Montreal Canadiens (37-20-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Detroit Red Wings (37-23-8, in the Atlantic Division)
Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Detroit Red Wings after the Canadiens knocked off the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime.
Detroit has an 11-7-2 record in Atlantic Division games and a 37-23-8 record overall. The Red Wings have a 19-8-2 record in games they convert at least one power play.
Montreal is 37-20-10 overall with a 13-8-1 record in Atlantic Division games. The Canadiens have committed 278 total penalties (4.1 per game) to rank fourth in the league.
Thursday's game is the third time these teams match up this season. The Red Wings won the previous meeting 4-0.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Larkin has 28 goals and 27 assists for the Red Wings. Patrick Kane has four goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Cole Caufield has 40 goals and 28 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has six goals and nine assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Wings: 4-4-2, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.6 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Red Wings: None listed.
Canadiens: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Winnipeg Jets (28-28-11, in the Central Division) vs. Boston Bruins (37-23-8, in the Atlantic Division)
Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Bruins host the Winnipeg Jets after Pavel Zacha scored two goals in the Bruins' 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Boston is 37-23-8 overall and 25-9-1 at home. The Bruins have a 30-9-6 record when scoring three or more goals.
Winnipeg has gone 11-15-5 on the road and 28-28-11 overall. The Jets have a -13 scoring differential, with 190 total goals scored and 203 conceded.
Thursday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Bruins won the previous meeting 6-3. David Pastrnak scored two goals in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Morgan Geekie has 34 goals and 23 assists for the Bruins. Zacha has seven goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Mark Scheifele has 31 goals and 52 assists for the Jets. Kyle Connor has scored five goals with eight assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 4-3-3, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 9.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Jets: 5-2-3, averaging 2.8 goals, five assists, 1.9 penalties and 4.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Bruins: None listed.
Jets: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Carolina Hurricanes after Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in the Penguins' 7-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche.
Carolina is 13-4-1 against the Metropolitan Division and 42-19-6 overall. The Hurricanes are seventh in NHL play with 230 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game).
Pittsburgh is 34-18-15 overall and 11-1-8 against the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins have scored 229 total goals (3.4 per game) to rank eighth in league play.
Wednesday's game is the third meeting between these teams this season. The Hurricanes won the last matchup 5-4 in a shootout.
TOP PERFORMERS: Andrei Svechnikov has 25 goals and 34 assists for the Hurricanes. Nikolaj Ehlers has six goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Malkin has 16 goals and 34 assists for the Penguins. Bryan Rust has six goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.5 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Penguins: 4-3-3, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.9 assists, 4.2 penalties and 10.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Hurricanes: None listed.
Penguins: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Utah Mammoth (35-27-6, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (31-23-14, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights take on the Utah Mammoth in Western Conference action.
Vegas has a 31-23-14 record overall and a 16-11-7 record on its home ice. The Golden Knights have allowed 205 goals while scoring 219 for a +14 scoring differential.
Utah is 35-27-6 overall and 17-16-3 on the road. The Mammoth have a 17-8-1 record when scoring a power-play goal.
The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams square off this season. The Mammoth won 5-1 in the last matchup. Logan Cooley led the Mammoth with four goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell Marner has 19 goals and 50 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Dylan Guenther has 32 goals and 26 assists for the Mammoth. Cooley has three goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-7-0, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.9 assists, 4.4 penalties and 10.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
Mammoth: 5-3-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.4 assists, four penalties and 10.3 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.
Mammoth: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Knicks announced encouraging news Tuesday about the recovery of Miles McBride, who is taking contact on the court and “progressing well,” the team said.
McBride has been out since late January and underwent sports hernia surgery, saying last month he hopes to return before the playoffs.
A smiling Miles McBride (center), who underwent a sports hernia surgery and has been out since late January, reacts from the bench during the Knicks’ 136-110 blowout win over the Pacers on March 17, 2026 at the Garden. Getty Images
“Anytime we can get healthy, yeah [I’m encouraged],” coach Mike Brown said before tipoff. “I try not to hear [the updates] though, because does that mean he’ll be back in two weeks, three weeks, a week, 10 days? I don’t know.
“Deuce was playing well for us when this happened. It’s part of the season, so keep fingers crossed, allow our medical crew who has done a fantastic job, and when he comes back we’ll all be excited.”
Before his injury — which was uncovered as the guard underwent tests on a sore ankle — McBride was the top bench scorer, averaging 12.9 points while shooting a career-best 42 percent from beyond the arc.
Armed with the knowledge McBride would miss an extended period, the Knicks successfully pushed to acquire point guard Jose Alvarado in a trade.
Alvarado, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson have taken up the most minutes at backup guard.
Brown believes Jalen Brunson will play in the next game Friday at Brooklyn.
Brunson missed Tuesday’s win with a neck strain. It was his first DNP since mid-January, a stretch of 27 consecutive appearances. The Knicks are now 2-4 this season without him.
“I imagine [he’ll play in Brooklyn]. … There’s two days off before the next game,” Brown said. “There’s plenty of time to get himself right.”
Brunson needs just one more game to qualify for postseason awards. He’s projected to earn another All-NBA selection, his third straight.
Clarkson, who played 20 minutes Tuesday with 10 points, supplanted Mohamed Diawara (six minutes, zero points) in the rotation.
“Jordan went stretches without playing this season and kept himself ready. Offensively, he’s been good for us. So I decided to throw him out there before Mo,” Brown said. “We’ll see what happens going forward. … [Diawara] just has to keep himself ready like Jordan did.”
A slumping Mikal Bridges was left on the court in garbage time so he might regain confidence.
“He hit a couple shots down the stretch and to try to get anybody that hasn’t shot well from the 3-point line, to try to get him more looks, especially in a game like this, was a good thing,” Brown said. “To try to get him an extra look or two down the stretch is something we wanted to do.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.7 points per game this season [Reuters]
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed another 40-point night as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Orlando Magic 113-108 to become the first NBA team to secure a play-off berth.
The 27-year-old Canadian went 14 from 27 from the field as he extended his record of most 20-point games in a row to 129.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Western Conference leaders claimed a ninth straight win to improve to 54-15 for the season.
"We got off to a good start but then the car kind of came off the road for a little bit," reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander said.
"But that's what great teams do - they figure out a way to get the car back on the road, they figure out a way to go into a building and win a game when the chips are stacked against you, and we did that tonight."
San Antonio Spurs remain second in the West after a comfortable 132-104 win over the Sacramento Kings, while the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Phoenix Suns 116-104.
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons handed the Washington Wizards a 13th straight loss to strengthen their position at the top.
But the 130-117 triumph was marred by an injury to star point guard Cade Cunningham, who had to leave the game in the first quarter with a back issue.
The New York Knicks stay third in the East after a thumping 136-110 win over the Indiana Pacers, a 14th consecutive loss leaving last year's NBA Finals runners-up 15-54 this term.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 17: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks on Maxime Raynaud #42 and DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings during the first half at Golden 1 Center on March 17, 2026 in Sacramento, 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
Following a rollercoaster win in LA on Monday, the Spurs extended their win streak against the lowly Kings on the second night of a back-to-back.
The start of this game was the opposite of what happened in LA. San Antonio caught fire from deep and made six triples in the first quarter alone, jumping out to a double-digit lead just minutes into the contest. Luke Kornet’s return allowed the good guys to have 48 minutes of reliable rim protection, letting Wemby sit without bleeding points. Sacramento shot an abysmal 7-17 from two in the opening frame, as the Spurs closed out the first up 39-22.
The dominance continued in the second. Wemby took over by scoring three consecutive buckets, including back-to-back dunks. San Antonio also set a new season high for threes in a half with 14, and the ball movement was pristine: the Spurs racked up 27 assists on 30 made field goals. At the other end, the Kings looked out of sorts, unable to generate any offense while losing assignments on defense. As a result, the Spurs went into halftime leading 78-47.
The entire second half was essentially garbage time. The closest Sacramento got was 25, and San Antonio began chucking up threes, ending with a franchise record 25 in a single game. All the starters were subbed out by the end of the third, and you know a game is out of hand when Big Biz sees minutes. The Spurs ran away with a 132-104 shellacking, and the quest for 60 is officially on.
Game Notes
Wemby didn’t look any worse for wear after tweaking his ankle Monday against the Clippers. He played 22:00 and put up 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. It’s always nice to give him some extra rest, especially since the Spurs will play their third game in four nights when they face Phoenix at home on Thursday.
Dylan Harper returned from a brief two-game absence and picked up right where he left off. The rookie finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists on nice 6-9 shooting and 3-5 from deep.
The quest for 8 (10-point scorers) lives on! Barnes (16 points) and Champagnie (17 points) combined to shoot 9-12 from deep, giving them some more cushion to maintain their 10+ point averages. Our very own Marilyn Dubinski floated a conspiracy theory about the Spurs holding out Barnes on purpose so that he stays at 10 points, but with the way he’s shooting now, he might be the next to drop 83!
Fox was actually cheered during the pre-game intros, which is an extremely rare sight for a player who asked for a trade. I guess Sacramento fans realize how poorly their team is run and knows that none of the blame can be put on the players. When you’re having a bad day, just remember that you cheer for the Spurs and not the Kangz.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 8: Jacob Lopez #57 of the Athletics throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fans have been wondering, with bated breath and bitten nails, whether Jacob Lopez is fully healthy following his season-ending IL stint from the dreaded “forearm tightness”. Turns out fans weren’t the only one expelling bricks though orifices.
I sat down with Lopez on Monday, March 16th, for what turned out to be an abbreviated interview because after 5 minutes I could see him looking out at the field anxiously even though he never said he needed to go. Clearly he did and so I did a shorter interview than usual — but still was able to cover the key topics that had made him one of my requested targets this spring.
Nico: So first of all, you’re coming off a great outing on Saturday. You’ve been through injuries and rehabs before, and then you had a scare at the end of last year, or maybe more than a scare, because you were on the IL. But can you talk a bit first about what happened at the end of last year, what it felt like, how it felt compared to what you had been through before (TJS)?
Lopez: Yeah, it was pretty scary that day in Seattle, because I felt a little bit of tightness in the bullpen, but I didn’t think much of it because you know, later in the year you feel a lot of things. But I think once I started doing arm care after my outing, I really flared up and I was like, “Oh no, this feels worse than when I did have TJ” and it was, it was in that scary spot, you know? So I was just thinking all the worst things, but luckily it ended up just being like some kind of soft tissue thing where my ulnar nerve used to be before they moved it back in 2021. So it ended up being something that could heal on its own. So that’s what it did this off season and I feel pretty good.
Nico: I feel like pitchers have this constant difficult decision to make where they do feel something — they feel soreness, they feel tightness, they feel something that’s kind of like pain or that reminds them of an injury that was serious. And then they have to decide, do I go out and throw anyway? Do I say something? What do I do? So can you kind of walk us through that experience as a pitcher trying to figure out like what to make of something?
Lopez: Yeah, I think once I went through the TJ process, I really learned what’s actual pain and what is something that you can kind of toughen out and push through. So for me personally, there’s probably only three or four starts last year where I felt 100%, probably June through July, my whole, I don’t know, I had some upper back problems that wouldn’t go away. And I think adrenaline helps take over, but in between starts, it’s like, “All right, what can we do every day in the training room and the strength room to really figure it out and get back out there in five days?” So I think that’s the most important thing for the starting pitcher.
Nico: Now, that outing in Seattle, fans are watching, and you’ve had such a great year. And obviously, you’re having a rough outing. What are you feeling out on the mound? Do you think you should have gone out there?
Lopez: Yeah, there is no doubt. If you tell the coaches you’re good, you’ve got to be fully confident. And it’s one of those things like, I can’t just stop in the middle of the first inning or something and leave the rest of my team out to dry. So no, when I’m out there I don’t think anything. I just believe in the full confidence and compete as best as I can.
Nico: There was a moment in Saturday’s start where you threw a pitch, you thought it was a strike. It was called a ball and you challenged and I saw you walk off to the back of the mound and the way that you got into it and you kind of let out a grunt I thought “Oh no he’s hurt,” you know, but it was all over a ball-strike call and it was a called third strike so it sounds to me like even in a spring training game the competitive juices are really flowing.
Lopez: Oh, no, I mean, yeah I’m just a really competitive guy. I mean, when I was younger, I was way more emotional, so hopefully it doesn’t show too much. That Shea challenge nailed it for the strikeout, so that was huge. I think it’s kind of fun. I loved it in AAA, the ABS, so it just helps keep the game smooth. But yeah, I’m an emotional guy, so I try to be as professional as I can out there. You know, my first live ABs this spring training, over at Fitch on the backfield felt the same as my MLB debut. So I guess that’s a good thing. I get a bunch of butterflies, so I just kind of learned how to control those.
Nico: So I guess the question that’s probably on every fan’s mind right now is how you’re feeling physically and where you are in terms of injury and health at this very moment going forward.
Lopez: Yeah, I just feel 100 % and I felt like that really the whole off season. So yeah, I feel really confident to help this team. We have some pretty high goals and we’re gonna do our best as a team to fulfill those goals.
Nico: Now, you have an unusual motion. You know, you have a very deceptive delivery. {Here Jacob starts looking antsy and keeps monitoring the field} Can you just talk about that and then I’ll let you go. How did you develop that?
Lopez: I just, that’s how I’ve always thrown. It was worse in college and stuff, then my pitching coach in college is really the first person to really help control that. But no, I haven’t really worked ever, even in pro ball with pitching coaches, too much with my mechanics. Which has been a good thing to be as natural as I can.
And with that Lopez, who was apparently due on the field with a pre-game group, exhaled and sprinted out to the infield even quicker than his best fastball.
Next up: Pitching coach Scott Emerson discusses the “kick change,” Jack Perkins’ role, and how he feels about Trainman (well, maybe only 2 of those 3)…
BOTTOM LINE: Utah is looking to end its three-game losing streak with a victory against Minnesota.
The Timberwolves are 8-6 against division opponents. Minnesota is fifth in the Western Conference with 33.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.5.
The Jazz are 1-11 against Northwest Division opponents. Utah ranks seventh in the Western Conference with 31.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Jusuf Nurkic averaging 7.8.
The Timberwolves average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer makes per game than the Jazz give up (15.4). The Jazz average 12.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 more makes per game than the Timberwolves give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Jazz won 127-122 in the last matchup on Jan. 21.
TOP PERFORMERS: Naz Reid is scoring 13.7 points per game and averaging 6.2 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Julius Randle is averaging 17.1 points and 7.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Keyonte George is averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 111.5 points, 42.3 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.2 points per game.
Jazz: 2-8, averaging 113.2 points, 41.4 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 10.4 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.3 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: out (knee).
Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (ankle), Ace Bailey: day to day (concussion), Kyle Filipowski: day to day (rest), Keyonte George: day to day (leg), Isaiah Collier: day to day (knee), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee), John Konchar: day to day (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Phoenix Suns (39-30, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (51-18, second in the Western Conference)
San Antonio; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Phoenix visits San Antonio looking to end its three-game road slide.
The Spurs are 30-14 in Western Conference games. San Antonio is 7-4 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Suns are 25-19 in Western Conference play. Phoenix is third in the Western Conference allowing only 111.4 points while holding opponents to 47.0% shooting.
The Spurs are shooting 48.0% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point higher than the 47.0% the Suns allow to opponents. The Suns average 112.4 points per game, 0.7 more than the 111.7 the Spurs allow.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Spurs won the last matchup 121-94 on Feb. 20, with Stephon Castle scoring 20 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Castle is scoring 16.4 points per game and averaging 5.0 rebounds for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama is averaging 23.9 points and 9.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Royce O'Neale is scoring 9.9 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Suns. Devin Booker is averaging 28.1 points and 4.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 8-2, averaging 122.4 points, 47.6 rebounds, 30.8 assists, 6.0 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.6 points per game.
Suns: 6-4, averaging 114.2 points, 41.1 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: Devin Vassell: day to day (ankle), David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).
Suns: Grayson Allen: day to day (knee), 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.
Detroit Pistons (49-19, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (16-52, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington takes on Detroit looking to end its six-game home losing streak.
The Wizards are 11-32 against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington allows 123.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 11.0 points per game.
The Pistons are 33-11 in conference games. Detroit ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference with 27.0 assists per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 9.9.
The Wizards' 13.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.3 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Pistons give up. The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 fewer made shots on average than the 13.7 per game the Wizards give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on March 17 the Pistons won 130-117 led by 36 points from Jalen Duren, while Bub Carrington scored 30 points for the Wizards.
TOP PERFORMERS: Carrington is averaging 10 points and 4.5 assists for the Wizards. Tre Johnson is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Duren is averaging 19 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 17.6 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 46.8% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 0-10, averaging 117.6 points, 38.1 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.5 points per game.
Pistons: 5-5, averaging 116.9 points, 44.1 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (hamstring), Leaky Black: day to day (ankle), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related), Trae Young: day to day (quad), Bilal Coulibaly: day to day (heel).
Pistons: Cade Cunningham: day to day (back), Isaiah Stewart: out (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana plays Portland looking to end its eight-game home skid.
The Pacers are 10-24 in home games. Indiana has a 7-35 record against teams over .500.
The Trail Blazers are 15-20 on the road. Portland has a 6-5 record in one-possession games.
The Pacers average 111.2 points per game, 6.0 fewer points than the 117.2 the Trail Blazers allow. The Pacers average 115.1 points per game, 5.0 fewer points than the 120.1 the Pacers allow to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Trail Blazers won the last meeting 131-111 on March 9, with Scoot Henderson scoring 28 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ivica Zubac is averaging 14 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Pacers. Jarace Walker is averaging 14.6 points over the last 10 games.
Deni Avdija is scoring 24.0 points per game and averaging 6.9 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 0-10, averaging 109.2 points, 39.0 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.5 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 110.9 points, 45.5 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 9.0 steals and 7.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Pascal Siakam: day to day (knee), Micah Potter: day to day (triceps), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: day to day (calf), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Trail Blazers: Robert Williams III: day to day (injury management), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Philadelphia 76ers (37-32, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (18-52, 15th in the Western Conference)
Sacramento, California; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia will try to end its five-game road skid when the 76ers take on Sacramento.
The Kings have gone 12-24 in home games. Sacramento ranks last in the NBA shooting 33.7% from 3-point range.
The 76ers have gone 17-16 away from home. Philadelphia is 14-25 against opponents over .500.
The Kings average 10.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.3 fewer makes per game than the 76ers allow (13.4). The 76ers' 45.9% shooting percentage from the field this season is 3.4 percentage points lower than the Kings have allowed to their opponents (49.3%).
The teams meet for the second time this season. The 76ers won 113-111 in the last meeting on Jan. 30. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 40 points, and DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 25 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: DeRozan is scoring 18.6 points per game with 3.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the Kings. Maxime Raynaud is averaging 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 61.4% over the past 10 games.
Quentin Grimes is averaging 13.5 points and 3.4 assists for the 76ers. VJ Edgecombe is averaging 10.3 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 36.3% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 5-5, averaging 114.7 points, 46.1 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.4 points per game.
76ers: 4-6, averaging 106.9 points, 41.3 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.1 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Devin Carter: day to day (calf), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
76ers: Tyrese Maxey: out (finger), Johni Broome: out (knee), Jabari Walker: day to day (illness), Joel Embiid: day to day (oblique), Kelly Oubre Jr.: out (elbow).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Orlando Magic (38-30, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (35-34, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Charlotte, North Carolina; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte faces Orlando in a matchup of Eastern Conference teams.
The Hornets are 21-22 in conference games. Charlotte is third in the Eastern Conference with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 3.8.
The Magic are 9-6 against opponents from the Southeast Division. Orlando has a 15-16 record in games decided by 10 points or more.
The Hornets are shooting 45.8% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 47.3% the Magic allow to opponents. The Magic average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 fewer made shot on average than the 12.8 per game the Hornets give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Hornets won 124-97 in the last matchup on Jan. 23.
TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is averaging 19.5 points and 7.2 assists for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.4 points over the past 10 games.
Desmond Bane is averaging 20.5 points and 4.2 assists for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 25.5 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 115.4 points, 46.2 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.1 points per game.
Magic: 7-3, averaging 118.7 points, 45.7 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: Tidjane Salaun: day to day (calf).
Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Anthony Black: out (back), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
After opening their four-game homestand on an offensive tear with 10 goals in two wins, the Golden Knights ran into a buzzsaw Tuesday night.
Buffalo, the league's hottest team since Dec. 9, stayed red hot with its 10th win in 11 games since the Olympic Break, winning 2-0.
It was Vegas' third shutout loss of the season and its first at home.
While Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves to keep his stat line clean, the Golden Knights misfired on 22 shots
"I thought we got lots of pucks there, some rebounds," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We just misfired on them. I thought Mitch (Marner) had a chance late. (Nic) Dowd had a rebound with an open net that ended up off net. (Mark) Stoney had a rebound on the power play.
"There were some rebounds there that we just didn't finish."
KEY MOMENT
With 16:35 left in the game, Pavel Dorofeyev took a pass from Marner and fired a wicked wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle, but was stymied by Luukkonen, setting the tone for a resilient finish by Buffalo's netminder, who improved to 6-1 since Jan. 22.
KEY STAT
0 for 3 ... For the fourth time in five games the Golden Knights couldn't score a power-play goal. From Jan. 31 through March 6, the Golden Knights ranked tied for fifth in the NHL with their 33.3% power-play clip. Since then, the Knights rank 26th with a 13.3% conversion rate.
WHAT A KNIGHT
Goalie Adin Hill allowed one goal after turning in another strong performance, outside of the lone goal he let in. After Hill failed to clear the puck behind the net, Buffalo's Josh Doan fired his shot off the back of the Knights' netminder's right pad and the puck ricocheted into the net. Otherwise, Hill was the best Knight on the ice, stopping 23 shots.
The Golden Knights conclude their four-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth on Thursday.
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) makes a save against Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.
