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Top 10 players of Final Four, ranked: Who is the best in March Madness?

Stars are made in March Madness, and even more so in the biggest games of each NCAA Tournament.

When Michigan, Arizona, UConn and Illinois meet in the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, there will be plenty of star power on the hardwood. A championship is on the line, along with status and NBA draft stock, after all.

REQUIRED READING: Final Four predictions: Who will advance to 2026 National Championship?

All four teams have starting lineups built with transfers. First-team All-American Yaxel Lendeborg from Michigan, a sixth-year senior, is a first-year transfer from UAB and has proved he belongs since moving from the mid-major level to the Wolverines.

There's also Illinois true freshman Keaton Wagler, who has risen from a non-elite high school prospect to being a surefire lottery pick in his first collegiate season.

Here's a look at our rankings for the best players of the Final Four in 2026:

Best players of Final Four, ranked

1. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

The only first-team All-American on this list, Lendeborg was the top-available transfer last season and has backed up that honor and then some in his lone season at Michigan. The 6-foot-9, do-it-all forward is averaging 15.2 points with 7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season, and has stepped it up a notch in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 27, 23 and 25, respectively, in Michigan's last three wins over Tennessee, Alabama and Saint Louis.

Lendeborg is also shooting 50% from 3-point range in March Madness, and 59.2% from the field. The experienced forward has also shown an ability to take over games in the clutch, giving the Wolverines a huge advantage in that aspect.

2. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Wagler came out of nowhere in 2025-26, as he was a three-star recruit in 2025, per 247Sports' Composite. The 6-foot-6 guard has shades of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with long arms, impressive finishing ability and shooting.

Wagler is averaging 17.9 points with five rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season on 44.5% shooting and is coming off a 25-point showing against Iowa in the Elite Eight. He has done nothing but helm one of the best offenses in college basketball in recent memory, all as a true freshman.

The Shawnee, Kansas, native will hear his name called early in the 2026 NBA Draft.

3. Tarris Reed Jr., UConn

Tarris Reed Jr. has been a different player in the NCAA Tournament for UConn, elevating the Huskies' ceiling as a team. The 6-foot-11 center is averaging 14.7 points with 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season, but has upped those numbers to a ridiculous 21.8-13.5-3.0 mark in the NCAA Tournament.

Reed outplayed national player of the year candidate Cameron Boozer in the Elite Eight, as he finished with 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals in the dominant performance.

Reed has been a revelation this season, especially after only starting one game for UConn in 2024-25. He started his career at Michigan, where he played two seasons under former coach Juwan Howard.

4. Jaden Bradley, Arizona

Jaden Bradley was a surprise when he won Big 12 Player of the Year over the nation's leading scorer in BYU, but his impact has been greater than his per-game averages show.

The veteran senior guard is in his third season at Arizona after transferring from Alabama and has started every game over the past two seasons. He's averaging 13.3 points with 4.4 assists per game this season, averages less than two turnovers per game, and helps run one of the most efficient paint offenses in college basketball.

The 6-foot-3 guard is nothing but steady and helps find Arizona's top scorers Brayden Burries and Koa Peat open looks.

5. Brayden Burries, Arizona

Arizona's top scorer this season, true freshman Brayden Burries makes up perhaps the nation's best backcourt alongside Bradley. The 6-foot-4 guard is averaging 16.1 points with 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this season, and has been wildly efficient in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 17.8 points per contest on 57.9% shooting.

Burries is a knockdown shooter, shooting 40.2% on 3-pointers for the year and a whopping 68.4% mark from distance in the Tournament. Suffice to say, don't leave him open in the Final Four.

6. Koa Peat, Arizona

The third member of Arizona's big three, Koa Peat gets it done for Arizona in the paint and on the glass. The 6-foot-8 true freshman is averaging 14.1 points with 5.5 rebounds per game this season, and is coming off back-to-back performances with 20 or more points against Purdue and Arkansas, two of the hottest teams entering March Madness.

7. Aday Mara, Michigan

Aday Mara has been a huge success story for Michigan coach Dusty May and his staff this season. The former UCLA transfer started nine total games in two seasons with the Bruins, averaging fewer than seven points per game in his two seasons there.

He has blossomed into a likely NBA draft pick with the Wolverines, averaging 11.8 points with 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 66.9% from the field. The 7-foot-3 center is also an imposing figure defensively, with 2.6 blocks per game, ranking fourth nationally in the category.

Mara is part of a frontcourt with Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. that has a ton of size and length. Mara also, importantly, acts as an offensive hub at times for the Wolverines, as he's a surprisingly good passer at his height.

8. Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois

The son of former NBA sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, Andrej Stojakovic has a much different game than his dad, but he's been impactful for Illinois, nonetheless.

The 6-foot-7 wing is one of the best finishers in college basketball and uses his frame as an advantage against smaller guards. He has been on a heater in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 17, 13 and 21 points, respectively, in his last three outings against Iowa, Houston and VCU.

Stojakovic, a two-time transfer from Stanford and then Cal, is averaging 13.6 points with 4.4 rebounds this season, while only shooting 24.4% from 3-point range on 2.5 attempts per game.

9. Alex Karaban, UConn

One of the most-experienced players in NCAA Tournament history, UConn wing Alex Karaban leads all players with 17 all-time wins in March Madness. The two-time national champion and three-time Final Four participant has been reliable for the Huskies in his four seasons, making 148 career starts in 149 career games.

Karaban is averaging 13.2 points with 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season and is a 37.7% shooter from 3-point range. He has been a huge part of UConn's run the last four years, and will be relied on in the Final Four by Dan Hurley and Co.

10. Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

Morez Johnson Jr. was another transfer portal success story for Michigan, which starts five transfers in its starting lineup. Johnson came off the bench at Illinois last season but has developed into a solid starting forward for the Wolverines.

The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 13.2 points with 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game this season on 62.5% shooting as a first-time college starter, ranking second for Michigan in scoring. He scored 21 points with 10 rebounds on 8-of-8 shooting in the Wolverines' opening-round win over No. 16 seed Howard.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top players of Final Four, ranked: Who is the best in March Madness?

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MLB is staring down a crippling lockout in 2027, and there’s only one way out

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 26: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets swings during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day at Citi Field on March 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Conflict resolution specialists will tell you that solutions to major disagreements are usually found in complicating the root issue and finding common ground. The worst disputes, then, are the extraordinarily simple ones. 

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association may be digging trenches for one of these quite-simple but quite-destructive disagreements: should Major League Baseball have a salary cap? The MLB owners, represented by Commissioner Rob Manfred, seem to think it’s non-negotiable for baseball’s continued growth, while the players seem to think that would be the worst thing ever. Good start.

The two sides cannot just get divorced and go their separate ways — they are chained together by billions of dollars that nobody gets if they don’t work together. If they can’t agree (“you never do the dishes”) there will be a lockout, and because of the depth of this lovers’ quarrel (it’s not really about the dishes), there is a legitimate chance the 2027 MLB season is simply cancelled. Then nobody will do the dishes.

Can the two sides avoid a lockout? No. There will be “a lockout” of some length, but whether its explosive yield is measured in July 4th sparklers or in megatons of TNT is yet to be determined. How can the two sides avoid cancelling most or all of the 2027 season? Can they just hug it out?

The reason this is a big story is that there is a big problem: this is not a sports disagreement, though it is about baseball. This is not a financial disagreement, though it is about money. This is, in reality, a philosophical disagreement about the meaning of life—er, Major League Baseball, and the first one that threatens the very fabric of the sport since the last time the owners really tried to get a salary cap in 1994. 

Come this offseason, this will go from a somewhat-threatening idea to one of the biggest stories in the world overnight. Describing the sticking point in detail could reasonably fill up a 4000-word legal brief. But remember: this is a simple issue, not a complicated one, so I will describe it simply: 

The MLB currently has no mechanism to control team spending on contracts and players, known as a salary cap, which exists in each of the other three major men’s leagues in the United States. This is a very pro-player arrangement, creating uninhibited bidding wars for elite players which, for the super-elite Juan Soto, ended at a preposterous $765 million. Owners would like to end this situation and place some controls on this spending because they believe it will fix baseball’s competitive balance problem, which has allowed the Los Angeles Dodgers to sign most of the best free agents in the past three offseasons and win the last two World Series. The Players Association, understandably, thinks the owners just want to spend less money and would like to keep the lucrative status quo.

I, for one, am generally inclined to support the labor side of labor vs. billionaire showdowns, as are probably most people on planet earth. However, what makes this issue so fascinating is that the owners believe they have broad public support for a salary cap; and they do, per a poll after the World Series that showed both casual and avid MLB fans overwhelmingly support the introduction of a salary cap. I do too.

Some writers and industry experts will tell you that all this saber-rattling is simply pointless hot air, and that the owners will ultimately back down when the small-market teams realize that a salary floor, which must exist with any salary cap to maintain competitiveness, will cost them too much money. The Miami Marlins, for example, have a total team payrolljust above Shohei Ohtani’s individual salary. That will not be allowed to continue if the owners get what they want, and it is possible the MLBPA will be able to leverage a fifth column of small-market owners to preserve their criminally low spending. 

Key word: criminal. The embarrassment that is the MLB’s payroll disparity has gotten bad enough that I do not believe this arrangement will be tolerated unto eternity, and it is why I am perhaps more willing than others to imagine a legitimately apocalyptic future in which we lose a full season for the first time ever. 

Frankly, small market owners categorically refusing to spend money on their baseball teams and the MLBPA’s vicious, decades-long opposition to any and all pushes for a salary cap can no longer survive baseball’s brush with the most disruptive of concepts: modernity. 

Baseball is, more than ever, swept up by modernizing forces. The pitch clock, extra-inning ghost runners and challenging balls and strikes would have been unthinkable 20 years ago. Now, innovations are flying off the factory line like bags of candy in the last week of October. And the public has greeted these innovations with open arms. Baseball is more popular than ever, and 79 percent of avid fans support a salary cap. It looks like that final dam is ready to break.

We shall see how much this public support survives the impending cancellation of actual baseball games next winter. I contend that the support for a salary cap should continue. Anachronisms like totally free-market sports leagues do not hold up with how Major League Baseball is actually financed these days. Local control over revenue has collapsed with the regional sports network model. MLB owners understand this; when they renegotiate their media rights deal in 2028, it will be a defining moment for the sport and how much money it can make in the future.

A salary cap could thus be the difference of billions of dollars in the long term for the MLB if they can successfully argue that enforced competition will command higher prices for media buyers. That will certainly be their argument to the players, though the MLBPA cares far less about long-term revenue boosts, which may or may not increase salaries 10 years from now. Many players in the league today will not be in said league in 10 years, so what do they care about all that? The players will clap back by saying, “can you just relax until we renew media rights in 2028? We have such a good thing going, let’s sell that to ESPN and Fox, not your new thing!”

That tension is what makes this such a philosophical disagreement, and one that could actually torpedo an entire MLB season. Unlike the 2021 MLB lockout, which saw the owners push for a salary floor (side note: this 2021 push is one of the reasons I don’t buy the anti-salary floor fifth column idea above) and expanded playoffs, everyone is dealing with much starker media rights realities than last time. Baseball will have to radically change itself to keep up in the modern sports market, and I do believe the owners will have a high level of patience to ensure that. There is too much money at stake long-term.

So how can we avoid a disaster that I have just spent 1000 entire words describing the severity of? You could bet on the inherent goodness of human beings, and the owners and players ultimately love each other; love is always stronger than hate, right? Maybe, but let me tell you what’s stronger than both: fear.

As we get closer to this throwdown actually throwing-down, long-winded position papers and carefully crafted press releases will quickly turn to widespread fear of how bad cancelling the 2027 season would be for both of them. And it would be a calamity, with baseball riding a wave of public momentum that they simply cannot afford to squander. Players would lose a year of their physical prime, owners a year of revenue. Broadcast and merchandising partners may distrust both groups if they cannot figure this out, as will investors and fans, the most important consumer of their shared product. All of this will create tremendous fear in both camps, and they might have to run into each other’s arms for comfort — that will probably mean just small adjustments to the luxury tax and perhaps some more league regulation on spending and player control of contracts.

The benefits of a salary cap for owners are potentially massive, but the risk associated with cancelling a season is colossal and could make things significantly worse instead of better. Avoiding that outcome may be the players’ silver bullet, as they just want to keep the hype train going. When you took a wrong turn and are now careening toward a precipice, the one who wanted to make the turn is at fault. 

But something big should happen. Much opining about the looming lockout centers on whether or not baseball actually has a competitive balance problem. It all depends on how you define “competitive balance” and how far back you push the definition. To keep things short, you can come up with any statistic (World Series wins, team records, division titles) and any time frame to argue that there is or is not a problem. I will pick secret option C: it feels like there is a problem, and that means there is.

Competitive balance is a perception, not an outcome. Whether or not smaller markets have actually succeeded is inconsequential next to how impossible their chances feel. The Dodgers winning the last two World Series is not the thing that annoys me. It’s that they have done so on the backs of signing basically every exciting free agent on the market in recent years. Kyle Tucker, Edwin Diaz, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez… the list goes on. When there is a big free agent (everybody get ready for Tarik Skubal hooooo boy) they are now expected to sign with the Dodgers. If they don’t, then they go to the Mets. Everyone else, including the once-Dodgers-esque New York Yankees, feels like a surprise.

For fans of smaller-market teams, having a good player like Skubal in Detroit or Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh, two of the best pitchers of the last 20 years, is a total bummer. They cannot keep that player because they cannot pay him. That is the worst, and that is the great crime of baseball’s salary cap-less system. When a team decides they are not going to pay the luxury tax, like my Boston Red Sox did in 2020, it costs their fans everything. It cost me my favorite player of all time: Mookie Betts. And then Xander Bogaerts. And then Rafael Devers. 

How much of my desire for a salary cap is based on hatred for a system that the Red Sox ownership group has exploited for maximum profits and minimum baseball enjoyment? A… bit, but a salary cap would ultimately damage teams like the Red Sox more than it would help them. For all my griping, Boston is still one of the biggest markets in the sport. I have no idea the actual plight of a Pittsburgh Pirates fan who just has to count down the days until Paul Skenes is traded or leaves for nothing.

All of the above is stupid. Some of the above are fixable with a salary cap. Fear about what would happen to baseball’s resurgence if this death match goes the distance will probably stop any push for a true cap short… for now. But in five years, we will be having this same conversation with 20 times the fervor, as another half decade of modernity bludgeons baseball’s anachronistic systems into submission. We will eventually have an MLB salary cap; we just might not get it now. Because while we are currently in a generation-defining staring contest, both sides will probably realize it is in their shared interest to blink. A compromise is the only way out. But it is not in my interest, and not in my kids’ interests, who I want to share my love of baseball with, even if I live in Pittsburgh. Eventually, we’re going to have to get uncomfortable so we can get something done.

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Should the ABS system take over completely?

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 30: Manager Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees looks on before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees’ hopes of going 162-0 were quashed on Monday, as the Mariners won in walk-off fashion 2-1 to open up a three-game set with the Bombers. New York was getting shut down against Luis Castillo, a common occurrence at this point against the Mariner ace, but managed to tie the game shortly after he exited only to have the bullpen get stretched too thin in relief of Ryan Weathers. Paul Blackburn was the choice to pitch the eighth and ninth innings, and while he handled the former things quickly got out of hand in the latter leading to Cal Raleigh’s RBI single to end it.

The underlying story of the game, however, was the Yankees challenging early and often against home plate umpire Mike Estabrook’s strike zone, succeeding each and every time. They converted five strikes into balls on successful challenges, including two in a José Caballero at-bat that turned a strikeout into a walk and a Giancarlo Stanton would-be strikeout that kept him alive long enough to hit a single. Aaron Boone even felt the need to chirp at Estabrook after the Stanton challenge to get the calls right, proving that even with the ability to overturn calls Boone will still find a way to continue his beef with umpires and potentially grow his record pace of getting tossed from games.

All of this is leadup to ask the question that many are asking themselves already: why not let ABS be the law of the land for every ball and strike? There’s been dozens of converted calls already as teams have figured out that the catcher and hitter stand the best chance of recognizing a bad call, and the Yankees have benefitted tremendously from Austin Wells’ recognition of the strike zone behind the plate as he’s been the best in the early-going at getting strikes back for his pitchers. He’s far from the only one, as players around the league have already made umpires look quite silly for some of the calls they make. Surely getting the calls right has proven to be essential after so many have already been shown to be off on a consistent basis.

There’s a logistical and cultural pushback to that response, to be fair. The umpire’s union will fight tooth and nail to keep umps relevant in the game, and they likely don’t want to cede control of the strike zone over completely just because of a few games-worth of hype for a new system. But there’s also a healthy portion of the audience that wouldn’t want them to do that anyway — the purists who have always argued in favor of the human element in the game wouldn’t want the umpires thrown to the side either. And there’s a point to be made that the ABS challenge system we have right now is a skill to utilize that rewards players who confidently know the strike zone, which is fun to watch in its own right. Sure, getting an egregious call overturned here and there is an easy call to make, but all of the Yankees’ challenges last night were on pitches that strayed only an inch or so away from the strike zone — those are calls that New York is making because they have players with elite understanding of the zone, and some other teams wouldn’t make those challenges in the same position. It’s exciting to see a batter call his shot or a catcher claim that his pitcher hit the mark, and I’m personally quite content with where ABS has landed at the moment. But where do you fall, are you satisfied with ABS functioning as a show of skill or do you want it to be freely administered?

Today on the site, Michael leads off with a recap of what Triple-A Scranton got up to in their first week of play as the minor leagues get underway. Peter follows up with the first At-Bat of the Week featuring Aaron Judge’s first bomb of the year (and his first ABS challenge), and Jonathan wishes Chien-Ming Wang a happy birthday as he reflects on his Yankees career. Matt creates the Yankees’ All-March Birthday Team to continue his year-long quest to round out each month’s roster, and Jeff reacts to the Yankees’ low placement in The Athletic’s recent “Hope O’Meter” poll.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees at Seattle Mariners

Time: 9:40 p.m. EST

Video: YES Network, Mariners.tv, TBS (out-of-market, only)

Venue: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA

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10 Takeaways from Cavs narrow 122-113 win over Jazz: Evan Mobley controls fourth quarter

Mar 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley (4) reacts after a play against the Utah Jazz during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers did just enough to get past the tanking Utah Jazz122-113, thanks to 34-point performances from both Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell.

How much can you actually take from this game? Tanking has been a part of the NBA for decades, but few teams have been as shameless about it as the Jazz.

Utah has taken the art of tanking to a new extreme. Last month, they weren’t closing games with their best players, which resulted in a $500,000 fine. Then, the league seemingly didn’t believe them when they tried to shut Lauri Markkanen down with a hip injury, and were rumored to be sending an independent doctor to verify the diagnosis before deciding not to. And, they’re one of the teams at the center of the league’s initiative to end tanking.

Despite Adam Silver’s best efforts, the Jazz have kept losing. They came into this game on a five-game losing streak and had dropped nine of their last 10.

Unsurprisingly, they were also down several key players in Monday’s matchup as they were without Markkanen (hip), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Walker Kessler (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic (nose), Keyonte George (hamstring), and Isaiah Collier (hamstring). Few teams are going to be competitive if they’re missing that many rotation players. That’s especially true for ones that aren’t built to be competitive in the first place.

The Cavs knew this all as well. They also chose to rest two key players, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen, before their showdown with the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. That makes it a tough game to get up for. It also makes it foolish to react too strongly to anything that happened on the court.

That preamble out of the way, let’s see if we can glean at least some things from this one.

The Cavaliers are now 14-2 when Donovan Mitchell scores 34 or more points and 20-9 when he scores 30 or more.

The team has gone as Mitchell has this season. That was on display again, as Mitchell’s former team couldn’t keep him from getting to the basket whenever he wanted. This resulted in Mitchell going 7-9 in the paint and 11-12 from the charity stripe.

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Tyrese Proctor was the one exception from an otherwise forgettable bench performance. He made the most of his opportunity by supplying eight points on 3-6 shooting in 12 minutes of action.

This wasn’t a standout performance, but it did show how Proctor can be helpful. He fit into the overall offense by finding his spots to score, which included tipping in one of Sam Merrill’s eight three-point misses.

Speaking of which, the Cavs went just 6-32 (18.8%) from three (2nd percentile).

I’m not sure if it’s worth going into this much. Cleveland generated open looks, but they just didn’t go. That included Merrill going an uncharacteristic 0-8 from distance.

On one hand, it’s worth pointing out that the Cavs aren’t going to win many playoff games if they shoot that poorly from three. On the other hand, it’s worth acknowledging that Cleveland was still in the 67th percentile for offensive rating despite shooting that badly from deep.

Evan Mobley forcefully attacking the paint helped mitigate the team’s poor outside shooting. He did a good job of continually finding ways to get into the teeth of Utah’s defense and finish inside. This led to 34 points on 15-21 shooting, which included going 10-12 on shots at the rim.

The Cavs are at their best — especially since they’ve added James Harden — when they’re getting in the paint and then setting up the rest of their offense from there. That happened here as Cleveland doubled up Utah inside, outscoring them 82-40 in the paint. Mobley’s aggressiveness as the lone big played a large role in that happening.

Additionally, Mobley relentlessly looked to score in the fourth as he recorded a team-high 10 points in the final frame. He single-handedly put the game away by scoring on three-straight possessions late, despite playing with five fouls.

The Cavs have struggled to feature Mobley late in games, even on nights he’s had it going. Being able to find him in the clutch — and having his run essentially seal the game — was incredibly encouraging on a night Mitchell also played well offensively.

Harden has bought into being the prototypical point guard for this team. He’s willingly ceded the scoring reigns to whoever else on the team has it going. This evening, that meant deferring to boy Mobley and Mitchell.

Since coming to Cleveland, Harden has often played like he’d rather set up teammates than score himself. A performance like this — against a team he was able to manipulate seemingly at will — underscored the extent that seemed to be true. Nearly every move he made off-the-dribble was done to create a window for a pass or an open lane for a teammate to fill. The shot attempts felt almost like a way to keep defenses honest, even though a top-10 scorer in league history doesn’t really need to remind opponents that he can still do that.

Half of Harden’s 14 assists went to Mobley, with five of them coming off of pick-and-rolls.

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These actions develop differently, but you’ll notice three commonalities between them.

First, the ball is always delivered high, above Mobley’s waist. This allows him to keep his momentum going after the catch.

Second, you’ll see how hard Mobley is cutting to the basket in these actions. And if he isn’t cutting hard, it’s because he’s found a window to sit in. This is a drastic change from how things looked when Harden first arrived in Cleveland. Before then, Mobley would often drift off screens. Now, he’s not doing so.

Finally, the contact on these screens from Mobley looks different depending on the situation. Instead of just slipping the screen automatically, he’s reading whether he needs to set a hard screen, just make contact, or quickly duck out. This makes it much more difficult to defend, as there’s an element of surprise that wasn’t there before.

This game was far from perfect — especially defensively — but it’s incredibly encouraging that the Cavs have once again found a way to have their three best players performing near peak level when sharing the floor.

Playoff basketball is often won by the team whose best three or four-man combinations are in sync. Right now, the Cavs are. We’ll see if that carries when the games start really mattering in a few weeks.

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Pens Points: Lighting Up the Islanders

ELMONT, NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders shoots on Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at UBS Arena on March 30, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Trailing 3-1 in the second period and looking as if the wheels were coming loose, the Pittsburgh Penguins found their game at the perfect moment and stormed back with seven unanswered goals to secure a crucial two points over the New York Islanders on Monday night with a 8-3 victory on Long Island. [Pensburgh]

Now the focus must shift immediately to the Detroit Red Wings who are in town for a showdown with the Penguins later this evening as PPG Paints Arena. Right now, Detroit sits in a perilous spot, two points out of a playoff spot with two teams ahead of them in the standings. They will be desperate, and the Penguins will have to match that desperation if they hope to sweep this back-t0-back set.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.

Pens Points…

Last night was undoubtedly a big game for the Penguins, by far the biggest this season, but it was just the start of what is another massive week for the Penguins and their playoff hopes. There is another game tonight, then a trip to Tampa, then a weekend back-to-back with the Florida Panthers still on tap. [Pensburgh]

Officiating has not been in the Penguins favor seemingly at all this season and the team’s frustration with the situation is now spilling into the public view. Dan Muse has not won a goaltender interference challenge all season, but that’s just a small part of what has been angering the Penguins. [The Athletic $$]

Down on the farm, the Wiles-Barre/Scranton Penguins agreed to an American Hockey League deal with former Ohio State defenseman Broten Sabo. This past season, Sabo led all Ohio State defenseman with 19 assists and 21 points. The contract will begin with the 2026-27 season. [WBS]

NHL News and Notes…

Jakub Dobes put the Montreal Canadiens on his back last week and helped backstop them ever closer to another playoff berth. For that, Dobes was named the First Star of the Week by the NHL. Joining Dobes as honorees for last week are Pavel Zacha of Boston and John Carlson of Anaheim. [NHL]

In a shocking turn of events, the Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday, replacing him with John Tortorella. Despite being in a playoff position, recent struggles pushed the Golden Knights to make the stunning move in hopes of reinvigorating the team for the playoff run. [NHL]

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2017 FBI probe sent coaches to jail, got others fired. This March Madness was a reunion

On Sept. 26, 2017, the FBI and federal law enforcement authorities set off a massive explosion in college basketball that led to the arrests of several coaches and the eventual suspension or firing of several others.  

The list included then-USC assistant coach Tony Bland, who was arrested that day on bribery-related charges. The fallout from it also ensnared Louisville head coach Rick Pitino (fired in 2017), Arizona head coach Sen Miller (fired in 2021) Kansas head coach Bill Self (suspended in 2022), and LSU head coach Will Wade (fired in 2022).

But those coaches and several others since have been forgiven and even had a comeback party of sorts this month as active coaches in the NCAA Tournament. Wade also just got rehired as head coach at LSU, as if nothing ever happened, serving as a reminder about what really matters in college sports once all the FBI dust settles.

“Some had short exiles and punishments, but when you win, there’s always a spot,” said David Ridpath, a sports business professor at Ohio University.

These March Madness comeback stories (see list below) also raise other big concerns on the eve of the Final Four in Indianapolis, according to observers.

One is whether this crackdown had any lasting purpose or should have happened in the first place. Another relates to former Arizona assistant coach Emanuel “Book” Richardson, who’s still paying a price for it even after serving 90 days in federal prison.

“It is a continuing, profound injustice,” one of his advocates said recently.

What was illegal then is now generally legal

The FBI investigation and the NCAA rules enforcement cases that followed aimed to crack down on alleged bribes and illegal payments to recruits or their families, which now seems quaint. NCAA rules have since changed to legalize certain payments to players for their names, images, and likenesses (NIL), starting in 2021.

A sports apparel company such as Adidas now can legally pay players directly for their NIL, unlike back then, when an Adidas consultant testified at trial in 2018 that he provided illicit payments to the families of recruits, including recruits for Kansas and Louisville, two Adidas-sponsored schools. Both Louisville and Kansas got punished for it, even though they said they didn’t have knowledge of it.

Kansas spent $10 million over six years fighting the case, which alleged Kansas was using Adidas to entice recruits with money. An Adidas employee and consultant even went to prison for it.

This likely never would have happened under the current rule structure.

“Everything that's happening (legally now with NIL) is just a microcosm of what's always been happening,” Richardson told USA TODAY Sports on March 25. “Now we can put a name to it (NIL).”

Meanwhile, not everyone has been allowed to resume their careers like Bland, Pitino and others who took part in March Madness this month. Richardson is still effectively barred from college basketball under a 10-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA, even after serving prison time and taking responsibility for the $20,000 bribe prosecutors said he took to steer players toward a certain agent and financial adviser once the players made it to the NBA.

That lingering punishment strikes some as just plain wrong

In this 2016 file photo, Arizona Wildcats assistant coach Book Richardson signals during the second half against the New Mexico Lobos at McKale Center.

The Book Richardson case

Richardson, 53, is seeking a federal pardon even though he already served his prison sentence. A federal pardon would not erase the 10-year NCAA penalty that extends to 2030. But it would be a meaningful sign of forgiveness. The application for it was spearheaded by a group at New York University, including clinical professor David Hollander.

“It is a continuing, profound injustice Book Richardson remains under the professional restraint of a 10-year show-cause, given whatever other results you would like to observe have come from that FBI investigation,” Hollander told USA TODAY Sports on March 25. “Excessive isn't strong enough of a word, because words don't amount to a human being's life. That's what this is about. One person's entire life has been lopsidedly hammered.”

Four coaches pleaded guilty in 2019 to similar bribery charges: Richardson, Bland, former Auburn assistant Chuck Person and former Oklahoma State assistant Lamont Evans. Richardson, Person and Evans are out of college basketball with 10-year show-cause penalties. Richardson and Evans both did prison time, not Person or Bland. Bland only got a three-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA and is back in college basketball on the staff at Kansas.

Under-the-table bribes like those back then since have been disincentivized and replaced by over-the-table business transactions. In addition to allowing players to earn money for their NIL, the NCAA also now allows them to hire agents to manage their NIL earnings while still in college.  

The timing isn’t lost on Richardson, who regrets taking the money and now works in Virginia at The St. James Performance Academy.

“I did 90 days in jail, and I got out in October of 2020,” Richardson said. “(Legalized) NIL happened in 2021.”

More recently, Richardson noticed all those familiar names involved in March Madness this month.

List of March Madness coaches who got punished in scandal

These coaches coached in NCAA Tournament this month after previously being caught in the quagmire stemming from the FBI investigation of 2017:

∎ Tony Bland, now at Kansas, made his first NCAA Tournament appearance since his arrest.

Kansas Jayhawks assistant coach Tony Bland watches players warm up before taking on Houston Cougars for the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.

∎ Rick Pitino, now the head coach at St. John’s, recently made his first Sweet 16 appearance since his firing from Louisville.

∎ Will Wade of LSU was caught on an FBI wiretap talking about an “offer" and a "deal" for Javonte Smart, a top recruit who later signed with LSU before NIL was legalized. LSU fired Wade for cause in 2022 after the NCAA accused him of serious recruiting violations. The NCAA’s enforcement arm also hit him with a 10-game suspension and two-year show-cause penalty. He bounced back as coach at McNeese State, then NC State, which he led to the NCAA Tournament this month. He’s now back at LSU, where all has been forgiven. He recently told reporters he’s “trying to follow more rules this time.” He also received a hero’s welcome in Baton Rouge at his re-introductory news conference March 30.

“You never get second chances in life, but we get one here,” Wade said March 30.

∎ Kansas coach Bill Self was suspended four games in 2022 after fighting the Adidas-related allegations for years. He lost in the second round to Pitino and St. John’s on March 22.

∎ Head coach Sean Miller brought Texas to the NCAA Tournament this month after getting fired from Arizona in 2021 and then bouncing back at Xavier. Shortly before his firing, the NCAA charged Arizona with serious recruiting allegations stemming from the FBI case. An FBI wiretap caught Book Richardson telling an aspiring agent that Miller “bought” star player Deandre Ayton. Miller denied it.

∎ Kansas assistant coach Kurtis Townsend was suspended four games along with Self in 2022 and was sitting right next to him in the game vs. St. John’s.

∎ Former Creighton assistant coach Preston Murphy was back in the NCAA Tournament this month with Alabama after previously being punished with a two-year show-cause penalty stemming from the FBI investigation. He wasn’t charged with a crime but allegedly accepted payment from a business manager seeking to entice college athletes to sign with that person’s management company.

Richardson said he’s happy for these coaches.

“If they have the opportunity to get back and flourish, I’d love that same opportunity,” Richardson said. “I think I have a lot to give.”

Rick Pitino, Bill Self and the Adidas March Madness game

Amid the backdrop of the FBI case of 2017, a second-round game on March 22 in San Diego stands out in particular.

This was a matchup between two Hall of Fame coaches, nationally televised on CBS — Self and Kansas vs. Pitino at St. John’s. Before the game, Self took a seat next to assistant coach Townsend on his right and Bland down the row to his left.

All wore the Adidas “three stripes” logo on their sleeves. Their star freshman guard, Darryn Peterson, has been paid by Adidas, too, and is now allowed to do so openly, unlike players before 2021.

On the other side of the court, Pitino’s team also was outfitted in Adidas uniforms after reaching a sponsorship deal with the company last year.

Adidas-sponsored Peterson scored 21 points, but Adidas-sponsored St. John’s won the game with a buzzer-beating layup, 67-65.

In light of all of this, what impact did this FBI case really have?

This game came just a handful of years after Adidas representatives went to prison and some of those coaches were punished in a case involving alleged Adidas inducements to recruits.

‘It’s really time to free this man’

Richardson is still feeling the impact of it at least.

“I’ve been to hell and back,” he said.  And he never snitched on anybody, which could have helped him get a lighter sentence.

“It all could have been avoided if I just told what everyone thought I knew,” Richardson said.

The NCAA and U.S. Justice Department didn’t return messages seeking comment. Meanwhile, the contrast between Richardson and other active coaches hasn’t gone unnoticed in college basketball.

“I am very happy for my friends, Will Wade and Sean Miller,” ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said on social media recently. “Not being sarcastic. But I’ve had discussions with the NCAA about Book Richardson & it’s really time to free this man. His penalty is very, very, very unfair”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Those caught in college basketball 2017 FBI probe enjoying March Madness

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Jaylen Brown candid after return from Achilles tendinitis injury: ‘I got to be better’

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives against Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown considered his performance in Monday night’s 112-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks substandard at best.

“That was probably one of my worst games of the season, in my opinion,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media.

Brown rejoined the Celtics after sitting out two straight games with left Achilles tendinitis. He watched teammates officially secure Boston’s playoff berth against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night from the bench, then returned to action. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum sat with right Achilles injury management on the second night of a back-to-back, giving Brown the floor.

But Brown struggled, missing each of his first four shot attempts in Atlanta.

“I missed a lot of easy shots, but it was a very physical game,” Brown said. “Playoff-like atmosphere and I didn’t think we adjusted quick enough. They came to play. The refs let a lot of stuff go and we didn’t adjust to the physicality. So, a good game to learn from.”

It was the first time all season Brown had missed consecutive games, and the rust became increasingly difficult to shake off throughout the night. Brown made only nine of 29 field goal attempts, going 8-for-14 from the free-throw line en route to a 29-point performance he wasn’t satisfied with. Even with 10 rebounds and nine assists nearly pushing him to a triple-double, Brown felt he didn’t play up to standard, and the Celtics suffered as a result of it.

ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celticsdrives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In the third quarter, with 9:21 remaining, Brown missed a right-handed layup that would’ve broken a 60-60 tie for the Celtics. Nearly two minutes later, he missed a pull-up 3-pointer to cut the deficit to two points. In the fourth quarter, after the Celtics fought back to cut into a 21-point Hawks advantage, Brown missed another layup that would’ve made it a 10-point game with 4:06 left to play.

No matter where Brown turned, he couldn’t find offensive success. He shot 3-of-9 from three, missed six layups, and committed a game-leading six turnovers, logging a minus-5 rating.

Brown’s frustration over failing to deliver reminded him where to turn when things aren’t going his way.

“Mindset,” Brown said. “You know, you can’t throw in the towel. If you’re not feeling up to your best, still gotta do what you need to do. Sometimes you just gotta work your way through it — rely on your teammates. But if you’re getting good shots and good looks, you just gotta trust that, and keep playing aggressive basketball.”

Rather than a scheduled loss, the Celtics failed to capitalize on several opportunities to break ahead. The final 12 minutes were a valiant effort, ending in an underwhelming finish, not because the Hawks played exceptionally, but because Boston repeatedly fumbled its chances. Brown couldn’t come through with the momentum-shifting plays needed to bail the Celtics out in the crucial final minutes of regulation.

In the end, Brown’s 31 percent shooting output was his worst since Jan. 5 against the Chicago Bulls (25 percent).

“This game was on me,” Brown confessed. “I got to be better. Probably one of my worst performances in a while, and that cost us the game.”

With seven games left in the regular season, Brown clarified that his left Achilles tendinitis, sustained during last week’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, wasn’t a concern. Although some of his misses were “uncharacteristic,” as he put it, the injury didn’t affect his overall comfort and ability to perform in Atlanta.

“I felt OK. I felt fine,” Brown said. “I had a couple of plays where I took some hard falls, but overall I felt fine.”

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Yankees news: Ben Rice’s defense looking sharp early

Mar 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) flips the ball to first to record an out against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Ben Rice didn’t exactly raise eyebrows with his first base defense last year, and when he did it wasn’t in a good way. The young Yankee cost his team some outs down the stretch and in the playoffs, especially when it came to his footwork around the bag and tracking popups. It’s only been two games, but Mr. Arroz seems to be handling himself much better at the cold corner, making three plays at first on Sunday that it would be hard to imagine him pulling off in 2025. The Yankees see this as a strong step forward in his development, and proof that his work ethic and coachability can be a major asset.

FanGraphs | David Laurila: I’m writing this ahead of Ryan Weathers’ first start of the season, coming Monday night against the Mariners. The offseason acquisition went deep on the sharp, splitter-like changeup he developed in the Marlins’ bullpen last year, and effective use of the offspeed offering will likely be a big part of whether the southpaw sticks in the Yankee rotation this season. By the time you read this, you’ll already have seen how MLB hitters react to Weathers’ repertoire, and hopefully it’s “poorly.”

New York Post | Dan Martin: It’s been quite the 12 months for David Bednar. The Yankee closer was demoted to Triple-A while still with the Pirates last year, a wakeup call and chance for adjustment that he wasn’t going to get while facing big-league pitching. The right-hander needed just five outings with Pittsburgh’s Indianapolis affiliate to get himself back on track, and he almost immediately re-asserted himself as one of the best relievers in baseball. After two clean saves to start the year with the Yankees, Bednar credits that reset for a major piece of his success since.

The Associated Press: A melancholy happy trails to Ken Clay, who passed away last week at the age of 71. Clay spent five seasons in the majors, peaking with two World Series rings with the 1977 & ‘78 Yankee teams (despite George Steinbrenner’s criticisms). Our best to his family and loved ones.

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Cavaliers Reacts Survey: How far can the Cavs go in the Playoffs?

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 27: James Harden #1 celebrates with Sam Merrill #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The finish line is in sight. Only seven games are remaining for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. As we enter the home stretch, let’s use this opportunity to poll the fan base on how confident they are in the season being extended.

We have one question for this week. Where will the Cavs season end? First round, second round, conference finals, runner-ups, or NBA champs?

Obviously, there are many factors at play. Health is maybe the biggest determining factor. But seeding and opponent will influence how far this team can go, as well. For example, you probably feel better about playing the Detroit Pistons than you do the Boston Celtics.

As of typing, Cleveland is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. It feels fairly safe to assume they’ll finish the season there, though it’s still possible they could move up or down. Homecourt advantage would be a nice thing to secure.

I’d consider the Cavs somewhat of a wild-card contender. Could they make it to the NBA Finals and potentially even win, depending on the matchup? I believe so. But if you told me the Cavs flamed out and were upset in the first or second round, I hate to say I wouldn’t be overly surprised.

I lean more towards a deep playoff run. This team is too talented to fall short again. If healthy, the Cavs are the second-best team in the East, by my estimation. Cleveland has the fourth-best odds of winning the title according to FanDuel.

But we want to hear your opinion. How far does this team go?

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Big Ten has stolen SEC mojo, and isn't about to give it back | Opinion

It’s undeniable now, a straight gangster move in this Wild, Wild West era of college sports.

The Big Ten has stolen the SEC mojo. 

Better teams, better players, better stories. Better present — and more potentially damning — better future. 

“The playing field has been leveled out as far as finances and things like that,” said Michigan basketball coach Dusty May, whose team is one of two from the Big Ten to advance to Saturday’s Final Four.

But don’t get stuck on basketball, where the Big Ten hasn’t won a national championship since 2000 — and currently has two more teams alive in the NCAA Tournament than does the SEC. Which has none.

This is paradigm change five years in the making, running parallel with the explosion of NIL and free player movement. This is the Big Ten flexing, and the SEC retreating. 

Because now everyone can pay players. Now the Big Ten’s massive and influential alumni bases have skin in the game.

Now it’s no longer about where the best (insert your sport) is played, it’s who has the most money. As important: the Big Ten’s change in personality and philosophy.

Somewhere, at some point, the Big Ten got fed up with playing little brother to the SEC. The gloves came off, and the conference of Legends and Leaders morphed into Bandits and Bounty Hunters.  

From strumming a guitar on the stairs for the lonely and bored at the sorority party, to doing keg stands in the middle of the quad at the impromptu frat party.

This all began with the Alliance built by former commissioner Kevin Warren, who held hands with the ACC and the (former) Pac-12 in solidarity against the SEC, whole brandishing an expansion knife behind the Pac-12’s back.

It should come as no surprise that a year after the Big Ten did the Pac-12 dirty and stole USC and UCLA (and later Oregon and Washington), Michigan won its first national title in football since 1997.

It wasn’t that Michigan won, it’s how it unfolded with a no-name analyst concocting an illegal scouting scheme and sucking the oxygen from a championship run built — in no small part — with some key additions from this new fangled contraption called the transfer portal. 

A scheme with such audacity, Big Ten coaches had to leak detailed information to the media (and then later give it directly to the Big Ten) before the conference took a stand. But the train was long down the tracks by the time then-new commissioner Tony Petitti stepped in with a meek three-game suspension for coach Jim Harbaugh — his second of the season, but first for this specific violation.

In other words, tell me you’re the SEC without telling me you’re the SEC.

Who's winning, who's whining: There's a big difference between coaches, players free movement — large buyouts

Long road back: DJ Lagway felt isolated, depressed at Florida. He's rewriting his story at Baylor | Exclusive

A year later, Ohio State coach Ryan Day — on the verge of losing the best job in college football — threw a truckload of cash at the best defensive player in the SEC (Caleb Downs), the best running back in the SEC (Quinshon Judkins), an All-SEC center (Seth McLaughlin), and a Big 12 championship quarterback (Will Howard) as part of a $20 million roster that still couldn’t beat Michigan — but beat the brakes off everyone in the College Football Playoff. 

Then came Indiana, the lovable, all-time football loser, who changed everything. And even that began with some newfound Big Ten chutzpah, when IU athletic director Scott Dolson called James Madison coach Curt Cignetti after their in-person interview — just as Cignetti had told his wife he was going to stay at JMU — and said, “Congratulations, you’re the Indiana coach.”

And didn’t give Cignetti — now the hottest coach in college football — a chance to say no. Which is sort of like the Big Ten and its takeover of all things college sports. 

Kill it, then eat it. 

Even missteps off the field have been overshadowed by other bold and brash moves. While Petitti has had a couple of faux pas (hello, capital investment), his unwavering stance on the CFP is beginning to show cracks in the SEC armor. 

Georgia coach Kirby Smart and Tennessee coach Josh Heupel have embraced the Big Ten’s idea of a 20- or 24-team CFP, while their own commissioner (Greg Sankey) is in a very public game of chicken with the Petitti over the future format of the billion-dollar postseason.

Sankey wants 16 teams, Petitti wants 20 or 24 teams. It’s never a good sign when the SEC’s most high-profile coach — and arguably the game’s best coach — sides with the Big Ten.

The Big Ten already has the better media rights deal, and delivers more money to a majority of its member institutions (not all of the newbies) than the SEC. The Big Ten has the bigger television markets, and the ability — though not yet realized — to dominate ratings.  

There’s the possibility of an all-Big Ten final in the NCAA Tournament, which hasn’t happened since the Big 12 did it in 1988. If you think that’s crazy, hold on to your tall glass of sweet tea. 

For the love of all things Ess Eee See, the Big Ten currently has the No. 1 ranked team in college baseball — a sport the Big Ten didn’t give two flips about prior to expansion. 

Before, that is, beginning this cutthroat philosophy of kill then eat.

About the same time May's Wolverines advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 2018, LSU was announcing the return hire of former disgraced coach Will Wade. The school trumpeted the move on social media by comparing Wade ― the multi-level NCAA cheater ― to Napoleon, and calling him, "General."  

"We're coming back to try to hang a banner, win a national championship," Wade said, "Or I'm going to be the first coach fired from the same school twice."

Tell me you’ve stolen the SEC’s mojo without telling me. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.     

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Big 10 now strongest and best conference in college sports. Sorry, SEC

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Sabres host the Islanders after shootout victory

New York Islanders (42-28-5, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (45-21-8, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sabres -197, Islanders +163; over/under is 6

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the New York Islanders after the Sabres beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 in a shootout.

Buffalo is 45-21-8 overall and 23-10-4 at home. The Sabres are 10th in the league serving 9.6 penalty minutes per game.

New York has a 42-28-5 record overall and a 21-15-3 record in road games. The Islanders have a 30-7-3 record when scoring at least three goals.

Tuesday's game is the third time these teams square off this season. The Sabres won 5-0 in the previous matchup. Jason Zucker led the Sabres with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Rasmus Dahlin has 17 goals and 50 assists for the Sabres. Jack Quinn has five goals and three assists over the past 10 games.

Matthew Schaefer has 22 goals and 34 assists for the Islanders. Mathew Barzal has one goal and six assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 6-2-2, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.2 penalties and 9.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Islanders: 5-5-0, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.9 assists, 2.9 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Justin Danforth: out (lower body), Noah Ostlund: day to day (upper-body).

Islanders: Alexander Romanov: out (shoulder), Pierre Engvall: out for season (ankle), Tony DeAngelo: out (lower body), Semyon Varlamov: out for season (knee), Kyle Palmieri: out (knee).

___

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

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Celtics vs. Hawks player grades: turnovers and missed free throws doom Boston

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Luka Garza #52 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Blame the back-to-back games on the road. Blame the 15 turnovers. Blame the eight missed free throws. They all played a part in Boston’s 112-102 loss in Atlanta Monday night.

Despite all the ways that the Celtics shot themselves in the foot, there’s still a chance that Atlanta and Boston could meet in the first round of the playoffs. Joe Mazzulla is going to have to figure out how to neutralize the Hawks’ athleticism and ball pressure. In both regular season losses, they were able to force TOs and get hot from 3.

The Celtics continue to be a steady +650 to raise Banner 19 with our friends at FanDuel and the favorite to rep the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown

40 minutes, 29 points (3-9 from 3, 8-14 from the free throw line, 9-29 from the field), 10 rebounds, 9 assists, one steal, -5

Just as he did against Oklahoma City last Wednesday, JB was focused on attacking the rim and/or getting to the line. After being ejected in San Antonio, Brown has seemingly been on a mission to drive, draw more fouls, and get to the free throw line.

And while I agree that he doesn’t get the same whistle that grifters like Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get despite his more physical play, his indictment of NBA officiating seems to be getting in the way of his overall MVP-level game.

Heading into Atlanta, the hometown kid was averaging 11.5 free throws and 3.7 turnovers per game. Against the Hawks, he had 14 FTAs and six turnovers. Don’t be fooled by the near triple-double; this game is not going on the MVP tape.

Grade: C

Jordan Walsh

31 minutes, 8 points (1-4 from 3, 3-4 from the free throw line, 2-5 from the field), 4 rebounds, one assist, one turnover, 2 steals, one block, +0

After starting nineteen games in November and December, Walsh went back to the bench and eventually fell out of the rotation. However, he’s started the last two games and has shown why he got the nod earlier in the year.

If the strategy to starting Hauser with DWhite and the Jays is that he spaces the floor for the stars, Walsh on the other hand can be the primary defender of the opposing team’s best player and relieve Tatum and Brown of those duties. He handled those defensive duties well, but like the rest of his teammates, couldn’t hit his open looks.

Grade:

Luka Garza

28 minutes, 20 points (2-3 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 8-9 from the field), 9 rebounds, one assist, one block, +6

Starting for Neemias Queta, Garza was a revelation as the only everyday big man available against the Hawks. In a word, he was awesome. I joke in the CelticsBlog Slack that whenever Garza enters the game, I think about that scene in Hoosiers when Norman Dale asks Strap to enter the game. Straps says a prayer and goes on to dominate the second half.

Garza’s only miss on the night was a three-pointer, but otherwise, he hit everything with his relentless work on the offensive glass and filling the lane off pick-and-rolls and transition.

Grade: A+

Derrick White

36 minutes, 7 points (1-6 from 3, 3-12 from the field), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, one turnover, one steal, 2 blocks, -8

White’s slump has been well documented since we started these players’ grades and tonight, he’ll again get below average grade. After taking Sunday night off in Charlotte, White couldn’t get into a groove. He’s still filling the box score, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, but he’ll need to start hitting some shots if Boston expects to do anything in the playoffs.

Grade: C-

Baylor Scheierman

26 minutes, 3 points (1-4 from 3, 1-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, one turnover, one steal, -3

Scheierman was thrown a couple of grenades that he had to chuck at the rim, but for the most part, he was a solid contributor on defense and a ball mover on offense.

Grade: B

Payton Pritchard

25 minutes, 16 points (4-6 from 3, 6-14 from the field), 2 rebounds, one turnover, -19

On the second night of a back-to-back, Pritchard didn’t have his lift on his mid-range jumper. Combine that with Atlanta’s strong perimeter defenders and PP was just 2-8 inside the arc. A couple of those shots should have resulted in free throws though.

Grade: B

Sam Hauser

21 minutes, 7 points (1-3 from 3, 2-2 from the free throw line, 2-5 from the field), 3 rebounds, one turnover, -3

After starting the game on the bench, Hauser started in the second half for Baylor Scheierman. Earlier in the game, he was a little aggressive off the dribble, so maybe Mazzulla saw something and wanted that scoring punch. That didn’t exactly materialize and Scheierman got the bulk of those shooter minutes instead.

Grade: C

Hugo Gonzalez

13 minutes, 5 points (1-2 from 3, 2-4 from the field), 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, -4

The rookie had a game filled with rookie mistakes. In the first quarter, he missed a defensive switch that led to a quick Mazzulla timeout, turned the ball over twice on a dribble hand off and a drive-and-kick, and didn’t stay connected on a drive. After halftime, his second half stint was closer to what we’re accustomed with and a corner three helped stem the tide late in the third.

Grade: C+

Amari Williams

13 minutes, 4 points (2-2 from the free throw line, 1-2 from the field), 7 rebounds, one assist, one tunover, one steal, one block, -8

With Queta and Nikola Vucevic out, the rookie was called upon to be the seccond unit center. In the G League, Williams averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in 30 minutes a night. Ron Harper Jr. grabs the headlines with his outstanding play as a two-way call-up, but the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been a monster in Maine.

We saw some of that on Monday night. He’s solid in his 6’11 frame and is lowkey one of the Celtics’ best prospects moving forward.

Grade: A-

Charles Bassey

6 minutes, 3 points (1-2 from the free throw line, 1-1 from the field), 2 rebounds, one turnover, 2 blocks, -6

Bassey is back with Boston on a second consecutive 1o-day contract and we saw some flashes of what made him such an intriguing prospect in Summer League. The Celtics ultimately didn’t sign him and he’s had cups of coffee in Memphis and Philadelphia this season.

He had back-to-back blocks in the 2nd and with his deal ending on Friday, those could be the highlight of his career in Boston.

Grade: A

Inactives: Neemias Queta, Jayson Tatum, Nikola Vucevic

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The quarter that used to break teams is now breaking the Warriors

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 23: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the second quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on March 23, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Steve Kerr called it a “pattern” after Sunday night’s loss in Denver. I’m guessing he was being diplomatic. What’s happening to the Warriors in the third quarter this season is a “pattern” in the same way that Michael Myers has a pattern of hunting down the residents of Haddonfield on a recurring basis. It’s more of a haunting curse, 12 minutes of true horror.

Golden State lost to the Nuggets 116–93 in their final game of March, but the score barely tells the story. They walked into halftime up 53–46, playing the kind of disciplined, connected basketball that travels against real teams. Then the third quarter arrived and Denver bodied them 40–21. That run knocked the air out of Golden State’s sails and effectively ended the game.

And that part is the problem; not just that it happened, but that it keeps happening.

Per NBA.com, over the last ten games, the Warriors have posted a –21.9 net rating in the third quarter. Their defensive rating in those minutes is 128, a number that doesn’t belong anywhere near a team trying to hold onto a playoff spot.Everything that can go wrong is going wrong at once.

In that timespan, they’re giving up 7.5 points off turnovers in those third quarters, bad enough for dead last in the league. Second-chance points allowed? Fourth worst. Opponents fast break points? Third worst. Opponents’ points in the paint? Fourth worst.

And when you zoom in, the games start to blur together in a way that feels less like a slump and more like a script. Here’s the 3rd quarter post mortem from a handful of games over their last 10 where their opponents went ham:

  • Atlanta, 39–20.
  • New York, 38–26.
  • Washington, 34–20.
  • Detroit, 30–23.

Over the last five games alone, the Warriors own a –33.3 net rating in the third quarter. Daaaamn.

What makes it hit deeper is the memory of what this quarter used to be. There was a time when halftime leads against Golden State felt temporary, even when they were big. JJ Redick once talked about sitting in a locker room up 20 and feeling uneasy. Not because of what had happened, but because of what was coming.

The third quarter wasn’t just where the Warriors pulled away. Rather, it was where they made teams understand the game was over.

Klay Thompson scoring 37 in a quarter.
Steph Curry outscoring an entire Pelicans team by himself.
Four seasons of a +16.7 third-quarter net rating that made even the 73-win dominance feel explainable.

They went beyond winning the minutes; they broke teams in them with sheer joy and execution.

Now the numbers tell the opposite story. Golden State sits at a –1.8 third-quarter net rating on the season, 18th in the league, on a team that is exactly neutral overall. The obvious explanation is also the incomplete one. Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody have their knees encased in carbonite. The depth that used to carry the system through all 48 minutes has thinned out to the point where the third quarter asks for something the roster can’t consistently give.

The dynasty version of this team spent two quarters applying pressure and then made you pay for it when your legs went. This version absorbs that pressure and runs out of answers when the game tightens. Kerr sees it. But there are seven games left, and the math hasn’t closed yet. If this team is going to extend its season at all, it won’t come from rediscovering who they used to be. It’ll come from surviving the stretch that keeps ending them.The third quarter used to reveal the Warriors at their most inevitable. Now it’s where everything unravels.

With some health and some resilience, they’ll be able to go find new ways of third quarter balling. I think?

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“No, I think it’s all an individual sport,” Jannik Sinner says, chuckling quietly, as he reflects on another triumphant fortnight at the Miami Open after his efficient win over Jiri Lehecka. Sinner had been asked whether he was aware that his win meant the maintenance of one of the defining records of this new era of men’s tennis: since the Madrid Open in April 2024, every tournament with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz present has been won by either player. The duopoly continues.

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