LeBron James goes up for a dunk against the Houston Rockets in the first half. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
The combination of Luka Doncic and LeBron James was overpowering and enthralling for all to see during the Lakers’ dynamic 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday.
Doncic was masterful with his near triple-double of 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“I thought he definitely put on a clinic down the stretch,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Whether it was in isolation, versus fires in isolations, versus the shock with (Alperen) Segun, he just got us good offense whether for himself or for his teammates every single time down the floor….We moved the basketball, so that kind of got us going and then when Luka came back in he was just fantastic.”
James was a force with 30 points, five rebounds and two assists.
He was super efficient, missing just one of his 14 shots and making both of his three-pointers.
“Look, he was awesome tonight and I think two, part of the evolution of him on this team has been, particularly in this stretch, it’s just been his patience,” Redick said. “His patience, knowing he’s going to get the ball and he’s going to have transition opportunities and he’s going to have plays called for him and he’s going to play off-ball and get a corner three…He was great.”
The tremendous play of Doncic and James is why the Lakers extended their winning streak to seven straight games and helped them take the three-game series over the Rockets, 2-1, winning both games here, one on Monday night.
And because Doncic and James were clutch down the stretch when the Lakers leaned on them to be clutch, they are the third-place team in the rugged Western Conference, holding a 1-½ lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“You know, when you win, everything is easier,” Doncic said. “Winning is fun. So, just the way we play, I think it's a lot of fun. And that's what we just do, we win, have a good time.”
Doncic had 10 points and three assists in the fourth quarter.
But the beauty of the night was when Doncic threw a no-look lob pass to James for a dunk and then when Doncic drilled a three-pointer with 58.4 seconds left for a 120-111 Lakers lead.
Doncic yelled at the crowd and ran down court shaking his head. When the Rockets called a time out, the Lakers bench all ran over to Doncic, hugging him, slapping him and James nudging him for a job very well done.
Doncic was asked what the fan said to set him off.
“I don't know, some guy. Some guy was talking crazy,” Doncic said. “Showed me his... I don't know. Nevermind.”
Doncic speaks several languages, including English and his native Slovenian.
He was asked what language he spoke when talking to the fan.
“Off the camera, it was in English,” he said. “I made sure he understand.”
Luka Doncic celebrates after making a three-pointer against the Houston Rockets in the first half. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
James had a steal in the first quarter and then threw down a dunk with Alperen Segen chasing him, leading to James to stare at Segun as he ran back down court, drawing cheers from the fans in awe at witnessing the 23-year veteran still making highlight plays at 41.
Early in the second quarter, James gave the fans even more to cheer about, catching a high lob pass from Marcus Smart and throwing down a one-handed dunk to oohs and aahs.
James wasn’t done, taking a pass from Jake LaRavia and throwing down another dunk later in the second quarter that brought the crowd out of its seats. That play gave the Lakers a 13-point lead.
James was at it again with a tip dunk off a Deandre Ayton missed shot late in the second quarter.
By the end of the first half, James had made all eight of his shots and scored 18 points in carrying the Lakers to a 12-point lead after the first 24 minutes of the game.
"Right now, I feel like...." James said after the game. ‘’Right now. But in the game I felt pretty good. Before the game I didn't feel that great. I mean, I was yawning and tired and telling myself I was literally, just like talking to myself like, ‘Come on, here we go. Let's figure it out. Let's get through it.' But I felt pretty good in the game and like I said I'm happy to make a few plays to help our team win."
In many ways, it was easy to understand why he felt that way. He had just played in his 1,610th career NBA game, leaving him one shy of the all-time record held by Robert Parish (1,611).
So, James was asked, where did he find the energy to play 34 minutes and six seconds in such a high-level and intense game.
"I mean, if I'm in uniform I got to try to see what I can give,” James said. “And that's where it stems from."
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers extend their winning streak to seven with a Luka Dončić second-half masterclass for a second-straight win over the Houston Rockets, 124-116, on Wednesday night.
The game began with LeBron James draining a 3-pointer for LA. Amen Thompson responded on the other end with a dunk. LeBron knocked down another triple, making him the leading scorer for Los Angeles with six. Deandre Ayton was off to a strong start with four points.
At the 6:30 mark, the purple and gold were up by two.
Luka Dončić had a slow start to the game, missing his first shot attempts and going 0-3 from the charity stripe after he was fouled from behind the arc. He finally saw the ball go through the hoop at the 4:57 mark on a 3-pointer. Rui Hachimura came in and drained a triple as well.
The Lakers were shooting 60% from behind the arc.
The Lakers hold a 24-21 lead at the 2:44 mark of the 1st Q, riding a good start from 3 (4 for 8) relative to Houston (1 for 3).
The Rockets do have a 3-1 edge on the offensive glass already, an area of concern for every team against Houston.
Luka and Luke Kennard combined for a quick eight points, extending LA’s lead. Dončić closed Los Angeles’ strong first quarter with a 3-pointer that gave them a nine-point lead.
The second period began with Thompson being fouled and converting on both free throw attempts. After both teams had consecutively turned the ball over, Marcus Smart had the ball and threw an alley-oop to LeBron for the emphatic dunk. Jake LaRavia knocked down a triple for LA.
LeBron then dunked again, for what felt like the 15th time in the first half.
Houston called a timeout as Los Angeles’ lead grew to double figures. Out of the break, the Rockets scored four in a row. Ayton continued his dominant play, pouring in four more points. Kevin Durant only had two shot attempts so far in the half.
At the 2:23 mark, the Lakers were up by seven.
Los Angeles closed the half fantastically, on the shoulders of LeBron, who was now a perfect eight for eight from the field. Luka converted on a three-point play that put the purple and gold up by 12 at halftime.
What a half to come out and punch a team that desperately needs this one.
The second half started with Durant scoring five in a row for the Rockets. Houston had a great start to the quarter with a 9-2 scoring run that cut the deficit down to one.
After a dunk by Durant, the Rockets were up by one. Thompson was now at 18 points. Jabari Smith Jr. was also cooking for Houston with 13 points.
Austin Reaves’ night was rough, scoring just five points so far.
LA called a timeout, and after the break, Los Angeles turned the ball over. On the other end, Alperen Sengun scored on a jumpshot. Smart converted on a midrange jumper to stop some of the bleeding for the Lakers.
Durant was now in double figures with 11 points.
The Rockets jumped ahead by four. LA did end up tying the game thanks to LeBron converting on a three-point play, but Houston responded by extending their lead to four again. The rest of the quarter saw Luka trying to keep Los Angeles within striking distance. Going into the fourth, the Lakers were down by three.
The final frame began with Reaves draining a much-needed triple for him and the team. LaRavia then stole the ball and dunked, giving LA the lead. LeBron then blocked Smith Jr., leading to a layup by Reaves. Sengun stopped the 9-0 run with a pair of free throws.
Houston tied the game with a dunk by Thompson.
Los Angeles then scored six in a row for a six-point lead. The Rockets were forced to call a timeout. Out of the break, Smith Jr. scored on a midrange jumper. Houston then jumped into the lead by one with 6:57 left.
The Rockets were on a 9-0 scoring run with a three-point lead. LeBron converted on a jumper to make it a one-point game. Bothteams exchanged the lead and tied it back and forth. Luka and Rui Hachimura drained triples, helping put LA up by four.
After the Rockets made it a two-point game, Los Angeles erupted to make it a nine-point lead. Luka orchestrated this massive clutch run, connecting with Hachimura and LeBron for dunks. He also drained a ridiculous 3-pointer that sealed the win.
Luka finished with 40 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. LeBron James ended with 30 points and five rebounds. Austin Reaves had 14 points with eight assists.
Ayton pitched in with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Kennard had five points off the bench. Smart grabbed three rebounds, dished four dimes and had two steals. LaRavia logged five points with three rebounds and two assists. Hachimura notched eight points with three rebounds.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Miami Heat on Thursday at 5:00 PM PT.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ty Jerome had 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as the Memphis Grizzlies snapped their eight-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 125-118 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 19 points and GG Jackson added 16 for the injury-depleted Grizzlies (24-44), who are 4-15 in their last 19 games after winning for the first time since March 1 at Indiana.
Cedric Coward provided 15 points and seven rebounds. Taylor Hendricks scored 13 off the bench and made six of Memphis' 12 steals as the Nuggets (42-28) committed 19 turnovers in the makeup of a game postponed Jan. 25 because of bad weather.
Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists for Denver, just missing his sixth triple-double in the past eight games — although he did rack up 10 turnovers.
Christian Braun scored 26 points and Cameron Johnson added 20. Jamal Murray had 19 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.
Denver remained percentage points behind Houston for fifth place in the Western Conference and fell a game behind fourth-place Minnesota.
On the second night of a back-to-back for the Nuggets, forward Aaron Gordon sat out to manage a hamstring injury. Denver beat Philadelphia 124-96 at home Tuesday night.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks is defended by Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at American Airlines Center on March 18, 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
CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 24 points, while Jalen Johnson almost had a triple double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Daniel Gafford came off the bench to lead Dallas in scoring with 23 points.
There wasn’t a lot of defense in this one, as the Mavericks continue to get closer to the end of another losing season. New Orleans and Memphis won tonight, so great game for the tanking standings.
Let’s just get to the numbers.
72: Hawks points in the paint
After giving up 68 paint points to the lowly Pelicans on Monday night, Dallas followed that up by allowing an egregious 72 paint points to the Hawks. Dallas can’t guard a wet paper bag right now.
The Maverick started the small-ball lineup again, and it was just a sieve from opening tip. PJ Washington is a decent rim protector for a wing, but as the sole backline defender, it’s just not enough. Combine that with 5’11 Ryan Nembhard playing a lot, and the Mavericks have little-to-none in regards to defensive resistance.
Not much else to say about this. Dallas just doesn’t have enough good defenders combined with the fact that the team doesn’t really have anything else left to play for. Not a great combination.
4: Combined steals, blocks for Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg didn’t have a good offensive game, but he at least made a handful of splashy defensive plays. Flagg finished with two steals and two blocks.
The Mavericks didn’t have a lot of defensive moments in this one (see the above stat), but Flagg at least had a few off-ball havoc generating plays. It was fun!
2-for-10: Combined 3 point shooting for Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall
Dallas is starting small and getting Ryan Nembhard into the lineup to help juice an anemic offense and take some pressure off of Cooper Flagg. However there’s one problem small-ball doesn’t really solve: three of the Mavericks best players can’t really shoot.
Washington was at least 2-of-6 from three, but Flagg and Marshall were a combined 0-for-4. If Dallas wants to keep Marshall and Washington around for the foreseeable future to play with Flagg, they either have to improve as shooters or coach Jason Kidd has to split up their minutes. It’s really hard to play three shooters the defense don’t respect on the floor at the same time, and that will only ratchet up when/if Kidd returns to play a center full time again.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 13: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch during the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves on March 13, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, FL. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Didier Fuentes is doing his best to make his case for the Opening Day roster, as he is lighting up the radar gun and opposing hitters this spring. He has currently pitched 9.0 scoreless innings with 17(!!!) strikeouts and 0 walks, which is just preposterous stuff even in a small sample against varied levels of competition. He is relying heavily on his four-seam fastball, which has been sitting 96-97, with his slider as his clear second pitch and a few sinkers mixed in to round out his arsenal. An argument could certainly be made on merit for carrying him on the Opening Day roster as a starter or bullpen option, but there is another argument for giving him a little time to continue refining those secondary pitches before he is inevitably needed at the major league level later this season. That combination of stuff and command has Didier with a lethal look about him though. It will be interesting to see what the front office decides, as these roster decisions are rapidly approaching.
BravesVision formally announced their broadcast crew, which is largely the same crew that already existed for the local broadcast, with Paul Byrd returning to supplement the sideline coverage and Charlie Culberson joining the post-game crew.
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
New York Sports+ | Joel Sherman ($): Gerrit Cole finally threw a pitch in anger. 54 weeks after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner returned to the mound with a spring start against the Red Sox yesterday. He threw just 10 pitches in a clean inning, but his fastball velo looked hot. There’s a way to go in the rehab process yet, but we got a good first step out of the way on Wednesday.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: We have two stories filed by Gary today, the first talking with Oswaldo Cabrera about the importance of Venezuela’s World Baseball Classic victory. Cabrera wasn’t on the roster for his country of course, but the meaning of such an upset win reverberates nonetheless. Hosting a watch party in Tampa, Oswaldo was openly shedding tears of joy over the accomplishment of his countrymen, and hopefully seeing that kind of international performance serves as inspiration for a player at the bubble of the Yankee 26-man roster.
Sports Info Solutions | Mark Simon: Part of SIS’ spring preview series, let’s delve into whether the Yankees are a good defensive team. The left side of the infield should be solid, with Ryan McMahon, José Caballero, and eventually Anthony Volpe all more than competent, but the steps backward that presumptive center fielder Trent Grisham took in 2025 could be a defensive vulnerability.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Carlos Lagrange has been one of the revelations out of camp, and while the massive right-hander may still need some time with Triple-A Scranton to start the year, it shouldn’t surprise any of us if he finds his way to the Bronx this year. The Yankees are already publicly admitting that he’s major-league ready, so it seems its just a matter of time before a roster slot opens and we see that 101 mph heater in pinstripes.
It seems that on a nightly basis, the no-quit attitude of the Pittsburgh Penguins is on full display, even when they're pretty much down and out of a hockey game.
Well, that was certainly the case on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins - with captain Sidney Crosby in their lineup for the first time since before the Olympic break - had absolutely nothing in the first two periods of this game. They were turning pucks over left and right, getting completely caved in by Carolina's forecheck, and leaving goaltender Stuart Skinner out to dry.
By all measures, it was nothing short of a miracle that the Penguins were only down by a goal - a 2-1 score - heading into the third period. Skinner was responsible for that, as he was brilliant when he had to be in this game to give his team a chance.
And even if the Penguins ended up on the wrong side of an overtime result yet again, the third period was one for the ages - and just another example of the character present in this group of players.
Pittsburgh lost to Carolina, 6-5, on an overtime goal by defenseman Sean Walker with just 29 seconds remaining in the extra frame. However, this was only after a third period that saw the Penguins finally come to life, as they registered five goals and kept finding ways to bounce back, even when Carolina struck.
To say things started out messy and awful for the Penguins is an understatement. After coming out of the gate pretty strong, Pittsburgh was rewarded with a power play opportunity approaching the midway point of the first, and almost right away, Carolina forward Jordan Martinook took it back the other way and scored a shorthanded goal to give the Canes a 1-0 lead.
The Penguins were awful the rest of the period, and the second was no different. Crosby did score halfway through the second to even the score at 1-1, but Carolina kept coming, and they got it back seven minutes later when Jackson Blake put one home to restore a one-goal lead for the Hurricanes.
Then, at the end of the second, Crosby and Andrei Svechnikov were going at it, and Svechnikov got the extra penalty for holding the stick. Jordan Staal took a tripping penalty less than 30 seconds into the third, and the Penguins found themselves on a five-on-three opportunity for a minute and a half.
And that's when the Penguins' best player since at least the Olympic break really took over. Erik Karlsson scored the equalizer with a slapshot bomb from the point for his second point of the game, but Carolina's Taylor Hall got the lead back for the Canes less than three minutes later to make it 3-2.
That was only the beginning of the crazy, too. Less than four minutes later, Bryan Rust found himself on a breakaway opportunity, and he buried it to knot things up yet again. But, again, Logan Stankoven scored on the power play with seven minutes to go in regulation to put Carolina up, 4-3.
But Karlsson struck again. Less than two minutes after the Stankoven goal, Karlsson made a fantastic keep with his foot at the offensive blue line, and the puck found its way back to his stick off a feed from defense partner Parker Wotherspoon. Karlsson undressed Sebastian Aho before finding his way to the slot, where he buried a scorching wrister to tie the game at 4-4.
Then, just 23 seconds later, Anthony Mantha found rookie Ben Kindel breaking into the offensive zone, and with Shayne Gostisbehere on his heels, he was able to beat Frederik Andersen and give the Penguins their first lead of the game at 5-4 with 4:51 remaining in regulation.
It was definitely setting up to be a feel-good win for the Penguins, who came back resoundingly after starting the game with one of their worst efforts of the season. Skinner made another unbelievable save Superman-style shortly after to preserve the one-goal lead for the Penguins.
Unfortunately, the craziness continued, but this time, not to the Penguins’ benefit. With under three minutes to go in regulation, K’Andre Miller found the back of the net in the form of a deflection to tie it up at 5-5 and force overtime, where both teams controlled at various points but the Canes got the last laugh with the Walker goal.
Of course, getting two points at this time of year is paramount, especially with the Columbus Blue Jackets just three points behind and out of the playoffs and the New York Islanders just one point back. However, it’s tough to be disappointed in the result, especially in a game where the Penguins probably had no business earning any points.
Win, lose, it doesn’t matter - these Penguins fight to the death, and they aren’t going away.
Here are just a few quick thoughts and takeaways from this entertaining slugfest of a game:
_ I don’t know what else to say about Karlsson right now.
This guy is fourth in the NHL in points (17 points in 11 games) since the Olympic break behind only Nikita Kucherov, Martin Necas, and Connor McDavid. Yes, you read that right.
And if you’re watching Karlsson, the points don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what he’s meant to the Penguins this season and down the stretch run. He’s making defensive plays. He’s been outstanding on the penalty kill. He’s unchained and allowing himself to play to his ability to create offense and use his skating and vision to his advantage.
Karlsson has been magnificent, and I do not think the Penguins are a playoff-bound team without him this season. He’s been the best version of himself since 2017 with the Ottawa Senators, and he has been this team’s MVP this season.
Put your hand up if you're grateful for Erik Karlsson 🖐️
Most Points Since Olympic Break: Nikita Kucherov - 20 Martin Necas - 19 Connor McDavid - 19 Erik Karlsson - 17
_ As for the MVP of this game? Karlsson has a case. But I’ve got to give this to Skinner.
It’s not often that you say a goaltender was outstanding when they surrender six goals. But he was. In fact, the Hurricanes would have put up double digits had he not been spectacular.
Carolina scored six times because the Penguins’ defense was that atrocious in front of Skinner. Not because of Skinner. He was great in this game, and he continues to be serviceable for the Penguins.
_ Crosby didn’t look the least bit rusty in this game. There were a few instances of misplays defensively - which, to be honest, has been an issue for his entire line this season - but he, by and large, looked 100 percent in this one.
The Penguins were actually playing well without Crosby, but having him back in the lineup sure was noticeable. It allowed 26-goal Mantha to slide back down to the third line, and he, Kindel, and Justin Brazeau clicked again immediately.
The depth of this lineup is much more evident with its best player back, and it certainly makes the Penguins a four-line matchup nightmare for most teams.
_ Kris Letang’s play as of late has been concerning. He simply cannot do very much right at the moment, and it is hurting the Penguins.
He was only credited with one giveaway against the Hurricanes, but it went beyond that. He was losing puck battles all night. His passes were errant. His decision-making was slow, and a processing delay was evident. It’s been like this for most of the season, aside from a stretch with left-side blueliner Brett Kulak, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers but sent to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Sam Girard and a second-round pick later on.
Honestly, yes, the trade made sense. Girard is younger, has more offensive upside, and the Penguins recouped that second-rounder out of it, too. But Kulak was getting the best out of Letang we’ve seen this season, and they’re a pairing that just clicked.
I think that trade is the only thing that may come close to a bit of a blip on Kyle Dubas’s radar this season.
Mar 18, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) skates with the puck past Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
_ Well, the Penguins ended their hardest road trip of the entire 2025-26 season with six out of 10 points.
Not bad at all.
But things don’t get any easier for the rest of the month. The Penguins will take on the climbing Winnipeg Jets, then the Hurricanes again, and then the Avalanche again before playing the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, Islanders, and Detroit Red Wings to close out March.
The Islanders are just one point back of the Penguins, and the Jackets are three points behind. They both play Thursday, and the Penguins don’t. This race is tight. Very tight. But, for Penguins’ fans, I’m sure it’s nice to care about the outcomes of each of these games at this time of year again.
This team has something special about it, and I do believe they can make a run if they can get to the dance. But, alas, they still have to get there first, and - even if they have the tiebreakers and are in the advantageous position right now - it’s still going to be an adrenaline-rushed race to the finish line.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Dontae Horne scored 25 points and Cory Wells had 19 as Prairie View A&M earned its first NCAA Tournament victory, 67-55 over Lehigh on Wednesday night in the First Four.
Lance Williams added 10 points for the Panthers (19-17), who are making their third tournament appearance. They advance as the No. 16 seed in the South Region to face top seed and defending national champion Florida on Friday in Tampa, Florida.
Lehigh leading scorer Nasir Whitlock went scoreless for more than 26 minutes and finished with five points. He was 2-of-15 shooting.
The last time Whitlock did not reach double figures was Nov. 9, when he had two points in a 69-47 loss at West Virginia.
Hank Alvey led Lehigh (18-17) with 23 points.
MIAMI (OHIO) 89, SMU 79
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Eian Elmer scored 22 points and Miami (Ohio) beat SMU for its first NCAA Tournament victory in 27 years.
Elmer went 6 of 9 from 3-point range as the 11th-seeded RedHawks (32-1), unbeaten during the regular season, advanced in the Midwest Region to play No. 6 seed Tennessee.
Brant Byers added 19 points, including four 3s, and Luke Skaljac had 17 for Miami, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. The RedHawks finished 16 of 41 from 3-point range.
Jaden Toombs led SMU (20-14) with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 18 points and Boopie Miller had 15 for the Mustangs.
Jonathan Kuminga was trying to throw a first court pass to teammate Jock Landale at the end of the third quarter in the Atlanta Hawks vs. Dallas Mavericks game on Wednesday night when something amazing happened: he accidentally hit one of the longest shots in NBA history.
Kuminga couldn’t believe it, and immediately put his hands on his head in shock. Landale instinctively held his arms close to his chest so that no one could accuse him of interfering with the ball. The Hawks are living right at the moment — their 135-120 win over Dallas was their 11th straight victory — and this shot proves it.
You need to see every angle of Kuminga’s shot. Fortunately, this video that the Hawks — or excuse me, the HaWWWWWWWWWWWs — tweeted during the win has them all. This is the eighth longest shot in NBA history, and Kuminga didn’t even mean to hit it. Unbelievable.
The Hawks got Kuminga at the trade deadline. I liked the move better for the Golden State Warriors at the time with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, but it’s clear Kuminga really just needed a change of scenery. Kuminga had 16 points and five rebounds off the bench in the win. His numbers are a little better so far in Atlanta in similar minutes, and it will be fascinating to see if he’s part of their long-term plans this summer.
Either way, Kuminga already has a legendary moment as a Hawk. Atlanta may never lose again if they’re making shots like this.
We really needed more proof, huh? Well, now we have it.
Miami (Ohio) belongs.
Not just in the First Four, but in the 64-team bracket most of us consider to be the real tournament.
The selection committee put Miami on the doorstep. Good enough. The RedHawks moved SMU out of the way and busted down the door en route to the first round.
In winning a First Four game, 89-79, with blistering shooting, Miami served more proof – seriously, why did anyone think we needed more proof? – that the best midmajor teams belong in the NCAA Tournament, even if they don’t win their conference tournament.
Miami poured in the points and buried one 3-pointer after another, one night after Texas and N.C. State piled up bricks. As Miami’s fans reveled in the stands after the latest deep bomb, it occurred to me that this was the most entertaining the First Four has ever been in 15 years of its existence in Dayton, Ohio.
Bruce Pearl pretends he 'expected' this performance from Miami (Ohio)
And all Bruce Pearl could do was chuckle like a cartoon character at halftime, with a silly grin on his face, after Miami drilled 10 first-half 3-pointers.
“This is kind of what we expected to see,” Pearl said.
Sure you did, Bruce.
Some of us might have expected this, but you didn’t. At least, Pearl acted as if he didn’t think much of Miami as he shilled for Auburn, which employs Pearl and his son.
Using his TNT-provided stage as a pulpit for propaganda, Pearl repeatedly trashed Miami leading up to the Tournament, shamelessly feigning that an Auburn team (coached by Pearl’s son, I’m sure that’s a coincidence) that barely finished above .500 would make a worthy tournament pick, while pretending Miami might finish last in the Big East.
That was a bigger load of bull even than anything Pearl’s ever told the NCAA.
Pearl couldn’t possibly have believed half the hogwash he served. He’s a lot of things, but he’s no idiot.
Still, Pearl’s relentless scrutiny of Miami kicked a hornet’s nest. More loons came out of the woodwork to question whether a 31-1 team deserved a bid, or whether it should go to a 12th-place team from a Power conference amid a woefully weak bubble.
Well, now Miami’s 32-1, after lighting up a Power Four opponent that couldn’t duck them.
Miami (Ohio) continues legacy of midmajor upsets in March Madness
And, we shouldn’t be surprised. We’ve seen this repeatedly, and not just from Miami. The best midmajors belong – of course they do. They don’t always prevail, but they win often enough in these games that nobody could have possibly believed Pearl’s nonsense that a Division I team with 30-plus victories would finish last in a Big East that’s not very good.
Miami answered all the naysayers, so emphatically that there’s really only one question left: How far can it go?
Consider No. 6 Tennessee on upset alert.
Who can forget VCU, in 2011, going from First Four to Final Four?
Wally Szczerbiak, anyone? The RedHawks of Wally World reached the Sweet 16 in 1999 as a 10-seed.
Or, how about Manhattan? The Jaspers were the last-team-in to what was then a 64-team bracket in 1995. Fran Fraschilla’s team, seeded No. 13, toppled Oklahoma.
“The tournament selection committee (is) not as dumb as people think,” Fraschillatold reporters afterward, adding that “it is nice to show people we deserve to be here and can play with anyone.”
The best midmajors keep proving that, too, even as their credentials are questioned.
Power Four teams hesitate to play teams like Miami in the regular season, and the little guy’s strength of schedule suffers, even as wins pile up. But, there’s no ducking the Miamis of the world in March, at least so long as the selection committee keeps recognizing that winning nearly all of your games warrants a bid, no matter what the bobbleheads say.
The late Billy Packer just about lost it on Selection Sunday in 2006 when George Mason slipped in as an at-large 11-seed. After George Mason rattled off four straight wins to reach the Final Four, in one of the greatest Cinderella stories ever, Patriots fans chanted Packer’s name.
And in the second half of this game, a pro-Miami crowd going bananas in the stands chanted, “Let’s go RedHawks! Let’s go RedHawks!”
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kaemyn Bekemeier had 22 points and 13 rebounds on Wednesday night, Lainie Douglas added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Missouri State beat Stephen F. Austin 85-75 at the women's First Four.
No. 16 seed Missouri State (23-12), which has won at least one game in each of its last four NCAA Tournament appearances, plays top-seeded Texas in the Round of 64 on Friday.
Missouri State shot 48% (33 of 69) and outrebounded SFA 50-30 to overcome 19 turnovers, which the Ladyjacks converted into 22 points.
Stephen F. Austin (25-10) has lost eight consecutive NCAA Tournament games since a 73-72 first-round win over Xavier in 2000.
Missouri State used a 9-0 run to take the lead for good late in the first half. Angel Scott capped the spurt with a 3-pointer that made it 45-37 with 1:55 to go in the second quarter.
Ashlyn Traylor-Walker scored 23 points and Aziyah Farrier had 13 points and nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals for SFA. Harmanie Dominguez hit three 3-pointers and finished with nine points. Dominguez extended her program record for single-season 3s made to 100 — third most in Division I this season.
Maiesha Washington scored 18 points, Kendal Brueggen had 13 points and nine rebounds and Faith Lee added 10 points for the Lady Bears.
Scott, who finished with three points, played two seasons for the Ladyjacks, helping them advance to the 2022 NCAA Tournament and the 2023 WNIT.
The Lady Bears are in the Big Dance for the 18th time and first since 2022, when they beat Florida State 61-50 in the First Four before losing 63-56 to Ohio State in the Round of 64.
Up next
Missouri State will try Friday to snap third-ranked Texas' seven-game win streak.
The Fenway Sports Group, which is a business partner of LeBron James, is not expected to pursue the potential NBA Las Vegas expansion team, according to a report by The Athletic.
Las Vegas and Seattle are expected to be serious contenders for new NBA expansion teams.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the league will hold a vote at the board of governors meeting next week regarding the addition of new expansion teams in those respective cities. If approved, the league would target the start of the 2028-29 season as the first year of play for the new teams.
James had stated publicly for the past decade that he would be interested in joining the likes of Michael Jordan as a former player who became an NBA owner. In more recent years, he has especially expressed interest in owning a team in Las Vegas.
But with Fenway Sports Group "no longer pursuing NBA ownership, it is less likely that LeBron will pursue a team," The Athletic reported, citing a source.
The 22-time All-Star is currently playing his 23rd season and has not publicly decided on his future. He signed a multi-year contract with the Lakers in 2024 and is in the final year of that deal.
James began his partnership with FSG in 2021, making him a part-owner of several organizations, including the Boston Red Sox and the Liverpool Football Club.
DALLAS (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 24 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 22, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 135-120 on Wednesday night for their 11th straight win.
Dyson Daniels had 19 points on 9 for 13 shooting and Jalen Johnson scored 17 points with 11 rebounds for the Hawks, who at 38-31 are in the middle of the race for a play-in playoff spot.
Atlanta hasn’t won at least 11 in a row since winning a franchise-record 19 straight during the 2014-2015 season. Their current streak is tied for the fourth-longest winning streak in club history.
Daniel Gafford came off the bench to lead the Mavericks with 24, P.J. Washington had 23 and Cooper Flagg added 17.
The Mavericks have now lost 11 of their last 13 and appear destined for the draft lottery at 23-47.
Atlanta's Onyeka Okongwo scored the first 10 points of the game and the Hawks never trailed. The score was 67-56 by halftime.
The Mavericks turned the ball over 18 times, seven more times than the Hawks.
Jonathan Kuminga hit a 75-foot basket in the win, the longest basket by a Hawk in the play-by-play era and the sixth-longest among all players in the play-by-play era since 1997-98, according to Elias Sports. The previous longest made basket by a Hawk was a 63-foot bucket by Jason Terry on Jan. 5, 2000.
Up next
Hawks: At Houston on Friday night.
Mavericks: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.
With the Major League spring camps winding down, the Minor Leagues will take over the training complexes for their respective teams. To begin that transition, MLB is hosting the third annual Spring Breakout Series in the spring facilities of all 30 MLB clubs. There will be eight games in both the Cactus League and Grapefruit League complexes, with 91 of the top 100 prospects on rosters for the games.
The following is the schedule, with times (ET) and TV coverage:
Thursday, March 19
Marlins at Astros, 12:05 p.m. ET (Space City Home Network)
Phillies at Twins, 1:05 p.m. ET (MLBN, MNNT & Amazon)
Reds at Giants, 9:05 p.m. ET (MLBN, NBC Sports Bay Area & Amazon)
Guardians at Angels, 1 p.m. ET (MLB App)
Nationals at Cardinals, 4:30 p.m. ET (MLB App)
Rays at Mets, 7:10 p.m. ET (MLBN, SNY & Amazon)
Friday, March 20
Royals at Rangers, 4 p.m. ET (Rangers Sports Network & Amazon)
Mariners at Brewers, 5:10 p.m. ET (MLBN)
Red Sox at Orioles, 6:05 p.m. ET (MASN)
Tigers at Pirates, 7:35 p.m. ET (MLBN, SNP & Amazon)
Saturday, March 21
Blue Jays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. ET (MLBN, NBC Sports Philadelphia & Amazon)
White Sox at Dodgers, 6:30 p.m. ET (MLBN, CHSN & Amazon)
Braves at Yankees, 6:35 p.m. ET (YES)
Rockies at Diamondbacks, 8 p.m. ET (MLB App)
Padres at Cubs, 9:05 p.m. ET (Marquee)
Sunday, March 22
Brewers at Athletics, 4:05 p.m. ET (MLBN & Amazon)
The Padres will play the Chicago Cubs on March 21 at 6:05 p.m. PT at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. Their trimmed roster was announced today and represents many of the top prospects in the system. Top pitching prospect LHP Kruz Schoolcraft will join the 2024 draft LHP Kash Mayfield and RHP Miguel Mendez as three of the top four Padres prospects on the roster. They are joined by catcher Ethan Salas, who rounds out the top five with pitcher Humberto Cruz (No. 5) recovering from elbow surgery this season.
PITCHERS (13) Jaxon Dalena, RHP, No. 30 Clay Edmondson, RHP, NR Harry Gustin, LHP, NR Luis Gutierrez, LHP, No. 20 Garrett Hawkins, RHP, No. 14 Kannon Kemp, RHP, No. 19 Josh Mallitz, RHP, NR Kash Mayfield, LHP, No. 4 Miguel Mendez, RHP, No. 3 Johan Moreno, RHP, NR Kleiber Olmedo, RHP, NR Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, No. 1/MLB No. 88 Lan-Hong Su, RHP, No. 18
CATCHERS (4) Brendan Durfee, C, NR Ty Harvey, C, No. 8 Truitt Madonna, C, No. 24 Ethan Salas, C, No. 2
INFIELDERS (6) Kale Fountain, 1B/3B, No. 10 Dylan Grego, SS, NR Ryan Jackson, SS, NR Jorge Quintana, SS/3B, No. 7 Romeo Sanabria, 1B, No. 28 Jose Verdugo, SS, NR
Tune in on Padres.TV/MLB.com, MLB app and SDPA for the Padres coverage. Marquee will carry the game for the Cubs.
Other notable prospects
Taiwanese pitcher Lan-Hong Su has been added to the prospects in Arizona. He will begin his US career on a minor league team or with the Arizona Complex League this summer. At 19, there is still growth that needs to occur before the organization gets a real feel for who he will become but his promise is significant.
When the Padres traded Brandon Lockridge to Milwaukee for Nestor Cortes, shortstop Jorge Quintana and cash. The majority of Padres fans probably didn’t realize the prize of that trade is Quintana. Currently ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the system, Quintana is 18 and has raw skills. If unable to stick at shortstop he could move to third and still be a valuable player in the system.
Catcher Ethan Salas needs to step forward this year in order to maintain any prospect status but the Padres remain high on the 19-year-old. He is joined on this roster by two other catchers drafted in the 2025 draft who could become average to above-average backstops in time, Ty Harvey and Truitt Madonna.
First baseman Romeo Sanabria has distinguished himself in Padres camp with his bat and solid defense. Infielder Kale Fountain is the other bat to watch in the lineup, his power potential is still to develop but was the reason he was drafted by the organization.
This will be the final year for this format as the new approach next year, if there is a spring training next year, will be totally different. This information was covered in the preview post on Gaslamp Ball.
Plantar fasciitis has ended Egor Dëmin’s rookie season.
A successful procedure has the Nets guard already looking toward the offseason.
“Everything went well, and now it’s just the process of rehab and getting back on the court as soon as the season ends, as we planned,” Dëmin, 20, said in his first comments since being shut down. “Hopefully everything’s going to go in the right direction and I’ll be able to get back to work as soon as I can.”
Neither Dëmin nor Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernández would specify exactly what procedure the Russian guard underwent on his left foot, other than to say it was successful.
“Cortisone is typically the first line of injection treatment, but sometimes people utilize alternative types of injections like platelets [PRP] or stem cells or amniotic tissue injections,” Dr. Andrew Brief of the Ridgewood Orthopedic Group told The Post about the plethora of non-surgical options available to Dëmin.
“PRP most likely is in the treatment algorithm if someone hasn’t responded to everything else.”
Dëmin, who was Brooklyn’s first lottery pick in 15 years, has been dealing with the issue since last offseason, and it has cropped up on and off during his rookie campaign.
“[The procedure] was successful. I’m not qualified to explain exactly what it was, but it was to make his plantar fasciitis better and find the best way for him to take the next step and get stronger,” Fernández said before his tanking Nets suffered a 121-92 blowout loss to the defending champion Thunder at Barclays Center. “So it went well, and he’ll be ready to go at some point in the offseason, which is great because then you have all this time to work, get better and go into summer league.
Egor Dëmin, who is out for the season with a left foot injury, poses for a picture during the Nets’ 121-92 blowout loss to the defending champion Thunder on March 18, 2026 at Barclays Center. NBAE via Getty Images
“Yeah, [summer league is the goal]. But right now, what we’re doing is — what’s the next step? Right now he’s not on the court, so I don’t think we’ll have any timeline; but that’s the idea, yeah, at some point.”
Dëmin averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds in a solid rookie campaign, the first Net since 2019 picked for the Rising Stars at All-Star Weekend.
He set an NBA rookie record by hitting a 3-pointer in 34 straight games. But eventually the plantar fasciitis took its toll.
“I just really want to play basketball. And sometimes for athletes, when you know you can run, that’s enough for you to just go and play, right?” Dëmin said. “And I don’t want to say people would let me go and play with injury; that’s not what I’m saying. It’s just about me trying my best to recover as fast as I can.
“And in the season, it’s pretty hard for me, being a rookie, being in the process of that many games for the first time. I did feel it at some point. Going to the All-Star, I’m like, ‘OK, it’s a privilege to be in All-Star Weekend.’ But I’m like, ‘OK, that’s another two days of some sort of work.’ So it’s just been a long season even though I didn’t finish it. So that’s a factor, not just for my foot, but for anybody in anything.
Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) is fouled by San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) during the second quarter. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Yeah, I’m taking this … I don’t want to say time off, but this time being off the court with a positive approach where I’ve really tried to take advantage of it, where I can have more time in the lifting room without worrying about being sore and not being able to play the same as I could. So I’m just trying to kill as much as I can right now [since] it’s not going to affect my game because I’m not playing. So there’s a lot of advantage from not playing, even though I really like basketball and I’d prefer to be [playing]. But everything is happening for a reason and I believe in it, and I’m trying to be intentional with whatever I have in front of me.”
