SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: Moses Moody #4 of the Golden State Warriors and Darius Garland #10 of the LA Clippers go for a loose ball during the first half at Chase Center on March 02, 2026 in San Francisco, 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just like Inigo Montoya and the Dread Pirate Roberts, Moses Moody is not left-handed, but he’s practicing that way.
Warriors hoping Moses Moody (wrist) can return at some point during their upcoming road trip to the east coast. He’s been participating in practices to keep his conditioning up but only shooting with his left hand.
Moody sprained his right wrist and injured his shoulder after a collision with Darius Garland in the Warriors’ March 2 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He knocked the ball away from Garland, but the dastardly tiny guard wrenched Moody’s shoulder in the subsequent struggle for the ball, perhaps while repeating, “My name is Darius Garland. Your team employed my father. Prepare to miss 5-7 games.”
— ART OF THE LEAGU3 (@highlightsofart) March 3, 2026
The Warriors fifth-year wing will miss his fifth straight game Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Some would say his return is inconceivable, but the Dubs hope he can provide much-needed reinforcement during their six-game road trip next week. He’s working out to keep up his fitness and shooting left-handed, which he also did while recovering from hand surgery last summer.
Does his shot look great? No, but this author is still impressed, as he perpetually struggled to make a simple left-handed layup for much of his own basketball career. This author also employed the “stare at the ball while you dribble” technique pioneered by Michael J. Fox in “Teen Wolf” that proved very stoppable during the CYO Oakland diocese playoffs, though this author did win multiple free-throw shooting contests that earned him free frozen yogurt. (R.I.P. Yogurt Clouds)
He’s still wearing a wrist brace, so perhaps a return to play the Boston Celtics on Wednesday or the Detroit Pistons Friday is plausible. The short-handed Warriors could certainly use him, as their hopes of avoiding the 9-10 play-in game are, in the words of Miracle Max, “mostly dead” right now — which does mean slightly alive!
So the Warriors hope their dedicated fifth-year wing can help them storm the castle of their opponents in a poorly-timed nine-day road trip where they won’t have Steph Curry. Friday, they’ll at least have Kristaps Porzingis on the court, playing consecutive games as a Warrior for the first time and trying to prove that trading for an oft-injured seven-footer isn’t a classic blunder on the level of getting into a land war in Asia or a battle of wits with a Sicilian where death is on the line.
BIRMINGHAM, AL FEBRUARY 19: Malachi Smith #18 of the Long Island Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Birmingham Squadron on February 19, 2026 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets are signing guard Malachi Smith, a 6’4” combo guard, to a 10-day contract. Smith has spent this season with Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, while on a standard G-League contract. At least temporarily, Smith fills the Nets open roster spot.
Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto was the first to report the news…
The Brooklyn Nets and Malachi Smith have agreed to a 10-day deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Smith averaged 14.4 points on 52% shooting from the field and 42% from 3-point range, 5.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League team. pic.twitter.com/qfouaknEdz
Smith has played In 39 total games in Long Island this season. Undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2023, he had previously played for the G League affiliates of the Trailblazers, Bucks and Grizzlies traded him to Long Island last September.
His numbers jumped in mid-season when Long Island coach Mfon Udofia inserted him at point guard after Nolan Traore was called up to Brooklyn. In his past 10 games with Long Island, Smith averaged 18.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 7.8 assists while shooting 57.9% from the field and converting 50% of his opportunities from beyond the arc. He’s also become one of league leaders in assists with games of 15, 13, 11 and 10 assists. He has also had issues turnovers in that stretch but retains a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
At 26 years old, Smith will be the third-oldest player on Brooklyn’s squad behind Terance Mann and Nic Claxton.
He will join high school teammate, Nets two-way E.J. Liddell, on the Brooklyn roster. The two, playing for Belleville West High School in Belleville, Illinois, won the state championship in 2018. Liddell is a year younger.
Smith’s opportunity in the NBA comes amid word that Grant Nelson who previously played on a 10-day, is done for the season. As Brian Lewis first reported Nelson will return to Long Island but will not play due to a diagnosis of patellar tendinitis…
Grant Nelson, who'd been on a 10-day contract earlier with the #Nets, returns to Long Island. But he'll miss the rest of the G League season with patellar tendinitis. The 'jumper’s knee' likely explains why the 23-year-old didn't get another 10-day after acquitting himself well.
Nelson dealt with a nagging knee injury this season, an issue that has persisted since his college days as a freshman at North Dakota State. Following a seven-week rehab process in mid-season, he was able to return to the court and start 15 games with the G League club, though under minutes restrictions.
“I’ve been dealing with knee soreness for I don’t know how many years, really, since I started college. It was kind of just affecting how I was playing, and I had to get it over with and get all the rehab done, and get it back to feeling 100%. The performance staff here did a great job. Everyone really cares about me, and that meant a lot,” Nelson told NetsDaily.
Even on a minutes restriction, Nelson was able to dominate. In those 15 starts, he put up 24 points and 12 rebounds per 36 minutes. The organization rewarded him with a 10-day deal. In four games, Nelson played 35 minutes, putting up 17 points, six rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Surprisingly, he was not renewed for a second 10-day. The injury diagnosis may explain why. The status of his G League rights going forward remains murky.
The diagnosis comes at an inopportune time for Nelson. With Day’Ron Sharpe out for the season, Nelson may very well have gotten minutes with Brooklyn if he’d been healthy.
For now, Smith gets an opportunity to showcase his skills in the NBA while Nelson’s promising season comes to an end.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Austin Reaves #15 high fives Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
How the Lakers’ season will end is very much in flux. They can finish the year as high as the No. 3 seed in the West, but can still fall all the way down to the play-in if they go on a losing streak.
While how the 2025-26 season concludes for the purple and gold is still in question, one thing is certain: this will be a big summer for the Lakers.
They’ll have a ton of cap space and open roster spots available to be very aggressive in the free agency market as they look to build the best contender possible around Luka Dončić.
Austin Reaves is one of those players who will have to decide where he’ll play next year. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is reportedly looking for a big payday. If the Lakers pay that price, they’ll be locked into a backcourt featuring Dončić and Reaves for years to come.
But is that the best path forward?
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans how confident they are in a Dončić-Reaves backcourt. The results are in, and the overwhelming majority, 80%, are confident in the duo.
Clearly, Lakers fans believe in Luka and Austin. And they have good reasons to. Dončić is leading the NBA in scoring and is just entering his prime.
Reaves has gotten better every year and is putting up his best numbers this season, averaging 23.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists. Had he not suffered a calf injury and missed a bunch of games, he would’ve likely made his first All-Star appearance this season.
It’s very possible we haven’t yet seen the best basketball either player reach, and locking up this duo for their best years seems like a good use of LA’s resources.
Their chemistry on and off the court is incredible, and as the seasons go on, this tandem will likely only get better. While most Lakers fans like the Dončić-Reaves backcourt being the future, 11% were unsure.
The hesitance is likely because we have yet to see this duo find postseason success. Last year in the playoffs, the Wolves picked apart the Lakers, and both Dončić and Reaves struggled in the series. With the goal always being a championship, Lakers fans will be watching this year’s playoff run and undoubtedly putting a lot of stock into how well Luka and Austin perform against the best in the West.
The good news for the Lakers front office is that only 9% of fans are not confident in this backcourt pairing. That’s a relatively low number, so re-signing Reaves seems like it will be an easy and popular decision to make this summer.
Overall, the future looks bright for the Lakers with Luka and Austin as the two main players the team can build around. Last season, the Lakers were a 50-win team and similar success is still on the table this year. And if they bring back Austin, that type of winning will be a realistic outcome moving forward.
Desperation defines this evening's clash at Chase Center as a pair of Western Conference fixtures fight to snap identical three-game skids. The Warriors must navigate life without Stephen Curry against a Minnesota squad hungry to protect a Top 6 seed in danger of slipping even further.
I'm taking advantage of this evening's showdown with a three-leg same-game parlay focused heavily on the vision and playmaking of Anthony Edwards. Ant's willingness to share the rock will guide the Wolves to victory tonight.
This parlay has been BOOSTED from +625 to +750 by our friends at bet365.
Timberwolves vs Warriors same game parlay for March 13
Anthony Edwards isn’t known as a high-assist player and typically doesn’t generate a large number of potential assists. However, this matchup against the Warriors creates a path for him to clear an alternate line of 5+ assists. Golden State is expected to start Draymond Green at center with Gui Santos in the frontcourt, leaving them with very little rim protection. That lack of size makes it difficult for them to contain Edwards’ downhill drives. Instead of meeting him at the rim, Green and Santos will likely have to step in early to slow him down.
When that help comes early, it should open up several dump-off opportunities to Minnesota’s bigs around the basket. Against a much smaller Warriors frontcourt, those interior looks should be high-percentage chances to convert Edwards’ passes into assists.
The 20+ points for Julius Randle pairs naturally with the assists for Edwards. If Edwards is creating advantages off the dribble, some of those potential assists should go directly to Randle, who can use his strength to bully his way to the rim and convert those opportunities. Randle also has a clear size advantage against the Warriors’ small frontcourt. That mismatch should lead to plenty of isolation opportunities, allowing him to attack defenders one-on-one and generate efficient scoring chances around the basket.
The Timberwolves are listed as 5.5-point favorites against the Warriors, and that’s a number I’m comfortable backing as I make the line closer to 8. The key factor in this matchup is Minnesota’s size advantage, which becomes even more significant with Stephen Curry out of the lineup.
When Curry plays, the Warriors can go small and use his gravity to pull Rudy Gobert away from the paint. Without that threat, Gobert can stay near the rim, allowing Minnesota to fully control the interior without being punished for playing big. That creates a difficult matchup for Golden State. Green simply doesn’t have the size to consistently deal with a frontcourt that includes Randle, Gobert, and Naz Reid, especially with Edwards applying constant pressure at the rim.
Jon's SGP parlay is now BOOSTED at bet365!
Get even more value tailing Jon's parlay by betting the boosted version at bet365!
Go to bet365, and join in on the action now!
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/metlerparlaymar13.png" alt="Jon Metler NBA ML parlay"
Eligible U.S. locations only. 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
If there’s one division among NBA players these days, it’s about foul baiting.
The tactic, which essentially is when players seek unnecessary contact or exaggerate existing contact with flops, can be an effective tool to draw whistles and get to the free throw line.
And on the night when the Boston Celtics lost a close game to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Celtics star Jaylen Brown called out players who foul baited and expressed frustration over the way officials reward that behavior.
“I just don’t foul bait,” Brown told reporters after Boston’s 104-102 loss. “I’m not looking to flop or anything like that, but it’s almost like you got to. Cause there’s a couple of plays in the fourth quarter where I felt like I drove strong, went up strong, and I didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. But maybe if I would have flopped, maybe I would have been able to sell those calls. And those decide games.
“So it’s like, we commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who necessarily are trying to manipulate the game into their advantage. I just don’t think it's basketball. Let’s just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it’s whatever for me.”
Brown didn’t mention any player by name, but Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the players most effective at drawing contact and getting to the line. He ranks first in the NBA in free throws made per game (8.2) and third in attempts (9.2).
During one sequence midway through the third quarter Thursday night, Gilgeous-Alexander was driving down the left side of the paint when he crashed into Celtics center Luke Garza, drawing the foul.
On-court microphones from the Amazon Prime broadcast clearly picked up Brown shouting at officials in response to the whistle: “That’s not basketball.”
Gilgeous-Alexander would convert both free throws.
“Just accentuating contact,” Brown said when asked to characterize foul baiting. “It’s one thing to get fouled, but it’s like when you’re not even trying to score when you’re driving and flailing your body just to make it look like you’re getting fouled. I think that’s the part where it’s like, all right, come on. But I mean, that’s where our league is at. That’s where the NBA is at. So it’s like, get down or lay down. So maybe I need to flop a little bit more.”
Part of Brown’s frustrations stem from his ejection in a game against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, March 10. Brown played just 14:42 and was ejected for arguing an apparent no-call when Spurs guard Stephon Castle made contact with Brown as he dribbled the ball near the sideline, eventually losing it in a turnover. Brown was assessed two technical fouls. The Celtics would go on to lose 125-116.
Brown said he was especially “pissed” about the ejection because he had circled this game on his calendar, given San Antonio’s positioning in the standings.
“I felt great,” Brown said of his ejection against the Spurs. “I felt like I was ready to have a big-time performance, and my night got ended short. In certain spots, maybe I could have been a little bit better, but you’re passionate. It’s a big game. You want to see emotion. You want to see your star players showing that emotion. I don’t think I deserved to get tossed. And I think the NBA agreed, because I didn’t get fined or anything like that. So it is what it is. It happens. People make mistakes, but I’m just looking forward now.”
The New York Knicks will look to finish up their five-game road trip with a winning record as they visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Indiana is in a tailspin right now, which is why I’m backing the New York to cover the hefty spread in my Knicks vs. Pacers prediction.
Let’s take a closer look at how to bet tonight’s matchup in my free NBA picks for Friday, March 13.
Knicks vs Pacers prediction
Knicks vs Pacers best bet: Knicks -13.5 (-110)
“Just bet against the Indiana Pacers” may seem like a simplistic betting strategy, but it’s been an effective one.
Indiana has now lost 11 straight, and hasn’t covered in any of those games. In six of their last eight games, the Pacers have lost by 15+ points.
The New York Knicks have been one of the best offensive teams in the NBA this season. With an offensive efficiency of 116.4, they rank second only to the Denver Nuggets.
That will place especially well against a Pacers team allowing 120.0 ppg on the year. I’m taking New York to cover tonight.
Knicks vs Pacers same-game parlay
Both teams have played towards the Over in recent games, and the Knicks offense should be able to push the score up against this Indiana defense.
I’ll also take Jalen Brunson to hit his scoring total after coming off two straight 28-point performances.
Knicks vs Pacers SGP
Knicks -13.5
Over 227.5
Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: All Knicks, all night
Even for my lottery SGP, I’m sticking with the Knicks to cover, as that’s my lynchpin for all the prop bets I’m backing here.
I’ll once again take Brunson to hit his points total, while also picking Karl-Anthony Towns to make Over 1.5 threes, as he’s hit three shots from deep in each of his last two games.
I’m also backing Mikal Bridges to pick up a block on the defensive end, since he’s gotten at least one in three of his last four games.
Knicks vs Pacers SGP
Knicks -13.5
Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 threes made
Mikal Bridges Over 0.5 blocks
Knicks vs Pacers odds
Spread: New York -13 (-110) | Indiana +13 (-110)
Moneyline: New York -800 | Indiana +550
Over/Under: Over 227 (-110) | Under 227 (-110)
Knicks vs Pacers betting trend to know
The Pacers are 0-11 ATS in their last 11 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Pacers.
How to watch Knicks vs Pacers
Location
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Date
Friday, March 13, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
MSG, FDSN-IN
Knicks vs Pacers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 08, 2024: A closeup view of an official Major League Baseball being held in a pitching grip prior to a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 08, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Careers are made on a signature pitch. Nolan Ryan’s fastball. Sandy Koufax’s curve. Mariano Rivera’s cutter. Over the years, the Kansas City Royals have had plenty of pitchers with a signature offering that defined their style on the mound.
What Royals pitcher had your favorite pitch? Here are some of my favorites:
Dan Quisenberry’s sinker
Mark Gubicza’s sinker
Tom Gordon’s curveball
Kevin Appier’s forkball
Zack Greinke’s slow curve
Joakim Soria’s curveball
Jason Vargas’ change-up
Wade Davis’ cutter
Greg Holland’s slider
Tell me your favorite pitch from a Royals pitcher!
This short article continues my effort to articulate some of the observations I made during my visit to Spring Training, 2026.
Short Topic of the Day
I will start out with showing my bias. I’m a fan of the system. Although I’m an old guy, I tend to like new technology. I’m not a leading-edge adapter, but more the fast-follower type. This tech I like.
Since many of you haven’t seen it, I’ll describe it in hopefully not so many words.
All MLB stadiums are equipped with Hawkeye technology that tracks (in very small increments, it turns out) the flight of the ball. It is tuned to register if the ball passes through the strike zone. In days of yore, when mortal humans calling balls and strikes, the strike zone was an amorphous cube, where umpires would judge if a ball crossed any part of the plate (front or back) while in between the players knees and the letters. Each of these positions is open to some interpretation and judgement.
But now, Hawkeye evaluates 0n a two-dimensional plane. It looks to see if the ball crosses the plate only along a line that runs between the two back corners of the plate. Ergo, a pitch that might look a tad high to the hitter in the strike point (out near the front of the plate) could actually drop in the zone 8.5” later and be viewed by Hawkeye as a strike. The second dimension eliminates knees and letters and now just uses 53.5% of the player height as the top of the zone and the bottom is 27% of the same measurement. So the judgement of strike or ball by the ABS system is two-dimensional, whereas I suspect umpires will still tend more toward a 3-dimensional view that will naturally look more like an egg than a rectangle.
A pitcher, catcher or hitter may challenge, but must do so immediately, without assistance or encouragement from anyone else. They are to tap their head AND verbalize their challenge. Each team gets (theoretically) unlimited challenges during a game but loses the right to challenge if they have challenged unsuccessfully on two occasions during the game. The right to challenge is restored in any extra innings.
The actual challenge is quite interesting and seems to engage the fans a fair bit. The player taps their head, the umpire announces the challenge and all eyes turn toward the scoreboard. The strike zone and the ball location are displayed, along with a measurement of how far into or out of the zone the ball was. I didn’t time it, but I’d guess it takes in the area of 5 seconds or so. Pretty quick. The umpire announces the impact of the ruling (upheld, changed to ball or strike, and revised count). Then play resumes. The fans seem to really get into it. The umpires? If body language means anything, not so much.
For folks who watch the game on their chosen video device, I understand that the strike zone displayed during the broadcast will be one and the same with the two-dimensional Hawkeye view presented on the scoreboard.
I saw one game this past week where CB Bucknor was challenged multiple times and proven right more than not. Wouldn’t it be ironic if ABS informed us that CB is a better umpire than we had imagined? Another umpire went 0-6 on challenges, finally breaking the streak on, ironically enough, the last pitch of the game.
The Cardinals are encouraging their players to challenge during ST. It seems like it will be a good tool for them to learn the edges of the strike zone in real time. I am sure in regular season there will be less freedom to challenge. It would not shock me if only a few hitters are allowed (Nootbaar, for one). Otherwise, the onus might rest mostly on the catcher. I can see hitters having some freedom in crucial points of the game. I forget who, but we saw a hitter challenge a 3-1 call, in the rain, in the midst of a 10-2 game. That probably won’t reach the “crucial” threshold during regular season.
Most of the pitches that got challenged were truly borderline pitches that in the human umpire world could go either way. Several strikes were called on balls that were measures as “less that .1 inches” outside the strike zone. Likewise, you see some balls that get reversed to strikes as they just nick the zone. .1 inches. Wow! Our past time is no longer a game of inches, it is a game of millimeters.
I don’t get the sense that framing will be altered a lot by ABS. Seems like only 4-5 calls per game get challenged, whereas framing can affect the outcome of quite a few more pitches. That is my estimation, but we will have to wait and see.
For those that haven’t seen it, Baseball Savant has an ABS leaderboard page at www.baseballsavant.com/ABS. Take a look.
FORMER CUBS IN MARINERS CAMP: Anthony Kay, Tyson Miller.
DYLAN CARLSON: The non-roster outfielder is making his case for the Opening Day roster. In 12 games this spring he’s batting .360/.529/.440 (9-for-25) with two doubles and seven walks. He’s played well in the field, too.
Riley Martin will start for the Cubs. The Cubs are having another bullpen game. The list of other Cubs pitchers scheduled today was not available at posting time.
Davis Martin will start for the White Sox. Other White Sox pitchers scheduled today: Sean Newcomb, Jordan Hicks and Jordan Leasure. The White Sox are a split squad today.
Today’s game will be televised by the White Sox channel CHSN. There will also be a radio broadcast via the Sox flagship station, WMVP/ESPN 1000.
Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox. If you do go there to interact with Sox fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:35 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Kristaps Porzingis #7 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors smile before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 7, 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 Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors are still waiting to see what they look like at full strength, but Kristaps Porziņģis already knows that one pairing in particular could change the team completely: sharing the floor with Stephen Curry.
Following Golden State’s 130-124 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night, Porziņģis expressed how he is looking forward to eventually playing alongside the team’s franchise star.
“I wanna play with Steph. Who doesn’t… I know he’s doing everything he can to be back with us as soon as possible. And obviously it’s a completely different team with him, so hopefully I get that chance soon.”
Porzingis on hopefully getting to play with Steph soon
Curry has now missed 15 games due to runner’s knee and is on track to miss at least 10 more days, which could mean another five-to-six game absence. The Warriors have gone 5–10 during that stretch, with Curry’s injury playing a major role in the team slipping to the ninth seed in the Western Conference standings.
Despite the slide, it remains unlikely that the Warriors fall out of the play-in entirely. The Memphis Grizzlies, who currently hold the 11th seed in the West, are nine games behind Golden State with just 17 games remaining in the regular season.
That’s what makes Porziņģis’ comments feel encouraging. Even as the losses have piled up, there is still reason to believe the Warriors have another level they can reach just in time for the postseason. Much of that hinges on the team finally getting healthy, but if that happens, a Curry–Porziņģis pairing — along with the added depth from the rest of the roster — could give Golden State a rare combination of elite spacing, defense, and size that they haven’t had in recent seasons.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, March 13th:
The Warriors said Wednesday that Curry, who hasn’t played since Jan. 30 because of a lingering runner’s knee injury, was making “good progress” in his rehab, but would be out for at least another 10 days before being re-evaluated again. Curry, who turns 38 Saturday, has missed the last 15 games and is now on track to miss at least six more.
Kerr sounded hopeful Thursday that Curry was putting together solid workouts in his rehab process, but it remains unclear when, or if, Curry will play again this season. Kerr said Curry has only done individual on-court workouts with VP of player health and performance Rick Celebrini and assistant coach Bruce Fraser, and has yet to do work with the team.
“He did get on the court today, which is good,” Kerr said.
There’s plenty to glean from this final month of basketball. But without Curry in the lineup, absolutely nothing is truly applicable to this season. It’s a sunk cost. The organization’s entire focus should be squarely on setting the table for the next one.
And wouldn’t a nice, shiny, early draft pick help soothe the sting?
I’m being told this upcoming draft is arguably the most loaded in years. I’ll take those folks’ word for it. But adding premium, young talent (and in that 8-to-12 range, there will be some exceptional prospects) is the only way to insulate against that grim, post-Curry future we’ve been getting an early, unwanted glimpse of lately.
And the idea of pride being in the way is absurd. What pride could possibly be left to save after Tuesday?
“We’ve won throughout the streak, most importantly,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 35 points and nine assists in the Thunder’s 104-102 win. “I just had so much fun playing the last year and a half, probably because I’ve done a lot of winning. … If you stay in the right mind frame, when you stay together, when you’re connected as a unit and just have fun throughout the whole process, you get the best out of things.”
But staying on the court has been an issue. He’s appeared in just three games in his month-plus with the team, and has now had an issue suiting up every year for the last decade. The talent is tantalizing, and there’s no doubt that he’s an excellent fit with the team. But is he worth committing to beyond this year, especially if his All-Star talent drives up his price? Let us know how you feel!
Detroit Tigers assistant pitching coach Juan Nieves watches practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In a sense, spring warm up is just ending now and something like the actual competition for the final roster spots ramping up over the final two weeks of Grapefruit League action. The first weeks are mainly just stretching out into game shape and getting rhythm and timing going, both at the plate and on the mound. For players assured a roster spot, there’s really no rush and the trick is to conserve energy and avoid injury while slowly getting up to game speed just in time for Opening Day.
We’ve talked about the position side quite a bit. The main questions haven’t changed. Kevin McGonigle is going to see a lot fewer fastballs to hit over the next two weeks as the big league regulars stretch out and there are fewer minor leaguers getting reps on the mound. He’s done everything the Tigers could’ve asked to prove he’s ready for the starting shortstop job so far, but the big test is seeing a lot more spin and offspeed, from pitchers who can throw strikes without making too many big mistakes. His track record says this won’t be a problem, but it may be an adjustment.
So we’ll be watching him closely like everyone else, with the center field job really the other main positional question to answer.
The rotation is set. Will Vest, Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan, Tyler Holton, and Drew Anderson are all locks for the bullpen. That’s five of the eight man bullpen locked in. Three spots remaining.
The Tigers picking up Enmanuel de Jesus’ contract suggests he’ll be in the Opening Day bullpen, though it’s not certain. The club may prefer to take Brant Hurter as the second lefty, or to take both.
Brenan Hanifee is on the 40-man roster already. So is Beau Brieske, whose rib cage discomfort has abated and should return to action soon. Sawyer Gipson-Long and lefty Bailey Horn are on the 40-man but dealing with hopefully minor injuries. Troy Melton is on the 60-day IL. Dylan Smith and lefty Drew Sommers are on the 40-man but already optioned to minor league camp along with Keider Montero, who is still with Team Venezuela currently.
Anyone else in camp, whether Tanner Rainey, Burch Smith, Jack Little, Sean Guenther, Ricky Vanasco, or players already moved to minor league camp like Tyler Mattison, Cole Waites, or Tyler Owens, will require a 40-man roster move.
In theory there are three spots. One of them will go to a left-hander, whether De Jesus, Hurter, Sean Guenther, or some combination of them. If you’re A.J. Hinch, which three relievers in camp are you taking?
After 11 straight defeats against Ireland, victory in Dublin would vindicate Gregor Townsend’s faith in his players
Trusting the process. It sounds like a fine idea in principle: although it really depends if your process was any good in the first place.
Gregor Townsend faced down a familiar cacophony of criticism after Scotland’s opening defeat by Italy last month. The same old shortcomings had been exposed, it was said, and another year of disappointment beckoned. Townsend had insisted the embarrassing capitulation against Argentina in November, from 21-0 ahead, was a “line in the sand moment” – only to see that line swiftly washed away in the sheeting Roman rain.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 14: Tyler Stephenson #37 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates with TJ Friedl #29 and Elly De La Cruz #44 after hitting a grand slam against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning at Comerica Park on June 14, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Trying to jump into the mind of Terry Francona might actually be a little easier than those of many Major League Baseball managers. To be clear, that’s no knock on the intellect of the future Hall of Famer – rather, it’s an admission that the man speaks pretty openly about what it is he would really like to accomplish with his club.
He’s sold on TJ Friedl as his leadoff guy. He’s going to hit Elly De La Cruz in the #3 spot almost every single day, though he’s on record all over the place saying he’s going to get him some more breaks this season.
Despite the former 1st rounders struggles with injuries and underperformance the last two seasons, Matt McLain is a Tito favorite. He’s drawn Dustin Pedroia comps before, and the manager still seems more than willing to bat him 2nd in the lineup once again.
Those three things sure appear to be the fixed tenets on this otherwise malleable, flexible roster. So, it’s not a surprise that when I asked you earlier this week how many Cincinnati Reds hitters would top the 600 PA mark in 2026, you overwhelmingly responded with 3…or more.
The 600 PA threshold may seem arbitrary, but it’s a pretty decent measure of what a player who bats atop his team’s order almost every single day should cross. Those are numbers of a ‘regular,’ and in 2025 only two players – Elly and Friedl – cleared that mark.
They cleared it by a ton, too, as Elly finished with 699 and Friedl with 685. It was actually that kind of blowing past the 600 mark that made me consider the question in the first place, as last year – despite a lot of flexibility up and down the roster – injuries, trades, and positional rotation caused a lot of players to get PA often, but not exactly be ‘regular.’
McLain (577 PA) didn’t get there due to getting dropped in the order and sat here and there amid his struggles. Spencer Steer (568) sure felt like a regular all year, but didn’t get there, either.
This year, it sure feels like Steer, and Sal Stewart, and Eugenio Suárez should be regulars, but someone in this exercise is going to have to hit 6th, and that just simply doesn’t stack the PA the way hitting up top does. There’s also Ke’Bryan Hayes in there siphoning PA while hitting 9th for most of every game before getting pinch-hit for late, and Noelvi Marte still assumed to be the everyday RF at this point of the spring despite some recent struggles (and quality depth behind him).
The 2025 Seattle Mariners had four players with more than 600 PA (including a trio with more than 700), with the New York Mets sporting the exact same. The Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals, meanwhile, had zero, for reference.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 11: Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez (26) tries to tag out St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (77) in a pick off move on March 11, 2026, at the CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One thing that has been noticeable this spring is that Blake Butera wants his players to be versatile. A number of Nats players have been playing multiple positions this spring. Between James Wood playing right field and Nasim Nunez playing third base, players are being exposed to new spots.
Blake Butera admitted that the team is still working out how they will align their plethora of outfielders. However, he said that “I don’t see ourselves pigeon-holing either guy. That is the goal, to have flexibility on the roster”. The Nats want their players to be able to play multiple spots. We may have to view James Wood as just a corner outfielder, rather than a right or left fielder.
The Nats have been playing James Wood in right field this spring, a position he did not play last year. What would that move mean for a crowded outfield https://t.co/PkBIvNoodP
I like this idea, and think it will be important this season. Having positional flexibility allows managers to build the best possible lineups. For the Nats to over-achieve this year, they will have to win on the margins. Having guys who can play at multiple different spots is a way to do that.
The outfield is not the only place where we are seeing this push for versatility. Nasim Nunez and Luis Garcia Jr. are examples of infielders who have played multiple spots this spring. Garcia has played first and second base, while Nunez has played shortstop, second base and third base.
Before this spring, Nunez had never played third base. While Nunez is a great defensive infielder, third base has its own nuances. Blake Butera mentioned that Nunez was working with Victor Estevez on his positioning. As a utility man off the bench, the more positions Nunez can play, the better.
Nasim Nuñez backhand stop into a double play.
That glove work is ridiculous. Smooth does not even cover it.
Despite being a smaller guy, Nunez easily has the arm strength to play at the hot corner. He has a comfortably plus arm, and that is part of what makes him such a good defender at shortstop. I like that Nunez can be an option at third. While Brady House has been red hot this spring, he is unproven. Jose Tena is also more comfortable at second base than third. That makes Nunez a strong candidate to get some reps at third this season.
However, it is not just the hitters that will be versatile this season. The pitching staff will have more fluid roles as well, especially in the bullpen. Butera did point out that it is “Important for a handful of our guys to have some clarity about what they are going to do every night”.
However, I would not expect the Nats to have a true closer. Butera said he likes to view bullpen roles as “Leverage vs non-leverage rather than having specific innings for guys”. This is a very modern view, and it has some merit. There are times where the highest pressure spot comes in the 7th or 8th against the heart of a lineup, rather than the 9th inning.
The Nats relievers will have roles, but it will be more about leverage rather than innings. For the non-leverage relievers, it will be important for them to go multiple innings. The Nats have guys who can do that, most notably Brad Lord. One great thing about Lord though is that he has the stuff to slide into higher leverage spots if needed.
Versatility will be something that is a big theme this year. Whether that is where you play on the field, or what inning you pitch, roles are going to be more fluid this year. This is not a huge surprise given Blake Butera’s background. The Tampa Bay Rays have been on the cutting edge of all this stuff, and that is where Butera got his baseball education.
Some of the mixing and matching may seem whacky at first, but I think there is a method behind the madness. The Nats are going to have to find every small edge they can this season, and this is one way to do it. Blake Butera is going to mix things up, and Nats fans are going to have to be prepared for that.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs 
Golden State Warriors
