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_{I want to give a very quick shout-out to Jack Borman, who dealt with so many titles like this one and was a great sport through all of them. Everyone tag him with screenshots of this. @jrborman13 on Twitter}

It feels like blowout wins have been few and far between this year. I can’t actually speak to the truth of that statement, as much as I can speak to the “Vibes ™” but it just feels like it’s been an exhaustingly difficult year to be a Minnesota Timberwolves fan or reporter or whatever else you all out there might be.

The energy of this team was truly in the gutter at different points this year. Firing Chris Finch felt like the starting point for a mob of angry Twitterites, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade apparently nearly happened (or it was an insider trading scandal, que sera…), and the Wolves started their deadline by trading a first-round pick swap to get out of the luxury tax.

But tonight is the type of night where we remember that moments do not define a season as much as the sheer inevitability of time does.

Chris Finch has found his way back to who he was — even if it still includes too much of Mike Conley. Giannis and the NBPA are engaging the Milwaukee Bucks, not the Minnesota Timberwolves. Most importantly, however, the Wolves’ deadline did not end with a salary dump.

It’s hard to overstate just how much Ayo Dosumnu has changed the makeup of the Timberwolves rotation and roster outlook.

On a night without Jaden McDaniels, Dosumnu contributed a triple-double. During a stretch without Anthony Edwards, it was Ayo who was frequently holding the scoring load.

Julius Randle is Julius Randle. Anthony Edwards is Anthony Edwards. Rudy Gobert is Rudy Gobert. Ayo is none of them, but he provides something that the Wolves roster had suddenly become fully devoid of: malleability.

Part of the reason the start of this season was so miserable was that all of the quote-unquote “X-Factors” had failed to be, well, anything. TJ Shannon has been dreadful outside of an OK stretch recently that included that highlight steal. Jaylen Clark has the offensive consistency of a Katamari ball trying to pick up objects slightly too large for it. Rob Dillingham isn’t even on the team anymore!!

God, it gets worse. Bones Hyland is the only good surprise from this year’s starting roster, and it took months for Finch to even explore using him.

Hope is such a wonderful thing in basketball, and the Wolves had so little to hope for that it didn’t feel like the same thing all over again.

That’s what Ayo is. He is the Superman S. He is Driving Ms. Daisy. He is smiling in the sunlight.

Is that dramatic? Maybe, but why not be dramatic? For someone who was brought in as a replacement for the vibes and skillset that left when Nickeil Alexander-Walker travelled over to Atlanta, Ayo has been lovable as his own player.

What a player he is. A shooting guard who can play just enough point guard, a rebounder who flies down the court, and a tenacious defender despite his size. What a player, man, what a player.

He was not, however, the only player on the court tonight. Rudy Gobert had an excellent game. In a Wemby-less world (and for some of you, even in this world), he would be the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year once again. Instead, he’ll have to settle for being arguably the best center in Wolves history behind… Nikola Peković?

Despite the joking, tonight was the opposite of the Peković era Wolves or even of the Wolves of 2025’s winter start. They were balanced. While plus/minus is one of the most disingenuous stats out there, that column is greener than the true jerseys tonight.

So much has changed. The only thing buoying the early-season Wolves was their comparatively incredible injury luck. Now, even with all the outages and injuries to handle, the team feels like they’re in a much, much better place. They are now hitting their stride at the perfect time and are slated to face the Denver Nuggets for another matchup while they struggle to find any rhythm.

This has been who Minnesota has been for the past two years now. Maybe I’ll learn the lesson, not to worry so much in December when April is a mile away. Maybe I won’t, sports are a reactionary thing after all. But what is abundantly clear is that the Wolves always hit their stride in the months just before the games become even more serious. That is a sign of good coaching. It’s a sign of good roster management. Maybe it’s even a sign of a team that will, eventually, find its way over the hump.

Tonight, however, is just a regular-season matchup against a bad team. The Dallas Mavericks are not a real test of strength. That will come soon. If you all remember NAW’s coming out moment, his arrival into our collective hearts, then you should probably start clearing up the weeds for Ayo to take his own spot in the neighborhood.

Goodnight Wolves fans. Happy Monday. What a way to start the week. Nature calls.

Up Next

The Timberwolves get a couple of days off before taking on the Detroit Pistons on Thursday for the second time in three games. The Wolves struggled mightily against the Pistons last Saturday, putting up just 87 points without Edwards, McDaniels, or Dosunmu in the lineup.

Thursday’s game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM CT, airing on Amazon Prime Video.

Highlights

One of the defining traits of this Phoenix Suns team this season has been the personalities that shape it, the voices and energy that give it an identity night to night. And when you talk about the soul of this team, you do not have to search very hard to land on Dillon Brooks. He sets the tone. He brings the edge. He is the emotional current that runs through everything they do.

It has been a career year for Brooks. He is putting up 20.9 points in 30.6 minutes, adding 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and shooting 44% from the field. The production is there, but it is more than numbers. It is how he plays, how he competes, how he drags the team into the fight with him. And for more than a month now, that presence has been missing after he injured his left hand on February 21, only seven minutes into the game against Orlando.

Now, for the first time since that night, there is a shift. The injury designation no longer carries that same finality. Dillon Brooks is returning tomorrow night against the Magic, the very team he hurt his hand against.

It has not been an easy road. Surgery on his left hand, specifically the knuckle, put him on the sideline while the team tried to navigate a stretch filled with injuries across the roster. In the 50 games Brooks has played, the Suns are 30–20. Without him, things have been far less stable, the identity harder to hold onto, the edge harder to find. The team is 12-13 without him this year.

And now, with the postseason approaching, with a Play-In game looming at home, the timing matters. The corner has been turned. Phoenix is about to have its soul back on the floor, and that arrival could line up with the moment they need it most.

The Lakers (48-26) are back at it on Tuesday against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (47-28).

L.A. looks to extend their winning streak to four in a row and split the season series with Cleveland.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Mar 31

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

The Lakers took care of business on Monday night by putting the Washington Wizards to bed early. Because of that, they’re better equipped to take on the Cavaliers, who will also be on the second night of a back-to-back after defeating the Utah Jazz on the road.

For the Cavs, they’re still fighting for playoff positioning, given that they’re just a game behind the New York Knicks, who are currently on a losing streak. So there’s no doubt that Cleveland will bring it on Tuesday because they want that third seed in the Eastern Conference while the Lakers look to maintain the third spot in their own conference.

The good news for the purple and gold is that Luka Dončić will suit up in this one after serving his one-game suspension on Monday. Dončić, who will be coming off three days of rest, will have fresh legs, so it’s fair to expect him to carry a big load as usual. Meanwhile, Cleveland will have Jarrett Allen, who sat against the Jazz surely with an eye on Tuesday’s game in LA.

That said, this is the perfect opportunity for the Lakers to see how they do against an above-average team. If anything, it’s a match that could prepare them against the Oklahoma City Thunder, whom they face on the road right after.

The Lakers will go up against a Cavaliers team that is not only led by two dynamic All-Star guards in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden but has the sixth-best offensive rating in the league. Although the Cavs’ defense has been a weakness, their offense is capable enough to combat it, especially on a good day. L.A.’s perimeter defense will obviously be tested in this one and it’s going to be interesting to see how JJ Redick gameplans for it.

Note that the Cavs also average the fourth most paint touches in the league as well (26.2) and that’s not a surprise given that they employ Allen and Evan Mobley. They’re not an ideal matchup for the Lakers, as proven by the Cavs’ three-game winning streak against them dating back to 2024.

But in the lone game between both teams this season, L.A. caught a good shooting night from Jaylon Tyson and De’Andre Hunter. The latter is no longer employed by the Cavs and the former is out injured. The Lakers also weren’t playing their best basketball, contrary to now, and Harden was not a Cavalier yet.

So this is pretty much feels like both teams are seeing each other for the first time this season. It comes in a crucial time of the year, though, where both playoff teams have to look out for their overall record. Suffice it to say that this one should be competitive.

Let’s see if the Lakers can come out of it with the victory.

Notes and Updates

• Since both teams are going to play on the second night of a back-to-back, there won’t be an injury report until hours before tipoff.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

The first few minutes felt uneasy, like a storm quietly building. The San Antonio Spurs weren’t sharp out of the gate. The Chicago Bulls came in swinging, pushing the tempo and landing early blows that made the Frost Bank Center crowd shift in their seats.

But then, as he so often does, Victor Wembanyama changed everything.

It didn’t happen all at once. It never really does. First came a rebound — high above everyone else. Then a quick putback. A step-back jumper. A block that sent the ball, and the crowd, into the air. Within minutes, the uneasiness was gone, replaced by a growing realization: This was about to be his night.

By the end of the first quarter, the rhythm had shifted. By the second, it belonged entirely to San Antonio.

“A sense of urgency and sharpness,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of what he was looking for in his early timeout a minute into the game. “I thought we got it at times and we responded out of halftime. We didn’t sustain it as long as I’d wish or that I know we’re capable of.”

“There’s definitely areas we need to shore up and get consistent in,” Johnson added. “I’m always looking for teaching moments. We’re winning games and that feedback can be misleading… the standard and level of play we know we’re capable of must be acknowledged.”

Wembanyama was everywhere: gliding through defenders, stretching the floor, controlling the glass. The Bulls had no answer, only reactions. And each reaction came a step too late. As the Spurs surged ahead, the game began to tilt, then lean, then finally tip all the way over.

Still, this wasn’t a one-man show, it just felt like one at times.

Stephon Castle moved through the chaos with calm precision, threading passes, attacking gaps, and doing a little bit of everything. Each assist, each rebound, each bucket added another layer to a Spurs offense that was suddenly humming with its usual routine.

By halftime, the tension was gone. In its place: control. The second half opened the way the first one ended, with Wembanyama asserting himself. A quick burst pushed the lead beyond 20, and just like that, any lingering hope from Chicago began to fade. They fought back in spurts — a run here, a couple of tough shots there — but every push was met with an answer.

And more often than not, that answer wore No. 1. By the fourth quarter, the outcome was no longer in doubt. The Spurs weren’t just winning, they were dictating. The pace, the space, the moment.

“We’re preparing for something that only a few of us have been a part of,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. “How we started today is unacceptable. We need to continue to impose our will on teams and push our best effort forward.”

When the final buzzer sounded on a 129-114 victory, it felt less like the end of a game and more like the continuation of something building and that something is going to be very dangerous. When the Spurs find their rhythm and their young star turns dominance into routine, it’s easy to see the bigger picture forming in real time.

And it’s even harder to imagine anyone stopping it.

Game Notes

• With OKC’s narrow win against an undermanned Detroit Pistons team, the race for the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference might come down to the final week of the season. Spurs remain 2.5 games behind OKC and have the “lighter” schedule to close out the regular season.
• Mitch Johnson was not satisfied with his team’s effort against Chicago to start, so expect him to use these last few weeks to iron out any lingering issues with the playoffs around the corner.
• Wembanyama and Castle combined for 62 of the Spurs’ 129 points in the win.

If there was any night for Luka Doncic to not be available for as he served a one-game suspension for an accumulation of technical fouls, and any games the Lakers didn’t need him, Monday was the night.

Because even with Doncic being an MVP candidate and playing his best basketball of the season over the last month, the Lakers didn’t need him to take care of business against the tanking and lowly Wizards.

It was evident in the Lakers’ 120-101 victory on Monday at Crypto.com Arena during a game in which contributions from throughout the roster led the team to its 15th win in the last 17 games despite Doncic not playing.

LeBron James led the Lakers with a 21 point-12 assist-10 rebound triple-double, surpsssing his own record as the oldest player in league history to record a triple-double.

Tasked with more ball-handling duties, Austin Reaves struggled with his shot (4 of 11, 0 of 4 on 3-pointers) but made up for it with his inside the arc scoring and playmaking, finishing with 19 points and nine assists in 27 minutes.

Luke Kennard (19 points), Jaxson Hayes (19 points, seven rebounds and 2 blocked shots), Rui Hachimura (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Deandre Ayton (12 points on 5-of-5 shooting to go with 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots) also scored in double figures.

The Lakers shot 55.7% (44 of 79) against the Wizards, who are tied with the Pacers for the league’s worst record.

What it means

The Lakers improved to 49-26 on the season with Monday’s victory. 

But with the Suns also beating Grizzlies, the Lakers have yet to officially clinch a spot in the playoffs and win the Pacific Division. 

Turning point

There were two.

The first came when Jaxson Hayes dunked in transition at the 9:25 mark of the second quarter, cutting the Lakers’ deficit to 31-29 after a slower start. The play energized the Lakers on a night they lacked energy early, starting an 11-0 run.

The second was when James passed to Bronny James, his son who’s been getting rotation minutes the last few games, with the shot clock winding down late in the third quarter. 

The younger James drove into the paint off the pass from his father, kicking out to Luke Kennard for a corner 3 to put the Lakers up 84-71 after the Wizards cut the Lakers’ 24-point lead earlier in the quarter to 10 multiple times.  

MVP: Jaxson Hayes

It’s rare for a backup center to receive this honor. 

And Hayes’ counting stats weren’t the best among the Lakers. But he injected the Lakers with an energy that they lacked early. 

He shot a perfect 8 of 8 from the field.

The cherry on top: Hayes made his third 3-pointer of the season midway through the fourth. 

Stat of the game: 1,228

That’s how many combined regular-season and playoff wins James has after Monday’s victory, which is tied for the most in league history with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Already the league’s all-time leader in games played, Monday was James’ 1,044th regular-season win, 30 away from Abdul-Jabbar’s record.

But James’ league-record 184 playoff victories helped him tie Abdul-Jabbar’s combined regular season and postseason record.

James would’ve already surpassed Abdul-Jabbar in combined victories if the league counted his three play-in tournament wins and 202 NBA Cup final victory. 

Up next

The Lakers will close out their back-to-back set when they Cavaliers on Tuesday.

The Cavaliers are also playing on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Jazz in Salt Lake City for their sixth win in their last seven games.

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The Lakers followed the lead of their oldest member, the triple-double producing LeBron James, in dispatching the Wizards 120-101 at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.

Two days off between games left James looking spry, with lob dunks and dunks on the fast break contributing to his 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. James was eight for 16 from the field in notching his third triple-double of the season and the 125th of his 23-year NBA career, ranking him fifth all time.

At 41 years and 90 days old, James once again became the oldest player in league history to record a triple-double, passing his previous mark (41 years, 79 days).

For James and his teammates, Sunday’s practice had “value” because it allowed them to clean up some things, do some “teaching” and get some “reps” that will pay off with the playoffs approaching.

They put that into action against the Wizards, but the Lakers did so without star guard Luka Doncic, who did not play after being given a one-game suspension by the NBA for his 16th technical foul.

Austin Reaves took over the primarily ballhandling duties with Doncic out, running the show in delivering a near double-double with 19 points and nine assists. Reaves was just four for 11 from the field and he missed all four of his three-point attempts, but he was 11 for 12 from the line.

Backup center Jaxson Hayes was outstanding in scoring 19 points on eight-for-eight shooting, including a three-pointer with six minutes and 41 seconds left.

Luke Kennard had 19 points off the bench, knocking down four of five from three-point range.

Deandre Ayton was a force for the Lakers, his efficient five-for-five shooting leading to 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Each of them played their part to help the Lakers win for the 12th time in 13 games and limit the effect of Doncic's absence.

Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (33.7 points per game), is fourth in assists (8.2), second three-pointers made (4.0) and first in points scored in the first quarter (12.0).

He’ll return against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

Although the Lakers won handily, it was against a Wizards team tied for the worst record in the NBA (17-58). Washington has lost 18 of its past 19 games.

Read more:Lakers hope two-day 'reset' will refresh them for final stretch of the season

For the Lakers (49-26), the game was about making strides from a practice they rarely get to have.

“The value is being able to continue to improve,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “And again, I said this, we've placed a heavy emphasis on what we're teaching in film and what we're cleaning up in film, because we haven't had court time to do that. So [Sunday], it was some of the game clean-up stuff. All the guys got some reps doing some things that they probably won't do during a real game."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, Austin Reaves added 19 points and nine assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 120-101 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday night.

It was James’ 1,228th career victory, including the playoffs, to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most in NBA history.

With Luka Doncic serving a one-game suspension after getting called for his 16th technical foul of the season against Brooklyn on Friday, an energized James led the Lakers to their 12th win in the past 13 games, attacking the rim from the start including throwing down two emphatic two-handed dunks set up by Reaves in the first quarter.

Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes each had 19 points off the bench, Deandre Ayton chipped in with 12, and the Lakers improved to 7-6 without Doncic in the lineup this season.

Los Angeles would have clinched a playoff berth and the Pacific Division title with the win and a Phoenix loss, but the Suns’ 131-105 victory over Memphis delayed the formality of securing a fourth straight trip to the postseason.

Will Riley led the Wizards with 20 points and Justin Champagnie had 18 as they lost for the 19th time in 20 games.

Washington was actually ahead by one point after the first quarter, but Hayes had the final five in an 11-0 flurry early that gave Los Angeles a lead they would not relinquish again. The Lakers closed the half on a 38-13 run and took a 21-point lead back to the locker room.

James helped quiet the Wizards for good after they cut the deficit to 10 late in the third, finishing with his third triple-double of the season and 125th in the regular season of his 23-year career.

Up next

Wizards: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Lakers: Host Cleveland on Tuesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba