum cook. As his confidence in his surgically repaired leg grows, there will be more opportunities for him to attack.
But Boston can't abandon what has worked.
What Mazzulla and Boston have built is a culture and system that involves sacrifice and trust — it's why they are top three in the East, even in a season when not only was Tatum out but they also traded away Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornett. Everyone sacrifices a little to make it work; everyone has to play their role, and Tatum will do his share, but so will Brown and everyone else.
If Boston finds that balance, it should be the favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
The Dallas Mavericks (21-41) head to the Garden Friday evening to square off against the near-league-leading Boston Celtics (41-21). It’s a quick turnaround after Thursday night’s game in Orlando, in which the Mavericks literally fumbled the win off an ugly inbounds pass with 1.4 seconds to go. On this second night of a back-to-back, Dallas will have to push hard to have any shot at a victory against their former championship rivals.
Boston comes into this evening on a roll. They’ve won 3 of their last 4, 7 of their last 10, and currently hold the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference – and that’s without Jayson Tatum in the rotation. Once he’s back in rhythm, this team will have all the pieces it needs to dominate on both ends of the floor. A large amount of the credit goes to Brad Stevens and the front office – what was supposed to be a gap year for this team has turned into a legitimate shot for another chip. Once everything is back in gear, there’s really no telling how far this iteration of the Celtics can go.
Dallas, on the other hand, enters the Garden looking roughed up. They may appear to be treading water against the worst of the Western Conference, but don’t let the standings fool you – the Mavericks have lost 15 of their last 17. If you’re team tank, this isn’t necessarily the worst thing, as every loss is one step closer to an AJ Dybantsa or a Darryn Peterson (or, more realistically, a Mikel Brown Jr.). But there’s no denying this Mavericks team is a difficult watch right now, even if they do play hard night-in and night-out.
Here are three things to think about headed into Friday night’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.
The turnover disparity
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Dallas Mavericks can’t take care of the ball. It’s been true since the beginning of the season (the Mavericks average nearly 15 turnovers a game), and it’s been even more true since the All-Star Break (they gave the ball up 20 times against the Grizzlies last week!). The biggest factor, of course, is that the team lacks an experienced point guard capable of facilitating at the highest level. But everyone plays a part in the problem – meaning that everyone can play a part in the solution, too.
This turnover disparity especially matters against the Celtics, who are really, really good at taking care of the ball. In fact, as of right now, they’re the best in the league, coughing it up only 12.2 times per game on average. Put simply, the possession math does not favor the Mavericks going into this matchup. If they want opportunities to score, they’ll have to play buttoned-up all night long – particularly as Boston’s defense is nothing to balk at, either. This is partially because…
Young talent means a lot
…the Celtics are getting the most out of their fresh blood. In a season marked by roster turnover and injured stars, Boston has found a way to fill the gaps, drawing on their rookies and their new acquisitions for genuine contributions across the floor. Seriously, take a look at these net rating stats from early March. 20-year-old Hugo González held the #1 spot at 17.1, and Derrick White and Neemias Queta weren’t far behind at #7 and #8, respectively. Besides the Oklahoma City Thunder (who hold five spots on this list, somehow), there isn’t a single team in the Association that’s better at extracting meaningful minutes from every player.
The Mavericks, of course, have also been propelled by their young guys this year, most notably Ryan Nembhard (who just got converted to a standard deal by the Mavericks) and Cooper Flagg. Nembhard has been perhaps the most successful at filling Dallas’ need for a traditional point guard, playing around 40 games this season and starting in around half. And Flagg has been successful at just about everything else – scoring, passing, defending, even handling the ball when the moment arises. Right now, he’s the unquestioned centerpiece of this team, contributing in pretty much every conceivable way.
Hey, speaking of Cooper Flagg…
The return of the stars
…he’s finally back! After missing 8 consecutive games with a left midfoot sprain, the star rookie has officially returned to the Mavericks’ lineup, playing 25 minutes against the Orlando Magic Thursday night and putting up 18/5/6. No question that this is a welcome reunion for Dallas – Flagg is averaging 20.4 points this season, and Dallas went 2-6 in his absence, including against some truly bad teams. While it’s currently unclear exactly how much Flagg will play against the Celtics – he may rest the back-to-back, or he may still be on a minutes restriction – it’s sure to be a morale boost knowing a future MVP is waiting in the wings.
The Celtics, of course, are eagerly awaiting the return of their own superstar. According to Shams Charania, Jayson Tatum is expected to make his return on Friday against the Mavericks, a shockingly quick recovery after missing only 10 months with a torn right Achilles. Even if he’s not 100 percent, Tatum’s return will no doubt create some problems for Dallas. The team largely lacks the defensive tools to handle Tatum and Brown and White and the others. Then again, so does most of the rest of the NBA, so maybe there’s no shame in that.
The road ahead
After their matchup against Boston, Dallas continues its brutal half-month road trip with games against the Toronto Raptors, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Memphis Grizzlies. Then, the Mavericks return home for a brief one-game stint against the Cleveland Cavaliers before heading back on the road.
How to watch
The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, March 6 at 6:00 PM CT. The game will will be streamed live on MavsTV, and will also be broadcast on KFAA and ESPN. As usual, fans can also tune in at 97.1FM KEGL (English) or at 99.1FM KFZO (Español).
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 01: Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals thanks the fans after the last game of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Kauffman Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals were defeated by the Diamondbacks 14-2. (Photo by Brian Davidson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals announced today that former Royals All-Star Eric Hosmer will be joining TV broadcasts as an analyst. His first game will be on Friday, March 13 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hosmer has previously done TV work for MLB Network and was a host on pre- and post-game baseball coverage for Apple TV.
Hosmer was a first-round pick, four-time Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger winner, and a 2016 All-Star first baseman with the Royals for seven seasons from 2011 to 2017. He was a key member of the World Series teams in 2014 and 2015.
“Our 2014 and 2015 run wasn’t just a championship, but a city finding out what it was capable of,” Hosmer said in a press statement. “My teammates and I were lucky to be on that field, but the energy came from the stands with fans buying in. That bond with this city doesn’t expire.
“I was 18 years old when this organization believed in me, and now I get to repay that belief from a different seat. The guys on this roster are building their own story, and we all know what happens when this city believes. I want to be here when that energy comes back around.”
The Royals will retain their broadcast crew from last year, including Ryan Lefebvre and Jake Eisenberg on play-by-play duties, with analysts Rex Hudler and Jeremy Guthrie. Joel Goldberg and Royals Hall of Famer Jeff Montgomery will continue to host the pre and postgame shows. Earlier this week, the team announced the hiring of Bridget Howard as a sideline reporter, and she made her debut on Thursday night’s game against the Rangers.
Royals games this year will air on Royals.TV after the team ended their deal with FanDuel Sports Kansas City. The team has hinted at upgrades to the broadcast, including the use of drones.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 02: Ronald Acuña Jr. #21 of Team Venezuela poses for a photo during the Team Venezuela photo day at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Monday, March 2, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Liles/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Later on this evening, the Atlanta Braves are going to be playing their first night game of spring training over in Fort Myers against the Twins. However, those won’t be the only Braves players taking part in a baseball game in Florida today. In fact, there will be a game that actually counts (and figures to be a lot louder and noisier) taking place down in Miami as Braves representatives Ronald Acuña Jr. and José Yépez will be playing for Venezuela as they take on teammates Ozzie Albies and Chadwick Tromp (and manager Andruw Jones) in Pool Play action in the World Baseball Classic.
While I wouldn’t say that Venezuela is one of the favorites as there’s a pretty big gap in quality between the top three teams (Japan, USA and the Dominican Republic) and the rest of the field, they’re certainly one of the best of the rest. The Netherlands figures to be a longshot contender in the WBC but hey, they have a pedigree in this tournament as they’ve made the semifinals twice before. The winner of this game could end up being the dark horse candidate to make a real deep run, so it’ll be fun to see what happens this afternoon — on top of the fact that we’re going to see Acuña and Albies become baseball foes for a day.
For information on how to watch, click here. Let us know who you’re rooting for below!
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros throws a bullpen session during spring training workouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 17, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (2-7-3) host the Washington Nationals (6-3-3) in Grapefruit League play.
RHP Mike Burrows will be on the mound for the Astros for the third time this Spring, RHP Cade Cavalli will start for the Nationals.
TODAY’S STARTER: RHP Mike Burrows has made two appearances in the Grapefruit League this Spring. He’s combined to record a 0.00 (0ER/5IP) with two walks and six strikeouts. The Astros acquired Burrows this offseason in a three-team, six-player trade from Pittsburgh. As part of the deal, the Astros traded OF Jacob Melton and minor leaguer RHP Anderson Brito to the Rays, and the Rays traded IF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery to the Pirates.
Burrows pitched most of the season with the Pirates, making 23 appearances (19 starts) and going 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA (42ER/96IP). He struck out 97 hitters in 96.0 IP.
ROSTER MOVES: This morning, the Astros reassigned C Garret Guillemette and OF Joseph Sullivan to minor league camp.
PEÑA INJURY UPDATE: Yesterday, the Astros announced that SS Jeremy Peña has a fracture in the tip of his right ring finger. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, March 6, 12:05 p.m. CST
Location: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL.
Along with Sabres reporter Joe Yerdon, we remember Chad Johnson & Michal Neuvirth, back-up goalies who were traded for each other at the deadline but didn’t help the Islanders much at all.
On paper, Chad Johnson was the perfect addition to what looked to be a quality Islanders team in 2014. He was coming off a great season backing up Tuukka Rask in Boston and should have done the same for Isles starter Jaroslav Halak. But when called upon, Johnson was consistently inconsistent, and made giving Halak a break here and there a dangerous proposition.
Meanwhile in Buffalo, goalie Michal Neuvirth wasn’t having any fun playing on a team going nowhere but the draft lottery (again). His numbers were solid despite the roster around him, so a swap was made that everyone hoped would free one team of its biggest problem and solve another problem for a goalie who had shown skill in the recent past. On paper, the trade made a lot of sense.
Sadly, they don’t play the games on paper, and both Johnson and Neuvirth became bewildering footnotes in Islanders history. Joe helps us understand both goalies as people and the circumstances surrounding the trade from the Sabres’ side of things. We also ponder what makes a goalie good, how two proverbial “tidy pieces of business” could go so horribly awry and how to forgive a guy who was barely a villain to begin with.
Thanks again to Joe for coming on. We’ve wanted to get him for a long time and not only was he as great as expected but this ended up being the perfect time and the perfect subjects. Follow him everywhere you can on all the socials and at his website, NotedHockey.com.
We have a Weird Islanders Extra Patreon exclusive bonus episode with Joe as well so check that out, too.
In 2014, the Islanders needed a backup for Jaro Halak. They found one in Johnson, who had put up good numbers backing up Tuukka Rask in Boston (after stints with a bunch of teams). This LHH article includes sage goaltending wisdom from a certain blogger-turned-actual-NHL-general-manager.
Michal Neuvirth’s NHL career was a wild ride. After leading the Hershey Bears to back-to-back Calder Cups and winning an AHL playoff MVP along the way, he burst on to the scene with the Capitals with a few stellar early seasons. But with injuries and Braden Holtby grabbing the Caps’ crease, Neuvirth was traded to the Sabres for Jaro Halak.
There weren’t a ton of highlights of Chad Johnson’s short Islanders tenure, but this 30-save 3-2 win in Boston against his former team stands out as maybe his best performance of the season.
Neuvirth wasn’t happy in Buffalo but played well in the face of one of the most bald-faced tank jobs in NHL history. Eventually, he was traded to the Islanders to back up… Jaro Halak!
Sadly, on the morning of his first start with the Sabres, Johnson hurt his ankle, causing him to miss the rest of the season. But he did play the next year as their No. 1 starter (backing him up was future Islander Robin Lehner).
There is even less video of Michal Neuvirth playing for the Islanders, but here he is in a 4-3 OT win in Toronto. Not the best performance but he could look good, as on this PK
Neuvirth didn’t last long on Long Island, either. Even before free agency began in 2015, he was already talking to a few teams. He found a home in Philly, where he would spend the next and final four seasons of his NHL career.
In a rare turn of events, the Islanders lit up Neuvirth in his first game against them as a Flyer, winning 6-1
Neuvirth signed a PTO with the Leafs and played at their 2019 training camp. But injuries (and possibly some indifference) led to him getting cut. He then signed a two-year deal with Spartak of the Czech Extraliga, but never played for them due to more injuries.
The Sabres were not Johnson’s last stop. All told, he played for eight teams, including Buffalo twice. There are even more teams that held his rights that he didn’t play for. He’s comfortable being called a “journeyman,” which is the best description of his career (this article doesn’t even include his last NHL stop in Anaheim).
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
Subscribe to our Patreon! Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, chats with us and much more.
Visit our friends!
Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys featuring hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as Islanders Anxiety merch, and our Al Arbour and The Island shirts. Our portion of the sales benefit the Center for Dementia Research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items.
The Pinot Project has Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir that was named a 2024 Top 100 Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. All are under $15 a bottle and are available at local wine shops and at UBS Arena.
Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN).
Theme song: “Knuckles” by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp.
Please subscribe, download, rate, review or spread the word about Islanders Anxiety, Weird Islanders: The Podcast! and all of our podcasts any way you can. All of it helps to raise the show’s profile and maybe could get us another fancy sponsor to sell out to in the near future. Leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
