Feb 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson (20) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
It appears the Cleveland Cavaliers will deal with injuries from start to finish this season. The team announced that both Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade will remain in Cleveland while the Cavs leave for their final West Coast road trip.
Tyson suffered a bone bruise in his left great toe on March 19 against the Chicago Bulls. He hasn’t played in a game since.
“He’s still not there,” said Kenny Atkinson on Tyson’s game availability before the Cavaliers played the Miami Heat on Friday. “But he did play a small set of games this morning, three-on-three and stuff, so that’s good news.”
Meanwhile, Wade went down with an ankle injury during his pre-game warm-up on Wednesday. Wade injured himself landing on a ball boy. There is no clear timeline for when Wade will return to action.
Cleveland will play three teams in the West next week. They play the Utah Jazz at 9 PM tomorrow before heading to Hollywood for their final regular-season game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. On Thursday, they conclude their trip with a 10 PM game versus the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavs will return home on Sunday as they host the Indiana Pacers. From there, we only have four games before the end of the regular season.
If you’re paying attention to the standings, Cleveland is sitting fairly comfortably in fourth place of the Eastern Conference. They are two games behind the New York Knicks for third, and 4.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks for fifth.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 26: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks fouls Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets in the second half during their game at Spectrum Center on March 26, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the regular season winding down and fewer than 10 games in most teams’ schedules, here’s the latest and second-to-last entry of the Standing Watch series.
All playoff teams are already locked in, mind you, but there’s still some seed-shuffling left to play out during the final games of play, starting with Sunday’s matchup between the Knicks and the Thunder, with both teams—one more realistically than the other, is fair to say—still having a shot at locking home-court advantage on their side of the bracket.
March 29th
To kick things off today, root for the Heat to beat the Pacers. Miami is currently the ninth seed, and finding a way to kick Philadelphia down to the No. 9 or No. 10 seed so the Knicks can avoid playing them in the first round would likely be ideal.
An hour after that game tips off, the Raptors host the Magic. And as I stated last week, regardless of where the Knicks end up placing, their best matchup is against the Raptors. Going forward, until further notice, fans should root for whatever outcome most likely results in that. For today’s matchup, go with the Magic.
The third game, outside of the Knicks’ own game, that has standings implications in the Eastern Conference today is the one between the Hornets and Celtics. This could end up being a potential first-round matchup. If you want the Knicks to come away with the second seed, root for the Hornets. If you want the Knicks to remain the third seed, which is starting to look more and more like the smarter decision, root for the Celtics.
March 30th
The Heat and 76ers matchup in a big game to start off the night. Pull for the Heat for the reason mentioned above. The Celtics vs. Hawks game is a bit complicated, as a Celtics win makes it less likely for the Raptors to fall to the sixth seed, but a Hawks win would also put the Knicks one game closer to moving up to the second seed. Decide at your own risk, but truthfully, there is no clear option here.
A bit later on, the Cavaliers take on the Jazz. Hope that the Jazz can somehow come away with a win to keep the Cavaliers at bay. And finish off the night by cheering against the Pistons, although the ship of the Knicks ever getting to the first-seed looks like it’s already starting to sail away.
March 31st
The Suns vs. Magic game is the first one of the night. Like some other games this week, I don’t think there’s a clear way to go on who to go with in this one. Orlando is likely one of the few teams I don’t really feel strongly about either way. If you think their experience and physicality match up better against the Knicks than the Raptors, Hawks, 76ers, Heat, or Hornets, root for the Suns. If you think their lack of shooting would make them an easier playoff opponent, root for them.
In the Hornets vs. Nets game, root for, and I know this sounds crazy, the Nets. Not only could it impact their lottery odds, keeping the very hot Hornets in the 9th vs. 10th matchup likely behooves the Knicks. And in the Raptors vs. Pistons game, I hope for the Pistons to win to improve the odds of a Knicks vs. Raptors first-round matchup.
April 1st
The night begins with what should be a close, fun Hawks vs. Magic game. Root for whoever you think would be an easier matchup for the Knicks, and root against whoever you think is a tougher matchup for the Pistons and Celtics.
In the 76ers vs. Wizards game, take on the tough task of rooting for the Wizards to pull off the upset, as that would help in the “push the 76ers to lower play-in bracket” movement. Then, while you’re doing that, root for the Heat against the Celtics. Again, I don’t think the Knicks moving up to the third seed actually does them much good, and a Heat win would also help them push the 76ers down. And cap off the night with another unenjoyable task of rooting for the Kings against the Raptors.
April 2nd
With Detroit and the first-seed realistically out of reach, short and simple night here. Phoenix continues its East Coast road trip with a game against Charlotte. Hope for a Suns victory to help prevent the Hornets from catching up to the seventh or eighth seed.
April 3rd
Begin the night by cheering for a Timberwolves win over the 76ers in what should be a good game. While that’s taking place, the Pacers will take on the Hornets, so root for the Pacers to pull off the upset in that one. And while the Knicks are hosting the Bulls, there are a few more games of interest.
When the Bucks take on the Celtics, root for Boston so they keep the second seed. In the Raptors vs. Grizzlies game, I hope for a surprise Grizzlies win, and finish off the week by going with a Magic win over the Mavericks.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 4: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics shoots a three point basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 4, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Boston Celtics (49-24) at Charlotte Hornets (39-34) Sunday, March 29, 2026 6:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #74 Road Game #37 TV: NBCSB, FDSN, NBA-LP Radio: Sirius XM, 98.5 Sports Hub, WFNZ 92.7 Spectrum Center
The Celtics visit the Charlotte Hornets for the 2nd of 3 meetings this season. The Hornets won the first game 118-89 in Boston on March 4. They will meet for the final time in Boston on April 7. The Celtics are 81-47 overall all time against Charlotte and they are 38-26 in games played on the road. The Hornets are playing on the second night of back to back games after hosting Philadelphia on Saturday night. They are 10-4 in the second of back to back games. The Celtics are playing in the first of back to back games and will play at Atlanta on Monday.
The Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the league right now. Since January 1, Charlotte has a 28-12 record and they own the #1 net rating in the NBA at 11.5. Over that span, Charlotte’s offense ranks #1 in the NBA with an offensive rating of 121.1 and their defense ranks #6 with a defensive rating of 109.5. The Hornets also rank #1 in rebounding percentage (55.2%) and in second-chance points (18.9) per game since Jan. 1. Charlotte’s starting lineup has the highest point differential (+30.4) of any five-man lineup in the NBA.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 4.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1.5 games ahead of 3rd place New York, 3.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 8 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 8.5 games ahead of 6th place Atlanta, and 7th place Philadelphia. The Celtics are 30-14 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 23-13 on the road and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 2 games.
The Hornets are 10th in the East, 15 games behind 1st place Detroit, 2 games behind 6th place Atlanta and 7th place Philadelphia, and they are half a game behind 8th place Orlando and 9th place Miami. They are 9.5 games ahead of 11th place Milwaukee. They are 23-22 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 19-17 at home and 7-3 in their last 10 games. After winning 5 straight games, they lost their last game to the 76ers.
After completing a 3 game home stand, The Celtics are on the road for a 4 game trip that begins with this game in Charlotte and will go through Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They will then play two games at home against Toronto and Charlotte before one game on the road at New York. They will finish the season with 2 games at home against New Orleans and Orlando.
This game is the 7th and final game of a 7 game home stand for Charlotte. After this game they will hit the road for one game at Brooklyn before returning home to host Phoenix and Indiana. Then they are on the road once again to play at Minnesota and the final game against the Celtics at Boston. Next they have one game at home against Detroit and will finish the season at New York.
For the Celtics, Nicola Vucevic remains out after surgery to stabilize a fracture in his right ring finger. After starting on Friday’s injury report but playing in the game, Derrick White (knee) is out and Neemias Queta (thumb) is probable for this game. Jayson Tatum is available after originally being listed as questionable for injury management. Jaylen Brown is out once again after missing Friday’s game due to tendinitis in his left Achilles.
I am guessing that Baylor Scheierman will start in place of Jaylen Brown once again. Since Tatum is playing in this game he will likely sit out Monday’s game. With Derrick White listed as out, I’m guessing that Payton Pritchard will start in his place. For Charlotte, Tidjaane Salaun listed as out with a calf injury and Grant Williams is listed as out due to an illness.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Payton Pritchard vs LaMelo Ball
Celtics Reserves Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Jordan Walsh Max Shulga Charles Bassey (10-Day) 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Injuries/Out Nikola Vucevic (finger) out Neemias Queta (thumb) probable Derrick White (knee) out Jaylen Brown (Achilles) out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) available
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Hornets Reserves Sion James Josh Green Ryan Kalkbrenner Pat Connaughton Tre Mann Liam McNeeley Coby White
2-Way Players Tosan Evbuomwan Antonio Reeves PJ Hall Injuries/Out Tidjane Salaun (calf) out Grant Williams (illness) out
Head Coach Charles Lee
Key Matchups Jaylen Brown vs Brandon Miller Miller is averaging 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He’s shooting 43.3% from the field and 38.8% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals while shooting 61.5% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. He is a good 3 point shooter and so the Celtics have to stay with him on the perimeter.
Derrick White vs LaMelo Ball Ball is averaging 19.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 40.7% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 41.2% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc. He is quick and always a threat to steal the ball.
Honorable Mention Sam Hauser vs Kon Knueppel Knueppel is averaging 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He is shooting 48.9% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. He leads the league in 3 pointers made with 253.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always the key to winning. The Celtics are 4th the league with a defensive rating of 111.5. The Hornets are 12th in the league with a defensive rating of 113.5. The Hornets are 5th with an offensive rating of 118.3 while the Celtics are 2nd with an offensive rating of 119.3. The Celtics are capable of playing lock down defense but there are times when they lose focus and allow their opponents to score way too easily. They need to continue to make defense a priority and play lock down defense in this game against a very good offensive team.
Rebound – Rebounding is important to give the Celtics extra possessions and to limit possessions for their opponents. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics need to give extra effort to beat the Hornets to rebounds. The Celtics are 4th with 46.5 rebounds per game and the Hornets are 5th with 46.2 rebounds per game. The Hornets are 2nd with 17.6 second chance points per game and the Celtics need to limit those for the Hornets by putting more effort into grabbing rebounds.
3 Point Shooting – The Celtics are 3rd in the league, averaging 42.2 three pointers per game. The Hornets are 2nd, shooting 42.8 threes per game. The Celtics are shooting 36.1% as a team from beyond the arc (11th) while the Hornets are shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc (3rd). The Celtics make 15.2 threes a game (3rd) while the Hornets make 16.3 thees a game (1st). The Celtics need to work to get open and move the ball to find the best shots. If the 3’s aren’t falling, they need to take the ball inside. And they need to defend the perimeter or the Hornets will bury them in threes. In the Celtics March 4 loss to the Hornets, the Celtics shot just 27.8% on 3’s while allowing the Hornets to shoot 38.8% from beyond the arc. They have to do better both on offense and defense in this game if they hope to win.
Move the Ball – The Celtics are tough to beat when they keep the ball moving and find the open man but when one player over dribbles and lapses into hero ball, they falter. The Celtics are 30-0 when they have more assists than their opponent but just 17-22 when they have fewer assists than their opponent. Keep the ball moving and don’t lapse into hero ball, whether in the first quarter or the 4th quarter. They have to make careful passes and not turn the ball over because in the first game between these two teams, the Celtics turned the ball over 15 times and they have to do better this time.
X-Factors On The Road and Fatigue – The Celtics are facing the distractions of travel and a hostile crowd and they can’t allow those distractions to take away from their focus on the game. The Hornets are finishing up a 7 game home stand so no travel for them for quite a while. However, they are playing on the second night of back to back games. They are very good in back to back games, going 10-4 this season, but fatigue could affect them down the stretch,.
Injuries – The Celtics have 4 of their 5 starters listed on the injury report. It goes without saying that with even one of them out, it would make this game tougher. With the Celtics playing in another game on Monday, it is likely that one, or more, will sit out this game. With one and a half game lead on the Knicks, who are playing in OKC, the Celtics can afford to be cautious with their stars and rest them for one of the back to back games.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 1: Jaylen Brown #7 and Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2026 NBA Pioneers Classic on February 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re back! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week!
Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game.
Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from March 21st to March 28th are considered. The Celtics went 2-1 this week, with wins over the Thunder and Hawks but a loss to the Timberwolves.
I’m such a big fan of the stampede catch and think Jaylen Brown is at his best when he employs it as much as possible—and this specific possession presents an awesome illustration of the play’s effectiveness. Because McDaniels has his eyes on Pritchard, he’s unprepared for Brown catching the ball and immediately driving through his chest. The stampede catch is effective for anyone, but especially a guy with Jaylen’s physicality and straight-line drive ability. McDaniels’ momentum going away from the hoop plus Brown’s momentum going downhill towards the rim equals great offense for Boston.
This has been a year of massive growth for Jaylen Brown, and his calmness and balance in the paint has been his most significant improvement in my opinion. This move—in which Brown uses a low, controlled pickup cadence on his right hand and subsequently shifts his weight to the left side—is a super difficult move to defend and is a good way of Jaylen leaning into his strength and size. The move allows him to square up his body and forces the defense to make a decision about swiping at the ball (and potentially fouling) or not swiping and allowing Brown an easy layup attempt. Jaylen must be watching some Donovan Mitchell highlights.
I have really enjoyed Joe Mazzulla’s willingness to lean into Scheierman’s defensive instincts this year. Though his 2014 draft profile from NBA.com posited that Baylor “hasn’t been able to develop too much on the defensive end of the court, and since he’s not an elite athlete, he could have problems defending quick guards and bigger players,” the Celtics have used an open mind with him and have realized that he actually provides lots of value on that end. They’ve put him on opposing stars (in this case, SGA) and allowed him to be pesky with his length and hands. Here, Scheierman does an amazing job poking at the ball but then pulls his arms back when Shai tries to foul-bait. Beautiful stuff.
The textbook box-out is one where you have your opponent in such an advantageous position that even if the ball touches the ground, you still get it—and that’s exactly what happens on this play. Not only does Pritchard beautifully track the ball off the rim, but he continues to push his defender back while the ball is still in the air, which awards him perfect position to eventually get the board. Want to learn how to get rebounds while being small? Watch Payton Pritchard.
This exact peel switch has become a staple of the NBA’s 4th best defense, and it has left opposing ball-handlers looking like JV high school players all season. On spread pick-and-rolls in which a guard dribbles to the middle of the floor, the Celtics will often (but, importantly, not always) have the weak-side wing’s defender take the ball-handler and thus have the on-ball defender (in this case, Derrick White) close out to the perimeter shooter. This seemingly simple peel switch—which actually requires exquisite communication, timing, and IQ—has completely thrown off opposing offenses all year and is at the forefront of innovative defensive concepts around the NBA. Unbelievable implementation from Mazzulla and the rest of the staff.
Feb 25, 2026; Surprise, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners outfielder Rob Refsnyder against the Kansas City Royals during a spring training game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
I cannot emphasize enough the degree to which I think lineup construction is overrated in the discourse relative to the difference it makes in practice. I almost don’t even want to post this. But even with that caveat, lineup construction doesn’t not matter, and I think we saw a mistake last night. So thanks to a conversation between users GrasshoppingonNails, AJPDX, GrassRockFish, and rumdoodle in this morning’s Moose Tracks, I’m posting this despite my hesitance.
As noted on the broadcast, Rob Refsnyder has the third-highest OBP against LHP since 2023, behind only Vladito and Aaron Judge. So I totally get why the Mariners would want to have him in the leadoff spot to get on base ahead of the team’s big bats. And that’s what the Mariners did:
Rob Refsnyder – R (DH)
Cal Raleigh – S (C)
Julio Rodríguez – R (CF)
Josh Naylor – L (1B)
Randy Arozarena – R (LF)
Brendan Donovan – L (3B)
Víctor Robles – R (RF)
Leo Rivas – S (SS)
Cole Young – L (2B)
This makes a certain amount of sense. With Refsnyder at leadoff, you’re maximizing the odds that he gets three turns against a lefty, which is great. The problem is that the lineup is a circle. Having settled on a DH platoon of Refsnyder and Dominic Canzone, we know the Mariners are (correctly) anticipating pinch-hitting the lefty-swinging Canzone for Refsnyder once a reliever comes in. But once they do that, they’ve set up a Young-Canzone back-to-back of lefties for the next time through. That’s perfectly suited for a team’s left-handed reliever. Then you’re either getting Canzone versus a lefty or else using Mitch Garver or (gulp) Ryan Bliss as yet another pinch hitter. None of those situations are ideal relative to Canzone versus a righty or Refsnyder versus a lefty.
That situation is exactly what arose last night, as Ryan Bliss pinch-hit against Erik Sabrowski and then had to face Cade Smith with the game on the line in the ninth. You don’t have to be as down on Bliss as I am to guess how that went.
My proposed solution is pretty simple. Against LHP, make the 1-2-3 Julio-Refsnyder-Cal. That way, once Canzone is in, there’s no lefty pocket. If an opponent wants to bring in a left-handed reliever to face Young and Canzone or force a substitution, they have to make the sacrifice of letting Julio face a lefty. Maybe they’ll still do it, but at least they have to make a tradeoff. Historically, Julio doesn’t perform that much better against southpaws than northpaws, but he’s also almost never faced lefty relievers with big platoon splits. This construction would either give him that opportunity or else keep a righty in against at least one of Young or Canzone.
To be sure, this gets more complicated once J.P. Crawford returns. I’m expecting that lineup to look much the same but with a bottom four of Donovan, J.P., Robles, and Young in some order. Because Víctor Robles is platooning with Luke Raley, you end up with a similar situation of a lefty pocket. But because it’s at the bottom of the order, that pocket is much less likely to come to the plate twice after the starter comes out than the top of the order is. So once Robles is out and Raley is in, it’s less likely that pocket will come up again and be exploitable with a left-handed reliever.
And in any event, having those four at the bottom of the order is happening regardless of how the top three are set up. If anything, it’s yet another reason to move Refsnyder from leadoff to second. That helps split up the two platoon spots as far apart as possible.
Of course, baseball isn’t just names on a page. These are human beings we’re talking about, and there may be something the team sees in giving Julio and Cal the same lineup spots every day, no matter who they’re facing. Baseball players are famously creatures of habit, and those are the two most important bats. In particular, Julio didn’t love hitting in the leadoff spot since it guarantees he’ll have to lead off an inning at least once, and he doesn’t like having to get into focus so quickly after the long jog back from centerfield. If this is what’s motivating the team, then don’t let my machinations get in the way. But if not, I recommend shuffling the top three against southpaws.
The Detroit Red Wings have reassigned defenseman Anton Johansson to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, bringing the young blueliner back to North America following his stint with Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League.
Johansson, 21, was selected by Detroit in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft and has been steadily developing in Sweden. This past season with Leksands IF, the six-foot-four defenseman recorded five goals and 12 assists for 17 points across 42 games, showcasing flashes of his two-way potential.
The move marks Johansson’s second stint with Grand Rapids. At the end of last season, he joined the Griffins and made an immediate impact, tallying five points and a plus-one rating in 11 regular-season games. He also appeared in three playoff contests, registering one assist, though he finished with a minus-three rating.
Detroit likely views Johansson as a long-term project on the blue line. With his size and defensive instincts, he profiles as a potential depth defenseman at the NHL level. However, his development has been gradual, and the organization appears committed to giving him time to adjust to the North American game and refine his consistency.
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MUMBAI, India (AP) — Openers Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma hit aggressive half-centuries to lead Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL on Sunday with five balls remaining.
Rickelton scored 81 off 43 balls with eight sixes while Sharma hit 78 off 38, including six sixes, as Mumbai went on to win with 224-4 in 19.1 overs. It was the highest run-chase at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in an Indian Premier League game.
Earlier, after losing the toss, Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 67 off 40 balls, with five sixes, providing the base for his side’s challenging 220-4 in 20 overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi hit 51 off 29 deliveries and Shardul Thakur picked up 3-39 for Mumbai.
Chasing 221, Mumbai set a hectic pace – Rickelton and Sharma put on 148 runs off 71 balls for the first wicket, including 80-0 in the powerplay.
Sharma sped to 50 off 23 balls. Rickelton reached his half century off 24 balls as Kolkata’s bowling didn’t have any answers.
Vaibhav Arora got the breakthrough in the 12th over when Sharma was out after Anukul Roy took a wonderful catch running back to midwicket.
India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav walked in at No. 3 as the impact player and scored 16 off eight balls before holing out to the square leg boundary.
Rickelton was run out in the 16th over, with Mumbai suffering a minor hiccup at 184-3, down from 148-0.
Tilak Varma (20) and Hardik Pandya (18 not out) made sure that the five-time champions won their opening game of the season – a first since the 2012 IPL season.
Good start for Kolkata
Kolkata openers Finn Allen and Rahane put on 69 off 32 balls.
Allen scored 37 off 17, including six fours and two sixes, while Rahane reached his 50 off 27 balls. Kolkata scored 78-1 in the powerplay, with Allen caught in the sixth over off Thakur.
Returning to the Mumbai camp this season, Thakur also accounted for Cameron Green (18) and later Rahane in the 14th over.
At 145-3, Kolkata’s innings was nearly derailed before Raghuvanshi played a rescuing hand. He hit six fours and two sixes, racing to 50 off 28 balls. Vice-captain Rinku Singh was 33 not out off 21.
The duo put on 60 off 30 balls for the fourth wicket to help Kolkata cross 200. But the team's bowling didn’t match its batting efforts on Sunday evening.
On Monday, it's Rajasthan Royals vs. Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati.
The Boston Bruins picked up a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Former Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt played a role in the Bruins' victory over the Wild, as he recorded three assists in the contest.
This was just the latest strong game for Mittelstadt, as he has been red-hot for the Bruins as of late. Over his last six games, the former Sabres forward has recorded seven points and a plus-3 rating. This included him scoring a goal against the Sabres on March 25. With this, there is no question that he has been playing some solid hockey for the Bruins down the stretch.
With his ongoing hot streak, Mittelstadt now has 14 goals, 26 assists, 40 points, and a plus-12 rating in 63 games this season. Overall, the former Sabres forward has been having a solid season with the Bruins and has become a key part of their top six in the process.
Mittelstadt was selected by the Sabres with the seventh-overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 339 games over seven seasons with Buffalo, he recorded 62 goals, 124 assists, and 186 points.
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots in front of Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Coming off a blowout win against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Spurs traveled to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks for the final time this season. Just like the Grizzlies game, the Spurs completely outmatched the depleted Bucks on both ends. After outscoring them 37-24 in the first, they never looked back. They led by as much as 38 points, thanks to dominant performances from Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama, alongside the team shooting 40% from three. The Spurs ultimately won wire-to-wire. 127-95.
Stephon Castle dropped his fourth career triple-double: 22 points (9-13 FG), 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Steph dropped one of the quieter triple-doubles. While the rest of the team was on fire from three, Steph took his time and attacked the paint. He also drained two threes alongside dishing out multiple lobs and diming up open shooters and cutters. He reached nine rebounds early in the fourth, but Mitch Johnson took him out with over seven minutes left. Thankfully, Mitch subbed him back in minutes later, and he grabbed his 10th board. Nonetheless of how he achieved the feat, Steph is a young star who could very well be an all-star next season.
Spin cycle! Steph isos Ryan Rollins and spins off of him, driving into the paint. He then uses his decel move for the layup!
AREA 51 PART 1: Steph beats the Bucks’ zone defense by catching the ball at the free-throw line and immediately lobbing it up to a cutting Wemby for the easy slam!
Victor Wembanyama dropped a double-double: 23 points (9-10 FT) and 15 rebounds to go along with six assists, two steals, and a block. Wemby dominated the boards and was dishing out several dimes. As far as his points go, his midrange and three-pointer were not effective, but every time he got into the paint, he was either fouled or he was slamming down lob passes and breakaway dunks. He only recorded one block, but throughout the game, there were several Bucks’ players who did not want to shoot over him at the midrange and in the paint. Those are called ‘neverminds’, and Wemby forces every player to think twice about attempting a shot with him lurking.
BEHIND THE BACK! Wemby pulls off a move that usually guards pull off: a behind-the-back pass to a wide-open Steph for the powerful slam!
Devin Vassell dropped 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-7 3PT), four rebounds, three steals, a dime, and a block. Dev was efficient from the field and provided an extra boost on defense. He snuck into the passing lanes and even pickpocketed Rollins. Dev is now shooting 39% from three this season, but the most underrated part of his game is coming up with good defensive rotations on the perimeter. With him and Julian Champagnie as key floor spacers, it makes it that much harder for teams to shut down this offense.
PINPOINT! Dev nails the wide-open three from the wing late in the first!
Keldon Johnson dropped 16 points (6-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, 2-2 FT), five assists, and a steal. KJ was uber-efficient and a playmaker for both the starters and the bench. He made great cuts to the basket and drained two threes. His ability to get a bucket by any means necessary has been a great spark plug when the offense goes cold, and he showed off his post moves, resulting in multiple tough buckets. Another great game for his 6MOTY candidacy.
Don’t fall asleep! KJ cuts to the basket, and Dylan Harper feeds him a nice bounce pass for the open jam!
Dylan Harper dropped 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-3 3PT), two assists, one rebound, and one steal. In just 21 minutes, Dyl put on a show in the open court. Anytime Dyl had the ball one-on-one, his craftiness allowed him to finish at the rim no matter who was in front of him. He also drained two threes. In March, he is shooting 59% from the field and 54% from three-point range. Dyl is heating up at the right time with the playoffs now two weeks away.
Smooth operator! Dyl puts multiple moves on Ousmane Dieng. He does a crossover into a half spin and switches hands on the reverse layup!
De’Aaron Fox dropped 12 points (6-9 FG), six assists, two rebounds, and a steal. D-Fox got his buckets strictly from the midrange and the paint. Just like Wemby, he also finished with six assists. His lightning-quick speed mixed with his dribble moves results in easier buckets due to the created space. The two-time all-star continues to pick his spots and lets others shine as long as the team is winning.
Fox dime! D-Fox finds an open Champagnie, who pops the champagne for three! Julian finished with 11 points (4-8 FG, 3-7 3PT), four rebounds, and two steals.
Too crafty and too fast! On the fastbreak, D-Fox stops at the three-point line, gives a quick look to the backcourt, and splits two defenders for the open layup!
All in all, this was one of several games this season that was wrapped up nice and early. The poise and maturity this team has shown since the first half of the season is leaps and bounds ahead of schedule. This was also a game where the silver and black were at full strength. As the regular season draws to a close, this team will have a key matchup against the Denver Nuggets on April 2nd and on April 12th. Those matchups will help prepare this team for what is to come this postseason.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs return home to take on the Chicago Bulls this Monday at 7:00 P.M. (CST) on Peacock/NBCSN EXTRA/FDSN-SW.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 22: Jeferson Quero #7 of the Milwaukee Brewers catches during the fifth inning of the spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on March 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Coming off two straight wins, the Brewers will look to complete the sweep in their season-opening series against the White Sox.
Right-hander Brandon Sproat gets the ball for Milwaukee today. Sproat, acquired as part of the return in the offseason Freddy Peralta trade, will be making his first appearance as a Brewer. He debuted in the majors last September, posting a 4.79 ERA over four starts with the Mets. This spring, he struck out 15 batters in 13 innings of work on the way to making his first Opening Day roster. For more on why Sproat could be the Brewers’ next pitching success story, check out this article from last month.
On the mound for the White Sox today is 31-year-old lefty Anthony Kay, who hasn’t pitched in a major league game since 2023. He spent the last two seasons with the Yohohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball. Last year, Kay set the single-season ERA record for a BayStars pitcher (1.74), earning himself another shot at the big leagues in the process.
Making his major-league debut and hitting seventh today is catcher Jeferson Quero (no relation to White Sox catcher Edgar Quero). Quero was once considered a top-50 prospect in baseball, but slid down the rankings last year after he proved slow to recover from a labrum injury that sidelined him for over a year. However, in an interview yesterday, he said that he’s feeling back to “100%” heading into the season. The Brewers wouldn’t have called up Quero if they didn’t have confidence in him to produce, especially with two other catchers (William Contreras and Gary Sánchez) on the 26-man roster. Let’s see what he can do today.
The top of the lineup for the Brewers today is Brice Turang, William Contreras (at designated hitter), and offseason acquisition Luis Rengifo. Hitting cleanup and playing first base is Gary Sánchez, who has a career total of 16.2 innings played at first base. His only previous start at the position was on May 8th, 2024 — also with the Brewers. Sal Frelick will bat fifth, with the red-hot Joey Ortiz slotting in behind him. Rounding out the order are Quero, Brandon Lockridge, and Blake Perkins.
First pitch is slated for 1:10 p.m. You can catch the game on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio Network.
Brandon Sproat and Jeferson Quero make their Brewers debuts
Los Angeles, CA - March 26: Alex Freeland ,left, Ben Casparius, Emmet Sheehan and Jack Dreyer of the Los Angeles Dodgers diring the festivities prior to an opening day baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Last season all the way through the World Series, the Dodgers got major contributions from rookies and young players, and that carried over into the opening series of 2026 at Dodger Stadium.
You might have noticed in any of those highlights that Freeland wears number 76. He’s not alone among young Dodgers wearing high uniform numbers. A question I see a lot in the comments section or in my social media mentions is when are these young Dodgers going to get real numbers, or something to that effect.
So I asked them.
“I’d like to change it, but maybe when I get a little more service time,” Freeland said, though he admitted he wasn’t really sure how he would go about doing so.
Two years ago, in the second week of May 2024, three young Dodgers switched uniform numbers, going from their first-issued numbers to lower, more traditional numbers. Andy Pages, just a month into his time in the majors, switched from 84 to 44, Gavin Stone went from 71 to 35, and Michael Grove switched from 78 to 29.
Stone at the time had 69 major league innings under his belt, while Grove was at 119 1/3 innings and in his third season. Four Dodgers pitchers with similar experience don’t seem all that keen on changing uniform numbers anytime soon.
“I haven’t really thought about it at all,” said Ben Casparius, who’s worn number 78 since debuting in 2024. “I was always number five my entire life, and I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon [he glanced over at Freddie Freeman’s locker here]. But for me, seven plus eight is 15, and there’s a five in there somewhere.”
Like all of these players, they are wearing the number that was first assigned to them. But it’s grown on them. Grove was the only Dodger to wear number 78 before Casparius.
“I’ve embraced it. To be honest, I haven’t given too much thought into it. It does feel like my number,” Casparius said. “Throwing on a Dodger uniform in general is pretty cool, so I don’t think it will change anytime soon.”
Jack Dreyer made his major league debut last season. The left-hander made the opening day roster out of spring training, and joined Yoshinobu Yamamoto as the only two Dodgers pitchers to remain active through the entire regular season and postseason. All while Dreyer was wearing number 86.
Current Marlins manager Clayton McCullough wore number 86 with the Dodgers as first base coach from 2022-24, but Dreyer is the first player to wear it in team history.
“Growing up, 24 was a pretty common number because that was my dad’s number. But in high school and college, I was four, and then 33 and 41, I bounced around so much. It’s never really been anything consistent,” Dreyer said.
His father Steve Dreyer pitched parts of two seasons (1993-94) with the Texas Rangers, and wore number 24 in both years.
“I like 86. It was randomly given to me when I debuted last year, and I found out I was the first player ever to wear 86 for the Dodgers, so I kind of like how it fits,” Dreyer said. “My plan is to keep it as long as they’ll let me keep it.”
These high uniform numbers are a relatively new phenomenon in baseball. No Dodger player wore anything over 77 until Manny Ramirez donned number 99 in 2008.
Like several teammates, Sheehan hasn’t yet entertained the idea of a different number.
“I don’t think I’m going to change it anytime soon,” Sheehan said. “It’s just the one they gave me, and I don’t think anyone else has ever worn it, which I think is pretty cool. And a lot of my family bought jerseys and stuff like that, so I don’t want to make them buy more.”
Sheehan gave the most practical answer here, looking out for his family and friends. Justin Wrobleski, who wears uniform number 70, went in a different direction, with time-honored baseball superstition.
“Let me ask you this question: if you wore one number, and we won two World Series, would you change it?” asked Wrobleski, knowing the answer. “I can’t change it, unless there’s, like, severe fan intervention that he needs to change his number. … I’m trying to build the number 70.
“It’s kind of cool. Not a lot of guys keep a number like this.”
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 20: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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Warriors computer picks
Draymond Green Over 8.5 points (-105)
Projection: 11.2 points
This is a five-star play according to our projections, with the numbers expecting Draymond Green to reach double digits. Both the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets rank in the Top 10 in pace over the last five games, meaning plenty of extra possessions.
With no Steph in the lineup, Draymond hasn't shied away from taking a few extra shots to help his team win.
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Gui Santos Over 4.5 rebounds (-150)
Projection: 6.7 rebounds
This is another five-star play for tonight's matchup, with Gui Santos looking to crash the glass for the Dubs. Missing bodies have opened up minutes for Santos, and he's put those minutes to good use.
He's started back-to-back games and has seen 30+ minutes of action in three straight outings. With so much floor time, he can corral five boards.
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Kristaps Porzingis Over 19.5 points (-115)
Projection: 21.4 points
Kristaps Porzingis has been balling for the Dubs in recent outings and is coming off a 28-point performance over Washington. The stretch big is finally starting to find his rhythm with Golden State, and 20 points is a very attainable number.
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Nuggets computer picks
Peyton Watson Under 11.5 points (-110)
Projection: 9.9 points
Peyton Watson is coming off a miserable shooting performance, and our projections expect that to continue. The 23-year-old only went for 10 points in his last meeting against the Dubs, and they'll do enough to contain him again tonight.
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Nikola Jokic Over 1.5 threes (+115)
Projection: 1.9 threes
Nikola Jokic has hit two or more threes in five of his last 10 games, and the Nuggets are the most efficient 3-point shooting team this season. Jokic will have no problem firing away against this mediocre Golden State defense.
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Jamal Murray Over 23.5 points (-112)
Projection: 24.8 points
Not many players are hotter than Jamal Murray, who is scoring 31.6 points per game over his last five outings. Murray is in the midst of a career year, and the injury-riddled Warriors don't have anyone to slow down the Denver PG.
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How to watch Warriors vs Nuggets tonight
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 26: James Wood #29 reacts after catching a fly ball for an out in the ninth inning of a game between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day at Wrigley Field on March 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the Nats handled the Cubs in game one of the series, the North Siders stuck back with a big win in game two. Now, the two teams face off for an afternoon rubber match at Wrigley Field. The Nats taking two out of three in the friendly confines would be a nice statement to open the season.
With a lefty on the mound, Blake Butera is rolling with the same lineup that put up 10 runs on Opening Day. The order is the same but James Wood will be at DH and Daylen Lile will be in left field. Otherwise, the Nats are running back that lineup that won them game one. Joey Wiemer and Andres Chaparro will look to continue their lefty killing ways. Jake Irvin will be making his first start of the season. He will look to bounce back after a rough 2025.
The Cubs lineup also does not have many changes. Carson Kelly will be back behind the plate after Miguel Amaya caught yesterday. Veteran Michael Conforto will be making his first start of the season in right field. That means former Maryland Terp Matt Shaw will be on the bench. Japanese lefty Shota Imanaga will be on the mound for the Cubbies.
The two teams each have one big win. Now, the Cubs and Nats will settle this thing in a rubber match. The wind is blowing out and both pitchers are homer prone, so the long ball could be a factor today. Hopefully the Nats will be able to keep it in the yard like they did on Opening Day. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) is greeted by Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
To call this an ignominious start to the season, even by White Sox standards, would be doing a disservice to the Oxford English Dictionary on the bookshelf behind me right now. Contemptible; opprobrious, vituperative; truculent; there are plenty of ways that one could sum up getting outscored 20-3 over the first two games of the season, much less while becoming the first team in big league history to record 30+ strikeouts in those opening two games. Not great, Bob!
I have to imagine most players would agree—given the relative success of Spring Training and the general vibe of “it’s going to be better this time!” surrounding this roster entering the last week of March, it’s an early-season faceplant that’s simultaneously surprising and perfectly on brand. Still, pardon my optimism, they’d also almost certainly agree that the sky isn’t falling yet.
Two games are still two games, and the adage does apply that we’re only paying attention to them because they have no surrounding context beyond the excitement of the season’s start, which often makes such flops feel outsized, even with as lopsided of a scoring margin as the first two games of this set. While the sheer volume of losing the last few years has been horrid, for my money, none of them has been as purely frustrated as 2022’s even 81-81 record. You may recall that the defending AL Central champs got off to a 6-2 start that year before engineering an eight-game losing streak from which they never really recovered. Perspective, my friends!
Anyhow, below you can find the lineup that Will Venable will be sending onto American Family Field as he tries to salvage the series.
Anthony Kay makes his South Side debut on the hill, seeing his first big league action since 2023 and his first start since 2021. Originally a first round pick of the Mets, Kay was dealt alongside now-Twins starter Simeon Woods-Richardson in a 2019 deadline deal that brought Marcus Stroman from Toronto to Queens. After washing out of the majors, Kay reinvented himself in two years pitching for the Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars in the Japan Central League before catapulting back to the States on the strength of a 1.74 ERA and league-best 57.5% ground ball rate.
The main arsenal change that Kay brings back with him is a new sinker that serves as his primary fastball against lefties and helps generate all those ground balls. In Spring Training, he employed two distinct arsenals. He comes at lefties with the sinker and a low-80s sweeper, a classic ground ball combination of sinkers in on the hands with sweepers breaking off the outer edge of the plate. Against righties he pairs his traditional four-seamer with a 90 mph slider that has just enough break to be distinct from a cutter. That’s when he uses the change up as an out-pitch, typically employing it with one or two strikes and an aggressive hitter.
Thoughts and notes on the rest of the lineup:
• Per statcast, Chase Meidroth’s chopped a few inches off his bat path and has squared up virtually everything he’s made contact with, which to an optimist might indicate that he’s learning to leverage his excellent pitch recognition into attacking more of the pitches he likes.
• Murakami already strikes me as a three-true-outcome god, something in the vein of prime Adam Dunn (pre-White Sox version) with more athleticism, he should be batting in the two spot for the rest of time.
• While I don’t usually care about lineup construction, I am extremely concerned about Venable’s seeming dedication to alternating lefties with righties in the lineup. If the White Sox had the analytics department of the Yankees or Astros, I might think there’s something to it. At the moment, it feels as if hitters are arbitrarily being put in prime lineup spots based on where they swing it from.
• I know it doesn’t positionally work out, but one has to wonder if there are any thoughts in the clubhouse about Everson Pereira and Tristan Peters getting consistent burn while last year’s team home run leader rides the pine. If I had to make a guess, this is being treated as an extended Spring Training battle to see who gets to keep a spot once Brooks Baldwin is back from the IL.
Here’s how Pat Murphy and the Brew Crew are countering as they go for the sweep:
Brandon Sproat and Jeferson Quero make their Brewers debuts
The title of the tweet says everything that’s interesting about this one. Mark Attanasio’s stinginess may have spared the White Sox from having to face Freddy Peralta during this series, but today, they’ll see his replacement. Brandon Sproat was a second round pick of the Mets in 2024, and quickly found his way onto top-100 prospect lists the next two seasons while being the centerpiece of the deal that sent Peralta to Queens.
Also making his big league debut is another Brewer who’s spent the last two years on those lists in catcher Jeferson Quero (pronounced yeff-er-son). He’s unrelated to Edgar, but their profiles aren’t actually all that different, with excellent plate discipline and contact ability compensating for middling power. He’s a bit more tooled up behind the plate than his Cuban counterpart, but after watching the Brewers run wild over Reese McGuire yesterday, perhaps Sox hitters will be inclined to challenge the young backstop.
First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. CT, and will be available on TV via CHSN and radio via WMVP AM 1000.
Warriors
Nuggets
