Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is scheduled to return to the lineup on Wednesday, March 18 for the first time since he was injured at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Crosby has missed 11 NHL games since he suffered a lower-body injury on a Radko Gudas check during Canada's quarterfinal win against Czechia. He also missed the semifinal and the gold medal game loss to the United States.
The Penguins have gone 5-3-3 in Crosby's absence to remain in a playoff position, and during five of those games, they were without suspended Evgeni Malkin.
"When you see on a nightly basis the way we compete, the way we work, just coming back in games ... I just want to jump in there and contribute the best I can," Crosby told reporters.
Malkin had two goals and an assist when he returned from his suspension in the Penguins' last game.
"He set the bar high," Crosby said.
Sidney Crosby injury update
Penguins coach Dan Muse told reporters that Sidney Crosby will return from his 11-game absence on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was practicing on a line with Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.
Sidney Crosby stats
Despite missing the 11 games, Crosby remains the Penguins' top scorer this season. He has 59 points in 56 games. This season, he passed Mario Lemieux to become the franchise's all-time leading scorer.
Heading into the third and final head-to-head matchup of the season between the Blues (27-30-10) and Flames (26-34-7), St. Louis has won eight straight dating back to Oct. 26, 2023, the longest current winning streak against any opponent and tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the NHL.
The Blues, who won at Scotiabank Saddledome, 4-2, on Oct. 11, then beat the Flames 3-2 on Nov. 11 in St. Louis, look to make it a clean sweep of the season series on Wednesday in Calgary at 8:30 p.m.
Dating to Dec. 22, 2018, the Blues have won 16 of the past 18 matchups (16-2-0) against the Flames.
But these two teams, currently on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff race, seem to be jockeying more for who will have a better chance at the lottery odds for the 2026 NHL Draft to be held in Buffalo June 26-27.
Currently, the Flames (59 points) are 31st in the league standings, which would give them the second-best odds of landing the No. 1 pick behind the Vancouver Canucks, who have 50 points and barring a late-season surge, would have the best odds at landing the top pick. The Blues (64 points), who have won five of six away from home and are 6-1-1 in March, are 28th overall but on the flip side, are seven points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card in the West.
Each team has 15 games remaining, so how do you handle the situation of wanting to compete and play well, compared to giving yourself the best chance at possibly landing one of the top picks by finishing as low or near the bottom of the league standings.
Meanwhile, the Flames are coming off a road trip in which they lost four of five and are 2-7-1 their past 10 games, while the Blues are 7-2-1 since the Olympic break.
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Dylan Holloway continues to lead the way with nine points (three goals, six assists) in his last seven games, including his 14th goal on Sunday in a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, and 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 10 games since returning from his right high ankle sprain injury on Feb. 26. Jimmy Snuggerud, named the NHL's Third Star of the Week on Monday with six points (three goals, three assists) and a plus-5 rating in four games, and Robert Thomas, who had his personal nine-game point streak snapped on Sunday, has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in his past 10 games. That top line has been an offensive driver.
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The Blues are making three changes to their lineup, with Jonathan Drouin and Otto Stenberg returning along with Tyler Tucker on defense, and making way out are Jonatan Berggren, Oskar Sundqvist and Justin Holl coming out.
With a plethora of bodies and no injuries to report, the team can afford to make changes and look at everyone.
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The Blues have allowed 1.88 goals against per game in March, the fewest in the NHL, and they lead the league with five wins and 10 points on the road in March.
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake Neighbours-Pavel Buchnevich-Jordan Kyrou
Jonathan Drouin-Dalibor Dvorsky-Otto Stenberg
Alexey Toropchenko-Jack Finley-Pius Suter
Philip Broberg-Logan Mailloux
Theo Lindstein-Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler-Tyler Tucker
Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Nathan Walker, Matthew Kessel, Jonatan Berggren. The Blues report no injuries.
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Flames Projected Lineup:
Blake Coleman-Mikael Backlund-Joel Farabee
Matvei Gridin-Morgan Frost-Matt Coronato
Yegor Sharangovich-Ryan Strome-Connor Zary
Victor Olofsson-Martin Pospisil-Adam Klapka
Kevin Bahl-Zach Whitecloud
Olli Maatta-Hunter Brzustewicz
Joel Hanley-Zayne Parekh
Devin Cooley will start in goal; Dustin Wolf will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Ryan Lomberg, John Beecher, Brayden Pachal,Yan Kuznetsov and Tyson Gross. Jake Bean (undisclosed), Samuel Honzek (upper body) and Jonathan Huberdeau (hip) are out.
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 28: Maui Ahuna #1 of the Scottsdale Scorpions throws to first base during an Arizona Fall League game against the Surprise Saguaros at Scottsdale Stadium on October 28, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Thursday night, a group of top prospects from the San Francisco Giants organization will square off against a group of top prospects from the Cincinnati Reds organization at Scottsdale Stadium. It’s the oh-so-exciting Spring Breakout game, back for the third year (though it’s just the second time the Giants have played the game, thanks to an untimely rainstorm in Arizona).
Almost two weeks ago, the 30 MLB teams revealed their initial roster. The Giants roster was full of exciting names, albeit not surprisingly: the initial rosters of 40 players are simply the 30 prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 30 list for each team, plus 10 more youngsters of the team’s choosing.
But on Wednesday, on the eve of the game (which will be on MLB’s website and on MLB Network), teams were required to trim the initial roster to a smaller list of talent that will actually be available for the game — 27 players, in the Giants case.
Needless to say, it’s still an exciting list, though it’s not as exciting as it could have been. Notably, the consensus top two prospects in the organization — first baseman Bryce Eldridge and shortstop Josuar González — are absent.
For the former, that’s not surprising. Eldridge is still in Major League camp, and is fighting for a spot on the opening day roster. The organization is never going to send those players (a group that also includes Trevor McDonald and Carson Whisenhunt) to an exhibition game, so there was never really a chance of Eldridge playing.
González’s absence is more disappointing, as he would have been the star most worth watching. Unfortunately, he exited a game at Minor League camp a few days ago with a limp … and while it was thankfully diagnosed as a cramp, it has sidelined him for a few days, and will keep him out of the showcase … or so we think. In the write-up announcing the article on MLB’s site, González’s name is not listed, with beat reporter Maria Guardado writing, “is expected to miss Spring Breakout due to an injury.”
But in the announcement from the team’s official social media accounts, González is listed, taking the place of outfielder Bo Davidson to keep the roster at 27. So who knows.
Right-handed pitcher Keyner Martinez, one of the breakout stars on the farm in 2025, is slated to start the game. He’s one of many must-watch players, including infielders Luis Hernández and Gavin Kilen, and outfielder Dakota Jordan. Middle infielder Jhonny Level is absent from the roster, and I believe that’s due to a minor ailment he’s dealing with.
Mar 14, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Venezuela left fielder Wilyer Abreu (16) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against Japan in the sixth inning during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
I was afraid of flying until a pilot with whom I grew up set me straight. A plane wants to stay in the air, he said, comfortingly. A plane’s wing can bend at nearly a 90 degree angle and not snap, he said, less comfortingly. A plane will only crash when a thousand things go wrong or someone’s trying to make it crash, the same way Major League Baseball games will be played minus a few hundred thousand raindrops stop it or a group of owners try to stop it from happening. Which, after the 2026 season, is exactly where we’re headed.
There’s almost certainly going to be a lockout after this year because Rob Manfred and his band of miserable men are sick of what the Dodgers have done to the sport: spent the most money, in the smartest ways, and built the best organization backing it up. They’ve won two World Series in a row, and it hardly matters to baseball as a whole that the second was by the skin of their teeth – what matters is they signed Kyle Tucker after signing Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow and
You get it. You might also intuitively understand that this is good for baseball, the same way it was when the Yankees did it in the late 90s and the Red Sox joined the fun in the early aughts. A rising tide lifts all boats, and the best way to raise the tide is with a hose full of money. (And PEDs, TBH, but that’s an issue largely consigned to the past, at least outside of the Profar household.) But here’s the thing about most baseball owners: they are very stupid and selfish, so they are intent on taking their frustrations out on the sport and its fans by depriving us of good baseball.
Make no mistake: Post-lockout, the sport will be worse for wear. Or the league will be, I should say. Baseball – the sport of baseball, not Major League Baseball – is just fine when done right, and the World Baseball Classic does it right. There’s nothing like it. If the plane that is MLB wants to stay in the air but is forced down, the WBC is its black box. You can’t make the whole plane out of it, but if you could, you would.
Last time around, we were treated to one of the single greatest at-bats to happen in the history of the sport to end the whole shebang, with Shohei Ohtani striking out then-Angels teammate and fellow league MVP Mike Trout on a 3-2 pitch to end it all. This year, in something of a synecdoche (if I’m using that word right, which I mightn’t be), the whole tournament seemed to have been made out of the Ohtani-Trout at-bat, with a breathtakingly close or raucous game happening every day.
All of that was reaffirmed last night, when Venezuela absorbed a momentous and aesthetically beautiful game-tying homer in the bottom of the 8th inning to rebound on the shoulders of Eugenio Suarez and defeat the country that kidnapped their leader months earlier on its home soil. From a pure baseball perspective, the Ohtani/Trout moment is fairly unstoppable, but internationally and locally, this one was more momentous. Internationally because of said kidnapping. Locally because this tournament and this game was teeming with current and former Red Sox. Roman Anthony – batting directly behind Kyle Schwarber and Alex Bregman – struck out to end it, in a game started by Eduardo Rodriguez, starring Wilyer Abreu, that was lost by Garrett Whitlock. It was dizzying. Plus Aaron Judge choked. What else could you want?
Well, you could do the thing dumbasses do when a plane crashes, and ask why they don’t make the whole thing out of the black box. And again, it’s simply because it’s not necessary. The plane wants to stay in the air. Baseball wants to thrive. The WBC is great because it’s scarce, but the sport shouldn’t suffer in its absence. It’s not suffering in its absence. If it’s suffering, it’s because the people running it want it to suffer. The WBC is a permanent reminder of what we stand to lose.
The Houston Rockets are riding the struggle bus, and Vernon Maxwell has pinpointed that the problem is Kevin Durant’s alleged burner account.
The Rockets legend, who won back-to-back NBA titles with Houston in 1994 and 1995, said on the “All The Smoke Podcast” with Matt Barnes that Durant’s alleged burner account, where he purportedly was talking about his teammates behind their backs, has killed the team’s chemistry.
“Like I said last year, all we need was KD,” said Maxwell, who once thought Durant was the missing piece to the championship puzzle. “We got KD, a guy to roll the ball out to get you a bucket.
“But now everybody [is] standing around watching KD.”
Kevin Durant acknowledged previously that he uses burner accounts. NBAE via Getty Images
The alleged Durant drama stems from X account @gethigher77, which claimed the future Hall of Famer was calling out his teammates, with accompanying screenshots.
“They said some s–t about some secret page KD did and talked about some of the players on the team, and it’s f–king split the goddamn guys up and guys don’t like to high five each other no more,” Maxwell said.
Whether the team’s chemistry is off is unknown, as no Rocket teammates have publicly called Durant out for the alleged burner account.
But Maxwell claims its evident.
Durant, 37, has a history of using burner accounts, which he acknowledged in 2023.
“No motherf–kers want to bump chest no more with each other,” Maxwell continued. “Everybody just split up the whole f–king team. So, I don’t know man. It’s a lot of s–t going on out there in Houston.”
Vernon Maxwell talks about Kevin Durant hurting the chemistry in Houston. All The Smoke Podcast
The Rockets enter Wednesday’s clash with the Lakers at 41-26 and in fourth place in the Western Conference, though they are just 8-7 in their last 15 games and 4-5 in their last nine.
Houston did lose center Steven Adams for the season, though, hurting their frontcourt depth dramatically, and guard Fred VanVleet is sidelined with an ACL tear.
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 28: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds are in the middle of making their final roster decisions in the run-up to Opening Day, so it’s little surprise they’ve packed this portion of their spring schedule with as many games as possible.
That includes Tuesday, which will see Cincinnati send Chase Burns & Co. on the road to Tempe to take on the Los Angeles Angels while also playing host to the Colorado Rockies at home in Goodyear. Brady Singer will start for that Goodyear club as many of the team’s veterans got to stay at home for the day, while Burns will be backed by the likes of Will Benson, Noelvi Marte, Sal Stewart, and both JJ Bleday and Rece Hinds – the latter two being locked in a battle for one of the final spots on the roster.
Nate Lowe, who has also continued to impress while looking to fight his way onto the Opening Day roster, is in the lineup with the crew playing at Goodyear.
The good news is that you’ll be able to watch some of this. The bad news is that only the game against the Rockies in Goodyear is televised (via Reds.TV), while the Burns game in Tempe is radio only.
Singer will fire the first pitch in Goodyear at 4:05 PM ET, while Benson will lead off against the Angels with a first pitch set for 4:10 PM ET.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 10: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots a three-pointer during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 10, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s probably logical to assume that at least entering the 2025-26 season, Quentin Grimes was just playing out his contract and his days as a Sixer were numbered. After all, Grimes and the Sixers were at odds all summer and the two sides seemingly never got close on a long-term deal. In the end, Grimes ended his time as a restricted free agent by accepting a one-year qualifying offer to return to Philadelphia, something that did not happen until training camp had already opened for the current season.
The optics of the situation didn’t exactly lead anyone to believe that Grimes and the Sixers were going to continue their partnership beyond the summer of 2026. After all, when you negotiate for a while and reach an impasse and a restricted free agent finally decides to accept a qualifying offer, said free agent is probably just looking for the stalemate to end and become an unrestricted free agent the following offseason. However, in selecting VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia spent the third overall pick on a guard last offseason and the thought entering the season was that Jared McCain would work his way back into the rotation.
Given Tyrese Maxey was locked up on a max contract, it seemed obvious that Grimes would be the odd-man out in the backcourt and eventually move on in the summer of 2026 when the market for him would seemingly be bigger as an unrestricted free agent. Well, it should come as no surprise to anyone that things did not go according to plan in Philly’s backcourt, because when does anything go according to planned for this franchise?
McCain spent the first 3-4 months getting back up to game speed and even got sent down to the G League in January. In February, McCain was traded to Oklahoma City and now in March, Maxey is dealing with a finger injury and is sidelined for an extended period of time. That leaves Grimes playing a lot of minutes in a Sixers uniform for the second season in a row.
Last season, Philly simply needed bodies as the Sixers dealt with a ton of injuries and prying Grimes out of a toxic environment in Dallas seemed to be a dice roll worth taking. Of course, Edgecombe was still in college at this time one year ago. When Grimes seemed to hit it off as a Sixer, debates ensued about the credibility of his production and how much it could be trusted to carry over given how barren the rotation got down the stretch. Someone had to put the ball in the hoop, and it happened to be Grimes more than almost anyone else wearing a Sixers uniform.
It was this very production from Grimes that likely led to such a rift between the player and the organization in contract talks last summer. Now, here we are again, and Grimes is gobbling up minutes for the Sixers and putting up some decent offensive numbers. It remains to be seen if the Sixers can even get out of the play-in tournament, but we should get a look at what Grimes can do for the franchise in postseason games of some kind next month which should only help the front office evaluate his worth moving forward.
An interesting wrinkle in all of this is that a lot of Grimes’ recent offensive production has been inside the arc. He’s showcasing more of an ability to drive to the basket and finish around the rim as his shooting numbers are down significantly in the month of March. That’s certainly some newer information for everyone to consider as Grimes could be in the process of proving he can be more than a spot-up shooter when necessary.
With McCain no longer with the organization, might the Sixers be more motivated to strike a deal with Grimes? Having said that, Grimes turns 26 in the beginning of May. He knows now’s his time to get the big payday and the gap between Grimes and the Sixers in last year’s negotiations certainly indicates that too. It’s also worth noting the team has his Bird rights, making it so he could theoretically get his most lucrative deal in Philly, barring a sign-and-trade. Grimes certainly looks like a player that can be a solid sixth man and, in this day and age of the NBA, you better expect your sixth man to start a lot of games too.
Grimes has shown he can do both having started 25 of the 28 games he appeared in with the Sixers last season, but only making 16 starts so far this season. Ultimately, my two cents says we’re no closer to figuring out how long Grimes remains a Sixer than we were last summer. There’s a good chance the extended playing time Grimes is getting only empowers him further to dig in on his contract demands from the 2025 offseason. But maybe Grimes plays a key role for the Sixers in the postseason this year and the two sides realize they’re better off with each other moving forward.
It’s like that relationship that ebbs and flows and comes and goes. Sometimes the guy and the girl are both into each other, other times they hate each other and through it all, they’re never really sure if they’re dating or just screwing around and seeing what happens. Well, something’s going to happen in a little over three months with Grimes and the Sixers. We’ll see if one side says thanks for the memories or if they decide that some more time together is what they want.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Wednesday was a productive day for the elder statesman and the young kid in the Phillies’ starting pitching rotation.
Zack Wheeler took another step in his comeback from surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome as he threw the equivalent of two innings against hitters.
“I felt good, my arm felt good,” Wheeler said after the workout. “We’re going in the right direction.”
It’s not clear whether Wheeler will throw to hitters in a controlled setting one more time or pitch in a minor-league game next week, but he’s getting closer to ramping up the intensity of his buildup.
The Phillies have been careful not to speak of a timetable for when Wheeler will be ready to pitch in regular-season action. Pitchers generally need a month of exhibition game action to build their pitch count before the season. If Wheeler is indeed close to pitching in a minor-league game, he could be ready in a month or maybe a little more – provided there are no setbacks. One thing is certain: The Phillies will not rush him.
While the 35-year-old Wheeler was clearing another hurdle in Clearwater, 22-year-old rookie Andrew Painter was in North Port firing four shutout innings against an Atlanta Braves lineup that included regulars Austin Riley, Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris III.
“Against a regular lineup, he commanded the baseball better than he has all spring,” manager Rob Thomson said. “The split was really good. The slider was really good. The velocity (average 96.2 mph) was really good. He looked poised and ready to go. So, I’m happy with it.”
Painter allowed just a hit and a walk and struck out three in what was his final Grapefruit League start. He drove up his pitch count with some extra work in the bullpen after coming out of the game.
Painter pitched well in four starts in the Grapefruit League. He allowed seven hits and three runs in 11 2/3 innings. He walked two, struck out eight, held opposing hitters to a .171 batting average and had a 0.77 WHIP. His next start will come during the first homestand of the season. He will pitch a simulated game at Citizens Bank Park in the days leading up to that start.
After his path to Philadelphia was slowed by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, it’s almost showtime for Painter.
“I’m just trying to stay in the present and look forward to each and every start,” said Painter, who will turn 23 on April 10. “I think it’ll hit me when the time comes, and the next start is a big-league start. I think that’s kind of when the realization will hit.
“I think I’m in a good spot.”
The Phillies lost the game to Atlanta, 3-2. Dylan Moore, a strong candidate to win the final spot on the bench, had two hits, a walk and two RBIs. Moore left the game after fouling a ball off his foot in the late innings, but Thomson said it was precautionary.
Thomson intends to use his bullpen for Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay. Presumed opening day starter Cristopher Sanchez will start Friday. Saturday’s starter is TBD. Aaron Nola will pitch Sunday and Jesus Luzardo will close out the spring Monday.
Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Ben Brown, Gavin Hollowell and Corbin Martin.
Merrill Kelly will start for the Diamondbacks. Other D-backs pitchers scheduled today: Joe Ross, Taylor Clarke, Juan Morillo, Paul Sewald and Jonathan Loaisiga.
There will be a TV broadcast today via the D-backs channel AZ Video. No radio today.
Please visit our SB Nation Diamondbacks site AZ Snakepit. If you do go there to interact with D-backs fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 3:05 p.m. CT and 4:40 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 30: Matt Quatraro #33 of the Kansas City Royals brings out the starting lineup against the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium on March 30, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In nine days, the Royals will begin the regular season against the Braves in Atlanta. We have a fairly good idea which players will be in Matt Quatraro’s starting lineup, barring injury. Familiar names like Salvador Perez, Bobby Witt Jr., and Vinnie Pasquantino will lead an offense that looks to improve on last year’s performance. But how exactly will they lineup?
Who should lead off for this team? Isaac Collins has battled injuries, Jonathan India is coming off a down year, and some feel Bobby Witt Jr.’s bat is too valuable to hit in the top spot. How would assemble the middle of this lineup? How do you fill out the bottom?
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 14: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards on March 14, 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
Will Boston be ready to compete?
This may sound like a dumb question, but there’s some merit to it. Will Boston be ready to compete against a Golden State team missing some of its biggest names?
Stephen Curry and Celtics champion Al Horford were both out in Golden State’s win against the Wizards on Monday.
Golden State started De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard, Draymond Green and Gui Santos. No disrespect to that group — they’re all solid role players, but they don’t have the talent to beat Boston if the Celtics take the game seriously.
In recent years, there have been games where opponents were missing two or three starters, yet the Celtics still struggled more than expected. At the end of the day, rotation players are still very good, and they’re competing for more playing time and potentially their next contract.
It’s imperative that Boston doesn’t look at the Warriors’ lineup and assume it will be a walk in the park. If they do, they could find themselves in trouble late in the game.
Will Jayson Tatum continue to play more than 30 minutes?
Since returning to the lineup, Jayson Tatum played exactly 27 minutes in each of his first three games against Dallas, Cleveland and San Antonio.
Against Washington, he checked out at the 27-minute mark, but head coach Joe Mazzulla reinserted Tatum and the starters as the Wizards made a run. That marked the first time this season Tatum surpassed 30 minutes.
On Monday, Tatum played 32 minutes in a win against Phoenix in a game that was close late. The question now is whether he will log 30-plus minutes for a third straight game.
The opponent could factor into that decision. If Boston builds a comfortable lead, it may make sense to limit his playing time. However, with playoff seeding still at stake, a close game could push the coaching staff to extend him and evaluate how his body responds.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Tatum is held under 30 minutes, but the team appears to be doing a deliberate job gradually ramping him up to ensure he’s in game shape for the playoffs.
Can Boston continue to protect home court?
After completing their road trip, this game marks Boston’s third straight home game before traveling to Memphis on Friday. The Celtics will then return to TD Garden for three more games against stiffer competition in Minnesota, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta.
Home-court advantage matters. If Boston hopes to catch Detroit in the standings, it must continue to win at home. The Celtics are currently 23-10 at TD Garden and have challenging matchups ahead against Oklahoma City and Minnesota.
While those games won’t be easy, playing at home provides an edge. The Warriors, however, present a potential trap game if Boston looks past them — and Memphis — with two Western Conference contenders looming.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27, 2026: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Dodgers’ penultimate spring game in Arizona is their final night game of this portion of their exhibition schedule, hosting the San Diego Padres Friday night at Camelback Ranch.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes his final spring start this season, and his first since returning from the World Baseball Classic. This will be the final tuneup for the right-hander before he starts his second consecutive opening day for the Dodgers, on March 26 at Dodger Stadium.
The Pittsburgh Penguins captain will return to the lineup on Wednesday night against Carolina after missing nearly a month with a lower-body injury sustained while competing for Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
“Excited to get back in it,” Crosby told reporters after the team's morning skate.
Crosby hasn't played since his right leg buckled during a collision with Czechia's Radko Gudas during Canada's quarterfinal win at the Olympics. The Penguins placed the 38-year-old on injured reserve after the Olympic break ended.
Pittsburgh, one of the league's biggest surprises this season, went 5-3-3 during Crosby's 11-game absence and is in second place in the Metropolitan Division with less than a month to go. The Penguins are eyeing a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
“It’s never easy watching, but I think you gain even more appreciation when you’re up top, and you just see on a nightly basis, the way we compete, the way we work," Crosby said.
Crosby has 27 goals and 32 assists in 56 games this season, putting him on pace to extend his NHL record for most consecutive years averaging at least a point a game.
His return comes four weeks to the day since he was injured. He had been skating with the team recently and his comeback comes during a busy stretch in which Pittsburgh faces a series of quality opponents, including the division-leading Hurricanes.
Penguins coach Dan Muse credited Crosby's leadership even when he's out of the lineup as one of the reasons Pittsburgh has been able to hang in there.
Crosby's return comes a game after teammate Evgeni Malkin scored two goals in a romp over Colorado after serving a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo's Rasmus Dahlin.
“To see him come in like that after missing five games was huge,” Crosby said of Malkin. "He set the bar high.”
PHOENIX — For several minutes on Monday, Miguel Rojas said his world “rumbled.”
For several minutes that afternoon, the baseball world thought he had tested positive for steroids.
In reality, of course. Rojas hadn’t.
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas against Team Mexico during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
But that day, a reporter from The Athletic incorrectly posted on social media that the Dodgers infielder had been suspended 80 games because of a banned substance — before quickly deleting the post and explaining his mistake.
Turned out, it was Johan Rojas of the Philadelphia Phillies who had been popped for PEDs, receiving an 80-game ban for testing positive for Boldenone.
“I’ve deleted a post incorrectly identifying who was suspended today,” the reporter later clarified. “It was Johan Rojas of the Philadelphia Phillies who was suspended.”
Two days later, Miguel Rojas was still voicing frustration over the situation, telling reporters in the Dodgers’ Camelback Ranch clubhouse that he had yet to receive an apology over the incorrect report.
“I’m not frustrated because of the report,” he said. “We’re all humans and we make mistakes.”
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
However, he quickly added, “I was expecting a little bit more of an apology. Not just to me, but the organization. Because it wasn’t just my name. It was pretty clear that he said, ‘Miguel Rojas from the Los Angeles Dodgers.’
“That’s the only thing that I’m kind of bothered by.”
An apology eventually came later on Wednesday, with the reporter, Evan Drellich, tweeting: “To Miguel Rojas and the Dodgers, I sincerely and publicly apologize. I’ve reached out to Miguel, the Dodgers and Miguel’s agent to say the same. Once again, I’m sorry.”
But by then, viral videos were already circulating of Rojas first discussing the situation in an interview with Chris Rose on Tuesday night, when he described the lack of an apology as “bulls–t.”
“For six minutes, (it) kind of rumbled my whole world, and got so many people around me and around us, the team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, worried because of one guy making a mistake,” he said then. “I’m totally OK with making mistakes. But at the end of the day, I was expecting an apology.”
However, Rojas also said he wanted to move on from the story, trying not “to make it a big deal” or “make it about myself.”
“I just feel like whenever the tweet was deleted and the clarification was trying to be made, I think we all deserve a little bit of an apology there,” he said. “Because it wasn’t just my name. It was the organization that I represent too. And that’s really important to me.”
Five years on and little progress made, says judge
Litigants have until October to choose 28 lead claimants
The judge overseeing the pretrial phase of the two landmark litigation cases about brain injuries in rugby has issued another rebuke to the legal teams on both sides over their lack of progress.
Senior Master Jeremy Cook started the latest round of case management hearings by reminding both the defendants and the claimants that “it won’t have escaped anybody’s notice that some of these claims are now over five years old, and we haven’t made much progress”. Since the cases involve claims of degenerative brain diseases, Cook said, time is at a premium.
