PORT SAINT LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 8: Freddy Peralta #51 of the New York Mets pitches in the first inning during the game against the New York Yankees during a Spring Training game at Clover Park on March 8, 2026 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets fell to the Astros 8-2 at CACTI Park of The Palm Beaches. The loss dropped New York to 10-8 in Grapefruit League action, with one tie.
Freddy Peralta started for the Mets and was terrific, holding Houston to just one hit and one earned run over four innings of work. He walked one batter and struck out five. He allowed his lone run in the first inning on a Yordan Alvarez run-scoring single. With the outing, he lowered his spring ERA to 2.70.
Luis García pitched a scoreless fifth for the Mets to keep New York within a run.
The Mets trailed by one run until the sixth, when Alvarez hit a three-run home run against Saul Garcia, who allowed three earned runs on one hit and two walks. He also struck out two batters.
The Mets broke through in the seventh with a run on a Jose Ramos, which drove home Ben Rortvedt. The run cut the Astros’ lead to three runs.
Houston plated three more runs in the seventh against Jordan Gerber, who ended up pitching 1 1/3 innings for the Mets and surrendering three earned runs on three hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.
Colton Cosper took over for Gerber in the eighth and allowed an unearned run on two hits. He walked a batter and did not record a strikeout.
The Mets picked up a run in the ninth on a Cristian Pache single, which drove in Rortvedt.
Rortvedt and Pache each picked up two hits for the Mets. Seven other Mets collected a hit apiece.
Mets’ top prospects Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing each had a hit. Benge’s average now stands at .367 and his OPS is .839 on the spring, while Ewing raised his average to .381 and his OPS to 1.090.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — MJ Collins Jr. scored 20 points to lead No. 1 seed Utah State past No. 2 seed San Diego State 73-62 on Saturday to win the Mountain West Championship.
Collins was 8-of-15 shooting and 4 of 10 behind the arc with three steals for the Aggies (28-6). Mason Falslev, who was named Mountain West Player of the Year, had 16 points — 10 in the second half — and six assists. Drake Allen added 13 points and six rebounds.
The Aggies led by one point with 7:40 to go before going on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes, led by a pair of 3-pointers from Collins. The Aztecs (22-11) never got closer than eight points after that.
Reese Dixon-Waters led the Aztecs with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. BJ Davis scored 14 and Magoon Gwath had 12 to go with eight rebounds.
It's the final Mountain West Conference game for both teams. They'll head to the Pac-12 after this season. The Aztecs' 46 Mountain West tournament wins are the most in conference history.
The Aggies have punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament, while the Aztecs will have to wait to see their fate on Sunday.
MONTREAL (AP) — Igor Chernyshov's return to the San Jose Sharks lasted less than 30 seconds.
The 20-year-old rookie took a hit from Montreal's Mike Matheson in the neutral zone just after the start of Saturday night's game. Chernyshov slid across the ice, then twice got up onto his skates only to fall back down. He was eventually helped up and left the game. The Sharks later announced he wouldn't return.
This was Chernyshov's 16th NHL game and his first since he was recalled from San Jose of the AHL earlier in the week. He was slotted onto the top line alongside Macklin Celebrini.
The Buffalo Sabres are having a fantastic 2025-26 season and have a very good chance of making the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Yet, as great as the vibes are for the Sabres right now, things are also looking promising for their future.
The Sabres have some very good prospects in their system, and two of them have now landed some serious praise.
Mrtka was given the No. 23 spot on Button's rankings. The 2025 ninth-overall pick has shown good promise this season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Seattle Thunderbirds, as he has recorded 32 points in 39 games. The 6-foot-6 defenseman also played in four AHL games with the Rochester Americans earlier this season, where he had one assist and seven penalty minutes.
As for Helenius, he was given the No. 25 spot on Button's rankings. The 2024 first-round pick has taken a noticeable step forward this season with Rochester, as he has 15 goals and 45 points in 48 games. Due to this, the skilled prospect has also played in his first nine NHL games this season, where he has recorded one goal, four points, and a plus-1 rating.
Mrtka and Helenius both have the potential to be big parts of the Sabres' roster in the future.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 14: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics blocks a layup attempt by Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards in the first half at TD Garden on March 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Boston Celtics won their 44th game of the season and the team’s 11th consecutive game against the Washington Wizards with a 111-100 showing on Saturday at TD Garden.
After two tough losses to the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder over the past week, Boston could have been at risk of suffering the team’s first three-game losing streak since going 0-3 to start the season.
Luckily, the Celtics were gifted with a matchup against the lowly 16-49 Wizards, the loser of 10 straight heading into the game.
Washington has not won a game against Boston since March 28, 2023, when Kristaps Porziņģis torched the C’s with 32 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 stocks — a game that might have inspired Brad Stevens to trade for the lengthy Latvian.
The Wizards had no such savior on Sunday, as Neemias Queta feasted on Washington’s porous post defense to the tune of 24 points and 10 rebounds, leading Boston to a 3-0 sweep of the season series.
Boston started Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta. Nikola Vučević, who is not expected to return until early April, was the team’s only inactive player.
Washington started Trae Young, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley and Alex Sarr. Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, D’Angelo Russell and Cam Whitmore were all inactive.
Neemias Queta got the Celtics started strong by scoring 8 of Boston’s first 10 points. He finished the first quarter with 13 points on 6 makes — his highest-scoring quarter of the season so far — and 3 rebounds over the frame.
While Queta dominated, the rest of the team struggled in the first quarter, especially from the perimeter, where Boston only hit 2 shots. Jaylen Brown was the only other Celtic to make multiple field goal attempts, with 3 makes. Derrick White and Baylor Scheierman each chipped in one three-point make.
Jayson Tatum started the game 0-4 from the field, with one good-looking layup attempt roll off the rim, and 0-2 from three-point range.
On the other end, the Celtics had a hard time stopping the Wizards’ perimeter attack. Washington made 7-16 of its three-point attempts during the quarter, outnumbering Boston’s made threes by five.
Despite the shooting deficit and a missed buzzer beater attempt by Payton Pritchard, the Celtics ended the quarter up 29-27.
The second quarter began with a pair of high effort plays by Luka Garza, who scored Boston’s first two field goals of the quarter and 6 points over the frame’s first three minutes.
The lid also came off the basket a few minutes into the quarter for Sam Hauser. He hit his first three-point shot of the night early in the quarter, then his second less than a minute later.
Behind Garza’s effort, Hauser’s three-point makes, and some beautiful defense, the Celtics went on a 17-2 run over the first half of the second quarter that gave Boston the first big lead of the evening.
Queta also came back in with about 7 minutes left to go in the second quarter and immediately looked as dominant as he did in the first.
He followed his 13-point first quarter with a 9-point second quarter, as he continued to feast on a defense that seemingly refused to guard him. He finished the half with 22 points on 10-12 (83.3%) shooting from the field, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.
Much like Hauser, Tatum came alive in the second quarter. He scored his first points on a pair of free throws with 3 minutes left to go in the half. Tatum then hit a three-point shot less than a minute later, and a slick midrange shot a minute after that.
Despite poor efficiency, Tatum finished the half on pace for a triple-double, with 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, as well as 1 steal.
The Celtics went into the half up 64-41 after winning the second quarter 35-14.
Tatum followed up his strong finish to the second quarter with a couple of early makes in the third quarter, and had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds with more than 20 minutes left to go in the game. He continued to attack the Wizards’ defense and racked up 11 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist over the quarter.
Queta, Boston’s MVP of the first half, did not attempt a single shot throughout the quarter, but continued to keep Washington’s offense in check during his time on the court.
The Celtics went up by 30 with 4 minutes to go in the third quarter, but finished the frame with a 93-72 lead over the Wizards.
The game was all but over by the time the fourth quarter began, but Washington did not give up.
The Wizards went on a 7-0 run to start the final frame against Derrick and the Whites (Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, and Luka Garza) in a late attempt to narrow the lead.
Garza hit a pair of free throws and a three-point shot, but was subbed out alongside Hauser in favor of Queta and Jaylen Brown with about 8 minutes to go in the game.
Brown immediately scored on a driving layup, but Washington scored the game’s next three field goals to chip the lead down to 14.
The Celtics took a timeout and got Jayson Tatum back on the court, but the Wizards continued to hit shots. With less than 5 minutes to go, Washington was only down by 12.
Nevertheless, a Tatum layup and a fourth Hauser three-pointer brought the lead back up to 17 with 2:31 to go in the game. The starting crew was then subbed out with about 1:33 to go, and the bench was able to finish the game.
Queta finished the game as Boston’s top scorer, with 24 points on 11-13 (84.6%) shooting from the field, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks.
Tatum finished with the second-most points on the team, with 20 points on 8-19 (42.1%) shooting from the field, 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals.
Overall, the Celtics shot less efficiently than the Wizards, hitting 44.1% from the field and 26.1% from three-point range, while Washington shot 44% from the field and 38.5% from the perimeter.
Nevertheless, Boston won the battle of the boards, with 62 total rebounds to Washington’s 47, and won the math game, taking 9 more shot attempts than the Wizards.
The Celtics’ next game will be against the Phoenix Suns at 7:30 p.m. EST on Monday, March 16, at the TD Garden.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 14: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics defends against Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards in the first half at TD Garden on March 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards traveled to Boston to face the Celtics on Saturday in the final game of a three-game road trip. Behind a sluggish second quarter and poor interior defense, the Wizards fell, 111-100.
Boston opened a 20-11 lead thanks to a flurry of Neemias Queta layups. But Tristan Vukcevic answered with a trio of 3-pointers in less than two minutes to tie the game at 20. Washington’s bench outscored Boston’s bench 16-3 in the opening frame to enter the second quarter trailing 29-27.
The second quarter was dominated by the Celtics, who opened on a 19-2 scoring run to take a 19-point lead. Washington scored just two points over the first 7:28 of the frame as Boston locked in on the defensive end. Trae Young added a few late buckets, but the Wizards entered halftime trailing 64-41.
Young connected with Bilal Coulibaly on a half-court lob and Will Riley added a few baskets in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough to trim the deficit. Boston opened a 30-point lead halfway through the frame and looked poised for a dominant win.
Jaden Hardy scored 12 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting to pull the Wizards within 12 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Celtics pulled away.
The loss marked Washington’s 11th straight defeat and dropped the team to 16-50. Young finished with 11 points and six assists. Vukcevic led all Wizards with a season-high 22 points.
ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Fadima Tall scored 20 points and Olivia Hutcherson sparked a late surge to help No. 23 Princeton beat Harvard 63-53 on Saturday to win the Ivy League Tournament.
Top-seeded Princeton (26-3) avenged last season’s tournament semifinal loss Harvard. The Crimson beat Columbia 74-71 in last season's title game.
The Tigers have won six of the eight championships in the tournament’s history, and will make their fifth-straight NCAA Tournament trip and 13th appearance since 2010.
Harvard used a 20-8 run between the third and fourth quarters to knot it 51-all with 4:01 to play. But the Tigers answered with Hutcherson, who scored eight points in a 12-2 run to end it.
Tall shot 8 of 12 from the floor and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go with four steals and three assists. Ashley Chea added 13 points for the Tigers and Hutcherson finished with 12.
Karlee White scored 15 points and Olivia Jones added 13 for No. 3 seed Harvard (18-11).
Princeton shot 49% from the field compared to Harvard's 39%. The Tigers made 18 of 22 free-throws attempts while the Crimson hit 8 of 11.
Harvard beat Columbia 67-65 in overtime to reach the title game. Columbia beat Princeton in both regular-season matchups.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 16 points, Lainie Douglas had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Missouri State shut down Louisiana Tech 43-38 in the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament on Saturday.
Sixth-seeded Missouri State (22-12) allowed just 12 points in the second half and won despite suffering through a nine-minute scoreless stretch in the fourth quarter.
Maiesha Washington’s layup with 9:25 remaining gave the Bears a 39-31 lead. It was their last made basket and they held on to the win despite missing their last nine shot attempts.
Each team managed two points in the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter, then a 3-pointer from Paris Bradley got the Lady Techsters within 39-36 with 33 seconds remaining.
Missouri State's Bekemeier and Maycee James made two free throws each sandwiched around a layup by LaTech's Averi Aaron to finish the scoring.
Bradley scored 14 points and Aaron 12 for top-seeded Louisiana Tech (26-6), which had won 19 straight. The Lady Techsters missed 15 of 16 shots during one stretch of the second half.
The Bears scored the first six points of the third quarter to take a 29-26 lead.
The score was 31-31 with three minutes left when Douglas and Kendal Brueggen scored on consecutive possessions for a 35-31 lead. Bekemeier finished the quarter with a jumper in the final minute for a 37-31 advantage.
Missouri State will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 18th time.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Erin Condron scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and UC San Diego took control in the second and beat Hawaii 60-48 in the Big West Conference championship on Saturday.
Makayla Rose scored 17 points for the second-seeded Tritons (24-8), who clinched the Big West's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
It’s the fifth conference title for the Tritons during their 14-year tenure under head coach Heidi Vanderveer.
Bailey Flavell scored 13 points for fourth-seeded Hawaii (22-11).
After losing its first three games in conference play, the Rainbow Wahine went on a tear and entered Saturday's game having won 16 of 17 games, including nine straight.
Down 28-20 at halftime, the Tritons outscored Hawaii 20-9 in the third and took a 40-37 lead with 16 seconds left in the quarter and led for the remainder. UC San Diego pulled away on 10-for-15 shooting in the fourth quarter.
Hawaii used a 7-0 run in the final 1:44 of the first quarter to go up 13-6 at the end of one. In the second, UC San Diego scored five straight to get within 17-16 before Hawaii closed the quarter outscoring the Tritons 11-4.
Hawaii led 26-16 with 2 1/2 minutes left before the break having shot 11 fewer attempts than the Tritons who were (19%) 6-of-32 shooting. But despite having outshot UC San Diego 43% to 23%., Hawaii led only 28-20.
Dalton Rushing (right) has attempted the most challenges among the Dodgers’ catchers, going 2 for 6 on his attempts from behind the plate. AP
Overall, the team won just five of the 27 pitch calls they’d challenged entering play Saturday. Among hitters, their 15% success rate (2 for 11) is six points worse than any other team. Among pitchers and catchers, their 21% success rate (3 for 11) isn’t even half as good as the next closest club.
While the Dodgers have downplayed their concern over the early numbers, manager Dave Roberts said they are “going to do an organization forum on Tuesday to get our guys, our hitting coaches, our players to talk about some things, maybe some strategies.”
Roberts also acknowledged that, while many of the Dodgers’ failed challenges have been “borderline” misses, the team’s “idea of the strike zone individually, collectively just hasn’t been great.”
“I honestly don’t know the answer right now,” Roberts added, when asked about the root cause of such pronounced struggles.
With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the team will have to find some better answers quickly.
Granted, the Dodgers have approached the ABS system with a more exploratory mindset in camp. Strategy has not been a priority. Getting calibrated to the exact dimensions of the zone has.
“Even if we’re wrong, we need to use it just to figure out the tops and bottoms of the zone,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said earlier this spring. “A lot of us are still trying to learn it … Spring training is the time to figure it out, figure out your zone and see if you have a better idea of it [before the start of the season].”
Still, their grand total of five successful challenges this spring has felt somewhat jarring. Every other club has at least 12 overturned calls. The Yankees are setting the pace with 37.
“We’ve just got to get that education,” Roberts said. “We’ll be better. I’m certain of that.”
Individually, sample sizes have been minuscule for most of the players expected to be on the Dodgers’ MLB roster. Alex Call and Dalton Rushing are the only ones who have attempted more than one challenge, with Call 1 for 2 and Rushing 0 for 2. Rushing has attempted the most challenges among the team’s catchers, going 2 for 6 on his attempts from behind the plate.
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing received some redemption Saturday when he challenged a ball that ABS showed had clipped the corner of the strike zone. Diamond Images/Getty Images
Their biggest lesson so far: Just how fine the margins between a ball and a strike can be.
Earlier this week, Rushing challenged a called ball while catching that was upheld –– with the ABS system showing it missed the zone by less than 1/10th of an inch.
“I would’ve bet my whole life that baseball was touching the zone,” Rushing joked with SportsNet LA afterward. “But that’s what spring training is for.”
On Saturday, Rushing got redemption when he challenged a ball that ABS showed had clipped the corner of the strike zone. As a scoreboard graphic at Camelback Ranch confirmed the successful challenge, Rushing playfully gave thanks by looking toward the sky.
It also remains unclear just how pivotal the ABS system will be when real games start. Teams are only allowed two missed calls before they run out of challenges. Most nights, overturned balls and strikes figure to have only a marginal impact on the outcome of games.
Nonetheless, it is one area the two-time defending champions are focused on improving before Opening Day on March 26.
“At the end of the day, we want to get it right,” Roberts said.
For now, they have nowhere to go but up.
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TORONTO, ON - March 13 In first half action, Brandon Ingram (3) of the Toronto Raptors tries to gets around Khaman Maluach (10) of the Phoenix Suns for a shot.The Toronto Raptors took on the Phoenix Suns in NBA basketball action at the Scotiabank Arena. March 13 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Patience is the word I have used most when talking about the Phoenix Suns this season. With an influx of youth, patience must exist if proper development is going to happen. That process takes time if the goal is to produce real results. Productive NBA players. Reliable rotation pieces. If everything breaks right, maybe even a star.
Every player walks a different road through development. There is no clean formula. It is difficult to quantify exactly what turns a young prospect into a successful NBA player. Part of it falls into the ‘nature versus nurture’ conversation. Some players arrive with so much talent that failure rarely enters the equation. Others need the right environment. They need time to learn habits, sharpen skills, and grow into winning basketball. Development does not travel in a straight line.
With all of that said, I find myself questioning my own patience lately. The season has reached a strange intersection where development and opportunity are crossing paths.
We are starting to see flashes from Rasheer Fleming. He is getting real minutes in the rotation, and he looks comfortable out there. Comfortable and productive. Those minutes have come at the expense of players like Ryan Dunn and Isaiah Livers during this stretch of the season, but so be it. He’s earned his minutes.
Over the past 10 games for the Phoenix Suns, who has the highest +/-? That's right. It's Rasheer Fleming at +53. pic.twitter.com/Ay9aTMcwiH
Coaches experiment with combinations. Players receive opportunities. The ones who produce tend to stay on the floor. Right now, Fleming is taking advantage of the time given to him. How much of this transfers to the long term remains to be seen. In the short term it has been a lot of fun to watch.
And then there is Khaman Maluach.
The tenth pick out of Duke brings something to the roster that nobody else truly possesses. Size. Real size. That is where my patience begins to wear a little thin.
I am not pounding the table, saying Khaman Maluach needs 30 minutes a night. I understand the reality of the situation. A 19-year-old big man in the NBA has a lot to process, especially at that position. Opposing teams will test that quickly. You saw a glimpse of that in the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Maluach came into the game and found himself matched up with Myles Turner. Turner stepped out behind the three-point line and began launching from deep. Suddenly, the advantage Maluach brings around the rim was pulled away from the paint.
That is the challenge modern big men face. Stretch centers change the geometry of the floor. They force defenders to step out into space, which removes the rim protection that makes players like Maluach valuable. It is something he will see many times throughout his career.
It is also where the development opportunity lives. Learning the footwork. Understanding the angles. Figuring out how to contest on the perimeter without giving up the drive behind you. Those are lessons that only come with time and repetition.
But then there is the other side of the coin.
Against the Toronto Raptors, Jordan Ott went small in the fourth quarter. Too small, as it turned out. Because once the Suns removed size from the floor, the paint opened like a freeway at midnight. Toronto attacked it without hesitation. The Raptors scored 36 points in the quarter, 20 of those coming in the paint, and suddenly a comfortable lead turned into a slow bleed.
That is where the value of Khaman Maluach enters the conversation.
Toronto is not a dangerous three-point shooting team. They rank 25th in the NBA from beyond the arc. The math tells you where the risk lives. If you are protecting a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, the equation says pack the paint, live with the outside shots, and trust the percentages to do their thing. Let them launch. Let them hope. Let them live in that uncomfortable space where the jumper has to bail them out.
Instead, once the Suns rolled out the small lineup, the Raptors smelled blood and went hunting at the rim.
That is where someone like Maluach could have mattered, even for a short stretch. Five minutes of size. Five minutes of length standing between the Raptors and the basket. Sometimes the presence alone changes decisions. Drivers hesitate. Lanes close. The geometry of the floor shifts.
And the numbers quietly back that up. Over the past 10 games, Maluach owns a 109.3 defensive rating. His net rating sits at +5.3, which ranks fifth best on the team during that span.
Now look, I know what this is. This is the classic “disease of the what if” game. Fans play it after losses. Writers play it after losses. You replay possessions in your mind, move one chess piece to a different square, and suddenly the ending looks different. I have done it plenty of times, and I’m doing it right now.
You can come up with ten different paths where the Suns walk out of Toronto with a win. Different rotations. Different lineups. Different adjustments. But in the end, the scoreboard does not care about the alternate timelines. The Suns lost the game.
But in the same breath, it reinforces a feeling that has been growing for me lately. At some point during this final stretch, the Suns should take the training wheels off Khaman Maluach.
Why? Because Mark Williams is still out. Because the reality of the standings is starting to settle in. I do not know if the sixth seed is truly attainable. The schedule tightens for Phoenix, and every night the teams above them keep rotating wins and losses like they are stuck in the same traffic loop. The Suns cannot gain ground. They are essentially locked into the Play-In unless something truly strange happens over the final weeks.
And that creates a rare window.
You are playing meaningful basketball. The games matter. The standings matter. The pressure exists. At the same time, you have an opportunity to develop your young center in real NBA situations. To give Maluach real run. Let him feel the pressure. Let him play fourth-quarter minutes that actually matter. Put those possessions on film. Study them later. Break them down over the summer. That is where growth happens. Not in empty minutes during a 20-point blowout, but in the moments when the building gets loud, and every possession feels heavy.
Look at what he has done recently.
Over the past 10 games, Maluach is averaging 12.7 minutes per night. In that time, he is producing 4.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 63.6% from the field. If you per-36 that out, it’s 13.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. That alone is solid for a young center learning the speed of the league.
But the impact goes a little deeper than the box score.
Across those 10 games, he has logged 127 total minutes and sits at +20, which is tied for fourth best on the team during that span. In the fourth quarter minutes he has played, 26 total minutes, the Suns are a +6. Those are small samples, sure. Nobody is pretending otherwise.
But they are also signals. Signals that the size, the length, and the presence he brings can matter in real basketball situations. And if this team is already preparing itself mentally for a Play-In path, there is real value in seeing what your young 7’1” center looks like when the lights are bright and the stakes feel real.
So yes, patience still matters. Maluach is a young player, and confidence is a fragile thing, especially for a 19-year-old big man learning the pace and complexity of the NBA game. You do not want to throw him into situations that bury him mentally. At the same time, iron sharpens iron. There comes a point where development requires friction, requires pressure, requires real minutes that matter.
Maybe I am a little impatient, but I am ready to see the training wheels come off Khaman Maluach. Who knows what it could unlock?
There are lineup combinations sitting there waiting to be explored. One that continues to intrigue me is pairing Oso Ighodaro with Maluach. Oso does not space the floor, that much is known. Maluach, however, might eventually be able to. The shot is still very much a work in progress. He is 2-of-11 from deep this season, good for 18.2%, which is not scaring anybody right now. But repetition becomes retention, and repetition only happens when opportunity exists.
The Ighodaro/Maluach pairing has logged five total minutes together this season. Five. In that tiny window, the lineup is a +1, which does not tell you much statistically, but it is enough to make you curious about what it could look like with a real run.
My guess is the Suns stick to the plan. They will continue to manage Maluach carefully and limit his exposure as the season closes. That approach has been consistent all year.
Maybe it is the recent success of Rasheer Fleming that has me itching to see more from last year’s lottery pick. When you see a young player grab opportunity and run with it, the natural instinct is to wonder what the other young pieces might look like with the same runway.
Yet I arrive at the same destination I have returned to all season. Patience. That has been the theme of the year in Phoenix, and it is probably how this story continues to unfold. Still, I will admit it. I am ready to see more.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 04: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball against Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite strong box score games from Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., the Bucks continued their losing ways against the soaring Atlanta Hawks—who now own a league-best nine-game win streak. In what has become a hallmark of the Bucks’ season, turnovers were again the bane of the Milwaukee’s game, while Wisconsin native Jalen Johnson led the way for the Hawks with a 23-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist triple-double. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Rylo shot well throughout and carried the offensive load for the Bucks, especially in the first half where he had 15 points. He even had an absolutely nasty crossover combination and jelly finish in the third that would make Tim Hardaway Sr. blush. But the Hawks’ backcourt got whatever they wanted, too. Rollins can be an elite defender and he can be elite offensively; his jump this year has been incredible. To make the next leap, he has to pair the offence with the defence.
Kuzma was aggressive towards the rim and efficient when he got there. But he led the team with five turnovers and struggled keeping any of the Hawks off the offensive glass.
KPJ finished with a nice stat line and was the only Buck outside of Rollins (and Portis in the first half) to really get anything going offensively. His herky-jerky play is flat-out difficult for defenders. Yet, it also makes things difficult for himself and his teammates at times, leading to a number of miscues. A pass that hit Sims in the head stands out, but there were a number of others that were just off the money, and even when these don’t result in turnovers they can break offensive flow. Still, the effort never dissipated.
Sims continues to be active, making himself available offensively. It’s obvious he’s much more comfortable in the short roll, getting and moving the ball. He even had a nice bounce pass assist to Kuzma in the second quarter. In saying this, he’s still prone to way too many unnecessary turnovers and he didn’t have his customary impact on the boards.
It was another now-normal game from Turner, who had a moment here and there but generally seemed—and played like—an afterthought. The Hawks got to the rim with ease and, when they did miss, often got the offensive rebound. This isn’t all on Turner, of course, but a lot of it is. System, player, whatever it is, Turner continues to have a first year to forget in Milwaukee.
Green made his opening shot and finished with the best plus/minus of everyone who played meaningful minutes for the Bucks. That says something. His nine points were the most he’s had in six games, too. Still, it’s hard not to notice how difficult a time Green has just getting the ball (in comparison to players with similar roles, like the Hawks’ Corey Kispert). Green’s lack of foot speed and size isn’t going away, but he continues to battle, and tonight was a better one than it’s been recently.
BP looked confident and came out firing—when does he not?—scoring 10 points in the first half. He struggled finding the net in the second half, though, and finished shooting just 33% from the field. The lack of interior presence defensively, let alone rim protection, again stood out too.
While he’s not the most gifted athlete, you could see Nance excel in a system and with teammates that play thinking basketball. This squad is not that and so Nance was largely invisible. He did no real harm, though.
At this point of the season, we know who Trent is and he did what he does—scored some points on inefficient shooting. Why Rivers decided to give him precedence over Thomas is baffling.
Grade: D
Doc Rivers
I get it, I really do—you can call all the plays you want and preach about Xs and Os until the cows come home but if the players don’t execute then it won’t work. Eventually, though, when the team keeps making the same mistakes and keeps looking disorganised, it’s got to come back to the one leading them. You’ve also got to leverage what you do have and, at this point of the season, look towards the future. While Cam Thomas might not be a part of that, he certainly warrants more of a look than what he’s being given.
Grade: D
Limited Minutes: Cam Thomas.
Garbage Time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr., Gary Harris.
Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Bonus Bucks Bits
The Bucks allowed 34 points in the paint in the first half, but assistant coach and defensive coordinator Greg Buckner said that was part of the game-plan to stop the Hawks shooting threes. With the Hawks shooting just 31% from three in the first half, that arguably worked.
Turnovers continued to plague the Bucks. They had 11 in the first half and another two on their first two possessions of the third quarter. Moments later, they had yet another—a five-second inbounds violation. Then one of the travelling variety. By the 8:17 mark of the third, they had six in that quarter alone. And after Kuzma threw one into the nosebleed section trying to find Green who was wide-open in the corner, I wondered if the Bucks would be better served not passing the ball at all and just taking turns shooting out of isolation.
Footage showed Rollins receiving stitches in his hand at half-time. It was a quality close-up that I would deconstruct in my film studies classes for its symbolism and foreshadowing. Hats off to the camera crew who also captured him checking it at the final buzzer in a fitting bit of symbolic recall.
Gary Trent Jr. checked in (relatively) early in the third—and that says all you need to know about how the Bucks were faring. Sorry, Gary. We’ll forever cherish your playoff explosion.
Lisa Byington is great at what she does, but hearing her butcher Jock Landale’s name time after time was grinding—almost as grinding as seeing him collect offensive rebound after offensive rebound.
In a bit of poetic symmetry, the Bucks turned the ball over nine times in the third quarter and were outscored by—you guessed it—nine points.
In a bid to make next season’s dunk contest, Corey Kispert attempted two dunks. He made neither of them.
Thanasis checked in with 4:06 left on the clock in the fourth. I miss the days he was the Bucks’ human victory cigar rather than their white flag. To his credit, he had a nice block.
According to the commentary, Milwaukee finished with a season-high 22 turnovers, but the box score says only 20. I tend to believe the former.
Up Next
The Bucks get right back at it for the SEGABABA, taking on the Indiana Pacers in another afternoon time-slot. You can find all the action on FanDual Sports Wisconsin—tip off is at 2:30 p.m. CDT.
MESA, AZ - MARCH 10: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The morning was good enough: I was able to sit down with catcher Shea Langeliers, OFer Henry Bolte, and pitching coach Scott Emerson for interviews I will post in the coming days. There is also a chance I might be able to catch up with Jacob Lopez and/or Denzel Clarke on Monday.
Then came the afternoon as the A’s managed 15 of the game’s 17 hits, 12 of its 13 runs, and scored in 6 of the 8 innings in which they batted. Langeliers has batted 3 times since our interview and he has yet to hit anything but a HR. I take only partial credit.
But perhaps more encouraging was some of the individual contributions. Here’s what the Eyeball Scout saw…
Jacob Lopez
Lopez got ahead 0-2 to the game’s first batter and then walked him. But then he found his mojo and for 4 hitless innings he was every bit the Jacob Lopez we saw last season. His breaking pitches were moving a ton and his fastball, sitting mostly at 90-91 MPH, got the usual high number of swings and misses. A healthy Lopez makes the A’s rotation so much better and based on today he appears to be just fine.
Leo De Vries
I get it: the hyperbole and optimism gets old. He is a talented young man and not some Norse god. But De Vries had 2 at bats today and both were impressive — and led to a 2-2 day with 2 RBI. His first PA he spit on a tough 2-2 off speed pitch just barely below the knees (it was so close I thought the Royals might challenge it) and then muscled a single into CF. His second PA showed amazingly quick wrists as he rifled a ball into the LF corner for a 2-run double.
Yes it’s only spring training, but it’s also a fact that De Vries is now batting .400/.442/.625 and the quality of the at bats is hard to ignore. At SS he made a slick play on a ball he had to charge and throw across his body; he also missed a throw trying to make a swipe tag on a stolen base. The latter was the classic “try to do too much” that reminds you that we are in fact watching a teenager, while the former suggests a true SS.
Tommy White
Yes he’s hitting the cover off the ball and had a nice opposite field poke through the hole among 2 RBI hits today. But what made an impression to the Eyeball Scout today came in the field with White at 3B. A ground ball was slapped near the bag at 3B with White off the line. He came over and in and in a “do or die” attempt he made a slick pickup off a tough second hop and then fired a strike across his body to 1B to get the out.
The questions around White have always been primarily whether he can stick at 3B. Well for at least one play he sure made me rethink my skepticism.
Colby Thomas
Thomas is another player who has raised my eyebrows as to whether he is “a keeper”. For all his flaws, and they are very much there, one thing that is evident is that he can really mash LHP. Today’s hit, off a lefty, was just scorched to LF, hit fairly close to the SS but by him in a blur. I believe the exact exit velocity was “Fosse wow”.
Wander Suero
I’ve seen Suero twice now, once on TV and once in person today. I don’t know that he’s any great reliever but I have to say I kind of like his stuff and think he could be in play for a meaningful call up during the season. His velocity isn’t anything special — today he was throwing mostly 90-91 MPH — but like Lopez his fastball seems to play up.
Perhaps his “Luis Tiant-lite” delivery and slight short-arm action helps to create deception. He also gets a fair bit of late movement on his pitches, some cutting away late. In these regards he reminds me a lot of Justin Sterner. Whether that’s a compliment or an insult is up to you, that’s just who comes to mind.
Other notes…Scott Barlow had an effective appearance (1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 BB, 4 K) but was throwing only 88-89 MPH and leaned heavily on his slider. He also threw 33 pitches and only 18 strikes. Cade Marlowe had a “grind it out” PA for a walk and roped a double into the RF corner and carries a .333 BA forward as he tries to penetrate the OF depth chart.
Lots to like today, and frankly not much to worry about. The A’s started the Cactus League slow at the plate and in the win column, but maybe they are peaking at the right time. We’ll see you from Goodyear on the morrow!
NEW KENT, Va. (AP) — Incredibolt won the $500,000 Virginia Derby by four lengths on Saturday at Colonial Downs, earning qualifying points that left him tied atop the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Ridden by Jaime Torres, Incredibolt ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.76. He paid $14.40, $7.40, and $5.60.
The 50 points for winning tied Incredibolt with Paladin for first on the leaderboard with 60 points each. The top 20 horses earn a spot in the starting gate for the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
Riley Mott, who trains Incredibolt, would potentially join his Hall of Fame father Bill Mott, who trains Chief Wallabee, with starters in the same Derby.
“We’re optimistic and hopeful we can make it to the first Saturday in May,” said the younger Mott, who previously worked as an assistant to his father.
Grittiness finished second and Confessional was third. Buetane, trained by Bob Baffert, was fourth, followed by Lockstocknpharoah. The top five horses earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
Incredibolt surged through an opening mid-stretch and bounded clear of the field, finishing strong through the wire.
“He’s really matured and has a lot more confidence now,” Torres said. “I was just waiting for the right spot. This is a dream come true.”
Incredibolt has already proven himself at Churchill Downs, where he earned his first victory and his first stakes win. He has three wins in five career starts and earnings of $498,681.
Tristan Peters had a rout-preserving robbery of Freddie Freeman in the top of the sixth.
While it may just be Spring Training, the White Sox can at least say they took one game from the Dodgers this year. The Good Guys took care of business in their 7-2 victory — but it may have come at a heavy price.
The Sox bench came through today. Lenyn Sosa and Luisangel Acuña led a first three-spot inning in the second. Sosa’s leadoff double and Acuña’s single and steal got Chicago on the board first, thanks to Dalton Rushing’s throwing error. Tristan Peters ponied up a sac bunt and Derek Hill tripled, later scoring on another Dodger error to add to the lead.
Sosa and Peters were especially eager to evade the next flight to Charlotte, as they drove in three more runs in the third. Sosa ended his game with two hits, two runs and an RBI, while Peters topped his three-RBI day off with a Freddie Freeman home run robbery to get Grant Taylor out of bases-loaded, sixth-inning jam.
But the bench wasn’t the biggest news of the day. It was Mike Vasil.
Vasil was incredibly efficient, throwing 3 ⅔ scoreless innings using just 46 pitches. He allowed a pair of hits and walks but punched out three, including Andy Pages and Mookie Betts.
Unfortunately, the Sox can never have nice things.
After walking Freeman and Muncy at the end of the fourth, Vasil voluntarily left the game after reporting a sore right elbow. He’ll undergo further testing, but it’s never a good sign when a pitcher willingly walks off the mound. Let’s hope Chicago doesn’t miss both Kyle Teel and Vasil for longer than April.
Chicago’s bullpen characteristically couldn’t finish the shutout. Taylor and Tyler Gilbert gave up a run apiece in the sixth and seventh. Luckily, Tyson Miller managed to close out the game, granting the Sox a well-earned win that might still turn out costly.
