Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) looks on after leaving the game during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
SNY | Phillip Martínez: The Yankees hoped to have left-hander Carlos Rodon back at some point in April, but those plans might have hit a snag. On Tuesday, manager Aaron Boone revealed that the southpaw, who had a 3.09 ERA and struck out 203 batters last year before encountering some elbow issues in the postseason that resulted in surgery, reported hamstring tightness in his most recent throwing session.
The team is unsure about the severity of the ailment, and making guesses about how long he will be sidelined would be premature. What we do know is that an April return is now unlikely.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The ‘reverse framing’ strategy, believe it or not, might become a thing as we go deeper into the ABS era. The term basically means that catchers can make strikes look like balls as they try to lure opposing teams into wasting a challenge. The Yankees, as an organization, are excellent framers behind the plate, but Tanner Swanson, the team’s director of catching, doesn’t seem so open about trying psychological games just yet.
Swanson did say that he has “thought about these things, and we’ve had discussions around them,” but he isn’t quite ready for the risk that the strategy carries with it.
“A large majority of borderline calls still go unchallenged,” Swanson said. “To take a strike and try to turn it into a ball, you’re banking on either forcing the hitter to challenge it, or having to challenge it yourself.”
New York Yankees Stats on X: Giancarlo Stanton drove in a run in the first inning of Tuesday’s game in Seattle in the ugliest way you can think of: with a blooper near the right field line. It counts anyway, and it was the slugger’s 500th RBI in pinstripes. He became the seventh-fastest Yankee, in terms of games played, to reach the mark: it took him 745 games.
Foul Territory on X: Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden, now an analyst and writer, weighed in on the alleged trade proposal the Yankees made to the Pittsburgh Pirates last year involving Paul Skenes. He said that if the Bombers indeed put names such as Cam Schlittler, George Lombard Jr., Carlos Lagrange, and Spencer Jones on the table, the Bucs should have taken the deal.
“If I’m Pittsburgh and I got offered those four guys that I could control for six years and not have to pay any of them for three years, I have a better chance of winning with those four guys, and I have a better chance of winning longer with those four guys,” Bowden said.
You’re going to hear that idea this week, with the top two teams in college basketball, Arizona and Michigan, meeting in the semifinals instead of the national championship, while UConn faces Illinois in the other semifinal.
Like a lot of ideas, this one sounds good in the theory stage. Peel back the layers, though, and envision what reseeding the Final Four would mean in practice, and the idea loses footing.
Reseeding would require disrupting the original structure of the bracket.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, and I’ll keep saying it as long as the NCAA has this tournament format: Leave the tournament alone.
I’ll say it once more for effect: Leave. The. Bracket. Alone.
Do not tweak. Do not tinker. Do not implement any harebrained ideas or add more mediocre teams or shuffle the assignments once the Final Four arrives.
The tournament is one thing the NCAA gets right. Take a bow, and enjoy it.
It’s not broken. Don’t fix it.
Still, it seems like such a simple adjustment, right? Now that the Final Four teams are set, just flip Arizona and Illinois and have the two 1-seeds on opposite seeds of the bracket.
And that’s when it hits you: The bracket. That beautiful creation is the star of this show. That's why you cannot simply reseed the Final Four. You’d disrupt all of those brackets people filled out the day after Selection Sunday, when they were supposed to be working but instead were researching that, yes, High Point over Wisconsin is the best possibility for a 12 vs. 5 upset. And that, yes, Arizona and Michigan will win their regions and meet in the semifinals.
They'll meet in the semifinals. Not the finals. That's what you wrote down on your bracket.
Don't complicate this: March Madness bracket is simple and beautiful
At its core, March Madness is entertainment, and part of the entertainment is everyone from your 10-year-old daughter to your 95-year-old grandpa fills out a bracket, for a shot at prize money or at least some bragging rights.
As much as we love the Cinderellas and the buzzer-beaters and the comebacks and the 40-foot swishes from the logo, we love the bracket itself every bit as much or more. We like highlighting our correct picks and seeing our predictions come true.
Anyone can understand how the bracket works, even if you don’t watch a single minute of basketball before March, even if you wouldn’t watch a single second of this tournament, if not to see how you bracket fares against your mother-in-law’s bracket.
The bracket’s beauty is in its simplicity of design. Sixteen teams in each quadrant, funneling into a Final Four. A team loses, and it's out. Win and advance. And as you fill it out, you decide which two teams you think will meet next.
Smart prognosticators kept writing down Arizona and Michigan until they reached the Final Four.
If the bracket got reseeded, how does that work for your bracket pool?
Everyone re-picks their Final Four two weeks into the tournament?
Forget it.
1-seeds can fall in Final Four, when we least expect it
Anyway, the moment we think we’ve figured out March Madness, we’re reminded this tournament isn’t so easy to figure out, even within a year when two 1-seeds meet in the Final Four.
The old-timers can tell us stories of the 1983 Final Four. That year, No. 1 Houston and No. 1 Louisville met in one semifinal. Phi Slama Jama vs. Doctors of Dunk.
In the other semifinal: No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 6 North Carolina State.
The Houston-Louisville game on Saturday became the marquee attraction, and surely the winner would win it all, right?
Houston went for 94 points against Louisville. Two nights later came one of the biggest stunners in tournament history.
The Wolfpack, an O.G. Cinderella, stunned Houston in the finals, winning on a buzzer-beating dunk, and Jim Valvano went running onto the court looking for someone, anyone, to hug.
If you watched it, you’ll never forget it. If you didn’t, you’ve probably seen the highlight so many times you almost feel like you lived through it.
The idea of reseeding the Final Four goes back more than two decades. In 2004, Dick Vitale was hollering we needed to “Reseed the Final Four!” before Duke and UConn met in the semifinals, in a matchup of what appeared to be the two best teams remaining.
That year served two epic semifinals. Georgia Tech beat Oklahoma State to advance to the finals as a 3-seed. UConn rallied to beat Duke, because apparently no halftime lead is safe for the Blue Devils this deep into the tournament.
And, sure, two nights later, UConn had the championship in hand by halftime, but so what? Saturday’s games were great.
The reseeding topic resurfaced in earnest in 2018, when all-time underdog Loyola-Chicago reached the Final Four as an 11-seed and Sister Jean became the world’s most famous nun.
No. 3 Michigan faced Loyola in the semifinals, while No. 1 Villanova played fellow No. 1 Kansas. Villanova handled the Final Four just fine without reseeding, winning both games in blowouts.
As Dan Gavitt, senior vice president of basketball for the NCAA, pointed out that year, reseeding the bracket along the way would create a minefield for underdogs. Upset a top team, and a Cinderella's reward becomes getting another top seed moved from across the bracket into its path.
“My concern is that the very thing that makes the tournament so popular would be diminished in some way,” Gavitt told the AP in 2018, on the subject of reseeding.
Another way to say that: Don’t fix what isn’t broken.
In its current form, the bracket isn't broken. It's beautiful the way it is.
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 28: Baylor Scheierman #55, Anfernee Simons #4, Hugo Gonzalez #28 and Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics look on during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 28, 2026 at TD Garden 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
So many people deserve credit for the Celtics success in what was supposed to be a gap year in Boston. Despite the talent drain over the summer, Joe Mazzulla has again created a system custom fit for his roster and got his players to buy in. Jaylen Brown has had an MVP-level season as the team’s #1 option.
And not too much farther down the list is the development and performance of the Celtics bullpen of wings. Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, impacting the game with their shooting or defending team’s best players, they’ve individually risen to the occasion and taken advantage of the opportunity and collectively, they’ve raised the ceiling of this Celtics team with Banner 19 in reach.
Hugo González – 28th pick Baylor Scheierman – 30th pick Jordan Walsh – 38th pick Sam Hauser – undrafted free agent
Sam Hauser has been the adult in the SF room. As a contributing member of the 2024 championship team, he’s started 43 of his 72 games. By his standards, he’s having a down year; it’s the first time since his junior year in college that he’s shot under 40% from behind the arc. However, he’s still a reliable floor spacer for the Jays and plus-defender.
When Jordan Walsh joined the starting lineup on November 12, that move launched a 16-5 run and really solidified Boston’s reputation as a true contender this season. His playing time started to dwindle at the start of the new year including a six-game stretch of DNP-CDs, but his effort never waned. Most recently when the Jays swapped off days during a back-to-back in Charlotte and Atlanta, Walsh filled in brilliantly and again flashed his defensive prowess against LaMelo Ball and Jalen Johnson.
Boston, MA – January 28 – Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) lets the ball get loose as Boston Celtics guards Jordan Walsh (27), Hugo Gonzalez (28) and Baylor Scheierman (55) surround during the second half of a NBA game at the Garden. (Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images). | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Baylor Scheierman has had the inverse regular season as Walsh. After playing sporadically in the first half of the year, it was Scheierman’s turn in the starting five. His shooting and instincts were as advertised coming out of Creighton as a finished product, but his strong positional defense is what has kept him on the floor.
Finally, Hugo Gonzalez, the now 20-year-old rookie, has been a sensation since coming over from Madrid. On one hand, you can see how being part of a professional program abroad has really shaped his game and prepared him to jump right in with the Celtics. On the other, there’s the energy injection and momentum-shifting plays that make him a regular Tommy Award winner. This isn’t even a bold prediction: Gonzo will swing a playoff game or two this spring.
So, while it’s hard to pick your favorite child, what Celtic wing has impressed you the most?
Calgary Flames (31-35-8, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (33-26-16, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Calgary Flames visit the Vegas Golden Knights looking to stop a three-game road slide.
Vegas has an 11-5-5 record in Pacific Division play and a 33-26-16 record overall. The Golden Knights have a 32-6-10 record when scoring at least three goals.
Calgary has a 31-35-8 record overall and a 12-7-3 record in Pacific Division games. The Flames are 22-7-3 when scoring at least three goals.
The teams play Thursday for the fourth time this season. The Flames won the previous matchup 6-3. Mikael Backlund scored two goals in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tomas Hertl has scored 24 goals with 31 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has four goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Backlund has 16 goals and 24 assists for the Flames. Morgan Frost has scored four goals and added two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.1 assists, 4.5 penalties and 11.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Flames: 6-3-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.2 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body), Carter Hart: out (leg), Jonas Rondbjerg: out (lower body).
Flames: Samuel Honzek: out for season (upper body), Jonathan Huberdeau: out for season (hip), Jake Bean: out (undisclosed), Yan Kuznetsov: day to day (upper-body), Joel Hanley: out (upper-body), Connor Zary: day to day (upper body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Doncic is the NBA's leading points scorer this season [Getty Images]
Luka Doncic broke NBA great Kobe Bryant's 20-year record for the most points scored by a Los Angeles Lakers player in a calendar month as they overcame the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113.
Doncic, who returned after a one-game suspension for picking up his 16th technical foul, scored 42 points to take his tally for March to 579 - beating Bryant's record of 578, which had stood since 2006.
"If you don't win, it doesn't really mean anything," said Doncic after the Lakers secured a 15th victory in 17 games.
"So the run that we've been on, it really means a lot. We've got to keep playing like that."
LeBron James scored 14 points for the Lakers against the Cavaliers as he also set an NBA record for the most combined regular season and play-off wins.
He achieved his 1,229th victory and surpassed the previous best set by centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
"He's great on both sides of the ball," said Lakers coach JJ Redick of James. "He's just doing a little bit of everything at a super-high level for us.
"Luka may get the headlines here and there, AR [Austin Reaves] may get a headline. But really it's been every single guy, and LeBron has led on that."
The Lakers, who are third in the Western Conference, had clinched a play-off spot and the Pacific Division title prior to their win as the Phoenix Suns were beaten 115-111 by the Orlando Magic.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for the rebound during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 31, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES – The Cavs coming to town as a top Eastern Conference team posed another tough challenge for the Lakers. As was true throughout March, however, the Lakers were up to the test.
They beat the Cavs 127-113 on Tuesday, and did so with great performances up and down the roster.
Luka Dončić, back from his suspension, was racking up points. Austin Reaves was attacking the paint and LeBron James gave everyone a glimpse of Showtime with highlight plays throughout the night.
While LA’s big three brought their best, so did their starting center, Deandre Ayton.
Ayton flirted with a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds and was a huge reason this game was put to bed early. He was aggressive offensively and a defensive force, neutralizing the Cavs’ frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
“He’s been playing great basketball for a long time now,” Luka said postgame. ”So we just need him to keep doing what he does and when he plays like that it helps us win.”
Ayton’s dominance really started during the second quarter.
With Cleveland trailing by two points entering the period, this contest seemed destined to be the tough game it was advertised to be on paper.Ayton stepped up to tip things in the Lakers’ favor.
His offensive onslaught began with a dunk off a LeBron pass. James then connected with Ayton again a few possessions later, this time with the center scoring from just inside the free throw line. Ayton followed that up with a tip dunk off a rare Luka miss, then scored on a floater that gave the Lakers a double-digit advantage.
No one in this contest was better on the glass than Ayton. He had a game-high nine rebounds,including a whopping six offensive boards. A statistic like offensive rebounding won’t typically be highlighted, but on this Lakers team, they understand how important it is to grab those boards and keep possession on misses.
“He’s a very unselfish player,” Rui Hachimura said. “We love him here. I think his presence, just being there, he’s 7’1”, long wingspan and all that, using his body to protect the rim, getting those offensive rebounds, whatever we missed. It’s been great.”
Scoring and rebounding are obvious ways to demonstrate Ayton’s impact, but his game was loud in small ways as well.
He was keeping his hands up on defense and deflecting passes in traffic. Arguably the best Lakers highlight of the night, a LeBron alley-oop, started with Ayton creating a turnover.
In the third, Ayton had a beautiful Gortat screen midway through the quarter, which opened up the driving lane for Luka to get an easy two points. Dončić acknowledged Ayton’s grunt work, pointing to him after the basket went in.
Thanks to Ayton’s focus on both ends of the court, the Cavs never threatened and the Lakers ended March with another win, firmly cementing themselves as the third seed in the West.
Ayton was brought to the Lakers to play in these high-leverage games and provide them with an elite offensive scorer with the size and strength to compete against the best big men in the NBA.
As one of the few Lakers with NBA Finals experience, Ayton knows what it takes to win. And if he keeps this level of play up, the biggest moments of this year for himself and the Lakers are yet to come.
“I miss this type of feeling, I’m not gonna lie,” Ayton said. “There’s a certain type of urgency out there where you and this guy been battling, the chemistry you guys made just being around each other on and off the court. It’s finally showing on the court and it’s contagious.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: LeBron James #23 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers smile during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 31, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Coming into March, the Lakers were floating adrift, fresh off three demoralizing losses to the Celtics, Magic and Suns and staring the toughest stretch of the season in the face.
The Lakers exit March having loudly declared they are a legitimate contender. According to Positive Residual, they had the second-most games and the 10th-hardest schedule in March.
They finished the month with a 15-2 record. The two losses coming to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and the Nuggets in Denver. Those were offset by a revenge win over Denver and victories over the Knicks, Wolves, Rockets and Cavs, all teams in the playoffs.
It’s on a short list for the best months the team has had since the 2019-20 season and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
It was a very loud 14 points for LeBron, who had one of the highlights of the month with his big alley-oop slam off Austin Reaves’ alley-oop. We’ve come a long way this season with Austin’s alley-oops, too.
LEBRON JUST TOOK FLIGHT ✈️
Reaves drops the over-the-head lob… James handles the rest.
One of Jake’s best games in months. It was great to see him knock down multiple threes. When he scores, it feels like such a huge boost because of everything else he does.
While his shooting left a lot to be desired and he had some perplexing turnovers — he really loved a wild behind-the-back pass tonight — it does feel like Austin is in a better rhtyhm and has a better feel for his role as the month comes to an end.
Luka caps off an incredible month of March with a fitting finale. Having him come in during a shaky fourth quarter and bludgeon a bunch of Cavs reserves to put the game to rest was a lot of fun, too.
Back-to-back solid games from Rui, who hopefully has found his shooting touch again. The lack of rebounding is a bit easier to swallow when Austin, Luka and Jake combine for 18. But you still want more.
Similarly, Hayes followed up his great game on Monday with a so-so one against the Cavs. The good news is the Lakers aren’t reliant on him to be good, a change from last year.
Bronny played more than the rest of the group, getting a rotation in the first half where he didn’t do much statistically but played really nice defense during that stretch.
JJ Redick
Another largely solid game from JJ. I specifically liked him throwing out a zone defense in the second half amidst their strong run in the third quarter. That being said, I thought he stuck with it a little too much once Cleveland figured it out.
But considering the Lakers won this game by 20, I think it was a small thing on a great night.
Grade: B+
Tuesday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber, Jarred Vanderbilt
Tuesday’s inactives: Chris Mañon, Nick Smith Jr., Marcus Smart
Los Angeles Lakers (50-26, third in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (60-16, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles plays the Oklahoma City Thunder after Luka Doncic scored 42 points in the Lakers' 127-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Thunder have gone 37-9 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is fourth in the NBA with 34.6 defensive rebounds per game led by Chet Holmgren averaging 7.0.
The Lakers are 30-16 in conference matchups. Los Angeles is sixth in the Western Conference scoring 116.8 points per game and is shooting 50.2%.
The Thunder score 118.6 points per game, 3.9 more points than the 114.7 the Lakers give up. The Lakers average 11.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 14.4 per game the Thunder give up.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Thunder won the last meeting 119-110 on Feb. 10, with Jalen Williams scoring 23 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.6 points and 6.5 assists for the Thunder. Holmgren is averaging 14.0 points over the last 10 games.
Doncic is averaging 33.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.6 steals for the Lakers. Austin Reaves is averaging 19.9 points and 5.5 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 117.4 points, 45.8 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 9.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.1 points per game.
Lakers: 9-1, averaging 120.0 points, 41.3 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 9.5 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Jalen Williams: day to day (injury management), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Isaiah Hartenstein: day to day (injury management).
Lakers: Marcus Smart: day to day (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 11: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs posts up against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Chase Center on February 11, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Everything has gone wrong for the Golden State Warriors this season. They resolved a bit of in-house drama with the Jonathon Kuminga trade, but they’ve been without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler since before the All Star break. Butler is out for the foreseeable future with a torn ACL, while Curry has been dealing with a knee ailment of his own and hasn’t played since the end of January. Without those two guys, Golden State’s already slim margin of competing with the league’s best becomes nonexistent. They’re going to play some extra basketball in the play-in thanks to an 11-game cushion between them and the 11th spot West team and Curry is expected to return soon, but no one is expecting them to make any serious noise as presently constructed.
The San Antonio Spurs meanwhile continue to roll along towards the end of the regular season. They’ve lost just 2 games since the beginning of February, solidifying themselves alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder as the two preeminent squads in the league as the playoffs approach. Tonight’s game is the first on their very last road trip of the regular season, a 3-game trek that starts in California and ends in Denver. They’re on the cusp of their first 60-win season since 2016-2017 and with the #1 seed very much still up for grabs, don’t expect them to ease up now.
San Antonio Spurs (54-18) at Golden State Warriors (36-39) April 1 2026 | 9:00 PM CT Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: David Jones-Garcia, OUT
Warriors Injuries: Stephen Curry, knee (OUT), Jimmy Butler, knee (OUT), Moses Moody, knee (OUT), Al Horford, calf (OUT), Will Richard, knee (day to day), Quinten Post, foot (day to day)
What to watch for
San Antonio has the talent advantage at center every game by default this season thanks to employing Victor Wembanyama, but it’s even more glaring against Golden State. The Warriors’ only 7 footer on the roster is Krystaps Porzingis, and he was only acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in the Kuminga trade. With Quinten Post and veteran AL Horford both out, Porzingis has been receiving the lion’s share of available center minutes. Meanwhile Draymond Green, arguably still arguably Golden State’s best defensive player, has had a few viral moments matching up with Wemby since the Frenchman came into the league and can guard him effectively here and there. The way Wembanyama has been playing though these last few weeks, even those few moments might not matter.
That talent disparity at center also impacts Golden State’s rebounding, where they rank in the bottom half overall. Their 11.4 offensive rebounds a game actually rank 13th, a credit to head coach Steve Kerr’s small ball philosophy and all-hands-on-deck approach to rebounding in spite of their lack of traditional big men. While that can help generate more looks for their 3-point happy offense against many teams, it’s tough to see them having much success against a Spurs team that is big seemingly everywhere up and down the roster. San Antonio is holding teams to 10.4 offensive rebounds a game, the 4th fewest in the Association.
This season Golden State takes the most 3s in the NBA and makes the 2nd most of them, but their 36% mark is good enough for just 17th. That number has plummeted to 33% with Chef Curry out of the line-up, which would be the worst in the league below even the 34% the Sacremento Kings make. The Spurs, who are among the best in the NBA at guarding the line, should be able to limit a lot of the Golden State offense sans Curry thanks to their work in limiting 2nd chance opportunities on the boards and a wing rotation that’s as good as anyone defensively.
Rookie Dylan Harper is coming off the best month of his young NBA career. He shooting line of 59/54/86 in the month of March was something of a revelation, taking a lot of the flourishes that have been on display throughout the season and developing amazing consistency. San Antonio has a chance to do something truly special this spring, and Harper is showing how big a part of that he can be.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
The shoes were designed with the Lakers team colors of purple and gold wrapped around a rainbow infinity symbol, a mark of pride and permanence for the autism community.
Per Lakers, head coach JJ Redick is wearing custom-made Nike sneakers tonight against the Washington Wizards that were designed by John Millar to raise awareness for the NBA and NBA coaches association autism acceptance campaign. pic.twitter.com/FMo8dTooB7
“It’s a great cause,” said Redick. “It’s bringing awareness and acceptance.”
But then Redick reflected for a moment and told the story of the teenage version of himself spending his free periods in high school helping a classmate with special needs.
Redick wore custom-made Nike sneakers designed by Salt Lake City artist John Millar for the NBA. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“My junior and senior year I had a free period and I spent those two years working with special needs kids,” recalled Redick. “There was one kid in particular that I worked with. I helped him with math. It was a really humbling experience.”
Redick also mentioned his friendship with Joe Ingles, an NBA player and father navigating life with an autistic son. Suddenly the cause stopped being abstract and it became personal.
“Anybody who knows me knows that I think all people are equal and loved,” Redick said.
The initiative also circles back to To The Max Foundation, founded by Utah Jazz assistant Scott Morrison and his wife after their son Max’s autism diagnosis in 2022.
Across the league, all 30 head coaches joined in the campaign to raise awareness for autism.
The game-worn sneakers laced up by all the NBA coaches will be signed and head to auction at Sotheby’s in May, with every dollar fueling access, opportunity, and dignity for families who often fight autism quietly and without help.
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PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez strode to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning during his first big league game in a pressure-packed spot against four-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen.
The three-run homer that followed capped one of the most powerful MLB regular-season debuts in modern history.
The Venezuelan became just the seventh player since 1900 to hit two homers in his debut, and the second was a go-ahead shot that led the Diamondbacks over the Detroit Tigers 7-5 on Tuesday night.
“I returned to my days as a kid — just a dream come true,” a smiling Fernandez said through an interpreter.
In a strange twist, two of the seven two-homer debuts have occurred over the past six days. Cleveland phenom Chase DeLauter went deep twice in his first career regular-season game last Thursday after making his MLB debut in the playoffs last season.
The 22-year-old Fernandez wasn’t on the D-backs’ opening-day roster, joining the team on Monday after Pavin Smith went on the 10-day injured list with left elbow soreness. He made the most of his first opportunity, finishing with three hits and four RBIs.
Not bad for a guy ranked as the No. 27 prospect in the organization, according to MLB.com
“He deserves all this credit,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’re so proud of him. He’s a player who came through our system, through our academy, and it’s a great story, a great baseball story. We’ve known about Jose for a long time. We knew he was coming.”
Fernandez hit an infield single in his first big league at-bat and added a solo homer his next time up. The three-run drive that followed put him in elite company, joining DeLauter, Trevor Story (2016), J.P. Arencibia (2010), Mark Quinn (1999), Bert Campaneris (1964) and Bob Nieman (1951) as players with two-homer debuts.
“Stay calm, keep the emotions in check, I knew something like that could happen,” Fernandez said. “Just look for a pitch.”
PHOENIX — One day, he’s waking up in Reno, Nevada, and is told he’s going to the big leagues.
The next, Jose Fernandez is celebrating the greatest day of his 22-year-old life, with his teammates dousing him with beer and everything else they could find for their overnight hero, who Tuesday night produced the finest major-league debut in Arizona Diamondbacks history.
Fernandez, ranked as only the 27th-best prospect in the Diamondbacks organization, became the eighth player in major-league history to hit two home runs in his debut, with the last one a game-winning, three-run homer in the eighth inning off future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen in the Diamondbacks’ dramatic comeback 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
“Grateful, grateful to God,’’ Fernandez said. “More than I could have expected. ... Just a dream come true.’’
This is a kid who was signed as an international player out of Venezuela at the age of 17, spent the past four years in the lower minor leagues, never advancing past Class AA until spending one day at Triple-A this year. He had a strong enough minor league season last year, slashing .272/.321/454 with 17 homers to be placed on the 40-man roster, and opened eyes this spring hitting .280 with an .840 OPS, and three doubles, a triple and three home runs in 25 at-bats.
“He was impressive this spring,’’ Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfadt said, “so we figured we’d see him at some point.’’
Just not in the first week of the season, playing in place of Nolan Arenado, and putting on one of the greatest hitting exhibitions in a debut in baseball history. He stepped to the plate in the second inning and reached base on an infield single off Tigers starter Casey Mize. He took Mize deep in the fourth inning on a 408-foot homer. And in the eighth, with two outs and two runners on with the D-backs trailing 5-4, he started to walk to the plate. He stopped when Tigers manager A.J. Hinch went to the mound and summoned Jansen, who has 477 career saves, just one shy of Lee Smith for third-place on the all-time saves list.
“I thought it was a unique look against a very young hitter,’’ Hinch said, “who I know was going to be in swing mode would be a tough matchup for him.’’
Fernandez walked back to the dugout and was summoned by D-backs veterans Carlos Santanta and James McCann. They told him to watch out for Jansen’s funky delivery.
“I just tried to talk to him about what kind of movement on the ball Kenley would be throwing,’’ Santanta said. “He’s tough. I just told him to be calm. He can do it.’’
Said D-backs manager Torey Lovullo: “They prepared him the best way they could. And the thing about Jose is that he wasn’t panicking. He wanted to see a pitch, see what they were talking about, and then zeroed in on it. That’s a very mature approach.’’
Fernandez watched Jansen throw a first-pitch cutter over the plate for strike 1. He watched the second pitch for ball 1, another cutter below his knees. Jansen threw another cutter, this one up in the strike zone, and Fernandez sent it 409 feet over the left-field fence for a three-run homer.
“Not the location I wanted,’’ Jansen said, “but sometimes you come in with no room for error, it’s tough. Give credit to him. He put the ball in play and the ball went out."
The Chase Field crowd erupted, and Pfaadt was back in the clubhouse screaming with the players and clubhouse attendants.
“Everybody in here was jumping up and down,’’ Pfaadt said. “Special day for the whole team, especially him and his family. We all cheered for him when he came in. It was really cool.’’
The celebration was so emotional and lasted so long that D-backs manager Torey Lovullo had to tear himself away just to attend the press conference. They were down 5-1 entering the eighth inning, and then a guy who was called up only because first baseman Pavin Smith went on the injured list with elbow inflammation, fulfills a childhood dream.
“What a day for him,’’ Mize said. “It’ll be a part of his story for his whole life, which is unfortunate for me.’’
But one that could be remembered for an awful long time in D-backs folklore.
“What a good moment for this team, this organization,’’ Lovullo said, “for all the people that have been around Jose pushing him, teaching him, and then ultimately it falls on Jose to go out there and let it all shine.
“We’re so proud of him. He’s a player that came through or system, through our academy, and it’s a great story.
“It’s a great baseball story.’’
One that Fernandez can’t wait to share with his family back home in Venezuela, knowing that for a country who took great pride in winning the World Baseball Classic, they now have another reason to celebrate.
“Thankful for the opportunity," Fernandez said. “It's a dream I've had ever since I was five years old, and just thankful for the opportunity that was given to me.’’
He was hoping that he could have shared the joy of being on that WBC championship team, but he wasn’t invited. Instead, he spent the spring opening a whole lot of eyes, paving the way for the most glorious night of his young baseball career.
“Not yet,’’ Fernandez said, “hopefully ..."
Yet, before he could even finish his answer, Diamondbacks teammate Eduardo Rodriguez, and the starting pitcher in Venezuela’s 3-2 championship victory over Team USA, jumped in and provided the answer.
“Oh, he’ll be at the next one all right,’’ Rodriguez said.
Hey, with nights like these, Fernandez just might find himself playing third base for Venezuela in the 2028 Olympics, too.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Willy Adames #2 and Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants embrace during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on March 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re new to these parts — “these parts” being the generic internet space surrounding the San Francisco Giants — then you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the lingo. Namely, one phrase: a “Webbing.”
A Webbing is the tragic sequel to a Caining, wherein a star Giants pitcher — first Matt Cain, now Logan Webb — pitches excellently, suppresses runs, and loses thanks to an inept offense. Last year, for instance, Webb allowed two or fewer runs a staggering 21 times, yet the Giants managed to lose seven of those games … and he was even tagged with the losing decision on three occasions.
That did not happen on opening day. San Francisco’s anemic offense was spared the embarrassment of a Webbing due to Webb’s uncharacteristic struggles against the New York Yankees. So Webb’s second start of the year, on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, offered an opportunity for redemption and equilibrium. It seemed we were destined for our first Webbing of the year.
Instead, we were treated to something much rarer, and so much more delightful: the Reverse Webbing.
A Reverse Webbing, if you couldn’t deduce it, is when Webb doesn’t pitch to his brilliant standards, but it doesn’t matter because the offense displays so much vim and vitality* that the Giants cruise to victory nonetheless.
*I just wanted to see if my CMS would allow me to follow “vim and” with a noun other than “vigor.” WordPress wouldn’t let me pick a non-V word, but once I got the V in there it let me pick a new noun to pair with vim. Just workshopping. Like and subscribe for more experimental word pairings. And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
San Francisco’s offense, which was non-existent in their first two games, lifeless in their third game, and just barely functional enough to survive in their fourth game, finally broke out properly. And they wasted positively no time doing so.
On just the second pitch of the game, Willy Adames — mired in another early-season slump — put the Giants on the board. Old friend — and I really do mean “friend,” given his bloated ERA when facing San Francisco — Germán Márquez dropped a meek curveball right into the zone where hitters salivate, and Adames made him pay, with the first home run of the year for the reigning 30-homer streak buster (working title).
But the Giants were not done. On Monday, they had their first multi-run inning of the year, and the taste was fresh in their mouth. Armed with the knowledge that such an activity was legal, the Giants set about rallying. With one out, Heliot Ramos drew a walk. With two outs, Matt Chapman hit a single.
And then came Jung Hoo Lee who, like Adames, has been stuck in a painful slump to start the year, and who, like Adames, broke out with a superstar game. It started with a dose of two-out magic, on a virtually identical pitch to the one Adames had punished. It wasn’t an identical result, as Lee’s fly ball to right field stopped a foot or seven shy of clearing the wall, but it did clear the bases, and left the lefty standing on second with a two-run double.
The Giants had scored three runs in a single inning, after entering the game with just four runs in as many games.
But it became clear in the bottom half of the inning that three runs — unlike on Monday — probably wouldn’t be enough. It was clear that Webb didn’t quite have full control of his pitches. He kept runs off the board in the first inning — no small thing, given that opening frames are his Achilles heel — but it wasn’t particularly pretty, as he worked around a Fernando Tatis Jr. double and a Jackson Merrill walk, while missing the strike zone on 10 of his 21 pitches.
To make matters worse, the Giants spent the next half-inning trying to convince you that their first-inning showing was merely a ruse. Casey Schmitt, Adames, and Rafael Devers strung together back-to-back-to-back one-out singles to load the bases, putting a runner 90 feet away from home with less than two outs. The Giants were staring at a glistening opportunity to prove to you that they were not back on their 2025 BS, and instead had metamorphosed into a team capable of basic situational hitting competency.
Instead, Ramos popped out and Luis Arráez flew out, and the Giants went home empty handed. Webb, meanwhile, returned to the mound for a fairly similar second inning: no runs, but 22 pitches thrown, 10 of which were balls (well, technically, all 22 thrown pitches were balls, but only 12 of those balls were strikes).
The third inning tore us in both directions. It started the way the first did: with a leadoff home run from a scuffling star. This time it was Chapman, who worked the count in his favor before Márquez crossed the plate with a fastball right in Chappy’s happy zone, and it was launched deep into the Southern California air.
With that, the Giants had matched their season’s run total in just the opening third of the game, and gifted their ace a 4-0 lead. But it was in that same inning that Webb’s lack of sharpness finally caught up to him.
After retiring Jake Cronenworth to open the inning, Webb issued back-to-back five-pitch walks to Tatis and Manny Machado, as life returned to Petco Park. Merrill, who possesses the type of ownage against Webb that makes you question everything you know about baseball, blistered a single into right field, scoring a run and getting San Diego on the board.
What followed was the rare baseball play where you can see, in real time, an exact moment where a manager helps his team in a quantifiable way. After Xander Bogaerts worked the count full, first-year manager Craig Stammen had Merrill take off for second. Bogaerts rolled the ball directly to his counterpart Adames, but with Merrill on the move, the only play was at first. Rather than an inning-ending double play, it was an RBI fielder’s choice, and one that kept the line moving so that Miguel Andujar could cap a three-run inning with an RBI single.
The Padres had pulled within a run, and it was another long, ball-filled inning for Webb, who missed the zone on 12 of his 25 pitches. He just didn’t quite have it, and it would be up to his offense to star.
His offense starred. They didn’t stop with those four runs, and instead added four more in the sixth inning. First they flirted with another frustrating inning, after Harrison Bader led off with a double and Patrick Bailey drew a walk, but Casey Schmitt failed to get down a bunt before ultimately striking out.
But Adames would not let it be. The shortstop was deep in his bag, as the basketball writers say (not that I know anything about them), and singled home a run as part of a 4-5 day that finished a triple short of the cycle.
The insurance run was in, but the Giants weren’t done. In a comical but mesmerizing scene, Devers absolutely tore down the first base line to leg out an infield single, which brought up a situation that can either be tragic or deeply satisfying: the revenge at-bat.
Yes, for the second time in the game, Ramos stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and just one out. There would be no soft pop-out this time. Instead, Ramos jumped on a Bradgley Rodriguez sinker that found the heart of the plate, skillfully taking it the other way and through the hole, plating a pair of runs with a single.
The route was on, but not over. Thanks to Devers making it to third on Ramos’ single, Arráez could — and would — knock in the fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, and then start a final rally in the ninth inning, when he bopped a leadoff single, and was pinch-run for by Jared Oliva. Doing exactly what he’s on the roster to do, Oliva easily stole second base, prompting a throw into center field that allowed him to take third. With two outs, Lee missed his third double of the day by about two feet … then settled right back in and blooped an RBI single.
San Francisco’s offense had done what it set out to do, and it had taken all the pressure off of Webb, giving him nine runs — something they achieved in just three of his 34 starts a year ago. And yet, while the offense justifiably was the star of the show, Webb quietly went about reversing his own fortunes as well.
After those three stressful innings in which he gave up three runs, struggled to find the strike zone, and saw his bullpen get loose in the third inning, Webb settled back into the ace that we all know and love. He set down the side in order in the fourth inning, needing just 13 pitches. He showed off his newfound strikeout stuff (Est. 2025) with a thoroughly dominant fifth inning, in which he struck out Tatis on four pitches, struck out Machado on four pitches, and then struck out Merrill on three pitches, finishing just two balls shy of an immaculate inning.
And in the sixth — an inning it once seemed impossible that he’d make it to — he got back to his old tricks, forcing three ground balls and giddily watching as the left side of his infield casually and artfully ate them all up.
It was a remarkable display of turning things around, as Webb, despite giving up three hits and four walks, retired the final 10 batters he faced. Webb said after the game that he made mechanical tweaks late in the start, while Tony Vitello summed it up nicely, stating, “That’ll be one of my favorite outings of the year even though you could take a step back and say it was one of the uglier ones too.”
In the end, the 9-3 victory was the best-case scenario. The offense broke out, and showed Webb that they can carry him. He doesn’t need to do all the heavy lifting. And yet, along the way, he rediscovered his ability to do so.
BOTTOM LINE: Houston heads into a matchup against Milwaukee as winners of three games in a row.
The Rockets are 26-10 on their home court. Houston leads the Western Conference in rebounding, averaging 48.1 boards. Alperen Sengun leads the Rockets with 8.9 rebounds.
The Bucks are 13-24 on the road. Milwaukee is 17-30 in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Rockets average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.5 fewer makes per game than the Bucks allow (14.8). The Bucks are shooting 47.7% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 45.9% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Rockets won the last meeting 122-115 on Nov. 9. Kevin Durant scored 31 points to help lead the Rockets to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Rockets. Amen Thompson is averaging 18.9 points over the last 10 games.
Bobby Portis is averaging 13.7 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Bucks. Ryan Rollins is averaging 18.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 115.1 points, 47.8 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points per game.
Bucks: 3-7, averaging 107.9 points, 38.8 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.3 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
Bucks: Gary Harris: day to day (groin), Kevin Porter Jr.: day to day (knee), Thanasis Antetokounmpo: day to day (calf), Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (ankle), Bobby Portis: day to day (wrist).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Phoenix Suns (42-33, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (40-36, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Charlotte, North Carolina; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Charlotte Hornets host the Phoenix Suns in non-conference action.
The Hornets are 19-19 on their home court. Charlotte ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference at limiting opponent scoring, allowing just 111.4 points while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.
The Suns are 18-19 in road games. Phoenix is 7-10 in one-possession games.
The Hornets average 16.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 4.1 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Suns allow. The Suns are shooting 45.4% from the field, 1.3% lower than the 46.7% the Hornets' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last meeting on March 9 the Suns won 111-99 led by 30 points from Devin Booker, while LaMelo Ball scored 22 points for the Hornets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ball is averaging 19.6 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 19.0 points over the last 10 games.
Booker is scoring 25.7 points per game with 3.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists for the Suns. Jalen Green is averaging 19.8 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 45.5% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 118.7 points, 45.5 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.3 points per game.
Suns: 3-6, averaging 115.5 points, 42.6 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: None listed.
Suns: Mark Williams: out (foot), Haywood Highsmith: day to day (knee), Amir Coffey: day to day (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
