OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 07: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays is congratulated by George Springer #4 after Guerrero scored against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the seventh inning on June 7, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even after recording the best record in their league, winning a pennant, and getting to within a fateful bounce or two of winning the World Series, the road is not always easy in perhaps the league’s most competitive and balanced division. That is precisely where the 2026 Blue Jays find themselves.
2025 was a resounding success, and with much of the core from last year’s American League champions still in tact, expectations will be high this season. Despite that, their division is tough, and they have nearly a rotation’s worth of good pitchers beginning the year on the injured list. Matching last season’s success will be anything but easy for the Blue Jays, but the potential is there.
While the lineup that propelled the Jays to a pennant last season is largely in tact for 2026, the projected starting group did undergo some changes. Bo Bichette left for the Mets in free agency, signing a three-year $126 million deal. On top of that, Anthony Santander, who signed a five-year deal worth nearly nine figures before his dismal 2025 season, underwent labrum surgery last month that will keep him out for the majority of the regular season.
It was not all losses, however, as they signed infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year from the NPB over the offseason. He began his career in Japan with six consecutive 30-home run seasons, and is coming off of a shortened year where he posted a 210 wRC+ in 293 plate appearances in one of the world’s best leagues. Projections see him as a legitimate everyday bat, with solid power in a well above league-average profile.
Outside of the changes, the lineup still remains strong at the top. After it appeared he may be just about washed with the bat, George Springer bounced back in 2025 with a shocking career year at 35, and he’ll look to ride that wave into ‘26. Daulton Varsho experienced a renaissance as well, setting career-highs across the board and hitting 20 homers in just 71 games. Guerrero is a star despite the occasional ups and downs, and the supporting cast of Addison Barger, Alejandro Kirk, Andrés Giménez, and Ernie Clement is more than serviceable.
On the pitching side of things, the situation is not as sturdy in Toronto. Veterans Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease lead the way. Gausman had a good bounce-back in 2025, and the strikeout-heavy Cease will look to have one of his own after signing a seven-year $210 million deal this offseason. Max Scherzer returned to the club on a one-year deal to provide some stability in the back of the rotation, but beyond that, things get shaky.
To begin the season, each of Shane Bieber, José Berríos, and hotly-anticipated sophomore Trey Yesavage will begin the season on the injured list. The confidence their two veterans provide for their teammtes will be missed, and Yesavage appears to have ace potential, which the Jays will surely be eager to get back. At full strength this is a rotation that features top-notch talent, with veteran depth that would be highly valuable in a potential October run. The question, however, is when at least most of them can get healthy at the same time.
As for the bullpen, Toronto retains almost everyone who helped them get to the doorstep of a title in the 2025 postseason, with closer Jeff Hoffman, playoff workhorse Louis Varland, and contributors Mason Fluharty, Brendon Little, and Braydon Fisher back in the fold. The notable exception is a free agent swap of Seranthony Domínguez (now of the White Sox) for the crafty-but-effective Tyler Rogers, who signed a three-year, $37 million contract after leading the majors with 81 games pitched in 2026 between the Giants and Mets, recording a 1.98 ERA and 0.944 WHIP.
Coming off of a pennant-winning campaign, the talent and potential in Toronto is clear, but they do not come without some uncertainties. Health is an issue out of the gates, but they also occupy a notoriously competitive division. In the American League East, FanGraphs projects all five teams to go at least .500, and for the Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles all to finish within three games of each other. Though it won’t likely finish that way, it’s telling of the balanced and talented state of the AL East, which makes the path to good postseason position difficult for any team, including the defending pennant winners.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night in St. Paul. This snapped a 19-game point streak for Minnesota in the head-to-head matchup, losing in regulation to Chicago for the first time since 2019.
The Blackhawks don’t have much time to celebrate that win, however, as they are at home on Friday for the second half of a back-to-back. They are going to face one of the few teams ahead of the Wild in the standings this season, the Colorado Avalanche.
Scouting Colorado
The Colorado Avalanche have the best record in the NHL. At 44-13-10, they lead the league with 98 points. Over the last 20 games or so, however, they’ve been a good team but not a great team. There is another gear this team is capable of reaching, and they hope to get there before the playoffs begin.
For the Blackhawks, they will do what they can to keep them at bay for at least another game. It’s hard with the lineup that they have, including multiple game-breaking superstars.
Nichushkin - MacKinnon - Necas
Kadri - Nelson - Roy
Kelly - Drury - Kiviranta
Ivan - Bardakov - Brindley
Kulak - Makar
Manson - Burns
Toews - Malinski
Blackwood
Wedgewood
Everything that the Avalanche does starts and ends with their two superstars, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. They are both top-five players in the sport. MacKinnon is second in NHL scoring with 111 points, while Makar is tied for third in points by a defenseman with 69.
Makar does a lot more than create an elite amount of offense. His ability to skate, close gaps, and make a breakout pass from the back-end is among the best in NHL history. As for MacKinnon, the only center in the same conversation with him right now is Connor McDavid.
The Avalanche have some tremendous depth as well, which is why they are so good, but a few players stick out above the rest. Martin Necas is an outstanding forward, and he has tremendous success playing on a line with MacKinnon.
The other is Devon Toews, who thrives playing as a stay-at-home defenseman with Cale Makar. If the two are seperated, it is the coaching staff looking for a spark between their pairs.
Colorado traded for Nazem Kadri at the trade deadline. He played a huge role in them winning the Stanley Cup in 2022 before leaving for the Calgary Flames in free agency. They haven't used him at center yet, but you can't help but wonder if running Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri, and Brock Nelson down the middle is their ultimate plan for the playoffs. For now, expect Kadri to start on the wing playing alongside Nelson.
Gabriel Landeskog, Artturi Lehkonen, Logan O'Connor, and Ross Colton all skated in Chicago this morning, but none of them will suit up against the Blackhawks.
In goal, it doesn't matter if it's Scott Wedgewood or Mackenzie Blackwood. Each of them is perfectly good enough to win every game with, and the way that the skaters defend as a unit in front plays a big role.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks didn't have a morning skate on Friday, so a lot is up in the air as far as their lineup goes. They called up Dominic Toninato from the Rockford IceHogs on Friday morning, which makes Sacha Boisvert's NHL debut seem unlikely.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Mangiapane-Donato-Mikheyev
Lardis-Lafferty-Slaggert
Toninato
Vlasic-Levshunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Del Mastro-Crevier
Grzelcyk
Soderblom
Knight
The Blackhawks went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild, and it worked out well for them. It won't be known until Jeff Blashill speaks at 6 PM CT anymore on this lineup.
History says that two of Landon Slaggert, Dominic Toninato, Matt Grzelcyk, or Ethan Del Mastro will sit, and the other two will play. With Spencer Knight starting on Thursday, expect Arvid Soderblom to get his first nod since Knight came back from illness.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT.
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One might think the drama around Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks would wind down, at least until the season ends and we get closer to the NBA Draft. Nothing is happening before then.
One would be wrong. The latest saga comes from Bucks' co-owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam telling ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne the duo will work together on what comes next for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Then Edens said basically what every other team has been expecting, what has been reported here and elsewhere: It all comes down to what Antetokounmpo says he will do about a $275 million extension the Bucks can offer (but Antetokounmpo could not sign until Oct. 1).
"Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract]," said Edens, the team's controlling owner until April 2028. "So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he'll be traded. The likelihood you'll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can't afford that. It's not consistent with what's good for the organization. That's not a Giannis issue. That's any player that's in their last year."
Other teams are not convinced the decision is that simple for the Bucks, Shelburne reports. The combination of Edens and Haslam — the latter of whom takes over as governor in 2028 — leads to a muddled picture.
"This has nothing to do with Giannis and whether he asks out," said one source with knowledge of the team's operations. "It's about who's making the decision on whether to trade Giannis, and I don't think anyone knows that. I deal with them all the time and honestly it depends on the day. They're not even close to being ready to make a decision like that."
Milwaukee tested the waters of an Antetokounmpo trade at the deadline, but teams around the league thought it was just that — the Bucks front office wanted to gauge the market. What could the return be? Golden State offered four first-round picks. What more might be out there from other teams — especially win-now teams that struggle in these playoffs? A first-round exit for a team with higher expectations can change how it approaches a potential Antetokounmpo trade. Teams like the Knicks and Lakers could make better offers this summer than they could at the deadline, and they're not alone.
Ultimately, it comes down to what Antetokounmpo wants. Every previous time he was faced with this situation, he pressured the Bucks into making an all-in move — trading for Jrue Holiday or Damian Lillard — then signed the extension. It may happen again, especially if the draft lottery ping-pong balls bounce the Bucks' way. Or, maybe this is the year that things are different. Maybe, after a rough season for him, one where the Bucks are not going to make the play-in (whether or not Antetokounmpo returns), he decides he needs to chase another ring elsewhere.
We know this: As of today, Edens does not want this soap opera to drag out beyond this summer.
Spring Training is winding down, with the final slate of Friday games taking place today.
My MLB picks assess three of these March 20 tune-up affairs, looking for the best value on the board.
See why I'm taking the Braves to pick up yet another exhibition win tonight.
Spring Training predictions for March 20
Pick
Odds
CLE moneyline
+100
ATL moneyline
-140
ARI moneyline
-110
Pick #1: Guardians moneyline
The Seattle Mariners are a putrid 9-17 in Cactus League play, with an MLB-worst -47 run differential in Spring Training, so I'm more than willing top back the Cleveland Guardians at a coin-flip price today.
Gabe Mosser gets the pill for Seattle, and he's sandwiched a rough five-run outing with two scoreless ones of two innings each.
Cleveland has put up some crooked numbers of late, so I don't think Mosser will escape unscathed.
Pick #2: Braves moneyline
Pittsburgh Pirates SP Yohan Ramirez has been just fine in Spring Training, allowing only two earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. However, Ramirez has yet to see the third inning through seven exhibition appearances.
This increases the chances of the Pirates deploying some depth arms that will get rocked by the Atlanta Braves' potent lineup.
The Braves have plated a Grapefruit League-best 138 runs. Bryce Elder does not need to bring his best to the mound for Atlanta to prevail today.
Pick #3: Diamondbacks moneyline
I like being able to back Arizona Diamondbacks SP Zac Gallen at coin-flip odds. He's been solid in Spring Training since last year, allowing one earned run or fewer in seven straight outings prior to Saturday's effort vs. San Francisco.
Gallen coughed up three earned runs in the Giants' stadium, but I think he can right the ship at home vs. the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Countering Gallen is Jacob Misiorowski. He's been solid but unspectacular this spring, allowing three ER over 7 1/3 frames. He had an 8.10 ERA in exhibition play last season.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 06: Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on before a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 06, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2025 Cincinnati Reds won more games than they lost, finished 3rd in the National League Central, and still somehow found a way to sneak into the expanded playoff system (for a minute).
Clearly, Nick Krall and the rest of the front office think they’re on to something, as the club went out and signed slugger Eugenio Suárez off another 49 homer season and spent diligently to build a proven, competent bullpen. That’s all after an attempted pursuit of Kyle Schwarber – fresh off a 56 dinger season of his own – as evidence that this franchise is convinced they’ve got the chops to win even more games in 2026.
Where does that put them in the grand scheme, though? Did they do enough to leapfrog the Chicago Cubs in the division, the club who let Kyle Tucker walk? Have they built themselves up with another year of experience to tackle the mighty Milwaukee Brewers, who led all of baseball in wins last season?
Just how high will they finish in the division in 2026?
That’s what we asked you earlier this week, and your responses pretty clearly indicate that you’ve got higher expectations for the 2026 Reds than you did for last year’s club, too.
Over two-thirds of you anticipate these Reds finishing in one of the top two spots in the NL Central this season, meaning they’re going to have to not only take down one of the Cubs or Brewers but also fend off a Pittsburgh Pirates club that is much improved themselves.
It isn’t outlandish to expect such things as it currently stands. Elly De La Cruz is healthy again, while Matt McLain finally looks back to his old self with another offseason removed from his shoulder issues. Nate Lowe and JJ Bleday look to be savvy additions brought in on the cheap, and Sal Stewart is ready to roll for a full season. Hunter Greene’s absence is daunting, to be sure, but this team has drafted and acquired the kind of starting pitching depth that the rest of baseball desires – and Greene’s going to be back mid-summer, too.
It’s going to take ~90 wins to jump into the top two in the division, in all likelihood, and this is off an 83 win season from these Reds. So, you’re betting on there being enough improvement across the board for Terry Francona to guide this team to a place they’ve not been since all the way back in 2013.
I cannot tell you how much I hope you are correct.
The Colorado Avalanche aren't as dominant as they were at the beginning of the season, but they have a chance on Friday, March 20, to become the first team to clinch a 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs berth.
The Avalanche had only two regulation losses on Jan. 1. That's up to 13 now and the Dallas Stars are just two points back in the race for the Central Division title. But the early goodwill puts Colorado in position to clinch less than four weeks before the end of the regular season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, surging after a coaching change, moved into a playoff position on Thursday night by improving to 17-2-4 under Rick Bowness. The New York Islanders dropped below the playoff line.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, tiebreaker procedures and playoff field for the 2025-26 season:
Who can clinch today?
The Colorado Avalanche will clinch a playoff berth if they get at least one point against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
NHL games today (Friday, March 20)
All times p.m. ET
Carolina at Toronto, 7
New Jersey at Washington, 7
Colorado at Chicago, 8:30
Florida at Calgary, 9
Anaheim at Utah, 10
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes (92)
Pittsburgh Penguis (84)
Columbus Blue Jackets (83)
Atlantic Division
Buffalo Sabres (92)
Tampa Bay Lightning (88)
Montreal Canadiens (84)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (84)
Detroit Red Wings (84)
Sitting out of playoff position: New York Islanders (83), Ottawa Senators (79), Philadelphia Flyers (78), Washington Capitals (76), New Jersey Devils (72), Florida Panthers (71), Toronto Maple Leafs (70), New York Rangers (64)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
Central Division
Colorado Avalanche (98)
Dallas Stars (96)
Minnesota Wild (90)
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks (78)
Edmonton Oilers (77)
Vegas Golden Knights (76)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (78)
Los Angeles Kings (72)
Sitting out of playoff position: Seattle Kraken (71), Nashville Predators (71), San Jose Sharks (70), Winnipeg Jets (67), St. Louis Blues (65), Chicago Blackhawks (64), Calgary Flames (61), Vancouver Canucks (50)
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended
Carolina (M1) vs Detroit (WC2)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Columbus (M3)
Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended
Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to begin on Saturday, April 18.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum on March 17, 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
By now, I assume everyone is aware of the disagreement between Giannis and the Bucks over him being shut down for the season after yet another injury. If you’re not, please read Van’s recap (along with his take on what Milwaukee should do). And to be clear, Van’s logic is completely reasonable: essentially, if and when Antetokounmpo gets 100% healthy, he can play the remainder of the season. On its face, it’s a position I have no issue with: get him back to full health, and he won’t be playing at any level of deficit, significantly reducing the risk of reinjury. He stays happy, everyone wins. I also no longer care too much about the tanking element of it at this point; it feels like they are locked into the ninth or 10th-best draft odds.
Here’s my problem: that doesn’t rule out freak injuries; you know, the injuries that take 12 months to recover from (touch wood, but I have to mention it). Now, you might say, “but Jack, what are the chances of that happening? 1%? 3%?” I don’t care how small the chances are. By putting him on the court for no tangible reason, you are accepting some percentage of risk—crucially, risk that is increased from that of a standard player because of GA’s high-flying style of play. My heart dropped when he hyperextended his knee, as it did when he went down holding his calf (both times). All three of those injuries had the potential to be catastrophic. Nope. I’m done tempting fate. Come hell or high water, they must stop him from returning.
At this point, the only thing that tangibly matters to me is getting Antetokounmpo to the offseason healthy. A catastrophic injury to Giannis could significantly slow their return to competitiveness: if he demanded a trade while hurt, the package Milwaukee receives in return would likely be halved. I’m not comfortable with any level of risk. This offseason is going to be the most consequential offseason I can remember since I became a fan in 2018, which is why the front office needs to stand firm.
Here’s the bottom line: regardless of what happens this offseason, it is imperative that GA enters it healthy. From that point, the path forward will quite literally sort itself out: he’ll either A) sign the supermax extension, giving the front office leeway to take more risks and also cover for future injuries, or B) not sign it, giving the front office no choice but to trade him with one guaranteed year left on his contract. But you have to get to that point with him in one piece, or else this all becomes moot, and the team is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Truly, I can appreciate the “you have to keep Giannis happy” argument, but this isn’t a matter I’m playing with. I’d be willing to risk any unhappiness that would come with forcing him to sit, if that’s what it came to. That said, what are we talking about here? Is Antetokounmpo really going to be “happy” if he is allowed to play? Because playing this season hasn’t seemed to bring him much joy. Like, am I taking crazy pills, or is this argument something of a red herring? He’s seemed miserable playing in these blowouts. Why bother putting yourself through more?
In closing, I strongly believe Milwaukee should stand firm and prevent the big fella from playing any further this season. It’s not worth it—from their end or his. And crucially, it’s not as if they’re asking for the world! They’re simply requesting he sit out 13 meaningless games. Is that really all that big of a deal? Think about the silver lining, Giannis. With no international basketball this summer, you can start your planning for a long European holiday early! Win-win, eh?
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the guard's draft night will play out.
Labaron Philon Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 12 overall, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors could still use more reliable players in the backcourt and could find a fairly compelling player in Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon. Even though the All-SEC guard is not playing at 100 percent due to injury issues, he is still playing well. The guard is now averaging 21.5 points per game and has improved his 3-point shooting from 31.5 percent as a freshman to 38.9 percent as a sophomore, also managing 5.0 assists per game in the process. He has one of the most productive one-footed floaters in college basketball, too.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the forward's draft night will play out.
Joshua Jefferson 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 18 overall, Memphis Grizzlies
A few years ago, research indicated that the Grizzlies tend to value a few statistical similarities in their draftees: Efficient shot selection, added value beyond scoring and defensive playmaking. For the second year in a row, Iowa State do-it-all Joshua Jefferson is an impactful dribble-pass-shoot forward who meets many of the qualifications that led Memphis to find players who spent many years on their roster. The All-Big 12 forward is someone who looks destined to have a sustainable NBA career.
It may be peak March Madness time, but don’t forget about the pros! There are six NBA games on the board, full of player props to bet on.
I’ve dug through the odds and found my three best bets for today, which include Amen Thompson stuffing the stat sheet against the Atlanta Hawks and Scottie Barnes dishing out the dimes when the Toronto Raptors face the Denver Nuggets.
Those and more NBA picks for Friday, March 20, below.
The Houston Rockets are the best rebounding team in the NBA. They not only have great length, but everyone crashes the boards.
Tonight, they play the Atlanta Hawks, who have a great rebounder in Jalen Johnson, but are not a great rebounding team. The Hawks rank 21st in rebounding rate and surrender the fifth-most opponent rebounds per game.
So, let’s target Amen Thompson. He’s been a beast on the boards since the All-Star break, averaging 8.5 rebounds, hauling down double-digit boards seven times over 14 games.
With that in mind, let’s not just take the Over on his rebounds; let’s back him to record another double-double.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Atlanta, SCHN
Prop #2: Ty Jerome Over 18.5 points
-120 at bet365
The Memphis Grizzlies' injury report is something out of a horror story. But it has created an opportunity for Ty Jerome.
Jerome returned to the Grizzlies lineup at the end of January, and he’s basically been the only reliable bucket getter for them ever since.
The Grizz shooting guard is averaging 20.2 points while shooting 42.5% from three in the 13 games he’s played since his return.
Tonight, he takes on the Boston Celtics, who are big faves, but that could also mean they let off the gas late. Jerome has topped this number 10 times during those 13 games.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSB, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis
Prop #3: Scottie Barnes Over 4.5 assists
-115 at bet365
The Toronto Raptors have won three in a row thanks to an offense that is clicking. They’ll need that to continue to keep up with the high-powered Denver Nuggets, and I like their chances.
While the Nuggets have one of the best offenses in the NBA, the effort at the other end of the floor has been lacking. Denver ranks 21st in defensive rating and opponent assists per possession.
The Raptors are one of the best teams at moving the basketball, ranking fifth in assist rate. So, give me Scottie Barnes Over 4.5 assists. Despite a bit of a dip lately, he averages 5.3 assists per game and had 10 assists in Toronto’s other meeting with Denver this season.
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March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Tennessee's Nate Ament is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the forward's draft night will play out.
After a relatively slow and inefficient start to the season, Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is starting to realize some of his lofty expectations. The freshman averaged 21.6 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent on 3-pointers during a 13-game stretch before an injury against Alabama on Feb. 28. The All-SEC forward then had 27 points (4-of-6 on 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal against Auburn on March 12. It will only take one team to fall in love with Ament and given so much of what he brings to the table cannot be taught, that team is probably picking fairly early in the lottery.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Florida's Thomas Haugh is expected to go in the first round.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the forward's draft night will play out.
Thomas Haugh 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 14 overall, San Antonio Spurs
After winning a national championship with Florida last season, Thomas Haugh was instantly regarded as one of the most interesting players who elected to return to college. The All-SEC forward has one of the top motors in the NCAA and he is an incredibly skilled basketball player. He does not need the ball in his hands very often to make a difference on the floor for his team, and he can serve as a glue guy for a contending team looking to win an NBA title like the Spurs.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 19: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns come limping home after a long, arduous road trip. When their plane lifted off from Sky Harbor, they were 37–27, sitting 1.5 games back of the seventh seed in the Western Conference. By the time they touched back down, they were 39–31, now 3 games back of that same spot, a subtle shift in the standings that carries a heavier weight when you feel everything that happened in between. There are plenty of reasons why, and the context matters.
This is a team that spent the entire trip without Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams, two starters who anchor both ends of the floor in different ways, and their absence was felt in the margins, in the rotations, and in the moments where you need stability and instead are searching for answers. Sprinkle in games where Grayson Allen could not go, add in the fact that Royce O’Neale, who had been a constant presence all season, missed time as well, and you start to see the shape of it. The continuity was not there. The availability was not there. The rhythm never had a chance to fully settle in.
Health has been an issue. It is not the only issue, but it is the one that keeps showing up, the one that keeps nudging everything else slightly off balance, the one that forces adjustments that are necessary but rarely ideal. And when you are navigating that over the course of a six-game road trip, it compounds. It stretches you thin. It asks players to take on roles they are still growing into, and it tests how sustainable your identity really is.
The result? A 2–4 trip that feels like it could have been more, but also one that tells a deeper story about where this team is right now, and what it is still trying to figure out as it heads home.
One of the primary reasons the Suns did not fare better on this road trip is simple: if this team wants to be better, Devin Booker has to be better late in games.
When you look at the last four games Phoenix has played, Booker has struggled in the fourth quarter, and the reason is not hard to find. Opposing defenses know exactly where the pressure point is. With so many rotation players unavailable, it becomes much easier to load up on him, to send extra bodies, to crowd his space, and to force somebody else to beat you. That is the tax of being the engine. That is the burden of being the one every defense circles before the game even tips.
You could see it clearly against San Antonio. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson made the plan obvious: blitz everything until the ball ends up in Rasheer Fleming’s hands. That strategy worked. Fleming missed the free throws, Wemby hit the game-winner, and Phoenix walked away with another late-game lesson and another loss that felt avoidable.
Fleming is a 57% FT shooter. Not sure why you keep him in after the timeout and then on the inbounds play pass it to him. Spurs forced the timeout with three traps one each on Jalen, Collin and Book. Then the game plan was to deny everyone else on the inbounds play and even have…
Boston had a similar rhythm, only Phoenix played into it.
The Suns were so committed to getting Booker the ball late that they kept initiating actions in ways that made life easier for the Celtics’ defense. Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard were draped all over him possession after possession, and still Phoenix kept trying to force the offense through that same point of attack. The result was an offense that stalled out completely, allowing Boston to close the game on a 12-1 run and turn a competitive finish into another frustrating collapse.
Three nights prior, Toronto followed a familiar script. Booker is the driver of the offense, so naturally the Suns kept trying to put the ball in his hands and let him organize the late-game attack. Some poor officiating played its part, sure, but the larger issue remained the same. Phoenix became too predictable, too dependent on one initiation point, and when the resistance tightened, the offense did not have enough counters to survive it. The game slipped. Then it was gone.
That is three of the four losses on this trip. Because of late-game execution, because of predictable offense, and because of an inability to adapt quickly enough when teams made Booker the entire focus of their defensive plan. The only loss that does not really fit that description is Minnesota, which felt less like a choke and more like a team running out of answers.
And that is where the frustration should live. Not in the idea that Booker is incapable, because he is not. Not in pretending he is the only problem, because he is not. But if Phoenix wants to climb out of this lane it keeps drifting into, its best player has to find a way to be sharper, calmer, and more effective when defenses inevitably come hunting for him late. That is what stars are asked to solve. That is what this version of the Suns keeps running into.
So yes, there is some real cause and effect here. When there is no proper release valve around Devin Booker, it becomes harder to expect him to operate cleanly. Defenses know where the play is headed. They know who matters most. They know where to send the extra attention. That context is real, and it matters. At the same time, two things can be true. He is your max player. He is the one who is supposed to rise above moments like this and execute.
One way to create cleaner offense for Booker, especially against teams with high defensive IQ, is to place him in secondary and tertiary actions within the same possession, allowing the defense to shift first, allowing the floor to bend a little, and then giving him a better chance to either get to a clean look or create a positive possession. We saw some of that on the trip, and it worked at times. It is a smart adjustment. It is a necessary adjustment.
It also should not be necessary every single time.
Because when you watch other teams late in close games, their primary offensive players still get the ball and still make things happen. Phoenix is not some broken defensive team either. They sit 10th in defensive rating, and yet the Suns still watched Jaylen Brown score 18 points in the fourth quarter, Julius Randle put up 11, and Wemby deliver 9, including the buzzer beater. Those players were not hidden away in secondary actions all night, hoping the defense might forget about them. They got the ball, they handled the pressure, and they executed.
That is the standard.
Yes, I think it is a good idea to avoid force-feeding Booker late to the point that opposing defenses can load up on him and choke off the entire possession before it starts. That part is basketball survival. That part is smart. But it also should not have to live there permanently. At some point, your best player has to be able to take the ball in those moments, see the coverage, absorb the pressure, and still deliver. That is what this league asks of stars. That is what Phoenix needs from Devin Booker.
When you look at Devin Booker’s fourth quarter production over the last four games, the problem becomes pretty clear. He is averaging 5.0 points, but doing it on 35.3% shooting. He has not hit a three. His assist-to-turnover ratio sits at -0.6, and he is a -17 in plus/minus. That is the part of the story that keeps showing up late, and it is hard to ignore.
What makes it feel so strange is everything else he is doing.
Over those same four games, Booker is second in the NBA in scoring at 31.8 points per game. He has poured in 127 total points, yet only 20 of them have come in the fourth quarter. So the scoring volume is there. The aggression is there. The burden is certainly there. But when games tighten, when the floor shrinks, when defenses stop messing around and start sending real pressure, that is where Phoenix has needed more from its best player.
In short, when the defenses get tougher, Devin Booker has to get tougher. That is the blunt truth. It feels weird saying considering that Booker has been one tough son of a bitch this season, but to be the best, you have to rise above what the opposition is attempting to do to you.
Now, there is context here, and it should not be ignored. He is missing key pieces around him, and that absolutely affects what late-game offense looks like. The spacing changes, the counters change, and the trust points in a possession change. But one of the biggest issues hurting Phoenix right now is that there has been no real release valve in the form of Jalen Green.
Green has scored 81 points over the last four games, which looks good at a glance, until you see where those points are coming from. 55 of them have come in the first half. That is where the split gets interesting and troubling. In the first half, Green is shooting 45.8% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. Once the second half arrives, and especially as the game leans into winning time, his production falls off a cliff. During this losing stretch, he is shooting 26.5% from the field and 20% from deep after halftime.
So Booker is carrying the early burden and fading late. Green is contributing early and disappearing later. And when both of those trends hit in the same game, Phoenix runs into the exact problem that has defined so much of this road trip, an offense that can survive for long stretches, but not always close. That is where the Suns keep getting stuck.
So again, two things can be true at once.
Devin Booker has to be better in the fourth quarter, especially when you are measuring him against the opposing team’s best players, the ones who are stepping into those same moments and delivering. And Jalen Green has to do his part to make life easier on Booker, to be a real threat that defenses have to respect when the game tightens. Because right now, that balance is not there. During this losing stretch, Green is shooting 14.3% from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, and when that shot is not falling, it allows defenses to stay locked in on Booker without fear of being punished.
Yes, context exists. Yes, injuries have reshaped what this team looks like on a nightly basis. But that is part of the league. That is part of every season. Champions adjust. They find solutions within the reality in front of them. They do not wait for perfect conditions to execute.
Phoenix is not there yet. Not this season.
BOOK:
But what you are looking for is the beginning of those habits. The ability to recognize what defenses are doing, to counter it in real time, and to execute with purpose when the game is on the line. This road trip, frustrating as it may feel, offered plenty of those moments. Moments where the Suns were tested. Moments where they came up short. Moments that can either sit with you or sharpen you. The hope is they choose the latter.
Because if they do, these losses stop being empty. They start becoming part of something, small steps that, over time, can turn nights like these into something different when it matters most.
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