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Austin Reaves is back and he’s raising the Lakers’ ceiling

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers walks off the court after the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers had plenty of excuses ready if they lost to the Wolves.

Minnesota entered the night as the third-best team in the West. The Lakers entered the night without their All-Star LeBron James for the thirdstraight game as well as bigs Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber.

But they still had Austin Reaves.

Behind their budding star and the superhero of the night, the Lakers earned a hard-fought 120-106 win over Minnesota.

Reaves ended the night with 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. It was his second consecutive strong showing after scoring 25 in a win against the Knicks.

“Really it was [that] he was able to get downhill,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “I mean, that’s the biggest thing. That’s when he’s at his best. He’s a fantastic shooter, but he’s at his best when he’s touching the paint.

“I thought early on, him getting into the paint, getting fouled, seeing the ball go through the hoop [was good]. And then we saw him as the half wore on, he just got into his bag and a lot of those were on paint touches and he hit those non-rim paint two.”

Reaves’ big night wasn’t so great at the start.

In the opening quarter, his jumper was cold as he went 0-3 from the field. At the halftime break, he had just one made field goal and a sensational night seemed out of reach.

However, as the third quarter began, Reaves’ jumper began to warm up. He drove to the paint and converted on a layup. He found Luka Dončić for a floater, giving the Lakers a two-possession lead.

Then, Reaves’ confidence and productivity really ratcheted up.

First, heconverted on a four-point play. He followed that up with another deep make and then drove into the paint and scored on a foater. Suddenly, a close contest became a double-digit lead for LA.

“I think he’s just a great player,” Dončić said. “He’s very talented defensively. He gets to his spots, he tricks the defense, and that’s why he’s a great player.”

Reaves’ dominance continued in the fourth. He checked in with 10:38 left to play and immediately had another four-point play. After another lob connection with Deandre Ayton and a floater, LA had put the Wolves to bed with three minutes left on the clock.

In the NBA, things can change in the blink of an eye. After their tough loss to the Nuggets a week ago, the Lakers have bounced back with three straight wins and are now fourth in the West.

While Luka has been at the center of that streak, Austin hasn’t been far behind. He showed glimpses against the Pacers before really finding his groove in the last two games.

As a result, both he and the Lakers are on an upward trend now

“It feels like we’re trending in the right direction, just got to continue to stick to the plan,” Reaves said. “And continue to get better every single day and compete at a high level.”

For the Lakers’ to be at their best, Reaves must play his best against elite teams.

On Tuesday night, he did just that.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Defense, Luka Doncic 31-point triple-double lift Lakers to win over Timberwolves

LOS ANGELES — For the second straight game, we saw the vision of how the Lakers want to play around Luka Doncic starting to manifest.

There is Austin Reaves as the secondary playmaker, putting up 31 points on Tuesday night and getting downhill (plus having two four-point plays). Then, with LeBron James out again, the Lakers start Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura as defense-first players who can space the floor — and they were dialed in on the defensive end. Then the Lakers got an engaged Deandre Ayton for a night.

And, for the second straight game, the Lakers beat a quality team, knocking off Minnesota 120-106.

The win moved the Lakers into fourth in the tight Western Conference, technically tied with the Timberwolves at 40-25, but the Lakers take the tiebreaker by sweeping the season series from Minnesota.

The way the Lakers looked against the Timberwolves, and how they played against the Knicks on Sunday, is the kind of team the Lakers want around Luka Doncic — the kind they need around him to be a threat in the playoffs. Why is it not always that smooth with LeBron on the court?

"It's what they're comfortable doing as basketball players..." Lakers coach JJ Redick said. "For one of those guys, having scored the most points in NBA history and doing it for 23 years, is to have the ball in his hands. For another guy who's had five First Team All NBAs — should make another First Team All NBA this year — it's having the ball in his hands... [Austin Reaves] ascending to an All-Star level. But the human struggle to want what you want while also having the emotional maturity and recognition that you got somebody next to you, it hasn't been as clean."

It was clean on Tuesday night, although it wasn't always pretty.

Having Luka Doncic put up a 31-point triple-double — 11 rebounds and assists — helps.

It also helped that the Timberwolves were just ice cold shooting the ball — give the Lakers defense some credit, but the Timberwolves also just missed shots they normally knock down. For the night, Anthony Edwards was 2-of-15, and made his first 3-pointer with 4:18 left in the third quarter, after missing his first nine.

But this is the second straight game in which a team with a good offense and an elite shot creator running the show has struggled against the Lakers.

"You can talk about schemes and rotation and low man, all that stuff, our guys have been a lot better just guarding the basketball…" Redick said of the last couple of games. "And when we were in rotation, we did a really good job. I thought, our attention to detail on the [Julius] Randle and Edwards coverage was really good. DA (Deandre Ayton) was fantastic tonight on that end."

This game was not pretty early.

The Lakers started 0-of-8 from the floor and that theme continued for the first 12 minutes — Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards were 3-of-18 combined. It led to a low-scoring first quarter — 21-16 Timberwolves — in which Minnesota shot better at just 34.8%. The Lakers didn't hit a 3-pointer until Luka Doncic did with six minutes left in the first half.

"I think I think we started the game slow and sluggish," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. "That was my concern against the defense that they load so heavily. Wanted more pace early, wanted more quicker decision making early. And we just fell into a lot of iso basketball and then just everything was a beat late. We're very out of rhythm right now offensively, and we've gotta fix that."

Both teams shooting improved to decent in the second half, but neither side got hot or created much separation. A Rui Hachimura 3-pointer in the final five seconds tied the game up at 45-45 at the half.

That dynamic started to change in the third, when the Lakers started 6-of-10 and the Timberwolves remained ice cold, not hitting a bucket for the first six minutes of the half. Suddenly, the Lakers were up double digits, and that stretched to 19 on an uncontested Luke Kennard driving layup.

From there, Minnesota could never hit enough shots in a row to make it a game.

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Player Grades: Lakers vs. Timberwolves

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Head Coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers talks in the huddle during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

A week ago, the biggest question surrounding the Lakers was whether they were a serious team capable of beating good opponents. Fast forward a week and the answer is much clearer.

Two games do not define a team, but the Lakers beating the Knicks and Timberwolves in back-to-back contests at this time in the season should go some way in quelling the notion that they can’t hang with the top teams in each conference.

Do the teams they beat have flaws? Yes. But they largely dominated both contests, too. On Tuesday, they had one of their worst quarters of the season offensively to open the game, found their footing in the second period and took off after halftime.

The result is the Lakers winning six of their last seven games as they’re finding their groove at the right time.

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.

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Marcus Smart

31 minutes, 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 fouls, 3-7 FT, 1-4 3PT, 1-1 FT, +14

Another game where Smart doesn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but he’s still fantastic. He took a pair of charges and was making all sorts of plays defensively for the second game in a row.

Grade: A-

Rui Hachimura

24 minutes, 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 5 fouls, 4-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, +3

Rui had the unenviable task of being the nominal big in some small ball looks the Lakers had to go to with so many of their forwards and centers out. That meant he got into foul trouble pretty quickly in the second half and didn’t have much of an impact in the final two quarters.

Grade: B-

Deandre Ayton

34 minutes, 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 4 fouls, 7-11 FG, 0-2 FT, +10

There’s an argument, given the opponent and the context of who wasn’t available, that this was Ayton’s best game of the season. There was a lot of pressure on him to perform because the Lakers had noone else to turn to and he responded in a huge way.

Grade: A

Austin Reaves

38 minutes, 31 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 10-20 FG, 4-10 3PT, 7-9 FT, +18

Austin was very quiet in the first half and very loud in the third quarter and second half overall. He roared to life out of the locker room and started burying four-point plays and every midrange jumper possible.

Grade: A

Luka Dončić

35 minutes, 31 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 11-24 FG, 4-12 3PT, 5-6 FT, +20

Another ho-hum triple-double and a game where he has a plus-minus of +20. Nothing big here. In a race for so many in the national media to try to explain why Luka’s numbers actually aren’t that good, they seem to just be overlooking how consistently great he’s been.

Grade: A

Luke Kennard

26 minutes, 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 4 fouls, 5-8 FG, 0-2 3PT, +2

On a night where he was great yet again, it could have been even better. He had a three roll all the way around the rim and out and set up Ayton with a fantastic pass before he was blocked by Naz Reid.

Grade: B+

Jake LaRavia

25 minutes, 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 foul, 1-7 FG, 0-2 3PT, 6-8 FT, +13

This was a great Marcus Smart imitation from LaRavia. He could not hit a shot to save his life, but made up for it with his activity, effort, hustle and defensive playmaking. It was a great game from him despite shooting 14% from the field.

Grade: A-

Jarred Vanderbilt

15 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 2-5 FG, 0-2 3PT, -1

Vando was up to his old tricks in this one. He had some great defensive sequences by staying in front of ball handlers. But it was the stuff he did when the ball wasn’t even in play that is typical Vando with small brouhahas with Bones Hyland and Donte DiVincenzo.

As a quick aside, since we’re on the topic, I’m sure I didn’t see Hyland tell the Lakers bench to sit down after hitting a shot when his side was trailing by nearly 20 points, right? Because that would be a crazy thing to do.

Grade: B

Drew Timme, Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, Kobe Bufkin

I was a little surprised we didn’t see more Timme in this one, but Redick clearly tends to go small and space the floor when he doesn’t have centers.

JJ Redick

Even the most ardent Redick non-believers surely have to admit that he’s, again, doing a great job of getting this team playing its best basketball late in the season.

The Lakers are playing terrific defense and have navigated injuries all year long. Despite how infrequently he’s had his big three together, they are 15 games over .500 heading into the final month of the season with home court advantage well within their grasp for the playoffs.

Friday’s inactives: Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, LeBron James, Nick Smith Jr., Chris Mañon

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Kings Lose Tight Defensive Battle To Bruins In Overtime

The Los Angeles Kings (26-23-15) played one of their tightest defensive games of the season on Wednesday afternoon, but it still wasn't enough to escape Boston Bruins (36-22-6) territory. 

Boston extended its home dominance, defeating the Kings 2-1 in overtime at TD Garden, securing its 13th consecutive home victory while continuing its elite defensive performance, holding the Kings to their fewest shots taken all season, 15.

The Bruins also improved to 3-1-0 this season in games tied 0-0 after two periods. 

For much of the night, the game resembled a playoff-style grind, with physical defense and strong goaltending. 

As for the Kings' side of things, Drew Doughty was the lone scorer in tonight's game, while Adrian Kempe finished with one assist and one point; meanwhile, Artemi Panarin had his first bad game as a King, recording zero in the statsheet. 

Darcy Kuemper had a great game, especially early on when both teams were struggling to score. Kuemper was the main catalyst at holding the Bruins to three shots in the first period and zero goals for the first 40 minutes, posting 21 saves on the night. 

Scott Laughton had another great game, despite not putting up any points; his defense, energy, and speed were all positive for Los Angeles and have been a great fit for the Kings in his short time. 

A Scoreless Defensive Battle Through 40 Minutes

The opening 40 minutes featured little offensive rhythm from either team. It was one of the fewest shot attempts we've seen in a game this season, as Los Angeles outshot the Bruins 6-3 after the first period. 

Despite the number of shots being very low, the Bruins had plenty of chances to score, especially on the power play, where they were terrible today, finishing 0/4, including a shot that struck the post, while Kuemper kept Boston off the board multiple times, making key saves. 

Meanwhile, Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was also dominant on the other side of the crease, stopping 14 of 15 shots from Los Angeles. He was everywhere on the ice, not giving any easy goals for the Kings. 

Special teams struggled on both sides. Boston's power play was again nonexistent tonight; even with the penalties they drew, the Bruins failed to take advantage. 

Los Angeles also failed to convert on the man advantage, leaving the game scoreless entering the third period with just 20 combined shots between the teams. 

Bruins Break Through Late

After the defensive battle between the two teams lasted more than 48 minutes, Boston finally cracked the scoreboard. 

Defenseman Mason Lohrei jumped into the offensive zone and beat Kuemper, breaking the tie at the 8:22 mark of the third period, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. The goal energized the crowd after both teams were cold on offense, and it appeared that the Bruins were set to seal another home win. 

Doughty Forces Overtime

But the Kings didn't go away and responded again in the clutch. 

Just over five minutes later, Drew Doughty tied the game 1-1, with under six minutes remaining in the final regulation, firing the point shot off Elias Lindholm's skate at the net front and in to tie things up. 

But, just 39 seconds in overtime, Charlie McAvoy buried the overtime winner to give Boston the 2-1 victory in one of the most tightly defensive battles we've seen in a regular-season match in a long time. 

Despite the loss, the Kings competed very well on the road against Boston, which has been pretty much unbeatable at TD Garden, winning their 13th straight game there, and the defense was excellent. 

Key Stats

Los Angeles managed only 15 shots on goal, struggling to generate any offensive momentum all night despite playing one of their best defensive games of the season.

The Kings once again struggled on the power play, finishing 0/2 and winning just 44.9% of their faceoffs, two major stats that've been ailing them this season. 

Disappointing for Los Angeles not to get two points, but it resulted in a hard-earned point and got some help tonight in the fight for a wild card spot, as the San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken all lost today. 

The good news for Los Angeles is that they're now tied with Seattle for the final wild-card spot in the postseason and are five points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers for the second seed in the Pacific Division. 

 Los Angeles will continue its five-game road trip on Friday, when it takes on the New York Islanders at 7:00 PM EST. 

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Brayden Schenn Closes Blues Chapter With Return To St. Louis, Emotional Tribute

ST. LOUIS – By his own admission, Brayden Schenn is usually one not to disclose his emotions for all to see.

But even the human in the New York Islanders center, who was acquired by the St. Louis Blues just four days ago at the NHL Trade Deadline, couldn’t even simulate what was about to happen at the first TV timeout in the first period.

It’s a rarity to see, but Schenn’s return after getting traded was overwhelming, to say the least.

One day, the former Blues captain is at one side of the hotel in San Jose to sliding over to the next, absorbing the pitch from Islanders brass, to making his way back into the city he’s called home the past nine years to dressing in the visiting locker room and facing guys he went to war with countless times.

Everyone understands the business side of being a professional athlete, but when Schenn was the focal point, first on the jumbotron, then getting the thunderous ovation from the sellout crowd of 18,096 who will never forget being an integral part of the city’s first Stanley Cup in 2019, it admittedly got to the 34-year-old.

There was applause. There were obvious tears. A part of the Blues fabric was leaving, and the fans wanted to show their appreciation.

“It was a pretty emotional night,” said Schenn, who picked up the primary assist on Mathew Barzal’s OT winner and first point with the Islanders. “I can usually hold it together pretty good, I’m not going to lie, but driving into the rink today got me a little bit. The fans have been so good to me, the organization has been so good.”

The Blues knew what was coming, too, and were rightfully impressed with how the crowd showed its appreciation after 650 regular-season games and 485 points, 58 more playoff games and 29 points.

“Brayden Schenn’s meant a lot to this organization,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Stanley Cup champ, one of the players that brought home the Stanley Cup to St. Louis for the first time. He’s just an incredible family person and husband, father and community guy.”

Blues rookie Jimmy Snuggerud has known Schenn for less than a year and even felt the emotions during the tribute, calling Schenn’s mentorship “massive.”

“That was sad, honestly,” he said. “Even for a guy like me watching whose only known him for not even a year now. Just what he’s done for this franchise and this program bringing a Cup and being a great captain. … it’s really great to see ‘Schenner’ and what he has to do with the Islanders. I’m watching him, I’m cheering him on. It’s really cool to see that. I’m just so happy for him.

“From the day I stepped foot in, I moved in with him right away. From off-ice antics to on-ice antics, a guy I’d go to basically for all answers because he’s been through just about everything as a player. It’s honestly really cool just to see what he’s done and not knowing him for this long and still get the opportunity to live with him and more or less play with him on the ice. Honestly it was really cool.”

Schenn stayed in St. Louis to pack up as many belongings as he could and help his wife process and gather up whatever was needed while his new teammates headed home. He will make his Islanders home debut on Friday while getting in one last day with his former teammates, who also gathered at the Schenn household on Monday to spend as much time together now that that time is gone.

“It has been a tough couple days,” said Blues goalie Joel Hofer, who often played with Schenn’s two sons in the locker room after practices. “Him and ‘Faulker,’ two good friends. It was definitely fun to battle it out against him.

“I wanted to take (the tribute) all in. He means so much to this organization and such a good person to us. He’s great. I definitely wanted to take it all in.”

Theo Lindstein's NHL Debut A Success For Blues Despite OT Loss To IslandersTheo Lindstein's NHL Debut A Success For Blues Despite OT Loss To IslandersThe 2023 first-round pick (No. 29 overall) collected an assist in a 4-3 loss, moved pucks well and used his skating ability to fit in, which is a good sign moving forward
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Buzelis leads Chicago against Los Angeles after 41-point showing

Chicago Bulls (27-38, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (40-25, fourth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Thursday, 10:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago visits the Los Angeles Lakers after Matas Buzelis scored 41 points in the Bulls' 130-124 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers have gone 21-12 at home. Los Angeles ranks eighth in the Western Conference with 14.5 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.7.

The Bulls are 11-20 in road games. Chicago is 16-21 against opponents with a winning record.

The Lakers make 49.8% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.6 percentage points higher than the Bulls have allowed to their opponents (47.2%). The Bulls average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Lakers give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Lakers won the last matchup 129-118 on Jan. 27, with Luka Doncic scoring 46 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Doncic is averaging 32.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Lakers. Austin Reaves is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Buzelis is averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Bulls. Collin Sexton is averaging 14.1 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 114.6 points, 41.3 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points per game.

Bulls: 3-7, averaging 109.4 points, 47.6 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Jaxson Hayes: out (back), Maxi Kleber: out (back), LeBron James: out (elbow).

Bulls: Anfernee Simons: day to day (wrist), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: out (knee), Zach Collins: out for season (toe), Patrick Williams: day to day (ankle), Collin Sexton: day to day (leg).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Milwaukee visits Miami after Adebayo's 83-point game

Milwaukee Bucks (27-37, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (37-29, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Miami hosts the Milwaukee Bucks after Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in the Miami Heat's 150-129 win against the Washington Wizards.

The Heat have gone 21-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is 6-3 in one-possession games.

The Bucks are 19-24 in Eastern Conference play. Milwaukee is 15-24 in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Heat score 120.6 points per game, 4.6 more points than the 116.0 the Bucks give up. The Bucks are shooting 47.9% from the field, 2.3% higher than the 45.6% the Heat's opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Feb. 25 the Bucks won 128-117 led by 32 points from Kevin Porter Jr., while Norman Powell scored 26 points for the Heat.

TOP PERFORMERS: Adebayo is shooting 44.8% and averaging 20.0 points for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Myles Turner is shooting 44.1% and averaging 12.3 points for the Bucks. Bobby Portis is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 8-2, averaging 126.2 points, 49.0 rebounds, 29.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points per game.

Bucks: 3-7, averaging 104.7 points, 41.2 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.9 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (back), Kel'el Ware: day to day (shoulder), Andrew Wiggins: day to day (toe), Norman Powell: out (groin), Tyler Herro: day to day (quadriceps).

Bucks: Bobby Portis: day to day (back), Kevin Porter Jr.: day to day (knee), Jericho Sims: day to day (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Philadelphia visits Detroit on 3-game road slide

Philadelphia 76ers (35-30, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Detroit Pistons (46-18, first in the Eastern Conference)

Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia hits the road against Detroit looking to break its three-game road losing streak.

The Pistons are 31-10 in Eastern Conference games. Detroit is fifth in the Eastern Conference in rebounding averaging 45.9 rebounds. Jalen Duren paces the Pistons with 10.6 boards.

The 76ers are 21-22 in conference matchups. Philadelphia has a 6-8 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Pistons average 10.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 fewer makes per game than the 76ers allow (13.3). The 76ers score 6.3 more points per game (115.9) than the Pistons give up to opponents (109.6).

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Pistons won 114-105 in the last matchup on Nov. 15.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cade Cunningham is averaging 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Duren is averaging 22.7 points over the last 10 games.

Quentin Grimes is scoring 13.0 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the 76ers. Cameron Payne is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 5-5, averaging 114.9 points, 47.3 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 10.0 steals and 7.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points per game.

76ers: 5-5, averaging 115.6 points, 41.7 rebounds, 24.4 assists, 10.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.1 points.

INJURIES: Pistons: Ausar Thompson: day to day (ankle), Caris LeVert: day to day (wrist).

76ers: Tyrese Maxey: out (finger), Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (oblique).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Indiana faces Phoenix on home losing streak

Phoenix Suns (38-27, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (15-50, 15th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Indiana hosts Phoenix looking to stop its six-game home slide.

The Pacers have gone 10-22 at home. Indiana is 4-30 in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Suns are 16-14 in road games. Phoenix has a 7-7 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Pacers score 111.4 points per game, 0.4 more points than the 111.0 the Suns give up. The Suns average 14.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.3 more made shots on average than the 11.6 per game the Pacers give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Suns won the last meeting 133-98 on Nov. 14. Devin Booker scored 33 points to help lead the Suns to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jarace Walker is averaging 11.1 points for the Pacers. Micah Potter is averaging 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Booker is averaging 24.9 points and 6.1 assists for the Suns. Jalen Green is averaging 18.3 points and 1.6 steals over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 0-10, averaging 112.6 points, 40.2 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.3 points per game.

Suns: 6-4, averaging 105.3 points, 44.8 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.6 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 41.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Pascal Siakam: out (knee), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: out (back), Ivica Zubac: out (ankle), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

Suns: Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Los Angeles plays Minnesota, aims for 4th straight home win

Minnesota Timberwolves (40-24, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (32-32, eighth in the Western Conference)

Inglewood, California; Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Clippers -1.5; over/under is 225.5

BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles hosts Minnesota looking to extend its three-game home winning streak.

The Clippers are 20-19 against conference opponents. Los Angeles is 16-24 against opponents over .500.

The Timberwolves are 24-17 in conference games. Minnesota is ninth in the league with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.6.

The Clippers are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 46.3% the Timberwolves allow to opponents. The Timberwolves are shooting 48.3% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 46.5% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves won the last matchup 94-88 on Feb. 27, with Anthony Edwards scoring 31 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kawhi Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals for the Clippers. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 20.5 points and 6.7 rebounds over the past 10 games.

Julius Randle is scoring 21.4 points per game and averaging 7.0 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Edwards is averaging 4.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 117.6 points, 42.8 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points per game.

Timberwolves: 8-2, averaging 116.0 points, 43.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 9.9 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points.

INJURIES: Clippers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), John Collins: out (arm).

Timberwolves: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Jokic and the Nuggets host conference foe Houston

Houston Rockets (40-24, third in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (39-26, sixth in the Western Conference)

Denver; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Nuggets -5.5; over/under is 228.5

BOTTOM LINE: Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

The Nuggets have gone 23-14 against Western Conference opponents. Denver averages 120.3 points while outscoring opponents by 3.7 points per game.

The Rockets have gone 22-18 against Western Conference opponents. Houston is 15-7 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 14.7 turnovers per game.

The 120.3 points per game the Nuggets average are 10.6 more points than the Rockets allow (109.7). The Rockets are shooting 47.6% from the field, 0.5% higher than the 47.1% the Nuggets' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Dec. 20 the Rockets won 115-101 led by 31 points from Durant, while Jokic scored 25 points for the Nuggets.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 28.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 10.3 assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 23.8 points over the last 10 games.

Amen Thompson is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 7.6 rebounds for the Rockets. Durant is averaging 26.6 points and 6.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 4-6, averaging 119.7 points, 46.4 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points per game.

Rockets: 6-4, averaging 115.2 points, 47.0 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.

INJURIES: Nuggets: Jamal Murray: day to day (ankle), Cameron Johnson: day to day (back), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).

Rockets: Jae'Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Atlanta faces Brooklyn, looks for 7th straight home win

Brooklyn Nets (17-48, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (34-31, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta will try to keep its six-game home win streak alive when the Hawks play Brooklyn.

The Hawks are 19-21 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is first in the Eastern Conference with 30.5 assists per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 7.9.

The Nets are 12-29 in conference play. Brooklyn is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference scoring averaging 107.0 points per game while shooting 44.6%.

The Hawks score 117.8 points per game, 1.9 more points than the 115.9 the Nets give up. The Hawks average 107.0 points per game, 10.2 fewer points than the 117.2 the Hawks allow to opponents.

The teams play for the third time this season. The Hawks won the last meeting 115-104 on Feb. 22, with Johnson scoring 26 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is averaging 23 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 17.6 points and 4.7 assists over the last 10 games.

Nic Claxton is averaging 12.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and four assists for the Nets. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 19.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 42.8% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 8-2, averaging 119.6 points, 48.5 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 9.7 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.

Nets: 2-8, averaging 108.2 points, 37.5 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.6 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga: day to day (knee).

Nets: Ziaire Williams: day to day (illness), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: day to day (thumb).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Westbrook and Sacramento take on Charlotte in non-conference play

Charlotte Hornets (33-33, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (16-50, 15th in the Western Conference)

Sacramento, California; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hornets -12.5; over/under is 226.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Charlotte Hornets visit the Sacramento Kings in non-conference action.

The Kings have gone 11-22 at home. Sacramento has a 3-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Hornets are 19-16 on the road. Charlotte is second in the Eastern Conference with 46.3 rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 8.7.

The Kings average 10.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer makes per game than the Hornets give up (12.9). The Hornets' 45.9% shooting percentage from the field this season is 3.5 percentage points lower than the Kings have allowed to their opponents (49.4%).

TOP PERFORMERS: Russell Westbrook is shooting 43.1% and averaging 15.5 points for the Kings. Malik Monk is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 4-6, averaging 113.6 points, 45.8 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.7 points per game.

Hornets: 7-3, averaging 117.2 points, 47.8 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.0 points.

INJURIES: Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).

Hornets: Liam McNeeley: day to day (ankle), Coby White: day to day (calf), Tidjane Salaun: day to day (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Lakers dominate Timberwolves in statement win

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves plays defense during the game against Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers on March 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

After an ice-cold start to the game, the Lakers roared back to win their third straight game, knocking off the Wolves, 120-106.

The win gives the Lakers a season sweep of Minnesota. All three wins came without LeBron James, who missed Tuesday’s game with both a hip contusion and left foot arthritis.

LA opened the game with an abysmal performance in the first quarter, scoring just 16 points. By halftime, they had tied the game up before exploding for 39 points in the third to take complete control of the game.

The Lakers turned 11 Minnesota turnovers into 20 points and scored 56 points in the paint to Minnesota’s 42. That helped them overcome the Wolves’ 61-27 advantage in bench points.

Both teams started the game cold from the field until Anthony Edwards converted on a jumper in the paint. Julius Randle then drained a triple after LA missed another shot as part of a string of seven straight missed field goals. Marcus Smart stopped that drought with a layup at the 7:25 mark. 

Luka Dončić stopped a 9-0 Minnesota run with a layup. 

With 2:19 left in the period, LA had only put up nine points. They were 0-9 from behind the arc and were shooting 20% from the field. Smart was leading the team with five points and Luka was close behind with four. 

Neither team could make a 3-pointer, shooting a combined 1-23 from behind the arc. 

The rest of the first frame saw Los Angeles add more points, but they continued to look rough. Luka only made two of his 10 shot attempts. Despite the struggles, the purple and gold trailed by five entering the second frame. 

Rudy Gobert opened the second quarter by being fouled and converting on one of two free throws. Luke Kennard scored on a midrange jumper on the other end. There was a huge lid on the basket for LA, as they were up to 11 missed triples. 

Deandre Ayton scored a quick four in a row, giving Los Angeles a boost. 

Naz Reid and Ayo Dosunmu both had five points off the bench for the Timberwolves. Ayton scored again, giving him eight points with his 10 rebounds. Austin Reaves tied the game with a layup. 

Donte DiVincenzo put the Wolves back in the lead with a 3-pointer. 

Luka knocked down the first Laker three in 16 attempts. Ayton entered double figures with 10 points. Fortunately for LA, Anthony Edwards had only three points so far. With 2:42 left in the half, Minnesota was up by two. 

Luka started heating up as the quarter was winding down, scoring five points. He had a total of eight in the quarter. Rui Hachimura tied the game heading into the locker rooms after he drained a 3-pointer. 

The third period began with Smart drawing a charge on Edwards. On the other end, Luka scored on a layup, which put LA ahead. After only scoring two points in the first half, Austin Reaves finally scored again on a layup. 

Hachimura, unfortunately, picked up his fifth foul and was forced to sit early. 

Luka went on a 6-0 run himself to give Los Angeles a seven-point lead at the 8:13 mark. Minnesota was on a six-minute scoring drought. Jake LaRavia put up five points despite his shooting woes. 

At the halfway mark, Reid scored on a hook shot, breaking the Wolves’ drought. 

Reaves was now in double figures with 16 after draining a triple, completing a three-point play, and capping it off with a four-point play. He had 14 in the quarter. 

Kennard then converted on a layup that put the Lakers up by 19 and forced a timeout.

At the end of the third, LA was up by 16 points. 

The final frame began with Kennard scoring four in a row. Reaves converted on yet another four-point play as LA kept its foot on the gas. With 7:15 left, the purple and gold were up by 18. 

Both teams started getting chippy with Jarred Vanderbilt and Donte picking up technical fouls. The deficit did get cut to 15, but Los Angeles responded fast with back-to-back threes from Smart and Luka. 

Minnesota scored five in a row to make it a 16-point game at the 5:29 mark. 

Luka and Ayton combined for a quick four points to put the finishing touches on the win. The Timberwolves emptied their bench at the 3:55 mark. 

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with a triple-double of 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Reaves ended with 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Ayton scored 14 points with 12 rebounds. 

Kennard notched 10 points. LaRavia pitched in with eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Hachimura had nine points and Smart put up eight points. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at 7:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

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NBA Final Score – Lakers 120, Timberwolves 106: No One Was Even Awake

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Game Story

You’re still awake?

If you are, kudos to you. You’re a true diehard. If not, we don’t blame you. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the clock struck 12:38 a.m. Central.

The Los Angeles Lakers came into the night winners in five of their last six games. One of the areas they’ve excelled in has been shooting the ball, reaching second in the league in effective field goal percentage (58.8%), and first from deep (40.6%).

Regression hit like a ton of bricks.

On a night where ridiculous scoring feats could be found in any game, Los Angeles and the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to treat the packed home crowd to a good old fashioned brick-fest. The Lakers, in particular, opened the game scoreless in the first four and a half minutes. The audience groaned and moaned as their team missed their first 11 three-point attempts, anchoring them to just 28% from the field in the first quarter.

The Timberwolves weren’t much better. Instead of taking advantage of the frigid shooting display of their opponents, they decided to be gentlemen and convert on only 34.8% of their own shot attempts in that same stanza. Look no further than Anthony Edwards and Luka Dončić, who have both averaged over 32 points in their last three games, but combined to score just seven points on three of 18 shooting in the quarter.

A modest five-point Timberwolves lead after the first buzzer sounded was short-lived and seemed ominous.

The non-Dončić minutes boded well for Los Angeles. They battled back strictly off hammering the offensive glass (11 in first half) and opting to score in the paint (62% of points in paint in first half). DeAndre Ayton did his best Clint Capela impression, accounting for a ton of that by outworking the Wolves in the paint. He bought enough time for his Slovenian teammate to catch a groove, as Dončić converted a few triples before finding Rui Hachimura to swish a trey of his own to knot things up at 45 at the halftime break.

It was surely a half where both teams seemed asleep.

After scoring just three points in the first half, things didn’t look great to start the second for Edwards. He struggled to find a rhythm and took a tough tumble on a charge drawn by Marcus Smart. It was just foreshadowing of the face plant that the Wolves had coming. Despite a flurry of free throws, Edwards shot an uncharacteristic 13% mark from field. A low mark from him since he shot 23.1% against…

…the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024. Talk about regression to the mean.

His rough night seemed to suck the energy from his teammates. Edwards certainly wasn’t the only guilty party. The Wolves roster as a whole was just far too forgiving to a team missing several rotation players. They had many poorly timed fouls, late shot clock resignations, and forgotten rotations which allowed the Lakers to find their rhythm.

One player that struggled to find their range lately was Austin Reaves. The man who slayed the Wolves with a walk-off game-winner almost five months ago had only scored 20+ points just once in his last eight games, shooting in the a low 40% from the field. Unfortunately for Minnesota, that one game was two days ago. Reaves rode that momentum tonight, slaughtering Minnesota with haymaker after haymaker, opening up a 19-point deficit that the Wolves never threatened again.

It was oddly similar to Minnesota’s second game of the season, where Los Angeles cruised to an easy victory in the third quarter, filled with a ton of highlights to boot. Except they didn’t even need Dončić to score 49.

At this point, it’s more than fair to be critical of the Wolves performance. This wasn’t an early tip against a subpar Eastern Conference team. This was a prime time matchup in a packed house against a team vying with them for playoff positioning. And they shit the bed.

Again.

If anything, it’s even more concerning in a game where Anthony Edwards was successfully game planned out, the team looked completely unprepared on how to respond. This will be the case often in the playoffs. Will Edwards shoot this bad all the time? No. But they clearly did not have any answers when he did shoot poorly. There were some silver linings like the bench performance and a half-decent Julius Randle game, but it all just felt like a big blurry haze.

Anyway, hopefully you weren’t awake to watch this one.

Clearly the Wolves weren’t awake either.

Box Score

Comment of the Night

<em>Live look at the Timberwolves tonight</em>

Up Next

It’s a short turnaround for Minnesota. In fact, in less than 24 hours, they’ll take to the court just 25 miles south at Intuit Dome. The surging Los Angeles Clippers play host on Wednesday, March 11, at 9:30 PM CT. The last time these teams met, Anthony Edwards shouted at Chris Finch after a clutch three pointer, edging out LA who was missing both Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland.

This game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights