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CLEVELAND — There weren’t a lot of good things to take away from the Cleveland Cavaliers embarassing 130-120 loss to the tanking Dallas Mavericks. Max Strus’s 24-point season debut was one of them.

Strus looked like he hadn’t missed a beat as he drained six of his seven threes. More than that, he provided help on the glass and a compete level on defense that this team has sorely missed at times.

“It was a pretty amazing performance after seven months of not playing an NBA game,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said of Strus. “Maybe the best I’ve seen.”

Strus’s brilliant season debut was wasted by Cleveland’s lackadaisical defense.

Atkinson wasn’t shy when talking about what went wrong defensively. He called the defense “permissive,” said Dallas “never felt them,” and that the effort was “inexcusable.”

“It really comes down to guarding the ball,” Atkinson said.

The Cavs didn’t do that. They allowed Dallas to get into the paint whenever they wanted to. And then when they did, the help defense wasn’t quick enough to stop them at the rim. This led to the Mavericks converting 81% (87th percentile) of their shots at the rim.

And the rare time the help defense was there, the rotations weren’t, which led to Dallas connecting on 50% of their threes (95th percentile) and 75% of their corner triples (97th percentile).

“If you don’t contain the ball, it’s a trigger,” Donovan Mitchell said. “When you get beat, then the next man rotates, and now they’re swinging to the corner. You go to the corner, they swing again, and the guy drives. It’s unpredictable basketball, which makes teams elite. … That’s where we got to be better, and it starts on the ball.”

This would be concerning enough on its own. This performance, coming against a team that entered this game 27th in offensive rating while also without multiple key players in Klay Thompson (rest), Daniel Gafford (illness), and Dereck Lively (foot), makes it even more alarming.

“We’ve got to go out there and figure it out as a group collectively,” Mitchell said. “It’s not just the guy on the ball, it’s the next man. Are we getting into gaps? … When they drive, are we there to go help? Are we there for the next close? Are we there rotating? We got to do that over and over and over.”

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Right now, the Cavs have too many holes on the perimeter. The starting backcourt isn’t good defensively. Neither Mitchell nor James Harden is known for providing much resistance. Their wing defense is better, but they don’t have many good options against teams with size.

The Cavs’ lack of bigger wings hurt them in their recent losses to the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. They didn’t have anyone other than Dean Wade they could put on to contain opposing wings. That happened again on Sunday as Cooper Flagg torched them for 27 points and 10 assists.

Getting Jarrett Allen back — who’s out with a knee injury — would help immensely. He will provide good help defense at the rim upon his return. But no center can truly make up for a point of attack defense that is this poor. That will need to change if they want to be taken seriously as title contenders.

The Harden and Mobley two-man game isn’t working.

Before the game, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said that it would take up to half a season before he would feel comfortable playing alongside a new big man when he was running point. He mentioned that it took a long time to figure out what his new big’s strengths were and where they needed the ball to be their best selves.

Harden and Mobley can become a lethal duo, but they don’t have the time to work out all the issues they currently have. That showed through on Sunday as they combined to turn the ball over 10 times. More than a few of those were from doomed attempts to get the other involved.

Harden has struggled to find passing lanes to Mobley when they’re running the pick-and-roll.

Mobley isn’t a rim-running big, even when he does set a physical screen. He’s not a vertical finisher when rolling to the basket, even though he can finish lobs off cuts or when he’s standing in the dunker’s spot. This takes away a window for Harden to feed Mobley the ball, which has left him trying to get it to him with the bounce pass. That is a much harder pass to complete, and much easier for a defense to disrupt, as seen in the play below.

Atkinson has mentioned that the duo has been spending a lot of time watching film together. That will likely keep happening. But as of now, they’re no closer to piecing things together, and they’re running out of time to do so.

This new-look Cavs team is running into adversity after playing so well after the deadline. They’ve now lost three of their last five games, with two of those losses coming against teams below them in the standings. They’ve felt disjointed on both ends of the floor.

It isn’t a coincidence that these three losses have come without Allen on the court. He’s been the glue holding this team together. Even so, there’s too much talent on the roster to justify losing a game like this.

Things need to be cleaned up before the postseason, which starts in a month.

“We haven’t had much adversity with the current group that we have,” Mitchell said. “It was all sunshine and rainbows. It was great, right? We had to kind of go through these moments and figure that out. We have time. We don’t have time to delay this, but I think this is good for us. We’ll figure these things out.”

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

This week’s question asked you about Ime Udoka. There’s no debating that the Rockets have underachieved this season. Despite still sitting in the fourth seed, they’ve been a worse team than the one last year, and one of the reasons is because of head coach Ime Udoka. He’s had struggles with offensive creativity as well as rotation and game management. It hasn’t always been pretty.

That being said, we asked you want you would want to do about Ime in the offseason. This question was what would you want to do, not what the Rockets will do. Here are the results:

It was an interesting poll. A full 54 percent want Ime to have an OC next to him, while 31 percent want him fired. That’s a full 85 percent of Rockets fans are dis-satisfied with the way things are going for Udoka right now. Yikes.

Don’t forget to check out FanDuel NBA. They have player props, parlay builders and many more. The Rockets are currently +4000 to win the NBA Title. If you have a feeling they somehow pull that out, $100 gets you a huge payout.

We’ll be back soon with more Reacts!

Now that the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament bracket has been announced, college basketball fans have begun filling out their brackets for each of the four regions, and the paths that would be required for the 68 teams to reach the Final Four.

So, who will win it all?

Microsoft Copilot AI chatbot believes the 2026 NCAA Tournament will be a redemption story for the reigning national runner-up, Houston.

Think you can beat our experts? Join USA TODAY’s Bracket Challenge today!

USA TODAY Sports used the Microsoft Copilot AI chatbot to predict the result of every men's game in this year's NCAA Tournament bracket. The exercise looked a lot like how avid and casual college basketball fans fill out a traditional bracket for their bracket pool groups every year.

The Microsoft Copilot AI simulation selected the 2-seeded Cougars to be crowned the national champion on Monday, April 6 inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, which would be the first national title for Houston and make Kelvin Sampson the oldest Division I coach to win a national championship at 70 years old. Copilot had Houston beating Big 12 foe, 1-seed Arizona, in the national title game. The Wildcats defeated the Cougars in the Big 12 championship game this past weekend.

The artificial intelligence software also predicted three upsets for the entire tournament, two coming in the first round with No. 12 seed High Point beating No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 9 seed Saint Louis beating No. 8 seed Georgia. The other was Houston getting revenge for last year's national championship loss to Florida in the Elite Eight of the South Region. It has a Final Four that includes three No. 1 seeds (Duke and Michigan as the others) and one No. 2 seed in Houston.

There was one major flaw in the simulation, though. It mixed up the region names of the bracket, but it got the matchups through the Elite Eight correct. For the Final Four and national championship, we had to run a different simulation with the correct Final Four matchup pairings of regions from the actual NCAA Tournament bracket.

Madness awaits.

Good luck as you try to spot the perfect 12 vs. 5 upset pick, so you can lord your Cinderella-spotting skills over your buddies. If you’ll allow me a word of advice as you fill out your brackets: I like the upset potential of the 11-seeds this year much better than the 12-seeds.

While we await the games, here are eight burning thoughts and predictions off this NCAA Tournament bracket.

March Madness region breakdown: South | East | Midwest | West

Duke is No. 1 team, but Arizona is frontrunner after good region draw

The selection committee did Duke dirty.

The Blue Devils earned the No. 1 overall seed, but big whoop. Their prize? Getting placed into a region that includes an all-star cast of coaches.

Lined up in Duke's way are Dan Hurley, Tom Izzo, Bill Self and Rick Pitino. That’s some kind of reward for the tournament's top seed.

As if Duke hadn’t absorbed enough bad luck already with the recent injury to point guard Caleb Foster, now it’s got to solve a who’s who list of coaches.

The true seeding affirms Duke’s East Region has the best collection of Nos. 1 through 4 seeds. Duke already played and beat Michigan State and Kansas in the regular season. That doesn’t mean it would relish a rematch.

Even Duke’s second-round game, potentially against No. 8 Ohio State, brews a recipe for trouble. The Buckeyes are hot, and they can hang with premier teams. They recently beat Purdue, and they gave Michigan a 40-minute fight in the Big Ten tournament.

In fact, Duke might prefer to teleport into the West Region, where Arizona is the No. 1 seed.

With Duke facing the region of doom, Arizona should be viewed as tournament frontrunners. Arizona already emerged on top of the nation’s best conference. Now, the Wildcats must exorcise some postseason demons. They last reached the Final Four in 2001, with a bundle of flops since then.

Better to face old demons, though, than face the teams in Duke’s way of the Final Four.

Think you can beat our expert? Join USA TODAY’s Bracket Challenge today!

Ready to win March Madness? Join USA TODAY’s Survivor Pool today!

Miami Ohio deserved its NCAA Tournament bid

Mid-majors give the NCAA Tournament its irresistible flavor, and the committee got it right by awarding at-large bids to 10th-seeded Santa Clara and 11th-seeded Miami (Ohio).

Santa Clara twice beat Saint Mary's, a 7-seed in this bracket. Sure, Santa Clara went 0-3 in games against Gonzaga, but the Broncos played the Zags closer each time than Kentucky did when it got routed by Mark Few’s crew. Now, Santa Clara gets its own crack at UK in a 7 vs. 10 game.

The committee directed the RedHawks to a First Four game. That’s fine, considering their poor strength of schedule. Kicking Miami out of the bracket entirely, though, based on a single loss, would have been too heavy-handed. This is an instance of the First Four providing some real value. Let a game in Dayton, Ohio, determine whether 31-win Miami is worthy of the first round.

Nobody got snubbed, and March Madness expansion unnecessary

If we needed more proof that the NCAA Tournament does not need to expand, we got it. The first two teams left out of the field were Oklahoma (19-15) and Auburn (17-16).

When we’re spotlighting a 15-loss team with barely a top-50 NET ranking as the biggest “snub,” that means there were no snubs.

Could Oklahoma or Auburn have won an NCAA Tournament game? Yes, they might have won a game or possibly even two, if selected. Or, either could’ve been routed in its opener. Bottom line: Neither played with enough consistency to earn a ticket, and nobody with Elite Eight potential got omitted from this 68-team bracket.

As rumblings of a 72- or 76-team bracket persist, expansion remains quite obviously unnecessary. It would only prop up the dregs of the Power conferences.

First-round upset special: No. 10 Santa Clara beats No. 7 Kentucky

It must have been painful for Big Blue Nation watching John Calipari and Arkansas win the SEC tournament. Well, that’ll be nothing compared to the outrage that’ll radiate from Kentucky if Mark Pope falls in the first round to cap his second season.

Santa Clara can pile up points, and Kentucky specializes in falling behind, before trying to mount furious rallies.

Santa Clara finished as the West Coast Conference's runner-up. In Kentucky’s last taste of the WCC, it lost to Gonzaga by 35 points in December.

First-round upset special, Part II: No. 11 VCU beats No. 6 North Carolina

The Tar Heels’ Final Four potential absorbed a gut punch when top scorer Caleb Wilson suffered a season-ending injury earlier this month. That’s reflected in North Carolina's seeding. If Wilson was healthy, UNC probably would be more in the vicinity of a 4-seed.

VCU is hot, winners of 16 of its past 17 games. Its credentials include a November rout of Virginia Tech, a 19-win team from the ACC.

A frequent NCAA qualifier, VCU last sprang a first-round upset a decade ago. Dust off the glass slipper.

Second-round game I’m dying to see

If chalk holds in the first-round games in Portland, Oregon, then No. 3 Gonzaga would face No. 6 Brigham Young in the second round. That’s an opportunity to see one of the nation’s best pure scorers, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, go against one of the nation’s best defensive teams, Gonzaga.

Some NBA Draft experts expect Dybantsa to be selected with the No. 1 pick. Before that, enjoy his college curtain call this March Madness.

Big 12, Big Ten represent in Final Four

Last year, all four 1-seeds reached the Final Four. Surely, that won’t repeat … right? Right.

The SEC earned the most bids, but the Big 12 is the nation’s best conference, and I expect it to represent ‘til the end, with No. 1 Arizona and No. 2 Houston reaching the Final Four. I’ve also got No. 1 Michigan and No. 3 Michigan State in the Final Four.

Arizona starts a lineup full of double-digit scorers. Houston has an excellent blend of proven veterans and premier freshmen. Michigan plays the nation’s best defense and scores plenty, too. As for Michigan State, trust March Madness virtuoso Izzo inside the rough-and-tumble East Region.

National championship pick: Arizona beats Houston

The past 25 years were filled with NCAA Tournament heartbreak for Arizona. It’s time to end that madness.

In the year of the freshman, Arizona starts three really good ones, including top scorer Brayden Burries. But, as the saying goes, old guards win in March. I’m all-in on Arizona because of its do-it-all senior point guard Jaden Bradley, the Big 12 player of the year and the soul of this team.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA Tournament hot takes: Is this Arizona's year? Bluebloods beware

It was late in the second quarter of Boston’s final contest with the Philadelphia 76ers that Baylor Scheierman lost the ball. 

Scheierman, announced the day prior that he’d be playing through a fractured left thumb, had defenders on his back and in his face, before Tyrese Maxey swooped in from an off-ball position to swipe the ball and sprint to an open basket. But Scheierman didn’t let the play die, instead racing behind Maxey and using his left hand to push the ball out of bounds. In the moment, you’d probably expect signs of pain from the ailing Scheierman, but his face showed nothing but frustration for the turnover. 

Not a wince, not a sign of discomfort, but a clap of frustration, and nothing more. 

Seven days later against Cleveland, now with an established “thumbs up” celebration to show off the splint protecting it, he had his own clear lane to the basket, leaking out off a missed Cavaliers shot and slamming a two-handed dunk, briefly hanging on the rim in the process. This time, there was a reaction.

A smile. 

It was on Derrick White’s White Noise podcast that we heard a secondary perspective on Scheierman’s injury, and just how painful it’s been for the second-year wing. 

“He’s struggling to put his socks on, but he’s going out there and doing a lot of good things for us,” White said.

Scheierman, now playing on a sprained ankle sustained late in the loss to the OKC Thunder on Thursday night, is somehow persisting through both injuries while being a positive contributor in the process. 

In the two weeks since his fractured thumb was announced, Scheierman has played in all eight games, shot 46% from the field, 37% from three, and contributed 2.5 assists with 6 rebounds. He is one of five Celtics to take more than 40 3-pointers in that span, and his 37% shooting is the highest among them. 

All the more impressive? Every made basket has come from his dominant left hand, including an array of jumpers, floaters, and yes, even a sweeping left hook. 

Could anyone have possibly anticipated such efficiency with an injury to a shooting hand? It almost defies belief. When it comes to players battling through injury, the expectation is a dip in overall quality. You applaud the fight and the effort, but you see someone not completely up to their usual standards. When Malcolm Brogdon played multiple Eastern Conference Final games with a partially torn tendon in his shooting elbow, you could see the discomfort he had from your home screen. It was a great shooter greatly affected by a serious injury.

But Baylor has, curiously, been up to his own standards so far, with his eight-game efficiency pretty closely matching his 45/38 splits on the season.

Against the Wizards on Saturday, now carrying the weight of pain on two limbs, Scheierman had a true off-night shooting, making just one of his eight shot attempts. It was the kind of shooting you’d probably expect from that first night with the finger wrapped up, not the eighth. 

And yet, ever the gadget player, Scheierman still found ways to impact the game, grabbing nine rebounds, four of which came on the offensive glass, along with a pair of crafty assists. 

This second quarter hustle play was indicative of the team’s rebounding stronghold over the Wizards, with Scheierman’s corner crash cutting between four paint-surrounding Wizards who watched as he saved the possession that’d later lead to a Luka Garza putback. 

Even with the added tension of an ankle injury, there has been no reason to indicate Scheierman missing time with the Boston schedule continuing its every other day pattern for the next week. 

“We’re just kind of evaluating it as it goes, but I feel good enough to be out there, and that’s how it’s going to be,” Scheierman told reporters after the initial report of his thumb injury. “I’m not going to sit out.”

Maybe he’s having a hard time putting a sock on, but the impact he’s made on the floor can often look effortless. 

NBA basketball in March can be a strange time. Teams, like the Wizards, will dig their heels in to improve their lottery odds, players that don’t often fill up the statsheet will do just that, and playoff-bound teams will actively find new ways of saying “Load Management” on an injury report to keep their best players rested as playoff seeding begins to take its final shape. 

And then there’s Baylor Scheierman, finger broken and ankle bothered, crashing the glass, confidently pulling up from 25 feet, and leaving it on the court as he continues to prove why he belongs in the rotation for the foreseeable future. 

March Madness is all about chaos, and it’s time to embrace it in the 2026 edition of the Big Dance.

The NCAA Tournament bracket is out, revealing the paths all 68 teams need to make the Final Four. The fun part is you can forget what happens on-paper because there are bound to be some wild things going on when the action tips off. 

From Cinderella stories to stunning buzzer-beating shots, it’s impossible to guess all that will happen, which is why there needs to be some bold predictions when filling out your bracket. Luckily, we’ll come up with some — and back up why it can happen. Will all of them be true? Likely not, but that’s what makes March Madness so thrilling.

Think you can beat our experts? Join USA TODAY’s Bracket Challenge today!

Ready to win March Madness? Join USA TODAY’s Survivor Pool today!

Miami Ohio wins multiple games

There was so much talk about whether the 31-1 RedHawks should be in the field, with questions of their legitimacy given how relatively easy the schedule was. Well, Miami (Ohio) can put it all to rest by advancing out of the first round.

Sure it didn’t play a tough schedule, but this is a fun team to watch play, and they can challenge just about anyone. The offense is one of the best and in the country, always going on hot streaks that can make it tough to stop. A relentless attack powers the RedHawks toward its first tournament win this century, and by taking down Tennessee, it should silence the doubters.

No love? Wally Szczerbiak 'surprised' Miami (OH) sent to First Four

Half of SEC teams lose in first round

The SEC got the most teams in with 10, but it’s not anywhere as strong as it was in 2025, setting up for a rather disappointing turnout.

It’s hard to imagine getting another eight teams to reach the Sweet 16, given so many squads have tough roads to make it to the second weekend. The path to the second round also seems tricky, and besides Florida and Arkansas, it’s hard to trust the rest of the SEC. That leads to just four teams making it to the second round. 

That won’t be something to gloat about, but don’t worry, the conference is still in good shape to get a representative to the Final Four.

March Madness region breakdown: South | East | Midwest | West

Mick Cronin, Dan Hurley both get ejected

Get ready for a passionate second-round game between Connecticut and UCLA. The two teams have two of the notable "passionate" coaches in Dan Hurley and Mick Cronin, and they’ll put on an antics masterclass in Philadelphia.

In an exciting back-and-forth game, both head men get fiery about what’s unfolding. Whether it’s a foul or missed call, these two let the officials know how they truly feel, not holding back as the referees discipline them, ultimately leading to both being sent to the locker room early.

Bonus points if they end up arguing with each other, and watch out for the losing postgame news conference.

A Cinderella run to the Sweet 16

There was no belle of the ball in 2025 as no team seeded No. 11 or higher made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007. It really took away some of the magic, but expect it to be back this time around.

One of those teams will make it to the second weekend and become a major story. What makes it easier to see is while there are some real title contenders at the top, there is a huge gap behind the top two seeds, very susceptible to being upset. There are also some great candidates to go on that run, including South Florida, VCU, High Point, Akron and Miami (Ohio).

Kansas misses Sweet 16… again

Last season was the third straight time Kansas didn’t get a third tournament game. A rarity for the Jayhawks, but there’s no way it happens a fourth time, right?

Think again. For as good as Kansas has shown it can be, it’s a mystery what team can show up on a given day. One day it’s taking down top-ranked teams, the next it’s falling to non-tournament teams. The inconsistency plagues Bill Self again, and if Kansas avoids a first round upset, it’s unable to get advance past the second round.

Four straight tournaments without a Sweet 16 appearance is unprecedented in the storied history of the Jayhawks. Yet, things have been weird ever since winning it all in 2022, and the questions will continue to linger around Self.

AJ Dybantsa powers BYU to second weekend

While BYU underwent a puzzling slump to end the regular season that severely hurt what seed it ended up being, one thing remained constant: Its star was hooping, and he’ll come up big for the Cougars.

Dybantsa has been one of the most electric players in the sport, leading the country with 25.3 points per game. Even though he’s had to carry a heavier burden with injuries, it hasn’t stopped him, scoring at least 20 points in 13 straight games while causing headaches for defenses.

With the lights shining bright, Dybantsa continues his hot streak to push BYU toward a successful first weekend, reaching the Sweet 16 back-to-back years for the first time in program history.

Chaos region? The Midwest

Looking for a region to completely change brackets? Look at the Midwest.

There are so many legit upset candidates throughout the bracket, with a chance for multiple double-digit seeds advancing. It wouldn’t be crazy to see some double-digit second round matchups, paving the way for a Cinderella run with at least three teams seeded nine or lower in the Sweet 16.

Braden Smith surges past assist record

Purdue’s point guard is set to become the all-time assist leader, entering the NCAA Tournament two more away from breaking Bobby Hurley’s record. There’s no doubt he gets it done, but the question is: how far does he go?

Well, it all depends on how far the Boilermakers advance. Play more, more chances for dimes.

Fortunately, Purdue is peaking at the right time, paving the way for multiple wins in the tournament. It allows Smith to stack up more assists, and he ends his career at least 25 assists ahead of Hurley.

 All No. 1 seeds make Final Four

We’re sticking to our guns. Even though conference tournament week tested them, all four No. 1 seeds will make the Final Four for back-to-back years.

The top seeds in Duke, Michigan, Arizona and Florida really separated themselves from the rest of the pack. Not only did they win a lot, but they did it against quality opponents, making up the only squads to win at least 12 Quad 1 games. That’s also come with them consistently putting teams away and leaving no doubt in their contests, with the four included in the top eight teams in scoring margin.

It won’t be a cakewalk through the bracket, and expect some close calls for an early exit. However, the Blue Devils, Wolverines, Wildcats and Gators will be clutch, culminating with an epic meeting in Indianapolis.

Duke doesn’t win it all

The Blue Devils are the top overall seed, and will try to be the second consecutive one to win the national championship. They get to the Final Four, but don’t hoist the title.

Duke has one of the toughest paths to the title, with the East Region loaded with talent. It is more than capable of winning those games, but they will take a toll on the top seed. This team won’t be as healthy as it can be, and it ultimately is its downfall. This isn’t saying it misses the national championship, but Duke isn’t victorious.

Jon Scheyer has handled the transition perfectly, but last winning a title in 2015, this is the longest Duke has gone without a championship since winning its first in 1991. The streak continues.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: 10 bold picks for NCAA tournament bracket

Fantasy managers, it is time to get your rosters in order. This week's schedule offers a strong mix of high-volume teams and favorable matchups, giving both active managers and streaming-focused squads plenty to work with. The Suns and Wizards lead the way with five games apiece, while a long list of teams checks in at four. Matchup quality varies widely, so targeting the right opponents will be key. From big men feasting on the paint to guards exploiting perimeter defenses, the opportunities are there for those who plan ahead. Let's break it all down.

Days with fewer than six games

These are dates to target players for streaming options from the following teams:

Sunday, March 22 - POR at DEN, BKN at SAC, WAS at NYK, MIN at BOS, TOR at PHX

Teams with more than three games this week

Make sure to activate players and target weekly pickups from the following teams:

Hawks (4), Nets (4), Celtics (4), Nuggets (4), Warriors (4), Rockets (4), Clippers (4), Lakers (4), Grizzlies (4), Timberwolves (4), Pelicans (4), Magic (4), Suns (5), Trail Blazers (4), Spurs (4), Wizards (5)

Teams with fewer than three games this week

Consider looking for streaming options if your roster includes players from these teams:

None

Top teams to target based on favorable matchups

Clippers vs. Spurs, at Pelicans, at Pelicans, at Mavericks

The Clippers open with their toughest matchup of the week against the Spurs, a squad with virtually no notable weaknesses. However, their latest addition, Darius Garland, may help gain an edge, as the Spurs give up the league's fifth-most free throws to opposing point guards. Additionally, the Clippers lost their previous encounter by just four points in early March. Up next is back-to-back meetings with the Pelicans, who give up the league's sixth-most points and third-most three-pointers per game. They also give up the eighth-highest field-goal percentage and the seventh-most rebounds, including the second-most offensive per game. From there, the Clippers finish off the week against the Mavericks, who give up the league's eighth-most points and fourth-most rebounds per game. They also give up the league's most points in the paint. The final three matchups offer a great advantage to opposing big men. Unfortunately for the Clippers, this is an area where they are slightly limited. It will be up to guys like Derrick Jones and Isaiah Jackson to provide an extra boost off the bench. Brook Lopez and John Collins, who recently returned from a seven-game absence, will have to work hard to establish their game. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard is listed as doubtful for Monday due to an ankle injury. This will likely mean a much more significant role for Bennedict Mathurin, along with a boost for Jones.

Suns at Celtics, at Timberwolves, at Spurs, vs. Bucks, vs. Raptors

With five games on the week, the Suns are a standout choice when looking for streaming options. However, they will be up against a very tough string of opponents, beginning with the Celtics, who rank second in the East. Nonetheless, the Suns' shooters Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Grayson Allen could get their squad off to a good start. The Celtics give up the league's fifth-most three-pointers per game. They also give up the third-most threes per game to opposing power forwards, which should favor Royce O'Neale, who averages 2.4 makes from deep per outing. Up next, the Suns face off against the Timberwolves, who give up the league's fifth-most free throws per game. They also give up the league's most points per game to opposing point guards. This will be an opportunity for Collin Gillespie to step up. The rest of the team could also benefit from a concerted effort to pressure the rim and draw foul contact. Moving on, a meeting with the nearly impermeable Spurs offers little to hope for beyond a relentless effort on both sides of the ball. From there, the Suns may find better luck against the Bucks, who give up the league's second-most three-pointers per game and the second-highest three-point shooting percentage. The Bucks also give up the fifth-most points per game to opposing point guards, once again favoring the aforementioned players. Lastly, the Suns encounter another solid defensive squad in the Raptors. However, the trend continues, as the Raptors give up the league's fourth-most points per game to opposing point guards and the fourth-highest three-point percentage to opposing shooting guards.

Wizards vs. Warriors, vs. Pistons, vs. Pistons, vs. Thunder, at Knicks

The Wizards have dropped 11 straight games, but their focus on developing up-and-coming players should mean a few solid streaming choices through a five-game week. They open against the Warriors, who sit ninth in the West and are likely to represent the least overwhelming matchup of the week, especially if their injury woes continue. Bilal Coulibaly should be a prime candidate to pad his stats. He leads his squad with 1.4 steals per game, while the Warriors give up the league's sixth-most turnovers per game. Up next, the Wizards meet the Pistons, who sit first in the East but give up the league's most free throws per game. Moving ahead, they face the first-place team in the West, the Thunder, who give up the league's sixth-most rebounds and fourth-most three-pointers per game. If Trae Young and Alex Sarr are active, they could make the most of those weaknesses and help their team make a statement. It would send a warning that they will be a formidable opponent next season. Additionally, Will Riley, Jaden Hardy, and Tre Johnson could find room to get going. The Wizards wrap the week against the Knicks, who show a solid defensive profile but give up the league's 10th-most three-pointers per game. It is another chance for the above-noted bunch to step up.

Nuggets vs. 76ers, at Grizzlies, vs. Raptors, vs. Trail Blazers

The Nuggets start things off against a hobbled 76ers squad that gives up the league's ninth-most free throws and eighth-most offensive rebounds per game. This should favor the versatile and energetic play of forwards Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson. With Tyrese Maxey sidelined, there should also be an opportunity for Jamal Murray to take control in the backcourt. Up next is a meeting with the Grizzlies, who give up the league's seventh-most points and seventh-most three-pointers per game. They also give up the seventh-highest field-goal percentage, ninth-most rebounds, and fifth-most turnovers per game, including the third-most offensive rebounds. This, combined with their shorthanded frontcourt, will likely result in easy pickings for Nikola Jokic. From there, the Nuggets clash with the Raptors, who give up the league's seventh-most rebounds to opposing power forwards. They also give up the most blocks and eighth-most steals per game to opposing small forwards, once again calling on Johnson and Gordon as notable x-factors. The Nuggets finish their week against the Trail Blazers, who give up the league's most turnovers per game. This is a great chance for Bruce Brown and Christian Braun to pad their stats. The Blazers also give up the ninth-most points per game and the eighth-highest field-goal percentage. They additionally surrender the eighth-most free throws and fourth-most offensive rebounds per game.

Not every top seed features a compelling storyline.

Not every 16-seed is fit to wear Cinderella's slipper.

No Men's NCAA Tournament is without its share of intrigue, but the storylines hardly are limited to those teams who populate the top- and bottom-seed lines.

March Madness printable bracket: Fill out for predictions, picks in NCAA Tournament

Here are five teams, slotted as high as No. 2 upon the onset of March Madness and relatively mid-tier as the West's No. 7-seed, to consider among this tournament's most intriguing.

Arkansas

The SEC tournament champion. John Calipari. A potential lottery pick.

Might this Arkansas squad that's won five straight games have enough to give Calipari a fourth program in the Final Four and the Arkansas program its first run to the semifinals since 1995?

Well, Darius Acuff Jr. is a consensus projected NBA Draft lottery pick; he's riding SEC tournament MVP honors into the next wave of March basketball. The 6-3 freshman guard on Sunday became the first player in SEC history to score 30 points and dish at least 10 assists after he closed with 11.

Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond III bring frontcourt presence for the Razorbacks, who don't have a deep bench but do count former McDonald's All American game MVP D.J. Wagner among their reserves.

Only two teams in college basketball — Alabama and Miami (Ohio) — scored more than the 90 points per game Arkansas averaged.

Iowa State

The Midwest's No. 2 seed didn't drop its first game of the 2025-26 season until a mid-January road trip to Bill Self's Kansas Jayhawks.

The Cyclones have three players who score in double digits, with Milan Momcilovic pacing things at 17.1 ppg, and eight players averaging 4.5 ppg or more.

Iowa State enters the tournament with the nation's No. 12 scoring defense (65.1 ppg).

Miami (Fla.)

College basketball's largest year-over-year turnaround belongs to the Miami Hurricanes and first-year coach Jai Lucas.

After closing the Jim Larrañaga era amidst a 7-24 season, the Hurricanes already own an 18-win improvement and get No. 10 seed Missouri to open the NCAA Tournament.

Malik Reneau, starter in all 33 games, is Miami's top scorer (18.8 ppg) and No. 2 rebounder (6.6), trailing only the 9.3 boards of Ernest Udeh Jr.

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Purdue

The preseason No. 1 team was the Big Ten's No. 7 seed for its league tournament. But the Boilermakers won their four Big Ten tournament games by 44 combined points, punctuated by Sunday's eight-point win against top-seeded, regular-season champion Michigan and nabbed the No. 2 seed in the West.

Purdue has Braden Smith, in any jersey number, chasing Bobby Hurley's NCAA career assists record — he's one shy, at 1,075 dimes.

The Boilermakers also have their latest rec-league basketball star, Oscar Cluff, poised for his March Madness breakout.

The 6-11 Sunshine Coast, Australia, native taxed Michigan Sunday for a game-high 21 points.

Vanderbilt

Second-year Commodores coach Mark Byington has Vanderbilt dancing in back-to-back years for the first time since 2016-17.

Vanderbilt has wins against fellow NCAA Tournament teams Saint Mary's, SMU, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee (twice).

The Commodores get 19.1 ppg from hometown sophomore Tyler Tanner and graduate-transfer guard Duke Miles — playing for his fourth team after previous stints with Troy, High Point and Oklahoma — adds 16.5.

AK Okereke skipped the 2025 NBA Draft for an extra year in college, in which he transferred from Cornell to Vanderbilt and has seen his pro status continue to generate NBA intrigue.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA Tournament predictions: Teams that could make Final Four run

Come this week, four televisions will assemble in my living room, because once March Madness arrives, neither one nor two nor three TVs is enough to capture all of the simultaneous magic of America’s greatest postseason sporting event.

I’m happy to know I’m not alone.

“Love those first-round games. Those are my favorite two days the entire year, those first two days. We have four TVs set up,” Troy basketball coach Scott Cross told me after the Sun Belt Tournament championship.

March Madness predictions: One of these teams will win NCAA Tournament

Except Cross can skip the TVs this year. His Trojans will be playing in March Madness for a second straight season. That means they’ll be on one of my four TVs.

When I think about what I love about March Madness, I think about that four-TV setup, including one TV I keep in a closet for 11 months, purely to use each March.

March Madness region breakdown: South | East | Midwest | West

Here are six more reasons why we love March Madness, with the NCAA Tournament nearly upon us:

1. The March Madness bracket

The bracket is ubiquitous to the tournament, so much so that the NCAA even embraced it into its March Madness branding.

Four regions with 16 teams apiece. No byes. No bizarre seeding rules. Perfectly symmetrical. Neurologically pleasing. Win and advance. Lose and you’re out.

So easy to understand that everyone from your 90-year-old grandma to your 9-year-old son can fill out a bracket without much need for explanation of how this works.