Location: Toyota Center — Houston, Texas
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790
Online: Rockets App, SCHN+
Time: 7:00 CST
Rockets: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
Raptors: Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Sandro Mamukelashvili
From the moment the Detroit Tigers signed left-hander Enmanuel de Jesus to a minor league deal and camp invite back in December, it was clear they wouldn’t be able to stash him in the minor leagues and off the 40-man roster for long. As it turned out, interest from other teams forced the issue and so the Tigers added him to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, moving right-hander Troy Melton to the 60-day injured list as the corresponding move.
De Jesus’s deal was designed to pay the veteran $1.3 million if he played in the major leagues this season. Minor league deals like that are typically only given to players who have some interest from other teams, and they invariably come with a timetable. We expected that the Tigers would have until sometime in late April to decide to add him to the 40-man roster or De Jesus would be able to opt-out and sign wherever he chose. Those may still be the terms of the deal, but as it turns out, De Jesus also had the right to accept another deal this week. With offers coming in to pitch overseas after his outstanding showing for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, the Tigers made the call on Tuesday to purchase his contract and add him to the 40-man roster.
The 29-year-old came up in the Boston Red Sox organization before briefly bouncing around with the San Francisco Giants and the Miami Marlins, the latter of which gave him his first major league cup of coffee back in 2023. Offers were not particularly compelling at that point, and so De Jesus moved to South Korea to pitch in the KBO in 2024 and 2025.
With the Kiwoom Heroes in 2024, De Jesus made 30 starts, compiling a 3.68 ERA. He came back to the KBO with the KT Wiz in 2025, making another 30 starts with a 3.96 ERA. Those two seasons had major league teams interested, but unlike Cody Ponce or the Tigers own Drew Anderson, two 2025 KBO standouts who got major league deals this offseason, De Jesus didn’t draw much the same level of offers. Instead the Tigers were able to bring him to camp on a minor league deal, and the southpaw did his part by showing out in Grapefruit League action and in the World Baseball Classic.
De Jesus had already impressed in camp with his excellent command of a solid though modest pitch mix. His outing for Team Venezuela on March 8 solidified his standing as a pitcher of interest. De Jesus struck out eight over five innings of one-run ball with no walks and just two hits allowed as Team Venezuela defeated Team Israel. That set a record in strikeouts for Team Venezuela, putting a stamp on the performance. While the competition wasn’t particularly tough, it was again De Jesus’s excellent command and ability to execute his game plan that really stood out. As a result, franchises in Asia were reportedly calling for his services this week, and the Tigers had to decide whether they were going to add him to the roster or not.
The decision was made easier by the fact that Melton, who was expected to be a force in the bullpen and perhaps swing back to a starting role if needed during the season, has been dealing with an elbow issue that has kept him off the mound since early in spring camp. Asked about his status over the weekend, manager A.J. Hinch mentioned only that Melton was doing “plyo ball stuff,” making it clear that his status and timetable remained uncertain. On the one hand, the fact that he was doing arm strengthening work was a positive sign that Melton may avoid surgery. On the other, it looked more and more like Melton would need more rehab time and then a slow progression to build up his arm, followed by rehab outings at the Triple-A level. As his timeline started to stretch into May, the Tigers realized they wouldn’t lose anything by moving him to the 60-day injured list to open a spot for De Jesus, making the decision a pretty simple one.
De Jesus is working with both fourseam fastballs and sinkers between 92-94 mph and showing outstanding command of both pitches. He backs the two fastball types with an 86 mph cutter, and a good circle changeup averaging 85 mph this spring. The changeup has late fade and seems to have plenty of deception, making it his best pitch of the bunch as hitters don’t seem to pick it up well off the same sightlines on which he’s throwing the fourseam and sinker. Less often he’ll break off a slower slider to try and get some chase down and away from left-handed hitters.
It’s not an overpowering set of pitches, and big league hitters will be the proving ground for his mistakes, but de Jesus learned how to really pitch in the KBO, and appears to be pretty deceptive as well. He’s worked the edges of all four quadrants of the strike zone with both fastball types, while consistently bending the changeup and cutter just off the edges to either side of the plate. His easy delivery and apparent lack of tells, along with that feel for his full set of pitches has allowed him to keep hitters off balance. There have been few good swings against him from anyone this spring.
Take a look at his highlights from the WBC. You’ll see little but paint.
For now, the Tigers just had to pick up de Jesus’s contract to prevent him from signing elsewhere. He still has to make the Opening Day roster, but that’s looking like a near lock right now. We’ll assume that de Jesus will be in the Tigers’ bullpen on Opening Day along with fellow lefty Tyler Holton. Between de Jesus and Drew Anderson, that would give them two depth starters working out of the bullpen, giving Hinch a lot of flexibility to help get his rotation through the early part of the season when most injuries occur. They could also choose to keep Brant Hurter in the bullpen as well, giving them three multi-inning relievers who can handle either-handed hitters.
That setup leaves Holton, Will Vest, Kenley Jansen, and Kyle Finnegan free to handle the late innings and high leverage scenarios. With two long relief style lefties in the pen of the quality of de Jesus and Hurter, the Tigers could have them follow right-handed starters Justin Verlander, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize, forcing managers to decide if they want to replace left-handed hitters in the lineup with right-handers to try and get to the Tigers’ bullpen in the middle innings. If they choose to empty their bench to stack up their right-handed hitters against de Jesus and Hurter and fail to seize a lead, then that opens up the late innings for the Tigers’ right-handed high leverage arms. When Framber Valdez or Tarik Skubal start, then the Tigers can pivot to Drew Anderson to follow them, forcing the same type of decision on opposing managers.
It won’t always work out like that, but with Anderson, Hurter, and de Jesus all looking like guys who could win a fifth starter’s gig with a lot of lesser teams around the league, the depth of the Tigers’ pen would be in great shape. They’d also still have one spot left to rotate their best remaining arms through as they try to develop another reliever out of their prospects and minor league free agent signings. The Tigers could also choose to option Hurter for a while, and just use Anderson and de Jesus as the middle relievers, giving them two open spots in the pen for single inning relievers.
They don’t have to make the final decision for another two weeks, but Enmanuel de Jesus has made a great case for himself so far. Barring any trouble, he appears destined for a spot in the Tigers’ pen on Opening Day. Hopefully, Troy Melton has avoided any major injury and will be able to join him sometime in May. A hard-throwing right-hander with a good breaking ball would really tie the whole relief corps together.
Observations after Payne catches fire, scores career-high 32 in comeback win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Just about everything Cameron Payne tossed up turned to gold Tuesday night.
Payne had a brilliant, career-high performance in the Sixers’ 139-129 win over the Grizzlies at Xfinity Mobile Arena. He scored 32 points on 9-for-10 shooting (8 for 8 from three-point range) and also tallied 10 assists.
The Sixers improved to 35-30 and Memphis fell to 24-40.
Four Sixers passed 20 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. posted 31, Quentin Grimes scored 22 and VJ Edgecombe added 21.
Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome scored 26 points and dished out eight assists. He was ejected with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter after picking up two technical fouls in quick succession.
Both teams were very undermanned. The Sixers’ injuries included Joel Embiid (right oblique strain) and Tyrese Maxey (right pinky sprain), who will miss at least the next three weeks.
The Sixers will face the Pistons on Thursday in Detroit. Here are observations on their Payne-led victory over Memphis:
Oubre scored the Sixers’ first five points with a top-of-the-key jumper and a pair of free throws.
There was otherwise nothing doing for the Sixers’ offense in the opening minutes. The team started 1 for 7 from the field and 1 for 8 from three-point range.
The Sixers’ defense also had minimal success. Memphis regularly beat the Sixers off the dribble in the first quarter and fired up comfortable jumpers. Jerome’s and-one leaner lifted the Grizzlies to a 17-7 lead.
Edgecombe started in the backcourt next to Grimes and served as the Sixers’ primary ball handler. The rookie returned from a three-game absence with a lumbar contusion.
The Grizzlies applied early full-court ball pressure. To Edgecombe’s credit, he wasn’t bothered much by it and the Sixers reduced their turnovers across the board following a few subpar games in that area. The team committed just four turnovers in the first half.
The Grizzlies had no traditional center available in Philadelphia.
With matchups presumably in mind, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse removed Andre Drummond from the rotation. Jabari Walker played center once Adem Bona subbed out. Later, starting power forward Dominick Barlow was the Sixers’ biggest player on the floor.
The Sixers’ second unit had a strong finish to the first quarter. A Walker put-back layup tied the game and Grimes’ and-one lefty layup gave the Sixers a 32-29 edge.
Payne caught fire off the bench in the second quarter and never cooled off.
Between the 10:06 and 8:09 mark of the second, Payne hit three long-range jumpers and scored 11 points. He wound up with 14 points and zero misses in the second period.
After signing with the Sixers in February and struggling as a shooter through his first 10 NBA games of the season, Payne was due to heat up. The veteran guard’s not the sort of player to be shaken by a rough patch. He’s weathered slumps over the years and understands that he needs to keep shooting through inevitable ups and downs.
The Sixers were down three points at halftime. To no one’s surprise, that deficit increased in the third quarter.
The team trailed by as many as 14 points in the third, although the Sixers had a high-energy close to the period and the Grizzlies only led by six entering the fourth.
Memphis had an unsurprising advantage in second-chance points (28-15). And, if it weren’t for Payne, the Sixers would’ve been dramatically outmatched from three-point territory. Everyone besides Payne combined to go 3 for 23.
The Sixers’ knack for forcing turnovers ultimately spurred their comeback surge in the fourth quarter.
Oubre converted a crowd-pleasing and-one layup after a Payne steal. Two more Memphis giveaways led to dunks by Oubre and Barlow. The young Grizzlies seemed rattled by the Sixers’ aggressive defense and the fact that their lead was disappearing. Payne’s seventh triple put the Sixers up 119-115, capped a 12-0 run and prompted a Memphis timeout.
Suddenly, with Payne the star of the show, the Sixers could do no wrong. The Grizzlies asked for timeout again after Payne drove and dropped off a pass to Barlow for an and-one bucket that gave the Sixers a double-digit lead.
Payne raced to his absurdly efficient career high and the Sixers celebrated with the lively lefty at the final buzzer.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo warm up to the World Baseball Classic and close in on Opening Day.
First up, the guys celebrate the excitement of the WBC, and do a deep dive into the motivations of Juan Soto. Then, Connor and Joe discuss Mets legend David Wright spending time in camp with Bo Bichette, the solid play so far of Carson Benge, and how the Opening Day roster may shake out.
The show also goes Down on the Farm to check in on prospects who need to step up, and answers Mailbag questions about Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, and more.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jalen Celestine hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points, including two clinching free throws with 29 seconds to go, and ninth-seeded Cincinnati held off No. 16 seed Utah 73-66 on Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Moustapha Thiam added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Baba Miller had 11 points, 14 boards and six assists for the Bearcats (18-14), who also gave their NCAA tourney hopes a big boost by earning a date with No. 8 seed UCF on Wednesday.
The Bearcats have won seven of their last nine games, a streak that began with a 20-point victory over the Knights in early February and includes a rare win by a road team over Kansas inside Allen Fieldhouse a couple of weeks ago.
Terrence Brown had 22 points and six assists for the Utes (10-22), who finished the season with five straight losses and 18 in their last 20 games. Keanu Dawes had 15 points and 12 rebounds while Seydou Traore scored 12.
Cincinnati closed the first half on an 15-2 run to take a 29-20 lead into the break, and it managed to extend the advantage to 48-33 by the midway point of the second half, when it seemed as if the Bearcats were about to put the game away.
Brown almost single-handedly kept the Utes in it.
He answered with back-to-back baskets as part of a mid-half scoring burst, then scored nine consecutive points for Utah down the stretch. The last of them was a three-point play that got the Utes within 66-61 with 3:07 to go.
Utah was still within 68-64 with a minute left, but Day Day Thomas and Celestine made free throws to put the game away.
Cincinnati split two games with UCF this season with each winning at home.
Utah begins to regroup in the offseason.
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It’s been 11 years since the Mets last won the division, coincidentally the last time they made it to the World Series, losing to the Royals in five games. A historic second-half collapse saw them plummet from division leaders to being dumped out of the playoff picture entirely with a loss to the Marlins on the final day of the regular season. Perhaps the embarrassment of that demise served as a spur in owner Steve Cohen’s side, because he authorized arguably the most significant roster upheaval of any team this past winter, but will it be enough to improve their fortunes in a tough NL East?
New York Mets
2025 record: 83-79 (2nd, NL East)
2026 FanGraphs projection: 90-72 (1st, NL East)
Following a three-game sweep of the Nationals in the second week of June, the Mets held a 5.5-game lead over the Phillies. The Queens outfit then proceeded to lose its next seven games, finishing the month with just three wins in a 17-game span. What once looked like a lock to make the playoffs evaporated in a moment, leaving the Mets needing a win against the Marlins on the final day of the regular season to sneak in as the final NL Wild Card ahead of the Reds. That did not come to pass.
Going from an 89-win team that pushed the Dodgers to six games in the 2025 NLCS to an 83-win team that missed the playoffs entirely did not sit well in Queens. Determined to avoid a repeat of such an ignominious finish, Cohen authored a veritable clearing of house over the winter, purging many of the Mets’ mainstays of the last decade.
That included allowing Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz to depart in free agency. It was surprising to see the Mets decline to match the Orioles’ offer to Alonso, seemingly content to watch the franchise leader in home runs and fan favorite depart 200 miles south down I-95. The same can’t be said for Díaz, the Mets just about matching the Dodgers’ offer which ultimately proved enough to convince the three-time All-Star closer to switch coasts. Then there were the frankly stunning trades of Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, the Mets swapping Nimmo for Marcus Semien from the Rangers in December before sending McNeil to the Athletics for a pitching prospect and cash considerations amid vague and since-refuted rumors of their roles in stirring clubhouse disharmony.
With the departures of Alonso, Díaz, Nimmo, and McNeil, the Mets subtracted their four longest-tenured players to usher in a new era built in the image of team president David Stearns. He chose a peculiar strategy of targeting poor-fielding middle infielders and asking them to learn new positions, starting with a two-year, $40 million deal for Jorge Polanco to take Alonso’s place at first. They followed this up by stealing Bo Bichette out from underneath the Phillies at the last minute, inking the longtime Blue Jay for three years and $126 million to be their new third baseman.
Those weren’t the only holes they needed to plug, the trades of Nimmo and McNeil and free agency departures of Cedric Mullins and Starling Marte creating a pair of vacancies in the outfield, while the exits of Díaz and Trade Deadline acquisitions Tyler Rogers, Ryan Helsley, and Gregory Soto necessitated a bullpen rebuild. To that end, the Mets acquired perennial trade candidate Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox to man center, and look poised to hand top hitting prospect Carson Benge a legitimate opportunity to play left. Stearns then shifted his attention to the bullpen across town, signing 2025 Yankees closer and setup man Devin Williams and Luke Weaver for a combined $73 million.
The pièce de résistance of their offseason saw the Mets acquire two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta to be their long-elusive ace, sending a pair of highly regarded prospects in shortstop Jett Williams and pitcher Brandon Sproat to the Brewers to complete the deal. Even with the addition of Peralta, there are still major question marks looming over the rotation. They have six players — Peralta, Nolan McLean, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Kodai Senga — penciled into the starting staff, yet none are projected to be worth three wins as several models expect significant regression from Peralta and Peterson. Top prospect McLean impressed upon his call-up and could very well smash the over on his projections, and Peterson finally put it all together in his age-29 season, but outside of Peralta there is still a ton of downside and injury risk surrounding the other five starters.
Things look a lot rosier on the hitting side. Any roster built around Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor is an enviable starting point. In Soto and Lindor, the Mets boast two of the top ten position players in baseball in terms of projected fWAR for 2026, Soto projected for a 163 wRC+ and 6.1 fWAR and Lindor a 123 wRC+ and 5.0 fWAR. Bichette’s addition should go a long way to replacing the production lost from Alonso’s departure, and on the whole this is now a team with improved infield versatility and outfield defense.
A peak at various projection systems confirms that these offseason moves should improve the Mets’ outlook for 2026. FanGraphs predicts the Mets to win the division with a 92-70 record, assigning them a 79.3-percent chance to make the playoffs. PECOTA agrees, tabbing the Mets for a division-leading 89-73 record and 82.3-percent playoff odds. The question is how much the disparity between the offense and pitching projections will play a role. The Mets are projected to field the second-best offense in MLB with 31.5 batting wins, but sits middle of the pack at just 15.6 pitching wins. You could easily see the offense carrying them in most of their wins. All eyes will be turned toward the pitching staff — how much will they drag down the offense and can they avoid a similar collapse to the one that doomed the team over the summer and down the stretch last season?
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
It’s a bummer that for the second straight March, draft positioning has been the only thing worth rooting for so far.
After losing four out of their last five games and injuries mounting, the Sixers have finally slipped out of the top-6 in the Eastern Conference, sitting firmly in the eighth seed at 34-30. Of course there’s no protection if the wheels completely fall off and they are unable to get out of the Play-In tournament as the Sixers owe their top-4 protected pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
At least Philadelphia does own a draft pick for the 2026 first round, acquiring that of the Houston Rockets in exchange for trading Jared McCain to the Thunder. There’s at least been some improvement on that front, with the Rockets moving up one spot in the draft after going 1-2 over their last week of games.
They had a tough overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors, as well as running into the red-hot San Antonio Spurs with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers sandwiched in between. That’s moved them from 25th to 24th in draft order. They are a game back in the loss column from the LA Lakers for the 22nd pick and two back in the loss column from the Denver Nuggets for 21.
They’ll see those Nuggets as a part of a tricky week upcoming for Houston. First they’ll take on the Toronto Raptors at home on March 10 before heading up to Denver for a nationally televised bout on the 11th. Things definitely get easier when they come back home to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on the 13th, then they start a two-game set at home with the Lakers on the 16th. That’ll be two upcoming games with big impacts on the standings with the teams in the early to mid twenties so bunched up.
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The pool round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic is coming to an end and Team USA has an opportunity to complete a clean sweet — and punch their ticket to the quarterfinals in the process.
They’ll face the also-undefeated Italy tonight, March 10, with the top seed in Pool B on the line. A win tonight would ensure Team USA finishes in that top spot and advances onto the quarterfinals. A win for Italy would place all of Pool B’s outcomes on tomorrow’s Italy vs. Mexico matchup, where a three-way tie for the top spot would emerge.
Team USA defeated Mexico, 5-3, for just the second time in WBC history last night to keep their perfect record alive.
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean will be on the mound for Team USA tonight; he’ll be limited to four innings before the bullpen takes over.
Tonight’s (March 10) World Baseball Classic matchup between USA and Italy is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.
Sling TV is an affordable way to watch TV live and stream baseball games; its Select plan includes FS1 and starts at $19.99/month. Sling Bluealso has FS1 and costs $54.99/month.
DIRECTV is another great service to try — its five-day free trial includes FS1 (plus every other channel you’ll need for the World Baseball Classic and upcoming MLB season).
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Boston Celtics (43-21) at San Antonio Spurs (47-17)
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
8:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #65 Road Game #34
TV: NBC/Peacock, NBCSB, FDSN
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, WOAI/KXTN, Sirius XM
AT&T Center
The Celtics continue their 3 game road trip with a stop in San Antonio to take on the Spurs. They beat the Cavaliers 109-98 on Sunday. They will finish the trip on Thursday in OKC. This is the second, and final game between these two teams this season. The Spurs won the first meeting 100-95 in Boston on January 10. The Celtics won the series 2-0 last season. They are 47-59 overall all time against the Spurs and they are 22-30 all time in games played in San Antonio.
Unlike many teams, the Spurs stood pat at the trade deadline and did not make any trades. They did, however waive Jeremy Sochan, who was later signed as a free agent by the Knicks. They also signed Mason Plumlee to a 10 day contract After the 10 day contract ran out, Plumlee signed a rest-of-season contract with the Spurs. They also signed Emanuel Miller to a two-way contract.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 2.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 3 games ahead of 3rd place New York , 3.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 6.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 7.5 games ahead of 6th place Orlando and 7th place Miami. The Celtics are 15-7 against Western Conference opponents. They are 22-11 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 2 games.
The Spurs are 2nd in the West, 2.5 games behind first place OKC. They are 7 games ahead of 3rd place Minnesota, 7.5 games ahead of 4th place Houston, 8 games ahead of the 5th place LA Lakers and the 6th place Denver Nuggets, and 10 games ahead of 7th place Phoenix. They are 19-4 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 24-6 at home and are 9-1 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 4 games.
After this game at San Antonio the Celtics will complete their 3 game road trip at Oklahoma City. Then they host Washington, Phoenix and Golden State. Next, it is one game at Memphis before a 3 game home stand against Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Then it’s back on the road for a 4 game trip through Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee.
This is the 4th game of a 6 game home stand for the Spurs. They will host Denver and Charlotte before playing at the Clippers and at Sacramento. Then it’s back home against Phoenix and Indiana. Next they play on the road at Miami, Memphis and Milwaukee. Then it is one game at home against Chicago before a 3 game road trip through Golden State, the LA Clippers and Denver.
For the Celtics, Nikola Vucevic will remain out after having surgery to stabilize a fracture in his right ring finger. Payton Pritchard is out due to spasms in his neck. It is only be his second missed game of the season. For the Spurs, Harrison Barnes is out with an ankle injury. David Jones Garcia is out with an ankle injury. Lindy Waters III is questionable due to illness. Mason Plumlee is available after originally being listed as questionable due to reconditioning.
Probable Starting Matchups
PG: Derrick White vs Stephon Castle
SG: Jaylen Brown vs De’Aaron Fox
SF: Sam Hauser vs Devin Vassell
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Julian Champagnie
C: Neemias Queta vs Victor Wembanyama
Celtics Reserves
Hugo Gonzalez
Luka Garza
Amare Williams
Jordan Walsh
Baylor Scheierman
2-Way Players
Ron Harper, Jr
Max Shulga
John Tonje
Injuries/Out
Nikola Vucevic (finger) out
Payton Pritchard (neck) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Spurs Reserves
Bismack Biyombo
Carter Bryant
Dylan Harper
Keldon Johnson
Luke Kornet
Jordan McLaughlin
Kelly Olynyk
Mason Plumlee
2-Way Players
Harrison Ingram
David Jones Garcia
Emanuel Miller
Injuries/Out
Harrison Barnes (ankle) out
David Jones Garcia (ankle) out
Lindy Waters III (illness) questionable
Mason Plumlee (reconditioning) available
Head Coach
Mitch Johnson
Key Matchups
Neemias Queta vs Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama is averaging 23.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.steals per game. He is shooting 50.5% from the field and 35.3% beyond the arc. In the first game against Boston this year, he finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 blocks while shooting 47.1% from the field and 25.3% from beyond the arc. He is a monster on defense and is a threat to score from anywhere on the court. The Celtics can only hope to slow him down.
Jaylen Brown vs De’Aaron Fox
Fox is averaging 18.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 48.6% from the field and 34.1% from beyond the arc. Against the Celtics on January 10, Fox finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal while shooting 56.3% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc. Fox is one of the fastest players in the league and the Celtics need to keep him from getting out on the break.
Honorable Mention
Derrick White vs Stephon Castle
Castle is averaging 16.4points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He is shooting 46.8% from the field and 30.1% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while shooting 18.8% from the field and 14.3% from beyond the arc. He is coming off a 145-120 win over Houston where he finished with 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting 75% on threes. He can be dangerous if not defended well.
Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense will always be the most important key to winning games. The Celtics are 5th with a defensive rating of 111.6 while the Spurs are 3rd with a defensive rating of 110.2. The Celtics need to defend the perimeter because the Spurs shoot 37.6 threes per game and they shoot 35.6% as a team. They also need to defend the paint as the Spurs average 51.1 points in the paint per game. The Celtics need to make defense a priority and play tough team defense from start to finish and not let up. This game will be won on the defensive end.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t score if they don’t have the ball, and they will struggle if they give up second chance points to the Spurs. The Celtics and Spurs are tied for 3rd with both teams averaging 46.4 rebounds per game. The Celtics are going to have to work extra hard on the boards in this game with Wembanyama ready to snag every rebound. When the Celtics put in extra effort on the boards, that effort tends to spread to other areas of the game as well.
To 3 or Not to 3 – The Celtics are 3rd in the league, attempting 42.4 threes a game. When they fall, the Celtics are tough to beat. But, when they aren’t falling, the Celtics struggle. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they have to go to Plan B and take the ball to the basket or shoot from midrange. If the 3s are falling, great!! If not, go to Plan B. The Spurs are a good defensive team and will try to chase the Celtics off the 3 point line and they need to be ready for that.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics play their best when they share the ball. They are 28-2 when they have 25 or more assists in a game and they are 14-0 when they have 29 or more assists. However, the Celtics need to take care of the basketball and limit turnovers. They have to make careful passes and also be aware while dribbling and not drive into a crowd or allow a defender to steal the ball since the Spurs average 17.5 points off turnovers per game.
X-Factors
On the Road – The Celtics are playing in the 2nd game of a 3 game road trip after having to travel across country and across time zones. They have to sleep in hotels and play in hostile arenas. The Spurs are a very good home team, losing just 6 games at home this season. The Celtics have to overcome all the distractions of playing on the road and stay focused on playing the game the right way.
Officiating – Officiating is always an X-Factor. Every crew officiates differently and teams need to adjust to the way the game is called. Will they call the game evenly or favor the home team? Will they call it tight or let them play? Hopefully we get fair officiating and they let them play and the Celtics focus on playing and not on the officiating.
Who: Phoenix Suns (37–27) @ Milwaukee Bucks (27-36)
When: 5:00 PM Arizona Time
Where: Fiserv Forum — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Phoenix Suns are fresh off a promising home win against the red-hot Charlotte Hornets on Sunday evening.
Despite being short-handed, Phoenix’s guard trio of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Collin Gillespie all put on a show. That, plus the strong play from their rookies and an encouraging Haywood Highsmith debut, was enough to push the Suns over the hump.
This will be the first meeting between these clubs, with the two-game season series concluding in Phoenix in a couple of weeks. For the Suns, this is the start of a long, grueling 6-game road trip all over the country with a pair of back-to-backs sprinkled in.
This is a road test that should not go unnoticed by the Suns, despite their poor record in Milwaukee. Giannis is off the injury report, and they will be at (mostly) full strength on their home floor. This game caps off the end of a season-long five-game homestand for the Bucks, who have lost five of their last six contests.
The Suns are going to be a bit undersized compared to a large Bucks team across the board. Between centers Myles Turner and Jericho Sims, along with Giannis, of course, and Bobby Portis, plus 6’9” forward Osumane Dieng stepping into a larger role of late.
Expect the trio of young guys in Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach, and Rasheer Fleming to get significant minutes in this one.
Milwaukee just gave up 130 points to the Orlando Magic in a loss on their home floor this Sunday. The Bucks are the 11th seed out East, and they are a full 4 games back from the Hornets (who Phoenix just beat) for the final play-in spot. The motivation will be there for them to put together one last run, especially with Giannis healthy, even if it looks to be an uphill climb.
Contain the Freak
Giannis is still a freight train and will be a problem for a Suns team that struggles to defend physical, bruising forwards. I’d anticipate Oso Ighodaro, Rasheer Fleming, and Ryan Dunn, or even Khaman Maluach, being bodies they throw at him to disrupt him.
Beyond slowing Giannis down, the Suns will need to cut off “the others” on Milwaukee’s squad. Ryan Rollins can get buckets. Bobby Portis has killed Phoenix in the past, and you want to avoid an AJ Green, Cam Thomas, Gary Trent Jr., or Kyle Kuzma game. They have sneaky depth, but it’s an odd mix of guys who haven’t been able to stay on the court together much this season.
Contain the Bench
Portis led the Bucks with 18 points, and Cam Thomas chipped in with 17 off the bench in their loss to the Magic on Sunday. Phoenix’s bench is dependent on who actually suits up in this one, because if they get Allen and/or Goodwin, that provides a significant punch in either scoring or defense, depending on who can go.
Defense Wins
The Bucks have been held to under 100 points in four of their last six contests. The Suns will need to do what they do best to take this one, and that is to set the tone defensively.
Team defense will be the key. Pack the paint, help, and recover. Rinse and repeat. Giannis’s presence adds another element to this Bucks team, so the Suns’ depth and size will be tested early and often.
The Suns are looking more connected, and a potential return of one (or both) of Goodwin and Allen could give them the jolt they need to just pull off a tough road win. I’m not holding my breath on this one.
Suns 113, Bucks 109
With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.
LA is now sitting at the No.5 spot in the West after beating the Pacers and Knicks this weekend along with the Nuggets falling to Oklahoma City and New York.
This is the most important stretch of the season, and if the Lakers beat the Wolves, they’ll be in a prime position to continue climbing up the rankings.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
3. Wolves — 40-24, 10 GB
4. Rockets — 39-24, 10.5 GB
5. Lakers — 39-25, 11 GB
6. Nuggets — 39-26, 11.5 GB
7. Suns — 37-27, 13 GB
Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who you should be rooting for.
Raptors at Rockets — It’s going to be tough for the Raptors to pull off a road win over the Rockets. The last time they beat a winning team was on Jan. 25 when they defeated the Thunder.
Suns at Bucks — Are the Bucks even trying to win, and more importantly, can they even do it? Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to play in this contest, so maybe that’ll be enough to tip things in Milwaukee’s favor. Phoenix will be relying heavily on Devin Booker, who is coming off another 30-point performance in a quality win over the Hornets.
Wolves at Clippers — Sorry, Lakers fans, but you’re going to have to suck it up and root for the other LA team as Minnesota plays the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Clippers have been playing good basketball as of late and are somehow back at .500 after starting the year with an abysmal 6-21.
Rockets at Nuggets — Is it possible for both teams to lose a basketball game? Who Lakers fans should root for in this game will depend on where things stand before tip-off. The good news is that someone will fall in the rankings, either way, in this contest.
Nuggets at Spurs — Denver has to play Houston, then turn around and play San Antonio. That’s a rough back-to-back. It’s very possible that the Spurs beat the Nuggets on Thursday.
Suns at Pacers — Indiana is tanking and Phoenix is fighting to try and avoid the play-in, so don’t expect much of a game here. This is one to either turn on immediately to see what the vibes are or check at halftime if the Pacers even have a shot at winning.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
It’s over.
The Knicks have finally completed the final gauntlet on their regular-season schedule. Beginning on February 4 with a double-overtime victory against Denver, the Knicks played 16 games, with 12 against teams in playoff position. The 34-day stretch saw the team face Detroit and Denver twice, San Antonio, Boston, Cleveland, Philly, Houston, Toronto, and both LA teams. The soft games on the schedule? Indiana, Chicago, and Milwaukee. It wasn’t fun.
Ultimately, with the team not having much time to pick themselves off the mat after the three-week nightmare stretch, going 9-7 isn’t bad, even if the last stretch gave you a sour taste in your mouth. There were big highs and devastating lows, but ultimately, they survived. They now look forward to the softest eight-game stretch of the season as a reward.
But what can we learn from getting a look at essentially every good team the NBA has to offer over the last month?
I talked about this in my potential jinx piece on Sunday (0-2 since, whoops), but the Knicks have held some extremely good offenses under wraps since the players-only meeting after the MLK Day beatdown against Dallas. They suffocated San Antonio, held OKC to 103 points, ran the Tatum-less Celtics out of the TD Garden, and smoked the Nuggets in Denver.
The defense did have two sub-standard games against the Lakers and Clippers in a brutal back-to-back, but there are caveats. For one, the defense started strong against the Lakers and even held a high-octane offense without a bucket for over seven minutes in the first half (albeit still giving up points on free throws). In the Monday night defeat at the Intuit Dome, the team’s 20 turnovers shot themselves in the foot just as much as the poor perimeter defense.
You want one stat that encompasses the defensive turnaround?
Before NYE: 36.9 opponent 3pt% (T-21st), 39.7 opponent 3PA/G (25th)
12/31 to 1/19: 39.5 opponent 3pt% (T-28th), 37.3 opponent 3PA/G (T-15th)
Since 1/20: 31.7 opponent 3pt% (1st), 37.4 opponent 3PA/G (19th)
The Knicks gave up a lot of threes to start the year, and up until MLK Day, was frequently fire-bombed from outside. The pendulum has since swung the other way with better shooting luck (wide-open% has dropped from 38.8% to 32.7% on similar attempts), but the team has also played much better defense with their rotations.
Two of the seven losses came to the Detroit Pistons, a team that has had the Knicks’ number in a way very similar to the Celtics in 2024-25. We know how that ended, so there’s hope, but there are stylistic concerns. Detroit’s physicality gives the Knicks fits in the same way Orlando did early in the season to muck games up. Add in some ridiculous shooting splits from a team not known for 3-point shooting and, yeah.
But no other team has appeared to be this stylistic mismatch. The Knicks are 2-1 against the Celtics, and even with Jayson Tatum back and looking good off a torn Achilles, the team has confidence from beating a superior Celtics team last year. They’re also 2-1 against Cleveland, which, despite the loss coming since the James Harden trade, doesn’t have me too concerned, given just how cold the Knicks were that night. Don’t even get me started on Philly and Toronto.
Out West, you have to be impressed at how the Knicks have played against the Spurs and Nuggets this season. If Julian Champagnie doesn’t put up the best shooting performance of his life on New Year’s Eve, they’re 5-0 on the two biggest threats to the reigning champions in the West. Speaking of the reigning champs, the Knicks played well without Mitchell Robinson and nearly took OKC to overtime on the second night of a back-to-back.
They can compete with almost everyone, but will that translate when the games start to truly matter?
Two of the Knicks’ sloppiest games came on the back-to-back in Los Angeles. Considering the travel schedule, it makes sense.
39 combined turnovers and sub-30% from three isn’t great. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson did great on Monday night, but the role players vanished. The defense was a step slow, the offense was a tick off, and it was just pure sloppiness. Considering the circumstances, I’ll give them grace. Just don’t do this in Utah on Tuesday.
Yep, we’re having this conversation again.
In 155 minutes in the 16-game gauntlet, the starting five played 155 minutes and had a minus-3.5 net rating. In March, it’s a catastrophically bad minus-17.2 in 80 minutes. Injuries to Deuce McBride and the occasional absence of Mitchell Robinson have reduced lineup versatility, but when a lineup just isn’t working like this one isn’t, you need to consider something different.
Granted, if Landry Shamet is going to shoot the way he did Monday and teams employ Spurs-like ghost coverage to force Mo Diawara to beat you, your options are limited. Whenever McBride returns, he needs to get more reps with the Core Four. The 130 defensive rating that they have together is deceptive due to the 11-game stretch of hell.
Stat of the day: Brunson-Towns lineups have a 103.8 defensive rating since January 20.
I’m generally not nearly as much of a pessimist as some people who talk Knicks, but I have been especially irked at times this season over the play of Karl-Anthony Towns. After all, a guy who was once one of the best offensive big men the league has ever seen was unable to put the ball in the basket for months.
Well, despite relatively low usage, Towns has played some of his best and most efficient basketball in the Knicks’ toughest stretch.
In the 16-game gauntlet, Towns averaged a modest 20.7 points and 12.6 rebounds. The difference? His efficiency. He entered the 2OT win over Denver, shooting 46.1% from the field and 35.9% from three on the season for a 59.1 TS%.
Where’s he been since? 59.2% from the field, 41.2% from three, and 68.9 TS%. His usage actually went down in that stretch, so it seems that KAT is doing a better job at letting the game come to him and not forcing things. The ultimate question, though, is whether the Knicks can win with Towns doing this rather than being the 25-10 monster he’s capable of being.
That said, efficient basketball against some of the best the NBA has to offer is extremely encouraging. Despite playing in a back-to-back, Towns had his best game of the season on Monday, dropping 35/12/7 on an undersized Clippers team that only had 37-year-old Brook Lopez and Isaiah Jackson to defend him.
Brunson looked as good as he has all season against the Clippers on Monday night, but he has badly struggled lately against some physical defenses in a brutal, condensed schedule.
The captain’s stats all around have been down since he tweaked his ankle in January and rushed his way back to try and stop the bleeding. Great basketball from Anunoby and Towns has masked it at times, but the head of the snake is struggling.
There’s an upcoming stretch where the Knicks face the Wizards and Nets in their only two games in seven days. Resting Brunson for load management might be the best call. If you need him to beat two teams trying to lose, we have bigger issues.
The Knicks just finished a five-game stretch in seven days, traveling from Toronto to New York to Denver to Los Angeles. They traveled across international borders at 3 AM, went through customs, and were greeted by the reigning champions. They played the third game in four nights in Denver, a scientifically hard place to play due to the altitude. They then played a back-to-back in the City of Angels.
That’s bad enough given the strength of the opponents, but get this: In a span of six days, the Knicks played Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Kawhi Leonard. You can make the case that all four will make the All-NBA First-Team if they play 65 games. What a rough week.
The time is now to prove you belong in the NCAA Tournament.
Conference championship week is the last opportunity teams on the fringe of making March Madness to show they should be in the bracket, resulting in a very tense final few days before Selection Sunday. Every team on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament will play this week.
The tournament picture is already shifting as some teams began action Tuesday, March 10, including a candidate playing for the chance to earn the automatic bid and send ripple effects to the rest of the field. Here are the teams on the bubble in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology as the clock inches closer to midnight.
Next game: vs. Kentucky/LSU winner (Thursday, SEC tournament second round)
Missouri has slipped, not feeling as secure as it was a few weeks ago thanks to two straight losses to end the regular season. The Tigers are more safe than others, but they do have to worry about that high NET ranking when it comes to comparing with other resumes. At least a win in the SEC tournament should be enough to secure a spot.
The still undefeated RedHawks remain one of the most polarizing teams in the country, as there's much debate on whether they still need the automatic berth. Regardless, Miami can put all of it to bed by winning three more games and claim the MAC title.
Next game: vs. UMass (Thursday, MAC tournament quarterfinals)
The Mustangs are no longer safe for the NCAA Tournament with a four-game losing streak to end the regular season. While three were Quad 1 losses, they were must wins and really hurt a resume that has a measly 4-4 Quad 2 mark. The skid was finally ended with a win over Syracuse to open the ACC tournament, allowing SMU to breathe. Another win against Louisville would help them breathe much more comfortably.
Next game: vs. Louisville (Wednesday, ACC tournament second round)
The bubble team of the day. Santa Clara won't have to sweat out Selection Sunday if it beats Gonzaga to win the WCC title for the first time since 1993. Even if it loses, the semifinal win over Saint Mary's was a major boost and could make a huge difference as the week continues.
Next game: vs. Gonzaga (Tuesday, West Coast Conference tournament championship)
The Hoosiers were unable to get another Quad 1 victory, something they desperately needed with how many losses it has in the category. A 1-5 finish to the regular season is uninspiring and Indiana needs to win its second round game in the Big Ten tournament or it can kiss its March Madness hopes goodbye.
Next game: vs. Northwestern/Penn State winner (Wednesday, Big Ten tournament second round)
It's unfortunate a shift in the NET rankings resulted in the win at Dayton becoming a Quad 2 result instead of Quad 1 because the Rams needed another mark. The last team in the field, VCU has the most work to do of the teams projected to play in Dayton. It needs to at least make the Atlantic 10 championship game, as a loss any earlier will make it vulnerable to get leaped over by another contender.
Next game: vs. Duquesne/Rhode Island winner (Friday, Atlantic 10 tournament quarterfinals)
A team surging into the picture is a Cincinnati team that finished with six wins in the last eight regular-season games, with some notable victories in that span. The Bearcats have some of the best wins and worst losses, so it still has work to do. They were able to handle Utah to open the Big 12 tournament, and now must beat UCF in the next round to stay in the fight.
Next game: vs. UCF (Wednesday, Big 12 tournament second round)
Ross Hodge's first season in Morgantown has largely gone unnoticed, but the Mountaineers have a chance to make the tournament thanks to some other contenders faltering. Still, it's a long road ahead considering how high the NET ranking is and some questionable losses. The only way to the tournament is beating Houston in the Big 12 quarterfinals.
Next game: vs. BYU/Kansas State winner (Wednesday, Big 12 tournament second round)
Another team in plenty of debate, the Tigers have fallen out of the projected field after failing to beat Alabama in the regular-season finale. Auburn has some incredible wins but so many losses, it's going to have to make a real strong case for the selection committee to ignore it's ugly record. At least two wins are needed.
Next game: vs. Mississippi State (Wednesday, SEC tournament first round)
Hello and goodbye Stanford. Just as the Cardinal were entering the NCAA Tournament conversation, they immediately get taken out thanks to a last-second loss to Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament opening round. Stanford needed to win, and as a result, sees itself taken out of the March Madness picture.
Stanford's loss opens the door for another team to join the first four out, and that honor goes to Oklahoma. While the Sooners don't have a great resume, they've been winning, and that's something not many bubble teams can say. With four straight wins, Oklahoma has to extend it to at least six to move up the conversation.
Next game: vs. South Carolina (Wednesday, SEC tournament first round)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracket updates NCAA Tournament bubble teams, resumes
Adam Klapka will reach a significant milestone on Tuesday night, appearing in his 100th NHL game as the Calgary Flames face the New York Rangers.
The Praha, Czechia native is in his third season with the Flames and has recorded 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points, along with 145 penalty minutes, through his first 99 NHL appearances.
Klapka’s path to the league wasn’t a traditional one. After going undrafted, the towering forward signed with the Calgary organization in 2022 and spent time developing with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers before carving out a role at the NHL level.
“It's awesome,” Klapka told Flames TV on Tuesday when asked about appearing in his 100th game. “When I signed with the flames four years ago, I never thought it was going to be that many games, so I’m really appreciative for that, and I hope (I’m going to) add a couple hundred more.”
"I hope it's a couple hundred more."
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 10, 2026
Adam Klapka reflects on his journey to the NHL, as he gets set to play in his 100th career game tonight. pic.twitter.com/Q8Lvrb4MTy
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 235 pounds, Klapka has grown into a formidable physical presence. His physical style of play has been especially noticeable this season, where he currently ranks third in the NHL with 235 hits.
