LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 15: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles away from Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat during a 117-108 Lakers win at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) 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 2025 NBAE. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After successfully claiming back-to-back wins in Houston, the Lakers (44-25) will travel east overnight to take on the Miami Heat (38-31) on Thursday. LA looks to sweep the season series against Miami and extend its current winning streak to eight.
The Lakers are on a roll right now, playing their best basketball of the season. They’re rising to the occasion and peaking at the right time.
Now the question is, how hot are the Lakers truly? Well, we’re about to find out on Thursday as they take on a competitive Heat squad.
This game could be considered one of LA’s hardest games this season. The Lakers will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back against a well-coached team that plays hard, regardless of who is on their roster.
The Heat are coming off two losses in a row, so they’re certainly determined to get back in the winning column, especially since they’re also fighting for a decent position in the Eastern Conference standings.
It’s uncertain who will suit up for the Lakers. There’s a good chance that LeBron James won’t after taking a hard fall and hurting his elbow in Wednesday’s win versus the Rockets. But if Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves suit up for this one, Los Angeles still has a high chance of winning this game. After all, the purple and gold are 9-2 this season when James is out, but Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves play.
Miami ranks 13th in the league in offense and actually has a top-four defense. They rebound the ball very well and average the second-most points per game at 120.2, led by their microwave scorers, Tyler Herro and Norman Powell, who will be suiting up for this one.
It’s going to be tough to win this one, but not impossible for the purple and gold, especially since they’re playing very good basketball right now. If they can outexecute the Heat and continue to stay hot on the offense, they certainly can pull this one off.
Let’s see if the Lakers can remain perfect in their current six-game road trip on Thursday.
Notes and Updates
Since the Lakers will be on a back-to-back, there’s no injury report yet released for this one.
As for the Heat, Terry Rozier (not with the team) and Andrew Wiggins (toe) are out.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left hip tightness) is questionable, while Bam Adebayo (right calf tightness) is probable.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Joel Farabee and rookie Matvei Gridin scored in a shootout to give the Calgary Flames a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.
Connor Zary scored early in the first period for Calgary, and Devin Cooley stopped 26 shots.
Dylan Holloway tied it for St. Louis early in the second. Joel Hofer made 31 saves.
After Farabee scored in the second round of the shootout to give Calgary a 1-0 lead, coach Ryan Huska turned to Gridin after Jimmy Snuggerud was stopped, and Gridin won it with a shot over Hofer’s glove.
The unlikely star performer of the opening 40 minutes was St. Louis video coach Elliott Mondou, with the Flames having three goals waived off after Blues’ coach’s challenges.
St. Louis had won eight consecutive games against Calgary,
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This Lakers-Rockets contest was close in the fourth, but Luka Dončić applied pressure and Houston folded. He had dazzling alley-oop passes to Rui Hachimura and LeBron James and then put the game to rest with one of his signature 3-point shots.
Luka is already considered one of the best players in the world. However, if he keeps this up, he’ll be in the MVP conversation, because it’s hard to argue that anyone is playing better than him.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
LeBron was aggressive from the jump in this game. He attacked the rim and had multiple highlight-reel dunks in the first half.
James was a perfect 8-8 from the field after two quarters, and while he eventually missed a shot in the fourth, it was his elite play throughout the contest that helped the Lakers win.
Smart made his typical impact on the defensive side of the ball. He wasn’t much of an offensive factor, but he consistently made winning plays, which is why he’s solidified himself as the team’s fifth starter.
Let these two games put to rest the silly notion that Clint Capela is anywhere near Ayton’s talent level. Ayton shot 80% from the field, and while his production waned in the second half, it was enough to get LA the win.
Reaves continues to struggle with his shooting, but he contributed by distributing the ball. His desire to be a positive force on the defensive end was also pretty evident. Hopefully, Reaves gets out of this shooting slump soon. The Lakers are better when Reaves is the team’s second-best scorer.
It wasn’t just that Luka put this game on ice, it was the way he did it that made it a memory. He was Luka magic in the fourth, dazzling with his dribbling and putting the exclamation point on this statement win with a step-back three. Luka added some colorful words, letting everyone in Houston know he is that guy.
Hachimura had two big baskets in the fourth when the game was still hanging in the balance. His opportunities may have shrunk, but his impact remains huge.
Grade: C
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Kennard remains one of the players Lakers head coach JJ Redick trusts, and for good reason. He can knock down shots, set a strong screen and run the offense well.
He needs to score a bit more during his time for it to increase, but he was solid in this contest.
Hayes didn’t give the Lakers much in this game. He was essentially just playing to give Ayton some rest. Hopefully, these games aren’t a precursor to the kind of performances he will give this spring.
LaRavia’s minutes have begun to dwindle here in March. His offense isn’t consistent enough, and while his defense is solid, that’s not going to be enough to keep him on the floor. Still, in the fourth, Redick went to him and he had a pretty good shift. If he plays more like that early during games, he’ll get some more run.
Grade: C+
JJ Redick
Redick pushed the right buttons in this game. He went to LaRavia late, and it paid off. His rotations have tightened, and the players have responded well. For the Lakers to beat the Rockets on the road in back-to-back games wasn’t easy, but Redick got it done and deserves credit for that.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Anna Segedi scored her first PWHL goal and the Vancouver Goldeneyes scored twice in the third period to pull away for a 5-2 win over the New York Sirens on Wednesday night.
She collected a pass from Michelle Karvinen and swept a shot in from the low circle 6:48 into the first period to give Vancouver a 2-0 lead.
Anna Shokhina, Sophie Jacques, Tereza Vanisova and Mannon McMahon — into an empty net — also scored for the Goldeneyes. Kristen Campbell stopped 22 of the 24 shots she faced.
Sarah Fillier and Anna Bargman scored for the Sirens, who got 24 saves from Kayle Osborne.
The win snapped a four-game skid and moved seventh-place Vancouver within three points of New York in the standings.
The Goldeneyes were the dominant side to start, peppering Osborne with shots early and outshooting the visitors 12-5 in the first period, but struggled to handle New York’s push in the second. Campbell started her third straight game with Emerance Maschmeyer still day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
The Sirens cut the deficit to 3-2 with Bargman’s goal 13:49 into the second but couldn’t rally to tie the score and have now lost four straight road games. Fillier leads the team in scoring with five goals and 11 assists this season.
Vanisova scored 5:27 into the third with a shot from inside the faceoff circle. Osborne got her blocker in the puck’s path but it bounced up and back, landing in the net to give the Goldeneyes a 4-2 lead.
Shokhina’s first-period goal marked just the second time the Goldeneyes have scored on a power play at home this season. The team is 2 for 23 on home ice.
Up next
Goldeneyes: Close out a five-game homestand Saturday against the Minnesota Frost.
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 18: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks looks to pass the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 18, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks have been in some familiar matchups over the past few weeks, with the Atlanta Hawks the latest to run it back just eight days after the last time the two teams faced off. Similar to a week ago, the Hawks got a win in a 135-120 decision Wednesday night.
Let’s get to the grades!
Ryan Nembhard: A
8 PTS / 2 REB / 12 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN
Nembhard is the toughest grade of the night, seeing as he shot 3-for-7 and was a team worst in plus/minus with a minus-19. That said, a 12:0 assist-to-turnover ratio is outrageous and gives his grade a major bump.
Max Christie: B+
13 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN
Christie is now on a trend of improved shooting, and it’s a welcome site after a funky stretch. He didn’t blow up the scoring column, but was once again efficient (4-for-6). Best of all, his shot selection wasn’t a lopsided three-point exclusive, as he hit both of his two-point attempts and 2-for-4 from deep.
Cooper Flagg: B
17 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 2 STL / 2 BLK – 33 MIN
Flagg had more turnovers (six) than assists (five) which is an area that sometimes swings game-to-game for Flagg, and dinged his grade a bit Wednesday night. Even when he has a hiccup like this, he still manages to contribute a little bit everywhere; and important part of his ever progressing development.
Naji Marshall: C-
4 PTS / 3 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
Wednesday was not the night we’ve become accustom to from Marshall. He hit only 2-for-10 from the floor and his other contributions were all he could do to stay out of the grade basement.
P.J. Washington: A-
23 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 30 MIN
Washington-as-center doesn’t seem like it should work, but it has been. Washington has had the best little run of games at least since returning from injury a few weeks back. Getting this level of production from a non-center in the center position is a good night. Washington connected on 7-for-14 shots from the floor.
Klay Thompson: B-
19 PTS / 0 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 20 MIN
While not the greatest from downtown (3-for-9), Thompson had a fine enough shooting night overall (5-for-11), chipping in a solid point total if not much else.
Daniel Gafford: A
24 PTS / 8 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 22 MIN
Gafford looks like the player Mavs fans fell in love with back in 2024. Wednesday night was his season high in scoring in a game he basically could not miss (9-for-10). Like Christie, Gafford has strung together a nice run of productive games, making more than the most of conservative minutes.
Final Thoughts
The game wasn’t especially competitive, but at this point in season like this, the focus tends to shift to how healthy guys are, who is rounding back into form and some of those other little things. The Los Angeles Clippers, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Denver Nuggets, so if you’re interested in an improved draft standing, the Mavs at least won big in that regard.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Noah Cates scored on a deflection off goalie Lukas Dostal's skate at 2:17 of overtime and — after a review for offsides on the play — the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Pacific Division-leading Anaheim forced overtime on Leo Carlsson's goal with 1:54 left in regulation.
Dan Vladar made 34 saves to help Philadelphia rebound from a 2-1 shootout loss to Columbus at home Saturday night. The Flyers are six points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.
Luke Glendening had his first goal of the season and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras was held off the scoresheet in his first game in Anaheim since his offseason trade. He scored twice in Philadelphia’s 5-2 home victory over the Ducks on Jan. 6.
Cutter Gauthier also scored for Anaheim, and Dostal stopped 24 shots. The Ducks beat Montreal 4-3 on Sunday night to finish 2-2 on a Canadian swing.
Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas served the third game of a five-game suspension for kneeing Auston Matthews in a loss at Toronto on March 12. Matthews tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season.
Defenseman John Carlson played his second straight game for the Ducks after a trade-deadline deal with Washington. His Anaheim debut was delayed by a lower-body injury.
Glendening opened the scoring at 2:50 of the first period, his first goal in 57 games this season with New Jersey and Philadelphia. Tippett made it 2-0 at 7:53 of second with his 23rd of the season. Gauthier cut it to 2-1 on a power play with 38 seconds left in second with his 35th goal of the season.
Philadelphia's Nick Seeler fought Jansen Harkins in the third period.
The Calgary Flames returned home on Wednesday night and picked up a hard-earned 2-1 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues to kick off their homestand on the right note.
It didn’t take long for the Flames to get going. Just 2:34 into the first, Connor Zary drove the net and finished off a slick feed from Ryan Strome, lifting it past Joel Hofer to open the scoring. That makes goals in back-to-back games for Zary, who continues to be a noticeable presence.
From there, it turned into a night of what could have been.
The Flames thought they had doubled their lead midway through the period when Martin Pospisil buried a one-timer after a turnover at the blue line, but the Blues challenged for offside and won, wiping it off the board.
Later in the period, it looked like Calgary had finally restored that two-goal cushion. Zary knocked down a bouncing puck and fed Yegor Sharangovich, who snapped it home cleanly. Once again, though, a challenge from St. Louis overturned it, this time due to a high stick on the initial touch.
Despite carrying the 1-0 lead into the second, the game quickly evened out. At 3:47, the Blues capitalized on a partial odd-man rush, with Jimmy Snuggerud setting up Dylan Holloway, who found a way to beat Devin Cooley to tie it 1-1.
Calgary thought they had an answer.
Mikael Backlund led the rush and spotted Joel Farabee alone across the line, threading a perfect pass for what looked like the go-ahead goal. But for the third time on the night, the Blues challenged and for the third time, it was called back after being ruled offside.
The third period came and went without a goal, sending things to overtime.
In the extra frame, Zary drew a high-sticking penalty to give the Flames a golden chance on the power play, but they couldn’t convert, pushing the game to a shootout.
That’s where the Flames finally got their reward.
Farabee converted on his attempt, and then Matvei Gridin stepped in and snapped a confident shot top corner to seal it, giving Calgary the 2-1 win.
Three disallowed goals could’ve derailed the night, but the Flames stuck with it. They kept their pace, stayed engaged, and eventually found a way to get the extra point.
2. Zary driving the play
Another strong showing from Zary. He was involved early, created chances, and even drew a key penalty in overtime.
3. Youth stepping up
Gridin showed confidence and swagger in the shootout, and Zayne Parekh was active throughout, calling for pucks, jumping into plays, and looking comfortable running the power play. Signs the young group is gaining trust.
HOUSTON, TX – MARCH 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2026 at the Toyota...
HOUSTON — It was just 1 ½ weeks ago where there were questions about how the Lakers fared against the league’s best teams – especially in the Western Conference.
It took them just 10 days to quell those concerns, with Wednesday’s 124-116 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center, their second straight over the Rockets after Monday’s win in the same arena, giving the Lakers their fifth straight victory over a team with a winning percentage of at least 60%.
Luka Donicic led the Lakers with a near 40-point triple double, finishing with 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
LeBron James gave a vintage aerial performance with six dunks. NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron James turned back the clock with six dunks as part of a 30-point performance.
The Lakers have picked up wins over the three teams directly below them in the Western Conference standings over the last eight days, beating the Timberwolves, Nuggets and Rockets (twice).
“There’s a lot of things that are really good right now,” coach JJ Redick said.
They improved to 44-25 on the season, maintaining being the third seed in the Western Conference standings.
With Wednesday’s win, the Lakers clinched the regular-season series against the Rockets, 2-1.
They also won the season series over the Timberwolves and Nuggets, which could come in handy for potential tie-breaking scenarios at the end of the season.
NBAE via Getty Images
Turning point
When Doncic made a turnaround 3-pointer with 3:12 remaining in the game to give the Lakers a 113-109 lead.
Doncic’s sixth 3 of the night came after he assisted Rui Hachimura on a corner 3 that gave the Lakers a 110-109 advantage after they exchanged leads with the Rockets.
The Lakers led for the remainder of the game.
Luka Doncic’s late-season hot streak continues as he makes his bid for MVP NBAE via Getty Images
MVP: Luka Doncic
This could’ve easily been James, who had a near-perfect shooting performance, making 13 of his 14 field goal attempts.
But Doncic’s late-game heroics – which included the stepback 3 to put the Lakers up 120-111 with 58 seconds left – gives him the nod.
Stats of the game: 6 and 7
Seven was the number of 3s Doncic made on Wednesday, putting him at 223 for the season.
He’s three away from tying D’Angelo Russell’s franchise record for most made 3s in a season (226), which he set in 2023-24.
James’ six dunks on Wednesday put him at 77 for the season in 48 games played, which is more than 71 dunks he had in 70 games played in 2024-25.
His dunk frequency is the highest it’s been since the 2016-17 season.
Up next
The Lakers will close out their back-to-back set with a matchup against the Heat on Thursday night at Kaseya Center.
LeBron James goes up for a dunk against the Houston Rockets in the first half. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
The combination of Luka Doncic and LeBron James was overpowering and enthralling for all to see during the Lakers’ dynamic 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday.
Doncic was masterful with his near triple-double of 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“I thought he definitely put on a clinic down the stretch,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Whether it was in isolation, versus fires in isolations, versus the shock with (Alperen) Segun, he just got us good offense whether for himself or for his teammates every single time down the floor….We moved the basketball, so that kind of got us going and then when Luka came back in he was just fantastic.”
James was a force with 30 points, five rebounds and two assists.
He was super efficient, missing just one of his 14 shots and making both of his three-pointers.
“Look, he was awesome tonight and I think two, part of the evolution of him on this team has been, particularly in this stretch, it’s just been his patience,” Redick said. “His patience, knowing he’s going to get the ball and he’s going to have transition opportunities and he’s going to have plays called for him and he’s going to play off-ball and get a corner three…He was great.”
The tremendous play of Doncic and James is why the Lakers extended their winning streak to seven straight games and helped them take the three-game series over the Rockets, 2-1, winning both games here, one on Monday night.
And because Doncic and James were clutch down the stretch when the Lakers leaned on them to be clutch, they are the third-place team in the rugged Western Conference, holding a 1-½ lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“You know, when you win, everything is easier,” Doncic said. “Winning is fun. So, just the way we play, I think it's a lot of fun. And that's what we just do, we win, have a good time.”
Doncic had 10 points and three assists in the fourth quarter.
But the beauty of the night was when Doncic threw a no-look lob pass to James for a dunk and then when Doncic drilled a three-pointer with 58.4 seconds left for a 120-111 Lakers lead.
Doncic yelled at the crowd and ran down court shaking his head. When the Rockets called a time out, the Lakers bench all ran over to Doncic, hugging him, slapping him and James nudging him for a job very well done.
Doncic was asked what the fan said to set him off.
“I don't know, some guy. Some guy was talking crazy,” Doncic said. “Showed me his... I don't know. Nevermind.”
Doncic speaks several languages, including English and his native Slovenian.
He was asked what language he spoke when talking to the fan.
“Off the camera, it was in English,” he said. “I made sure he understand.”
Luka Doncic celebrates after making a three-pointer against the Houston Rockets in the first half. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
James had a steal in the first quarter and then threw down a dunk with Alperen Segen chasing him, leading to James to stare at Segun as he ran back down court, drawing cheers from the fans in awe at witnessing the 23-year veteran still making highlight plays at 41.
Early in the second quarter, James gave the fans even more to cheer about, catching a high lob pass from Marcus Smart and throwing down a one-handed dunk to oohs and aahs.
James wasn’t done, taking a pass from Jake LaRavia and throwing down another dunk later in the second quarter that brought the crowd out of its seats. That play gave the Lakers a 13-point lead.
James was at it again with a tip dunk off a Deandre Ayton missed shot late in the second quarter.
By the end of the first half, James had made all eight of his shots and scored 18 points in carrying the Lakers to a 12-point lead after the first 24 minutes of the game.
"Right now, I feel like...." James said after the game. ‘’Right now. But in the game I felt pretty good. Before the game I didn't feel that great. I mean, I was yawning and tired and telling myself I was literally, just like talking to myself like, ‘Come on, here we go. Let's figure it out. Let's get through it.' But I felt pretty good in the game and like I said I'm happy to make a few plays to help our team win."
In many ways, it was easy to understand why he felt that way. He had just played in his 1,610th career NBA game, leaving him one shy of the all-time record held by Robert Parish (1,611).
So, James was asked, where did he find the energy to play 34 minutes and six seconds in such a high-level and intense game.
"I mean, if I'm in uniform I got to try to see what I can give,” James said. “And that's where it stems from."
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 18, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers extend their winning streak to seven with a Luka Dončić second-half masterclass for a second-straight win over the Houston Rockets, 124-116, on Wednesday night.
The game began with LeBron James draining a 3-pointer for LA. Amen Thompson responded on the other end with a dunk. LeBron knocked down another triple, making him the leading scorer for Los Angeles with six. Deandre Ayton was off to a strong start with four points.
At the 6:30 mark, the purple and gold were up by two.
Luka Dončić had a slow start to the game, missing his first shot attempts and going 0-3 from the charity stripe after he was fouled from behind the arc. He finally saw the ball go through the hoop at the 4:57 mark on a 3-pointer. Rui Hachimura came in and drained a triple as well.
The Lakers were shooting 60% from behind the arc.
The Lakers hold a 24-21 lead at the 2:44 mark of the 1st Q, riding a good start from 3 (4 for 8) relative to Houston (1 for 3).
The Rockets do have a 3-1 edge on the offensive glass already, an area of concern for every team against Houston.
Luka and Luke Kennard combined for a quick eight points, extending LA’s lead. Dončić closed Los Angeles’ strong first quarter with a 3-pointer that gave them a nine-point lead.
The second period began with Thompson being fouled and converting on both free throw attempts. After both teams had consecutively turned the ball over, Marcus Smart had the ball and threw an alley-oop to LeBron for the emphatic dunk. Jake LaRavia knocked down a triple for LA.
LeBron then dunked again, for what felt like the 15th time in the first half.
Houston called a timeout as Los Angeles’ lead grew to double figures. Out of the break, the Rockets scored four in a row. Ayton continued his dominant play, pouring in four more points. Kevin Durant only had two shot attempts so far in the half.
At the 2:23 mark, the Lakers were up by seven.
Los Angeles closed the half fantastically, on the shoulders of LeBron, who was now a perfect eight for eight from the field. Luka converted on a three-point play that put the purple and gold up by 12 at halftime.
What a half to come out and punch a team that desperately needs this one.
The second half started with Durant scoring five in a row for the Rockets. Houston had a great start to the quarter with a 9-2 scoring run that cut the deficit down to one.
After a dunk by Durant, the Rockets were up by one. Thompson was now at 18 points. Jabari Smith Jr. was also cooking for Houston with 13 points.
Austin Reaves’ night was rough, scoring just five points so far.
LA called a timeout, and after the break, Los Angeles turned the ball over. On the other end, Alperen Sengun scored on a jumpshot. Smart converted on a midrange jumper to stop some of the bleeding for the Lakers.
Durant was now in double figures with 11 points.
The Rockets jumped ahead by four. LA did end up tying the game thanks to LeBron converting on a three-point play, but Houston responded by extending their lead to four again. The rest of the quarter saw Luka trying to keep Los Angeles within striking distance. Going into the fourth, the Lakers were down by three.
The final frame began with Reaves draining a much-needed triple for him and the team. LaRavia then stole the ball and dunked, giving LA the lead. LeBron then blocked Smith Jr., leading to a layup by Reaves. Sengun stopped the 9-0 run with a pair of free throws.
Houston tied the game with a dunk by Thompson.
Los Angeles then scored six in a row for a six-point lead. The Rockets were forced to call a timeout. Out of the break, Smith Jr. scored on a midrange jumper. Houston then jumped into the lead by one with 6:57 left.
The Rockets were on a 9-0 scoring run with a three-point lead. LeBron converted on a jumper to make it a one-point game. Bothteams exchanged the lead and tied it back and forth. Luka and Rui Hachimura drained triples, helping put LA up by four.
After the Rockets made it a two-point game, Los Angeles erupted to make it a nine-point lead. Luka orchestrated this massive clutch run, connecting with Hachimura and LeBron for dunks. He also drained a ridiculous 3-pointer that sealed the win.
Luka finished with 40 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. LeBron James ended with 30 points and five rebounds. Austin Reaves had 14 points with eight assists.
Ayton pitched in with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Kennard had five points off the bench. Smart grabbed three rebounds, dished four dimes and had two steals. LaRavia logged five points with three rebounds and two assists. Hachimura notched eight points with three rebounds.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Miami Heat on Thursday at 5:00 PM PT.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ty Jerome had 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as the Memphis Grizzlies snapped their eight-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 125-118 victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 19 points and GG Jackson added 16 for the injury-depleted Grizzlies (24-44), who are 4-15 in their last 19 games after winning for the first time since March 1 at Indiana.
Cedric Coward provided 15 points and seven rebounds. Taylor Hendricks scored 13 off the bench and made six of Memphis' 12 steals as the Nuggets (42-28) committed 19 turnovers in the makeup of a game postponed Jan. 25 because of bad weather.
Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists for Denver, just missing his sixth triple-double in the past eight games — although he did rack up 10 turnovers.
Christian Braun scored 26 points and Cameron Johnson added 20. Jamal Murray had 19 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.
Denver remained percentage points behind Houston for fifth place in the Western Conference and fell a game behind fourth-place Minnesota.
On the second night of a back-to-back for the Nuggets, forward Aaron Gordon sat out to manage a hamstring injury. Denver beat Philadelphia 124-96 at home Tuesday night.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks is defended by Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 24 points, while Jalen Johnson almost had a triple double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Daniel Gafford came off the bench to lead Dallas in scoring with 23 points.
There wasn’t a lot of defense in this one, as the Mavericks continue to get closer to the end of another losing season. New Orleans and Memphis won tonight, so great game for the tanking standings.
Let’s just get to the numbers.
72: Hawks points in the paint
After giving up 68 paint points to the lowly Pelicans on Monday night, Dallas followed that up by allowing an egregious 72 paint points to the Hawks. Dallas can’t guard a wet paper bag right now.
The Maverick started the small-ball lineup again, and it was just a sieve from opening tip. PJ Washington is a decent rim protector for a wing, but as the sole backline defender, it’s just not enough. Combine that with 5’11 Ryan Nembhard playing a lot, and the Mavericks have little-to-none in regards to defensive resistance.
Not much else to say about this. Dallas just doesn’t have enough good defenders combined with the fact that the team doesn’t really have anything else left to play for. Not a great combination.
4: Combined steals, blocks for Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg didn’t have a good offensive game, but he at least made a handful of splashy defensive plays. Flagg finished with two steals and two blocks.
The Mavericks didn’t have a lot of defensive moments in this one (see the above stat), but Flagg at least had a few off-ball havoc generating plays. It was fun!
2-for-10: Combined 3 point shooting for Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall
Dallas is starting small and getting Ryan Nembhard into the lineup to help juice an anemic offense and take some pressure off of Cooper Flagg. However there’s one problem small-ball doesn’t really solve: three of the Mavericks best players can’t really shoot.
Washington was at least 2-of-6 from three, but Flagg and Marshall were a combined 0-for-4. If Dallas wants to keep Marshall and Washington around for the foreseeable future to play with Flagg, they either have to improve as shooters or coach Jason Kidd has to split up their minutes. It’s really hard to play three shooters the defense don’t respect on the floor at the same time, and that will only ratchet up when/if Kidd returns to play a center full time again.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 13: Didier Fuentes #72 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch during the spring training game between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves on March 13, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, FL. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Didier Fuentes is doing his best to make his case for the Opening Day roster, as he is lighting up the radar gun and opposing hitters this spring. He has currently pitched 9.0 scoreless innings with 17(!!!) strikeouts and 0 walks, which is just preposterous stuff even in a small sample against varied levels of competition. He is relying heavily on his four-seam fastball, which has been sitting 96-97, with his slider as his clear second pitch and a few sinkers mixed in to round out his arsenal. An argument could certainly be made on merit for carrying him on the Opening Day roster as a starter or bullpen option, but there is another argument for giving him a little time to continue refining those secondary pitches before he is inevitably needed at the major league level later this season. That combination of stuff and command has Didier with a lethal look about him though. It will be interesting to see what the front office decides, as these roster decisions are rapidly approaching.
BravesVision formally announced their broadcast crew, which is largely the same crew that already existed for the local broadcast, with Paul Byrd returning to supplement the sideline coverage and Charlie Culberson joining the post-game crew.
SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)
New York Sports+ | Joel Sherman ($): Gerrit Cole finally threw a pitch in anger. 54 weeks after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the former Cy Young winner returned to the mound with a spring start against the Red Sox yesterday. He threw just 10 pitches in a clean inning, but his fastball velo looked hot. There’s a way to go in the rehab process yet, but we got a good first step out of the way on Wednesday.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: We have two stories filed by Gary today, the first talking with Oswaldo Cabrera about the importance of Venezuela’s World Baseball Classic victory. Cabrera wasn’t on the roster for his country of course, but the meaning of such an upset win reverberates nonetheless. Hosting a watch party in Tampa, Oswaldo was openly shedding tears of joy over the accomplishment of his countrymen, and hopefully seeing that kind of international performance serves as inspiration for a player at the bubble of the Yankee 26-man roster.
Sports Info Solutions | Mark Simon: Part of SIS’ spring preview series, let’s delve into whether the Yankees are a good defensive team. The left side of the infield should be solid, with Ryan McMahon, José Caballero, and eventually Anthony Volpe all more than competent, but the steps backward that presumptive center fielder Trent Grisham took in 2025 could be a defensive vulnerability.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Carlos Lagrange has been one of the revelations out of camp, and while the massive right-hander may still need some time with Triple-A Scranton to start the year, it shouldn’t surprise any of us if he finds his way to the Bronx this year. The Yankees are already publicly admitting that he’s major-league ready, so it seems its just a matter of time before a roster slot opens and we see that 101 mph heater in pinstripes.
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Dontae Horne scored 25 points and Cory Wells had 19 as Prairie View A&M earned its first NCAA Tournament victory, 67-55 over Lehigh on Wednesday night in the First Four.
Lance Williams added 10 points for the Panthers (19-17), who are making their third tournament appearance. They advance as the No. 16 seed in the South Region to face top seed and defending national champion Florida on Friday in Tampa, Florida.
Lehigh leading scorer Nasir Whitlock went scoreless for more than 26 minutes and finished with five points. He was 2-of-15 shooting.
The last time Whitlock did not reach double figures was Nov. 9, when he had two points in a 69-47 loss at West Virginia.
Hank Alvey led Lehigh (18-17) with 23 points.
MIAMI (OHIO) 89, SMU 79
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Eian Elmer scored 22 points and Miami (Ohio) beat SMU for its first NCAA Tournament victory in 27 years.
Elmer went 6 of 9 from 3-point range as the 11th-seeded RedHawks (32-1), unbeaten during the regular season, advanced in the Midwest Region to play No. 6 seed Tennessee.
Brant Byers added 19 points, including four 3s, and Luke Skaljac had 17 for Miami, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007. The RedHawks finished 16 of 41 from 3-point range.
Jaden Toombs led SMU (20-14) with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 18 points and Boopie Miller had 15 for the Mustangs.
