NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 02: Nick Blankenburg #37 of the Nashville Predators plays the puck. (Photo by Casey Gower/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
We’re less than 48 hours away from the NHL Trade Deadline this upcoming Friday, and the Avs have made another trade a week after acquiring defenseman Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins. This time around, Colorado acquired right shot defenseman Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2027 5th-round draft pick.
The 27-year-old Blankenburg will very likely be Colorado’s 7th defenseman for this season, and serve as “break glass in case of emergency” depth, in case the Avs need an NHL-caliber defenseman to slot in for any number of reasons. In 49 games for Nashville this season, Blankenburg has recorded six goals and 15 assists for a total of 21 points this season, and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer on an expiring $775K contract.
Blankenburg is a good set-and-forget third-pairing defenseman and should be more than fine stepping into the lineup whenever he might be called upon. It is interesting that after a week of hearing how much the Avalanche value big strong and size on the back end that they’d target not only another right hander as well as someone listed at 5-foot-9 and 177 lbs. But the price must have been right and Blankenburg is an affordable depth addition.
As previously mentioned, we’re less than 48 hours before the deadline as of tonight and action has started to pick up around the league. Colorado has yet to address their forward group, which might be next on the docket after seemingly setting their defensive core for the rest of the season.
Observations from Yankees spring training on Wednesday
Big blast
Ben Rice crushed his first home run of the spring, a 412-footer off Red Sox reliever Justin Slaten that came off the bat at 108.8 mph and cut through the wind blowing in from right field.
Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) rounds second base after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Jim Rassol-Imagn ImagesBen Rice is congratulated by third base coach Luis Rojas after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 4-0 spring training win over the Red Sox at JetBlue Park on March 4, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Bird botch
At first base, Rice made a diving stop to his right to knock down a hard ground ball from Isiah Kiner-Falefa, got to his feet to collect the ball and then flipped to Jake Bird for what should have been an out.
The first base umpire claimed Bird did not actually step on the bag, but it was a strong play by Rice nonetheless.
Caught my eye
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, shortstop Braden Shewmake made a diving catch in shallow left field, then got onto one knee to fire home and throw out the runner trying to tag up from third for the inning-ending double play.
Thursday’s schedule
Paul Blackburn will make his second start of the spring as the Yankees host the Twins on Thursday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Katie Fiso scored 20 points, Ehis Etute had 16 points and 12 rebounds and Oregon defeated Purdue 82-64 in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday night.
Mia Jacobs had 14 points and nine rebounds for 11th-seeded Oregon (21-11).
Lana McCarthy had 14 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, and Hila Karsh and Tara Daye each scored 11 points for Purdue (13-17), the 14th seed.
Etute scored eight points in the first quarter and the Ducks led 21-12 after one.
In the second, the Boilermakers had a seven-minute stretch in which they missed all 10 of their shots. Oregon’s lead ballooned to 47-24 at halftime.
After shooting 24% and scoring only 24 points in the first half, Purdue shot 73% in the third quarter and scored 25 points. The Ducks shot only 25% in the third quarter but still led 64-49 heading to the fourth.
Oregon shot 47% in the first half and held on despite shooting only 33% after halftime.
The Ducks and Boilermakers met barely a week ago, on Feb. 25, with Oregon winning 71-65 at Purdue.
Up next
Oregon plays No. 6-seed Maryland on Thursday with the winner moving on to play third-seeded Michigan in the quarterfinals.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Reserve Braeden Carrington scored 18 points, John Blackwell scored 14 points and Wisconsin poured it on in the second half to dismantle Maryland 78-45 on Wednesday night.
Nick Boyd scored 13 points and reserve Austin Rapp scored 11 points for Wisconsin (21-9, 13-6 Big Ten), which had 11 players enter the scoring column.
The Badgers' Andrew Rohde passed out six of Wisconsin's 15 assists and didn't commit a turnover. Wisconsin turned it over only three times.
Andre Mills scored 14 points and Elijah Saunders scored 11 points for Maryland.
Wisconsin turned an already commanding 34-21 first-half stranglehold into a 21-point lead 5 1/2 minutes into the second half. The Badgers shot 48% (27 of 56) and made 42% (13 of 31) from 3-point range. The Badgers scored 44 second-half points.
It was the fewest point Maryland (11-19, 4-15) has ever posted against Wisconsin in the shot-clock era. It was also Maryland'd lowest point total of the season.
Wisconsin has won five of its last seven. Maryland has lost five of its last six.
Up next
Maryland wraps up the regular season hosting 11th-ranked Illinois on Saturday.
Wisconsin ends the regular season at No. 15 Purdue on Saturday.
Jason Benetti before a Hall of Fame Series college basketball game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Madison Square Garden on December 14, 2024.
The new “Sunday Night Baseball” has its voice.
NBC Sports announced Wednesday that Jason Benetti will be the play-by-play announcer for the network’s new “Sunday Night Baseball” package on NBC and Peacock, something that had been widely expected for some time now.
His first game on-air for NBC this season will be on March 26, when the Dodgers host the Diamondbacks in an Opening Day battle.
Benetti will remain as the TV voice of the Tigers’ local broadcasts, and while on the air for “Sunday Night Baseball,” he will be paired with analysts who have connections to the teams playing in that day’s game.
Jason Benetti before a Hall of Fame Series college basketball game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Madison Square Garden on December 14, 2024. Getty Images
“I am thrilled to be rejoining the NBC Sports family,” Benetti said in a statement. “Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and the whole team at NBC all have a deep appreciation for live sports. It’s a true honor to be part of the dawn of Sunday Night Baseball at NBC Sports. Each week is going to be a new, unique experience with analysts who all have different viewpoints on the game of baseball.”
This will be Benetti’s second go-around at NBC, having done play-by-play duty on NBC’s “MLB Sunday Leadoff” in 2022 on Peacock.
He also called baseball games during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“After Jason finished the 2022 baseball season with us, we told him that if we ever got MLB back, he’d be our first call,” NBC Sports Executive Producer Sam Flood said in a statement. “Jason is one of the best play-by-play announcers in the business and we’re thrilled to have him back on a full-time basis with NBC Sports, beginning with Sunday Night Baseball.”
NBC Sports has put together an all-star lineup, adding former MLB stars Joey Votto, Clayton Kershaw and Anthony Rizzo for its studio show.
Sportscaster Jason Benetti gets ready to call the Pac-12 Coast-to-Coast Challenge between the Texas Longhorns and the Stanford Cardinal at T-Mobile Arena on December 19, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images
Bob Costas will also contribute in an emeritus role as he winds down his broadcasting career.
Costas told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he would be hosting the pregame show for about two-thirds of NBC’s coverage leading up to a “Sunday Night Baseball” game.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Paul Cotter scored the winner in the shootout, Connor Brown forced overtime with a tying goal with 2:21 left in the third period and the New Jersey Devils beat Toronto 4-3 on Wednesday night, sending the Maple Leafs to their fifth straight loss.
Timo Meier and Arseny Gritsyuk also scored in regulation for the Devils, who have won three in a row and improved to 25-8-1 when scoring at least three goals. Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves.
William Nylander, Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies had goals for the Maple Leafs, who haven’t won since beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Feb. 3 — their last game before the Olympic break. Anthony Stolarz made 44 saves.
Cotter put a backhander past Stolarz to start the shootout for the Devils. After Nylander’s wrister was stopped, Jesper Bratt also scored on a backhander to put New Jersey up 2-0 in the shootout. Auston Matthews’ wrist shot was then stopped by Markstrom, giving the Devils the victory.
With the game tied at 2 in the third period, Knies batted in the rebound of John Tavares’ shot past Markstrom to put Toronto ahead with 6:10 left.
Brown took a pass from Gritsyuk on a rush toward the net and roofed a quick shot in tight past Stolarz to tie it at 3 with 2:21 remaining.
The Devils outshot the Maple Leafs 47 to 27 in regulation.
New Jersey was without defenseman Brett Pesce, who suffered a lower-body injury against Florida on Tuesday night.
Up next
Maple Leafs: Play at New York Rangers on Thursday night.
Murray, who is expected to be released by the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the new NFL year, was selected by the A’s as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
He eventually went back to Oklahoma, though, winning the Heisman Trophy and getting taken as the top overall pick in the NFL.
That all but ended his baseball-playing career.
But the A’s are keeping the door open as Murray is soon to be without an NFL team.
Kyler Murray throws a pass during the Cardinals’ win over the Titans at State Farm Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025 in Glendale, Ariz. Getty Images
“Kyler is an elite NFL quarterback and I’m sure there are plenty of opportunities for him to continue his football career,” A’s general manager David Forst told MLB.com. “That said, he and his baseball representatives know that we’re always open to him exploring a return to baseball with the A’s if that time ever comes.”
Murray, an outfielder, signed a $4.6 million contract with the A’s after the 2018 draft, with the deal allowing him to play college football with the Sooners before coming to the baseball team the next year.
However, in February of ’19, Murray posted a statement to Twitter where he said he had changed his mind and he was going to pursue professional football.
“Moving forward, I am firmly and fully committing my life and time to becoming an NFL quarterback,” Murray wrote. “Football has been my love and passion my entire life. I was raised to play QB, and I very much look forward to dedicating 100% of myself to being the best QB possible and winning NFL championships.”
First-round draft pick Kyler Murray of the A’s takes batting practice after signing his contract at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum on June 15, 2018. Getty Images
Murray played two seasons on Oklahoma’s baseball team, hitting .261/.381/.466 with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Murray said Tuesday after the news of his Arizona departure that he was “sorry” he “failed” the Cardinals. He finished his Arizona tenure with a 38-48-1 record, 20,460 passing yards and 3,193 rushing yards. He should still have plenty of suitors in the NFL, with the Jets potentially being one of them.
But if he wants to take a different swing path, the A’s are open and willing.
It was a tough pill for the Detroit Red Wings to swallow Wednesday evening in their first home game at Little Caesars Arena since Jan. 31, and another hard lesson in what can happen when they take their foot off the gas.
The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Red Wings by a 4-3 final score in overtime, as Tomas Hertl scored a power-play goal in the extra session after defenseman Simon Edvinsson was whistled for slashing.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 5, 2026
The Red Wings failed to protect their 3-1 lead that they'd built through the first 40 minutes of play. Also, they weren't able to convert on four separate power-play chances, including a prime opportunity with just over two minutes left in regulation.
With the overtime setback, the Red Wings fell to 35-20-7; they gained a valuable point in the standings but remain in third place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the surging Buffalo Sabres and three points back of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Golden Knights struck on their first of the contest, as first-year Vegas forward Mitch Marner sent a pass out in front of the net to a waiting Reilly Smith.
However, the Red Wings then took control of the frame, scoring three times thanks to rookie Emmitt Finnie, Simon Edvinsson, and Alex DeBrincat. For Finnie, it was his second goal in as many games following a 23-game goalless drought.
Following a scoreless second period, Vegas immediately began pressing in the game's final frame and eventually battled their way back into the game thanks to a pair of goals from Ivan Barbashev and Marner.
During Detroit’s late power-play chance in the third period, Dylan Larkin was cross-checked from behind in front of the net by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb and fell to the ice in distress. He slowly skated off the ice but was eventually able to return during overtime. No penalty was called on the play.
Dylan Larkin takes a heavy cross check in the back from McNabb in front, leaves the game injured. No call on the play. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/upxzWj3ERh
Neither goaltender had a standout performance, as Adin Hill looked very shaky during the first period and finished the contest with 23 saves. Talbot, making the start in place of the injured John Gibson, made 21 saves.
It was Detroit's final game before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, which falls on Friday, March 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Later that evening, the Red Wings will face the struggling Florida Panthers at Little Caesars Arena.
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DENVER, CO - JANUARY 20: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on January 20, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers (37-24) are back on the road for a quick trip to Denver, where they will take on the Nuggets (38-24) on Thursday. This is the second matchup between both teams this season.
The Lakers have made up for their most recent losing streak by winning three games in a row and just like that, they have the chance to climb up the competitive Western Conference standings.
Although to do that, the purple and gold will really have to work for it against a Nuggets team that’s consistently been sitting at the top of the conference all season.
It’s hard to imagine the Nuggets not going all out on this one. Not only is the fifth seed on the line, but there’s a good chance they still remember how they gave the game away against the Lakers last time. In that contest, Denver dominated the first half only to choke away the lead in the final quarter.
In fairness to them, they didn’t have Nikola Jokić in that one, which won’t be the case for Thursday’s game.
Regardless, this is still a winnable one for the Lakers. Yes, it’s going to be tough to contain Jokić, but it’s also not like the Nuggets have had an answer for Luka Dončić since he became a Laker.
It’s going to be a battle between these two superstars, and it’ll be important for LeBron James, Austin Reaves and the rest of the Lakers’ role players to outperform the Nuggets’ supporting cast. That’s a doable task as well, since Aaron Gordon won’t be around, but Jamal Murray will, and he’s a player the Lakers can’t allow to get hot.
Like the Lakers, the Nuggets aren’t a great defensive team. In fact, they rank 21st in the league, just above the Lakers, who are at 22. They also don’t have a deep bench and depend a little too much on Jokić and Murray to pull through for them.
This game will be the first night of a back-to-back for the Lakers, who fly straight to Los Angeles afterwards to host the Indiana Pacers.
Let’s see if the Lakers can win this big game against Denver and gain some ground in the West.
Notes and Updates
Since Luka’s arrival in Los Angeles, the Lakers are 3-1 against the Nuggets. When Dončić plays, they’re 3-0.
For the Lakers’ injury report, Maxi Kleber (back soreness) is listed as questionable.
As for the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), Payton Watson (right hamstring strain) and Spencer Jones (right shoulder strain) are out.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Paul Cotter and Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout, Connor Brown forced overtime with a tying goal with 2:21 left in the third period and the New Jersey Devils beat Toronto 4-3 on Wednesday night, sending the Maple Leafs to their fifth straight loss.
Timo Meier and and Arseny Gritsyuk also scored in regulation for the Devils, who have won three in a row and improved to 25-8-1 when scoring at least three goals. Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves.
William Nylander, Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies had goals for the Maple Leafs, who haven't won since beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Feb. 3 — their last game before the Olympic break. Anthony Stolarz made 44 saves.
Cotter put a backhander past Stolarz to start the shootout for the Devils. After Nylander's wrister was stopped, Bratt also scored on a backhander to put New Jersey up 2-0 in the shootout. Auston Matthews' wrist shot was then stopped by Markstrom, giving the Devils the victory.
With the game tied at 2 in the third period, Knies batted in the rebound of John Tavares' shot past Markstrom to put Toronto ahead with 6:10 left.
Brown took a pass from Gritsyuk on a rush toward the net and roofed a quick shot in tight past Stolarz to tie it at 3 with 2:21 remaining.
The Devils outshot the Maple Leafs 47 to 27 in regulation.
New Jersey was without defenseman Brett Pesce, who suffered a lower-body injury against Florida on Tuesday night.
Up next
Maple Leafs: Play at New York Rangers on Thursday night.
On Wednesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks made another trade with the Edmonton Oilers. After trading Connor Murphy to Edmonton for a 2028 second-round pick on Monday, Kyle Davidson reconnected with his old boss, Stan Bowman, on a deal that sent Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach away for a 2027 first-round pick and Andrew Mangiapane.
This is an interesting deal to break down for both sides. For the Oilers, they free themselves of Mangiapane's bad contract while adding two players who can help them down the stretch.
In the case of Dach, he could be a boost for their AHL team or be a fourth-line/extra forward heading into the postseason. He's a big physical presence who can make it hard to find space when he's on the ice.
In the offensive zone, he can create good ice in front of the net, which would benefit a scoring line if he were placed there as the third guy. If he improves his skating as he develops, he may be able to carve out a full-time role in Edmonton, but he has some work to do.
Jason Dickinson is the prize for the Oilers, who already have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as a two-headed monster down the middle. If he fits in nicely as a third-line center, it is the best trio down the middle in the NHL.
McDavid and Draisaitl are good enough defensively for the amount of offense they create, but adding a shutdown center like Dickinson makes them a much more well-rounded group. If he plays the role as well as he did in Chicago, they have a high-end line for every type of situation.
As for the Blackhawks, they may or may not play Andrew Mangiapane regularly. They are not in a position where they absolutely have to buy him out, but they can afford to send him to the Rockford IceHogs or scratch him in favor of younger players.
If he does play, he will be hoping to revive his career the way that some other depth forwards have with Chicago in the recent past.
The first round pick in 2027, like Dickinson is for the Oilers, is the main prize for the Blackhawks. This draft pick is top-12 protected, just in case the Oilers have a shockingly bad year in 2026-27.
If the Florida Panthers stick with their bottom 10 record and land there in the draft, the first-round pick that Chicago received from the Seth Jones trade will move to 2027, meaning the Blackhawks could have three firsts in that draft.
Trade Grade: A
The Blackhawks have been stockpiling first and second-round picks a lot since Kyle Davidson took over. He's already made 11 selections in the first round, and most of them are looking like they could pan out.
Adding another one in exchange for a bottom-six defensive center may be his best work in terms of acquiring first-round picks. He threw in Colton Dach and took on Andrew Mangiapane to do it, but you have to give if you're going to take in the NHL.
Davidson's work on this deal earns him an A-grade, because he took an expiring (and aging) asset and turned it into a high-end lottery ticket, which is the best way to describe a first-round pick outside of the top-ten.
You will see better players traded for less in the coming days leading up to the deadline, which would be further proof that Davidson made a solid deal with this one.
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Wednesday, March 4, was a day for defensemen to change teams.
Tyler Myers got the ball rolling by accepting a trade from the Vancouver Canucks to the Dallas Stars. The 6-foot-8 Houston native will be playing in his home state on the same team as 6-foot-7 defenseman Liam Bischel.
Nick Blankenburg also moved from the Nashville Predators to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
“Acquiring MacKenzie solidifies our back end as we continue to push towards the playoffs, and he will be a great addition to our team on and off the ice,” Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong said.
Here are the details and grades on the MacKenzie Weegar trade:
MacKenzie Weegar trade details
The Utah Mammoth acquire defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Olli Määttä, forward Jonathan Castagna and three 2026 second-round picks (Utah’s own and others previously acquired from the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers). Both players had to waive their no-trade clauses for the deal to go through.
Utah Mammoth trade grade: A-
Armstrong has been aggressively remaking the defense since the team moved to Utah in 2024. He added Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Ian Cole that first season and Stanley Cup winner Nate Schmidt last summer. Weegar gives the Mammoth a solid top four as they try to hold onto their wild-card position. And the Mammoth landed him without trading Tij Iginla, who would seem a natural to be part of a trade to Calgary, where his father Jarome had starred.
Calgary Flames trade grade: B-
Considering that Weegar is signed through 2031, it's surprising that the Flames didn't pry away a first-round pick. But three second-rounders are good in what's expected to be a deep draft. Olli Määttä is a pending unrestricted free agent and Castagna, a third-round pick, is averaging a point a game in his third season at Cornell.
When is the NHL trade deadline?
The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6.
The young right fielder showed that again Wednesday, when he went deep for the first time this spring in the 5-2 win over Team Israel on Wednesday at Clover Park.
The opposite-field shot to left came off Ryan Prager, a Single-A pitcher in the Cleveland organization.
Benge, though, didn’t make much of the shot.
“I can’t focus too much on results,” Benge said. “Just focus on the work I do pregame and postgame. That’s really all that matters to me. Results, yeah, they’re nice, but I’m sticking to my work.”
“I said before the game that he can hit left-on-left,” Carlos Mendoza said. “We saw it today: A two-strike count and he stayed in there. Not only did he put the ball in play, but he was able to drive the ball with authority [the other way]. That’s what he does and it’s exciting.”
Highly touted prospect Carson Benging, ripping a single during a game in late February, belted his first homer of the spring in the Mets’ 5-2 exhibition win over Israel on March 4, 2026 in Port St. Lucie. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
“It doesn’t matter to me who’s up there,” Benge said. “Just do my best to win the battle.”
The battle for the right field job is still up for grabs and there’s plenty of time for the right field competition to play out, with Mike Tauchman and MJ Melendez also in the mix, and Tyrone Taylor also a possibility.
The Mets continue to be intrigued by Benge’s ceiling.
“I felt like I came [into camp] trying to be myself,’’ Benge said. “I feel I’ve put in the work and whatever happens is in God’s hands.”
Mendoza said Benge has been “as advertised” this spring.
“He’s a guy with a lot of tools,’’ the manager said. “He helps win ballgames not only offensively, but defensively.”
New York Mets Carson Benge (93) runs to third on a Juan Soto double in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during Spring Training at Roger Dean Stadium of the Palm Beaches, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
And while Benge can play center field, Mendoza said he’d keep the prospect in right for now, since that’s the spot that’s open, with Luis Robert Jr. in center and Juan Soto in left.
Robert made his debut of sorts with the Mets in a minor league game on a back field.
He doubled and looked fine on the bases, as well as in center, where he made a catch, but wasn’t tested much in four innings.
Mendoza said Robert will play minor league games every other day for a week, but he has no restrictions when he’s on the field as the Mets look to avoid the lower-body injuries that have plagued him in recent seasons.
Francisco Lindor’s road back from hamate surgery continued Wednesday as he began a swinging program in the batting cages, according to Mendoza.
The shortstop also recently began playing catch as he tries to be ready by Opening Day.
Chris Suero, who played catcher and left field this spring, and reliever Nate Lavender were reassigned to minor league camp.
Mets Bo Bichette fields balls at third base before a game against the Washington Nationals during Spring Training Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.
Observations from Mets spring training on Wednesday
Long man
David Peterson, now the longest-tenured Met, got off to a strong start with three scoreless innings in his first outing of the spring. The lefty struck out four in the 5-2 win over Israel’s WBC team.
Bo Bichette fields balls at third base before the Mets’ spring training loss to the Nationals at Clover Field on Feb. 28, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Burd is the word
Nick Burdi allowed a run on two hits in his lone inning of work and has allowed three runs in three innings this spring.
Caught my eye
Bo Bichette made a terrific diving stop to his right on a smash down the third base line to start a 5-4-3 double play in a minor league game, saying afterward, “It’s all about getting more comfortable there. My goal coming into the game was to feel less antsy and not worry if a ball like that got by me and that allowed me to just go after the ball and make the play.”
Thursday’s schedule
The Mets travel to West Palm Beach, Fla., to face the Nationals with right-hander Justin Hagenman getting the start.
Somehow, Jalen Brunson — then OG Anunoby — had the ball with a chance to send the game to overtime.
Down by three points with 6.0 seconds left, both got open 3-pointers to tie the game. But both missed, and that was that.
“Just missed it,” Brunson said. “Wish I could have that one back.”
OG Anunoby missses what would have been a game-tying 3-pointer in the final second of the Knicks’ 103-100 loss to the Thunder at the Garden on March 4, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Players hate talking about moral victories, but this can be classified as one. Still, the Knicks got a reality check. And a bit of a reminder of the championship-level standard that is required for 48 minutes, not just for one quarter.
Give the Knicks credit — they had a plethora of reasons to throw in the towel, but they clawed back twice. The Finals-or-bust Knicks, however, view themselves on the same level as the Thunder, not a team that should be merely happy to be competitive.
And for three of four quarters, they were outplayed and outmuscled by the class of the league. Despite two gutsy comebacks, they fell 103-100 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
“Honestly, I’m proud of our guys,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “We fought, we did our best to execute against a championship team. At the end of the day, if we’re gonna lose, I want to lose with two of our best players getting the shots they got and giving ourselves a chance.”
After their third-quarter comeback, during which they trailed by 15, the Knicks entered the fourth quarter up three. It marked their first loss this year when leading after three quarters — they had been 19-0 beforehand.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives past Landry Shamet at the Garden on March 4, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Later, trailing by seven with 1:18 left in the game, the Knicks scored the next four points to bring themselves back within three before Brunson’s and Anunoby’s misses as time expired.
They outscored the Thunder by 13 in the third quarter, but were outscored by a combined 18 points in the other three quarters. In the fourth quarter, they shot just 7-for-21 from the field. Brunson had just three points and went 1-for-6 in that fourth quarter.
Like his teammates, Brunson struggled most of the night — besides the third quarter. Cason Wallace defended him as well and as physically as anyone has all year.
Jalen Brunson, who had 16 points and 15 assists, goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ loss to the Thunder. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brunson entered halftime with just two points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field, then came alive for 11 points in the third quarter before his rough fourth quarter. He finished with 16 points and went 5-for-18 from the field, though he did add 15 assists.
“I feel like I missed a lot of shots I normally make,” Brunson said.
After facing that 15-point deficit with 8:12 left in the third quarter, the Knicks rattled off a 24-9 run to tie the game at 72-72 with 2:56 remaining in the third.
By the end of the quarter, Brunson was double-teamed and lobbed a pass to Mikal Bridges in the corner, who drilled a 3-pointer just before the buzzer to send the Knicks into the fourth quarter with a three-point lead.
The Knicks had just 40 points at halftime, suffocated by the Thunder’s tenacious defense. Then they erupted for 40 points in that third quarter to flip the game on its head. But then they followed that up with just 20 points in the fourth quarter.
“They could’ve folded at any time,” coach Mike Brown said. “We were down double digits. I liked our competitive spirit. Our competitive spirit was great. Those guys make the game ugly.”
OG Anunoby (right) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battle for a loose ball. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
They certainly did.
That physicality from the Thunder bothered the Knicks all night, and left them angered by the referees throughout the game and after the final whistle. Brown even got a technical — his first of the year — in the first quarter.
Chet Holmgren had 22 points at halftime, went scoreless in the third quarter then added six points in the fourth quarter as the Thunder staved off the Knicks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is now 7-0 at MSG, recorded 26 points and eight assists.
Landry Shamet scored 11 points in the third quarter — but just three in the other three quarters. Towns was an efficient 7-for-8 from the field and had 17 points and 17 rebounds, but fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
To be fair, it wasn’t necessarily a true measuring stick — the Knicks were on the second leg of a road-home back-to-back and playing without Mitchell Robinson, who played in their win over the Raptors in Toronto on Tuesday.
