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The NBA slows for no team, and Dallas continues to struggle with injuries as they get set to continue their extended road trip, this time with a game against the Orlando Magic.

Cooper Flagg and Marvin Bagley have been rules out, while Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Brandon Williams are all game-time decisions. It’s bad enough being without Flagg and Bagley, who has shown promise in the early returns of his Maverick tenure, but that’s a lot of scoring production from three guys who will be up in the air until game time. Get ready to learn AJ Johnson, Mavs fans.

What’s old is new

Dallas started this season looking like a team stuck in the mud, scoring the fewest points per game in the league through October, managing just 107.8. They’d gotten that number up to 114.2 at the start of February, which, while not setting the league on fire, wasn’t dead last.

However, in the eight games Flagg (and others) has been out, the Dallas offense is back to its old ways. They’re putting up 108.9 per game, 25th in the league over that span; 25th in the league. It hasn’t helped that even the guys who have been healthy are experiencing a slump. Max Christie is shooting the three ball at below .300 after starting the season making nearly half his shots from deep. Missing so many other players who would open up good looks for him has obviously played a role, but even his good looks have ended up as bad misses lately.

If the Mavs really are going to be without Flagg et al, hopefully Christie, or someone else who may or may not be named John Poulakidas, can get it going from three. It might not be enough to get a win, but it’s always fun to watch a Dallas player on a heater.

Magic’s big two

Dallas’ defense had its work cut out for it against the explosive Hornets. Charlotte had seven players attempt five or more three-point shots in the process of going 20-51 from behind the arc as a team. It’s some solace then that, in Orlando, the defensive concerns largely hinge around two players — Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane. Those two, over the Magic’s last 10 games, are the only ones averaging more than 15 points for Orlando, putting up 24 and 26, respectively. Banchero specifically is coming off a 37-point performance on Tuesday against Washington.

If Dallas’ defenders can slow those two, they may stand a chance to keep the game close. With Franz Wagner out, Orlando doesn’t have quite the amount of scoring depth that Charlotte had. Guys can get hot, but if Dallas doesn’t let Paolo beat them, they at least make Orlando earn it. It’s a shame Flagg isn’t quite ready to be back on the floor, because the Flagg/Paolo matchup, two of the league’s most promising young wings, will be a fun one to watch as both players round into All-Stars.

The thrill of the free throw

With as bad as Dallas’ offense has been, there’s one spot where the Mavs are thriving without Flagg — at the free-throw line.

In his eight-game absence, Dallas is drawing 22.6 personal fouls per game, the third-highest mark in the league, and is attempting a league-leading 29.1 free throws per contest. When Charlotte’s three-point onslaught began during Dallas’ game on Tuesday, the huge discrepancy in free throws kept the game nearly level until the third quarter.

It’s not the most thrilling style of basketball, but it’s impressive that Jason Kidd has found something that his players can control, and it’s putting their head down and trying to get to the basket. A good strategy when the team is missing as much shooting talent as it is, currently.

How to watch/listen

You can watch the game at 6:00 pm on KFAA Channel 29 or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (Spanish).

Something that has happened over the years since I started writing here at Bright Side of the Sun back in 2020 is that my approach to the craft has changed. It evolved. Slowly, almost without me noticing at first. The longer you do this, the more you feel a responsibility to look at the game with a clearer lens. So I started leaning into the analytical side of things. When I sit down to write, I try to examine what I am watching with a little discipline. I look at the numbers. I watch the possessions again. I try to understand why something is happening rather than reacting to the first emotional wave that hits you while you are on the couch.

The goal is balance. Acknowledge the different sides of the conversation. Lay out the context. Let the statistics speak when they need to. Lean on the eye test when the numbers do not tell the full story. Then land somewhere that feels honest and grounded based on what actually happened on the court. In short, I try to stay level-headed. Present. Rooted in reality. I allow space for possibilities and projections, although I try to keep my feet planted on the floor while doing it.

Although let’s be real for a second. I am still a fan.

I still get excited about the dumb stuff. I still fire off ridiculous takes on social media like a lunatic shouting from the top of a tower overlooking the Valley. I will tweet something absurd in the heat of a moment and then turn around later and write something far more measured and thoughtful about the exact same thing.

That is part of the fun of sports. The hope. The adrenaline. The moment when you leap out of the chair and yell something that would make no sense if it were written down five minutes later. The overreaction is baked into the experience. Yes, there are moments when it gets exhausting. Anyone who has read my writing over the years knows I have complained about it plenty. Yet it is also part of the culture of being a fan. It always has been.

So for this column, I am leaning into that side of it. The fan hat is going on. The analytical brain can sit quietly in the corner for a minute. Today, we are letting the emotional side of the ride take the wheel.

I know it has only been a couple of games where we have truly seen Rasheer Fleming flash glimpses of what he could become, although I am fully here for it. I am talking full fan mode, leaning forward on the couch, eyes wide, letting the imagination run a little wild. Because the possibility that he is scratching the surface of what he might become as a player is the kind of thing that gets the gears turning.

And if he hits — if he truly hits — it shifts the trajectory of this franchise in a meaningful way.

Maybe I am holding onto that idea a little too tightly. I can admit that. The draft cupboard is not exactly overflowing right now, and the Suns need one of these recent picks from the past couple of seasons to turn into something real. Something more than a guy who fills ten minutes off the bench and disappears into the rotation chart. They need impact, they need growth, and they need a young player who bends the arc of the roster forward.

That context probably fuels some of my excitement.

Although when you watch what Fleming has done over the last two games, it is hard not to feel something. You see the length. You see the instincts. You see those defensive possessions where he slides, contests, disrupts, and suddenly the court feels smaller for whoever he is guarding. Then he pops up on the other end with a confident three or a strong finish and the mind starts wandering.

You may not be as hyped as I am, and that is fair. I acknowledge that I might be a few feet off the ground right now. Although you watch those moments and the feeling creeps in. Something might be there.

Shout out to Kellan Olson for putting the following clip together.

What I see in Rasheer Fleming are shades of a young Kawhi Leonard.

Yes, those are massive shoes to fill. Yes, it is way too early to start tossing around a comparison like that. Although remember, this is a fan piece. The measured and tempered version of me can clock back in tomorrow. Today, the imagination is allowed to roam a little.

Because imagine it for a second. Imagine if the Suns somehow ended up with a player who became 80% of what Kawhi Leonard has been. That is a guy who owns two championships. A Finals MVP. A player who, for a stretch of years, lived in that conversation with the very best in the league. Not a brief flash. Not a single magical season. Multiple years where he bent playoff series with his presence on both ends of the floor.

When you step back and think about where the Suns are as a franchise, the thought carries a little extra weight.

Phoenix spent a mountain of draft capital to get here. The moves to acquire Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal drained a lot of the future chips from the table. That reality places a little extra pressure on the youth that remains.

Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro arrived in the 2024 draft. If those two grow into dependable rotation players for this organization, that already qualifies as a success based on where they were selected. When we talk about Khaman Maluach, the expectations rise slightly, because a lottery pick always carries a heavier spotlight. Early signs suggest the 19-year-old is developing the right way and might start carving out real impact in a season or two.

Then there is Rasheer Fleming.

The Suns took him with the first pick of the second round in the 2025 draft. They maneuvered to get him. They saw something in the kid from Saint Joseph’s that made them move pieces around the board. A humble kid from a military family. A personality that fits the blueprint of someone who wants to show up, do the work, and let the effort speak for itself.

If that pick hits, if it becomes anything beyond a simple rotation piece, the ripple effect could be massive. Imagine if he turns into an All-Defense type of player. Imagine if he sneaks into an All-Star conversation someday. What a story that would become. What an endearing player he would be for the fan base.

It is unfair to place those ideas on his shoulders right now. I know that. Although when you watch him move on the floor, when you see that NBA-ready body and those long arms stretching across passing lanes, the imagination cannot help itself.

Personally? I am getting ridiculous with it. I am buying Rasheer Fleming rookie cards like a man who has lost control of his own wallet. Autos. Topps Chrome. I grabbed one yesterday that has a piece of his jersey stitched right into the card. That is how deep the hype spiral has gone.

This 21-one-year-old kid with wings like a condor reminds me of a young Kawhi. “Baby Claw.” That nickname is fantastic, and all credit goes to Miah Scott for that one.

Eventually, I will come back to reality. He probably will too. The NBA does that to everybody. Not every night becomes a highlight reel. Growth does not travel in a straight line where every game is better than the last.

Although that little voice sits in the back of the brain and whispers a question. “What if it does last?” What if that is the road Rasheer Fleming is about to walk down? What if jersey number 20 becomes the one Suns fans start tossing into their carts when they scroll through the team shop? It sounds ridiculous after a couple of flashes from a rookie. Although it is fun to think about.

The road ahead is long. The climb is steep. These small flashes along the way are the mile markers that make the journey enjoyable. They keep the imagination alive. They give fans something to hold onto. A little annoying at times. A little irrational. Although that is sports. That is why we watch.

Maybe it becomes something. Maybe it becomes everything Suns fans are hoping for. For now, the flashes are enough to let the imagination run, and sometimes that is the most fun part of the ride.

Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George will miss three weeks with a partially torn UCL in his left elbow, the team announced Tuesday.

George injured his elbow in the Wizards’ 123-118 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday. He left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return before missing the team’s next game against the Orlando Magic.

The 22-year-old forward has ascended in his second NBA season, averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

George joins a long list of injured Wizards that includes Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis, Tristan Vukcevic and several more.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Toronto Raptors
Date: March 5th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

If you’re a Timberwolves fan, you know how this goes.

They win four straight, you convince yourself the three-seed is inevitable… and then the Wolves play a random midweek game against a feisty team and suddenly you’re stress-eating Oreos at 10:43 p.m. wondering how you got here again.

Minnesota has won four straight after taking care of Memphis on Tuesday night. They’re technically tied with Houston in the standings, even if the head-to-head tiebreaker currently has them sitting in the four spot. Things are looking up.

But the Wolves’ job is nowhere close to finished.

The Memphis Win

The Wolves didn’t exactly stroll through their outing with Memphis. They were sluggish early and fell into a hole. For a minute it looked like we might be headed toward another one of those night….

But they stabilized in the second quarter, chipped away, and eventually the talent gap showed. By the fourth, Minnesota turned on the jets and the game tilted the way it should tilt when you have the deeper roster and the best player on the floor.

Speaking of which… Anthony Edwards dropped his ninth 40-point game of the season. Ninth!

Memphis was feisty, played hard, and put on a solid performance. But in the end, it didn’t matter because Edwards is a cheat code when he decides a game is over.

The Raptors Landmine Game

Now comes Toronto, one of those opponents that always looks harmless on paper until you actually play them. The Raptors aren’t among the league’s elite, but they’re solid. They have scorers and defenders. They push the pace. They play with energy. And they’re jockeying for their own positioning out East, meaning this is not some “show up and collect the win” opponent.

Also, they’re going to be mad.

They absolutely remember last month’s game in Canada, when Minnesota came back, stole their lunch money, and left Anthony Edwards to deliver that “Bruce Lee died” line like he was doing crowd work at a comedy club. That kind of thing leaves a mark. Teams don’t forget that. So if Minnesota walks into Wednesday night thinking, “We already handled these guys,” then congratulations: you’ve just written the first chapter of a very familiar Wolves horror story.

Here are the keys to the game…

#1 – Turn the Key on Defense and Don’t Let Up

This Raptors team will absolutely take whatever you give them. If the Wolves come out sleepwalking, Toronto will run, slash, move the ball, and suddenly you’re down 12. The Wolves need to treat this like a dogfight from the opening tip. Defensive intensity from the jump.

And this is where Minnesota’s depth should matter. The Wolves are deeper now. They can throw bodies. They can rotate. They can stay fresh. Between the trade deadline pickup of Ayo Dosunmu and grabbing Slo-Mo after his buy-out, they have more options to keep legs moving and pressure up. This should be a game where Minnesota’s defensive depth shows up like a wave, not a couple of isolated moments of effort.

#2 – Use the Size Advantage Like You Actually Know You Have It

This one is simple: the Wolves have a three-headed interior monster with Gobert, Randle, and Naz. It’s a real, tangible advantage that should show up in the most basic basketball ways:

• Win the rebounding battle
• Protect the rim
• Create second-chance points
• Punish smaller lineups
• Force Toronto into tough shots

And this isn’t just about “posting up” It’s about wearing a team down. It’s about making the Raptors feel Gobert’s presence on every drive. It’s about making Randle’s physicality a problem. It’s about Naz bending their coverage because he can pop out and torch you.

If Minnesota is serious about stacking wins, they can’t treat their size like an accessory. It has to be the engine.

#3 Connect from Deep

Against Memphis, the Wolves shot 29% from three. That’s not “slightly off.” That’s “someone please check the rim” territory. Edwards was an amazing 7-for-13 from deep, but the rest of the team? Three made threes on 21 attempts. That’s the kind of stat that makes you blink twice and re-check it like a typo.

The Wolves got away with it because Memphis is dismantled and outgunned. Toronto is not going to be so forgiving. If Minnesota is going to win, the supporting cast has to hit shots.

#4 Ignite the Offense with Ball Movement

The Wolves offense is at its best when it’s generous. When Edwards and Randle play the dual role of scorers and facilitators, the whole floor opens up. The ball moves. The defense shifts. The shots get cleaner. The Wolves look like a real contender.

When it devolves into ISO ball, you can literally feel the offense stiffen. Yes, Ant can bail you out. That’s part of the fun. But the whole point of chasing the three seed is that you’re trying to be a team that doesn’t need late-game miracles against middle-tier opponents.

#5 Feed the “Three-Headed Monster” and Keep Jaden Involved

The Wolves’ ceiling isn’t just Ant + Randle. It’s Ant + Randle + Jaden McDaniels becoming a real, consistent third pillar.

McDaniels has been a strong contributor the past two games against Denver and Memphis. That can’t be a two-game blip. It needs to be a trend. When Jaden is engaged, cutting, attacking closeouts, hitting open threes, and finishing around the rim, the Wolves become a nightmare because now you’re dealing with three guys who can tilt the game.

While that matters for Wednesday, it matters even more big-picture. If Minnesota wants to be more than a “dangerous second-round team,” they need that third threat. They need the three-headed monster to show up consistently, not occasionally.

Ant and Randle have to make a point of it: get Jaden touches early. Let him feel involved. Let him build momentum. Because when he’s part of the offense, it unlocks everyone else.

Bank the Win

Toronto isn’t OKC. They’re not Denver. They’re not the kind of opponent you circle in red ink and treat like a playoff rehearsal. But that’s exactly why this game matters. These are the wins you bank. These are the nights you protect your home floor. These are the games that separate you from the play-in chaos and move you toward the three seed.

Minnesota has a four-game streak going. They’re tied in the standings with Houston. Denver is lurking. The margin is razor-thin. And the Wolves are about to head into a road trip that gets real, real fast.

So this is the assignment: Show up with urgency, defend like you mean it, use your size like a weapon, move the ball like a contender, and let your depth do what it’s supposed to do.

Because the three seed isn’t going to fall into Minnesota’s lap. Not in this West.

You want it? Great.

Beat the Raptors and take it.

The Lakers hired former Dodgers executive Michael Spetner as the team’s new chief strategy and growth officer, a freshly minted position designed to stretch the Lakers’ brand across the globe. 

New Lakers owner Mark Walter has already implemented Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and front office executive Farhan Zaidi as special advisers to Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, and recently hired Lon Rosen as president of business operations after a decade with the boys in blue. It was Rosen who hired Spetner on Wednesday.

“As we look to redefine what’s possible across the sports landscape for fans and partners, we will build on the Lakers legacy and orient toward the future to consider what’s next,” Rosen said in a statement released by the Lakers. “Michael’s leadership will help us optimize our business to ensure long-term value.”

Lakers hire another former Dodgers executive pic.twitter.com/1aiF2htB09

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) March 4, 2026

While Spetner didn’t sign Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Roki Sasaki, he was working behind the scenes building analytical frameworks, developing business intelligence tools, and most importantly, helping the Dodgers plant their flag in Japan. 

With international players including Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura now in purple and gold, Spetner will now bring that same playbook courtside. 

The Lakers said Spetner will oversee long-term business strategy and identify international growth opportunities — executive-speak for something much simpler: turning the Lakers into an even bigger global empire than they already are. 

The Dodgers have become an international powerhouse in recent years, and Walter is applying that same philosophy to the Lakers. 

The Dodgers have won three championships in the last six years, and fans are hoping Walter can bring that same pedigree to the Lakers.

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Washington Wizards guard Trae Young takes center stage in his expected debut Thursday against the Utah Jazz at Capital One Arena.

Game info

When: Thursday, Mar. 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass

Injuries: For the Wizards, Kyshawn George (elbow), Tristan Vukcevic (thigh), Jamir Watkins (ankle), and Anthony Gill (illness) are questionable, while Anthony Davis (hand, groin), Cam Whitmore (shoulder), Alex Sarr (hamstring), and D’Angelo Russell (not with team) are out.

For the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen (hip), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), Walker Kessler (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic (nose), and Vince Williams Jr. (knee) are out.

What to watch for

Two words, nine letters: Trae Young. Washington hoops fans can catch their first glimpse of Young playing in a Wizards uniform since the blockbuster trade that sent the All-Star point guard to D.C. Young has successfully worked his way back from lingering MCL and quad injuries in his right leg.

Young may have been too eager to return to the court on Monday against the Houston Rockets, when Trae got ejected for straying too far from the bench during rookie Jamir Watkins’s altercation with Tari Eason. Young, thankfully, was not slapped with a suspension.

The matchup against the Jazz also carries serious draft lottery implications.

The Wizards, who enter Wednesday’s slate of games sporting the fourth-worst record in the league, can completely secure their top-8 protected pick if they finish with a bottom-4 record. Utah owns the fifth-worst record and sits two games above Washington in the standings.

The Jazz will be on the second night of a back-to-back, and may very well sit some of their few remaining key players in Thursday’s tanktastic matchup.