BOTTOM LINE: New York heads to Los Angeles for a non-conference matchup.
The Clippers are 16-13 on their home court. Los Angeles is 15-24 against opponents over .500.
The Knicks are 18-15 on the road. New York is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 46.1 rebounds per game led by Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 11.9.
The Clippers make 48.1% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.4 percentage points higher than the Knicks have allowed to their opponents (45.7%). The Knicks average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 more made shots on average than the 13.5 per game the Clippers give up.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Knicks won 123-111 in the last meeting on Jan. 8. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points, and Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 25 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals for the Clippers. Brook Lopez is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Towns is scoring 19.8 points per game with 11.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 21.8 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 42.9% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 115.5 points, 42.4 rebounds, 22.4 assists, 9.6 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.7 points per game.
Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.9 points, 44.7 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.8 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), John Collins: out (arm).
Knicks: Miles McBride: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Washington Wizards (16-47, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (36-29, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Miami heads into a matchup against Washington as winners of five consecutive games.
The Heat are 6-5 against division opponents. Miami has a 6-3 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Wizards are 11-28 in conference games. Washington allows 123.3 points to opponents and has been outscored by 11.0 points per game.
The Heat score 120.1 points per game, 3.2 fewer points than the 123.3 the Wizards give up. The Wizards average 112.3 points per game, 4.2 fewer than the 116.5 the Heat give up to opponents.
The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Heat defeated the Wizards 132-101 in their last matchup on Feb. 8. Kasparas Jakucionis led the Heat with 22 points, and Tristan Vukcevic led the Wizards with 14 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kel'el Ware is scoring 11.4 points per game and averaging 9.3 rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo is averaging 22.0 points and 9.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Bub Carrington is scoring 9.8 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the Wizards. Tre Johnson is averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 8-2, averaging 123.5 points, 49.7 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 8.5 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points per game.
Wizards: 2-8, averaging 113.1 points, 40.4 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 8.2 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.0 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (back), Andrew Wiggins: day to day (toe), Norman Powell: out (groin), Simone Fontecchio: day to day (groin).
Wizards: Jamir Watkins: day to day (foot), Anthony Davis: out (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (thigh), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
It's happening again. The St. Louis Blues -- finally -- are heating up. Unfortunately, it's at the wrong time, and their fan base doesn't know how to feel about it.
There's those that are die-hard fans that want to see them win no matter their standing in the league, and then there are those that don't want them to ruin a potential high draft status.
The way the Blues are playing once the calendar turned to March indicates that dreams of perhaps drafting the likes of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg are becoming a pipe dream.
That's because they put together another solid road outing. Yes, road outing, with Joel Hofer gaining his fifth shutout of the season, and newcomers Jonathan Drouin (goal) and Justin Holl (assist) each picking up a point in his Blues debut, a 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Sunday.
Jimmy Snuggerud picked up a goal and an assist, Jordan Kyrou and Pius Suter each scored, and Robert Thomas extended his point streak to six games (five goals, five assists) with an assist as the Blues (25-29-9) swept a road trip of four or more games for just the third time in their history:
For the third time in their history, the #stlblues have swept a road trip of four or more games:
It's crazy to think where this team has been for much of the season, and after jettisoning off their captain (Brayden Schenn) to the New York Islanders and defenseman Justin Faulk to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday at the NHL Trade Deadline.
But here they are, and have climbed ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames in the overall standings, with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers also behind them, climbing to 28th overall in points with 59 and officially eight points behind the Seattle Kraken for -- dare I say it -- the second wild card in the Western Conference.
How about tonight's game observations?:
* Blues were the better team, period -- Even though the first period was 0-0, it was evident which team was better.
The Blues were skating harder, they were skating quicker, they were winning more puck battles, getting to areas of the ice necessary to have success, and the Ducks, who started the night in first place in the Pacific Division, relied heavily on former Blues goalie Ville Husso, who was sharp in the opening 20 minutes to keep the game scoreless.
The Blues actually hit consecutive posts (Jake Neighbours on a redirection, then Kyrou on a follow-up chance from that redirection), Dylan Holloway was robbed on a one-time doorstep save by Husso, and Pavel Buchnevich also hit the bar on a power move to the net late in the period while shorthanded.
That's about the only negative from a very sound first period for the Blues, who put themselves in danger with three penalties (although the interference call on Matthew Kessel was pretty weak at 13:08), but even the Blues' PK unit was winning to loose pucks and getting clears, and it was winning face-offs and getting clears.
It set up for a strong push moving forward, which the Blues most certainly did.
* The dam broke in the second -- We all know the Blues' woes in the second period, one of the league's worst at minus-28, and the Ducks came in with a plus-4.
You had to think they missed the mark by not grabbing the lead in a very solid opening period.
That certainly wasn't the case when the Blues took control outscoring the Ducks 3-0 and really put the game on ice.
It was a continuation of the first period and the Blues were not letting up in any shape or form, and Kyrou finally broke through on Husso to make it 1-0 at 4:22, getting out in transition and heading up the right side using his speed after getting a pass from Neighbours and whipping a wrister off the fat post and past Husso above the right pad and under the arm:
And then we get to Drouin, who also scored a beauty to make it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 10:07 rifling a one-timer from the right circle top shelf off a point feed from Philip Broberg, who followed up his career-high 32:51 ice time on Friday with another 27:17 in this game:
It did come with some resentment by the Ducks and rightfully so when Ross Johnston was called for high-sticking Tyler Tucker, but the replay showed Johnston, who would later fight Tucker (more on that), lifted Tucker's own stick into his face, but remember last Sunday against the Minnesota Wild when Jack Finley was called for a high sticking penalty and it was friendly fire by the Wild? I guess what comes around goes around.
The goal was Drouin's first since Nov. 14, 2025 with the Islanders against the Utah Mammoth and first in 39 games, which sounds crazy to think he was that snake bit in New York, or the puck just simply wasn't going in, or the opportunities just weren't there.
And an emphatic period came to a conclusion when Snuggerud laced a one-timer of his own from the right circle at 12:11 to make it 3-0, and as you can see, the Ducks were just too nonchalant moving the puck and getting to areas needed, and Thomas wins it in the corner and finds Snuggerud, who let it go so quick, Husso had no time to react:
* Tucker gets the spotlight now -- With Schenn off to the Islanders, the Blues are down one of their more emotional, and physical leaders on the ice. So when Holl, who assisted on Pius Suter's empty-net goal at 15:58 of the third period to make it 4-0 and put the game to bed, was boarded from behind by Johnston at 16:55 of the second period, Tucker will have to take more opportunities to be that guy to stick up for his teammates, and I'm sure that one will resonate well with a new teammate playing his first game, no matter the outcome:
* Hofer is in a zone -- This wasn't one of those games where coach Jim Montgomery came out in his postgame press conference to say the goalie had to steal them a game.
The team in front of the netminder was outstanding, but there were a handful of stops, including one on Leo Carlsson in tight in the second period of Hofer's 22 saves on the night that showed how locked in he's been since the break and is now one behind Ilya Sorokin (six) for the league lead in shutouts.
Hofer's numbers since the Olympic break look rather pristine at the moment:
* Drouin, Holl make solid contributions -- They're the new guys coming in for veterans who were a staple with the Blues, but Drouin and Holl each came in and were part of the team concept.
Drouin finished with 13:15 of ice time skating with Suter and Buchnevich with a pair of shots on goal and one hit, while Holl, who played with Tucker in his first NHL game this season after spending the bulk of it with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League, was a plus-2 with an assist on Suter's goal and played 15:44 (three shot attempts).
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Allen Graves came off the bench to score 19 points and Santa Clara beat Pacific 76-68 on Sunday night in a West Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinal.
No. 3 seed Santa Clara (25-7) will play No. 2 seed Saint Mary's in a Monday semifinal. No. 4 seed Oregon State will play top-seeded Gonzaga in the other semifinal.
Graves made 7 of 10 shots with three 3-pointers and both of his free throws for the Broncos. Christian Hammond had 14 points and Elijah Mahi posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Reserve Sash Gavalyugov totaled 11 points and six assists.
Elias Ralph sank five 3-pointers and scored 25 to lead the sixth-seeded Tigers (18-15). Jaden Clayton pitched in with 12 points and nine assists.
Graves buried all five of his first-half shots, including two 3-pointers, to guide Santa Clara to a 45-38 advantage at halftime.
Graves hit another 3 to finish off a 12-0 run and the Broncos took a 62-48 lead with 14 minutes left. Pacific got no closer than eight from there.
The Golden Knights missed an opportunity to take over the top spot in the Pacific Division as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the third-place Edmonton Oilers on Sunday in front of a nationally televised audience.
The division-leading Anaheim Ducks lost at home to the St. Louis Blues 4-0 earlier in the night, and remain one point in front of Vegas, 73-72, while the Oilers inched closer with 70.
The Golden Knights still have just six wins against teams that would be in the playoffs right now, the fewest in the league.
The Golden Knights have now lost 15 out of the last 16 games against teams in the playoff position.
US Olympic gold medalists Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel scored for the Knights, while goaltender Adin Hill made 15 saves.
Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin, Leon Draisaitl and Kasperi Kapanen scored for Edmonton.
After Frederic gave Edmonton an early second-period goal, Hanifin tied the game later in the stanza as he traced the blue line looking for clearance and blasted a shot through traffic to make it 1-1.
Podkolzin and Draisaitl scored in the third period to push Edmonton's lead to 3-1 before Eichel's short-handed strike brought the deficit back to one.
Kapanen's empty net goal with 1:57 left provided the final margin.
Edmonton netminder Connor Ingram made 24 stops.
KEY MOMENT
While Hanifin eventually tied the game in the second period, the Golden Knights had a goal taken away a little more than six minutes earlier. Keegan Kolesar's snipe from the right circle snuck by Ingram, but a coach's challenge for an offside call overturned the goal. It seemed to deflate the Knights momentarily, rather than building momentum sooner in the period.
KEY STAT
37 ... Frederic's goal marked the 37th time in 63 games a Vegas foe scored first. The Golden Knights are now 11-18-8 when their opponents scored first.
WHAT A KNIGHT
Aside from his goal, Hanifin played an exceptional game for the Knights with two additional shots, four more blocked and a fifth off target. He also registered four blocked shots and finished +1.
"It's all about just being assertive and moving my feet," said Hanifin, who was plus for just the second time in six games. "I think that's just what I got to do if I'm going to help this team. Tonight, I was getting up in the play a little bit. I think offensively, we're using the points a lot tonight, getting a lot of motion going, and I think that helps our D-corps in general."
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 9, 2026
UP NEXT: The Golden Knights play a one-off road game in Dallas on Tuesday.
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 23 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 in his second game back from a torn right Achilles, lifting Boston to a win over Cleveland in a battle of Eastern Conference contenders.
Brown also had nine rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics built an 81-55 lead in the third quarter, sweeping their three-game season series with Cleveland. Tatum scored six points in the fourth, finishing 6 of 16 from the field in 27 minutes.
Payton Pritchard added 18 points and Baylor Scheierman had 16 points and 10 rebounds as Boston moved within three games of East-leading Detroit. Neemias Queta grabbed 11 boards.
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Evan Mobley had 24 points and eight rebounds for the fourth-place Cavaliers, who had won a season-high seven straight at home. James Harden had 19 points and 10 assists.
Cleveland, which is 22-9 since Dec. 29, pulled within 94-86 midway through the fourth on Jaylon Tyson’s 3-pointer. Pritchard answered with a 3-pointer and tacked on back-to-back hoops to restore the Celtics’ double-digit lead.
LAKERS 110, KNICKS 97
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 35 points and eight rebounds, Austin Reaves added 25 points and Los Angeles overcame LeBron James’ injury absence to grind out a 110-97 victory over New York.
Rui Hachimura scored 13 points for the Lakers, who never trailed the surging Knicks in their fourth consecutive victory even while James missed his second straight game with a bruised left elbow and a left foot injury.
The Lakers slumped in the fourth quarter, managing just one basket in a 6 1/2-minute span down the stretch while New York cut its 23-point deficit to 10. But the Knicks couldn’t hit enough shots to capitalize and committed eight turnovers in the fourth.
Luke Kennard made a 3-pointer with 1:37 left before Doncic iced it on his fifth 3-pointer with 1:05 left.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost for just the second time in six games.
HEAT 121, PISTONS 110
MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 25 points, Bam Adebayo had 24 to go over the 10,000-point mark for his career, and Miami beat Detroit to extend the Pistons’ season-worst losing streak to four games.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19 points and seven assists for Miami (36-29), which has won five straight and matched a season best by moving seven games over .500. The Heat are still without Norman Powell (groin) and Nikola Jovic (back), and Andrew Wiggins (toe) was also sidelined.
Adebayo — who added nine rebounds and six assists — entered the night 23 points away from the scoring milestone. He and Dwyane Wade are the only players with 10,000 points in a Heat uniform.
Cade Cunningham finished with 26 points and 10 assists and Jalen Duren scored 24 for the Pistons, whose lead in the Eastern Conference is down to 2 1/2 games over Boston.
RAPTORS 122, MAVERICKS 92
TORONTO (AP) — RJ Barrett scored a season–high 31 points, Scottie Barnes added 17 and Toronto beat struggling Dallas.
Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 13 points as the Raptors snapped a four-game losing streak against Dallas.
Daniel Gafford had a season-high 21 points and 11 rebounds, Cooper Flagg scored 17 points and Brandon Williams added 16 but the slumping Mavericks lost their seventh straight and 17th of 19.
Brandon Ingram and Ja’Kobe Walter each scored 11 points, and Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick both had 10 as Toronto won for the first time in five home games.
PELICANS 138, WIZARDS 118
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 24 points, Saddiq Bey added 23 against his former team and New Orleans defeated the reeling Wizards to extend Washington’s losing streak to eight games.
Zion Williamson had 20 points and Dejounte Murray provided 19 for the Pelicans, who outscored Washington 72-44 in the paint.
Trae Young, playing his second game for the Wizards since being traded by Atlanta, had 17 points and eight assists in 18 minutes on the court. It was his 12th game all season.
Wizards rookie Tre Johnson scored 20 points — his fourth time reaching that total. Will Riley added 19.
MAGIC 130, BUCKS 91
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 33 points and Orlando cruised to a win over Milwaukee, who rested Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second game of a back-to-back.
Jalen Suggs added 20 points and Desmond Bane had 18 for the Magic, who won their fourth straight to remain sixth in the Eastern Conference, one game behind fifth-place Toronto and percentage points ahead of Miami.
Orlando never trailed and led 67-55 at halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, Suggs hit a 3-pointer to start a 12-0 run that extended the Magic’s lead to 26 points. Banchero headed to the bench for good late in the third with Orlando ahead by 31.
Bobby Portis had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Cam Thomas scored 17 for the Bucks, who beat Utah on Saturday night but have lost five of six.
SPURS 145, ROCKETS 120
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, De’Aaron Fox had 20 points and 10 assists and San Antonio won their fourth straight, rolling to a victory over Houston.
Stephon Castle added 23 points for San Antonio, which has won 15 of 16.
Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson had 23 points each for Houston, which allowed a season high in points.
The Spurs (47-17) won the season series against the Rockets 3-1 and strengthened their hold on the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Houston (39-24) dropped into fourth in the West, a half-game behind Minnesota (40-24) and seven games behind San Antonio in the loss column.
The Rockets, who have alternated wins and losses over their past six games, allowed a season-most 56 points in the paint.
TRAIL BLAZERS 131, INDIANA 111
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Scoot Henderson scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and Portland beat skidding Indiana.
Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday added 21 points apiece for the Blazers, who handed Indiana its ninth straight defeat. Henderson also had six assists with no turnovers.
Deni Avdija, who leads Portland in scoring (24.4 points per game) and assists (6.6), returned from a six-game absence caused by a lower back injury. He finished with 18 points and eight assists.
Indiana has dropped its past six games by an average of 20 points. This marks the team’s third losing streak of at least eight games this season.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points and Jay Huff had 16 points and five blocks. Andrew Nembhard added 14 points and nine assists, and Jarace Walker also scored 14.
KINGS 126, BULLS 110
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Russell Westbrook had 23 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for his NBA-record 208th career triple-double, and Sacramento beat Chicago.
Westbrook shot 7 of 17 with three 3-pointers in 35 minutes. It’s the fourth triple-double of the season for the 37-year-old, who moved within one assist of passing Mark Jackson for sixth on the NBA’s all-time list.
Westbrook’s triple-doubles are an ongoing record for the nine-time All-Star and came six days after he ripped into the Sacramento media for the narrative around the Kings this season.
Denver center and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has the second-most triple-doubles in the NBA with 181.
SUNS 111, HORNETS 99
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker had 30 points and 10 assists as Phoenix stopped Charlotte's road winning streak at 10 games with a victory.
Booker was 1 for 6 from 3-point range but made all 15 of his free throws.
Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green each scored 24 points for the Suns, who have won four of five. Rasheer Fleming added 16 off the bench, including four 3-pointers.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 22 points. Their road winning streak was the NBA’s longest since the Los Angeles Lakers won 11 straight away from home in 2019-20. Charlotte hadn’t lost on the road since Jan. 17 at Golden State.
The longest road winning streak in NBA history is 16 games, by the 1971-72 Lakers during their league-record 33-game run overall.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 08: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns drives the ball past LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on March 08, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Charlotte Hornets entered Sunday night as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They had won six of their last seven games and arrived in Phoenix riding a 10-game road winning streak. That run ended in the desert as the Phoenix Suns secured a 111–99 victory.
One of the league’s most explosive offenses was quieted. Phoenix held Charlotte under 100 points for only the fifth time this season, using active defense and controlled possessions to slow the pace of the game.
Devin Booker led the way with 30 points and 10 assists, converting a season high 15 free throws in the process. Rasheer Fleming continued his strong stretch, scoring a career high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Ten of those points arrived in the fourth quarter as Phoenix pulled away late.
Jalen Green looked far more comfortable offensively, scoring 20 points in the first half and finishing with 24 for the night. Collin Gillespie added 24 points of his own, knocking down 5-of-10 from deep and providing steady offense throughout the game.
Phoenix also controlled the possession battle. The Suns turned 13 Charlotte turnovers into 14 points while committing only one turnover themselves, which resulted in four points for the Hornets.
The win moves Phoenix to 37 victories on the season, already surpassing last year’s total.
Game Flow
First Half
First matter of business was the pregame announcements that the Suns would be without the services of Grayson Allen, who popped up late on the injury report and ultimately was ruled out an hour prior to tipoff.
Both offenses came out humming early, trading blows back and forth. LaMelo Ball knocked down a pair of threes, while Jalen Green and Collin Gillespie answered with one apiece from deep. As the quarter wore on, Charlotte could not miss. They opened the game 9-of-11 from the field while the Suns sat at 5-of-10, which helped the Hornets build an eight-point lead midway through the first quarter.
With Grayson Allen out, the Suns turned to Haywood Highsmith early, giving him first quarter minutes as part of the first wave of substitutions alongside Khaman Maluach. It marked his second appearance of the season and the first time he has seen meaningful minutes since arriving via the buyout market.
Maluach made his presence felt right away. He converted after receiving a clean interior pass from Devin Booker and later added an early block on fellow rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner. He followed up with an impressive block on Josh Green.
Charlotte’s offense cooled off after their initial burst, as they went more than four minutes without a field goal. The Suns answered with an 8–0 run of their own, pulling even as the momentum shifted. The drought ended when Ryan Dunn fouled Kon Knueppel on a three-point attempt, sending the rookie to the line. The Rookie of the Year favorite finished the quarter with 10 points tolead all scorers.
Phoenix closed the period with a lineup of Collin Gillespie, Haywood Highsmith, Ryan Dunn, Rasheer Fleming, and Khaman Maluach. That group finished the quarter at +1, helped by a logo buzzer beater from Gillespie.
After one quarter, the Suns trailed 30-28.
Collin Gillespie beats the Q1 buzzer.
What I like about this, sneakily, is that Collin rushes to *be* the inbounder then can have even more momentum off the handoff from Maluach.
Little thing but important in that situation, for a longer distance shot attempt. pic.twitter.com/RJbO1mIwzh
— Stephen PridGeon-Garner 🏁 (@StephenPG3) March 9, 2026
Charlotte opened the second quarter with a 9–5 run. They went 3-of-6 from the field and knocked down a pair from deep, which prompted Jordan Ott to call a timeout and settle things down.
The break did not immediately fix the rhythm. The next two Suns possessions ended with a short-armed paint shot from Oso Ighodaro and a turnover. Meanwhile, Charlotte was flying around the rim, throwing lobs and hammering them home. The run stretched to 10–0, and the Hornets suddenly held an eight-point lead.
Jalen Green helped shift the energy. He went into attack mode, driving downhill possession after possession, finishing at the rim or drawing trips to the free throw line. His finishing in the first half looked sharper than it had during his previous 14 games.
Green sparked the Suns as they pushed back midway through the quarter. He knocked down a three, slipped in an up-and-under around the rim, and continued to pressure the defense. Phoenix rode that momentum back into the game and took a two-point lead with five minutes remaining in the second quarter.
One of the better moments of the first half came from Khaman Maluach, who powered in a putback around the rim, flashing the kind of size and interior presence the Suns rarely get on the offensive glass. A productive Maluach changed the matchup math. Charlotte prefers smaller lineups with Diabate, but Maluach’s size forced them into more Kalkbrenner minutes in the first half.
It was a solid second quarter for the Phoenix Suns, who outscored the Charlotte Hornets 32–28 in the period. Phoenix went 4-of-9 from beyond the arc while Charlotte finished 4-of-12 from deep.
Jalen Green carried much of the scoring load in the quarter. He poured in 12 points and finished the half with 20, doing so on 7-of-11 shooting and 4-of-7 from three. Devin Booker added 14 points and 4 assists in the half, while Khaman Maluach chipped in 4 points and 5 rebounds.
Charlotte had balanced production of its own. Four Hornets reached double figures in the first half, with Brandon Miller leading the way with 11 points. Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, and LaMelo Ball each added 10.
At halftime, the Suns held a narrow 60–58 lead.
Second Half
Phoenix opened the second half with aggression on both ends of the floor, jumping out on an 8–0 run to set the tone, opening up a 10-point lead.
During that stretch, Devin Booker was fouled by LaMelo Ball on a drive, and it appeared that Ball stepped on Booker’s ankle during the play. Scott Foster ruled it a common foul almost immediately. Booker stepped to the line for his 12th free throw of the night and converted both, moving to 12-of-12 from the stripe at that point in the game.
The Hornets began 0-of-5 from the field, turning the ball over 4 times as Phoenix was jumping passing lanes, leading to 4 Suns’ points.
The Suns came out active in the third quarter, playing with a bit of spunk that has not consistently appeared over the past few weeks. Their energy translated into a lead that hovered between nine points and six points for much of the period.
As the quarter wore on, Charlotte’s defense began to assert itself. The Hornets have been one of the stronger defensive teams since January 1, and that pressure started to show. Phoenix went more than three minutes without a field goal as the offense stalled. Moussa Diabate made his presence known in the paint, recording three blocks in the quarter alone. That defensive stretch helped spark an 8–0 run for Charlotte, trimming the Suns’ lead down to one.
Collin Gillespie provided a late lift. In the closing seconds of the quarter, he launched another logo three and was fouled by Coby White on the attempt. Gillespie knocked down all three free throws, giving Phoenix a small cushion heading into the fourth.
It was not a clean offensive quarter for the Suns. They finished 6-of-21 from the field, good for 28.6% shooting in the period. Still, they managed to carry an 81–77 lead into the final quarter.
Both offenses stumbled a bit to open the fourth quarter, with possessions feeling clunky and rhythm hard to find. Rasheer Fleming had no such issue. He scored 7 of the Suns’ first 9 points, then punctuated the stretch with a fast break dunk that pushed him to 13 points on the night, setting a new career high after previously reaching 8 on four separate occasions earlier in his young career.
The Suns’ offense began to find its rhythm, and a pair of three-pointers from Collin Gillespie pushed the Phoenix lead to 13 points with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Buzz City kept pushing. Charlotte is one of the better three-point shooting teams in the league, so the game never feels safe when they are within striking distance.
Devin Booker continued to look sharp through the middle stretch of the fourth quarter. He found open shooters, knocked down his own looks, and kept the offense moving with control. Charlotte applied pressure, Phoenix answered each time.
The biggest moment came late in the quarter when Collin Gillespie buried a buzzer-beating three. It was his fifth make from deep and pushed his total to 24 points on the night. The shot arrived with under three minutes remaining and stretched the Suns’ lead to 16.
With 1:39 left, Charlotte head coach Charles Lee waved the white flag and pulled his starters. Rasheer Fleming finished with a game-high 10 points in the fourth quarter as Phoenix closed strong.
The Suns outscored the Hornets 30-22 in the final period. The final score, Phoenix 111, Charlotte 99.
Up Next
A long and winding road begins for Phoenix as they set out on a six-game, 10-day road trip. Their first stop is in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Early Arizona start. 5pm. We shall see you then!
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Biko Johnson had 19 points and Isaiah Brickner scored 15 — all in the second half — to propel Idaho to a 78-74 victory over No. 2 seed Montana State on Sunday night in a Big Sky Conference Tournament quarterfinal.
No. 7 seed Idaho (19-14) moves on to Tuesday's semifinals where it will play the winner of a Monday quarterfinal between No. 3 seed Eastern Washington and sixth-seeded Weber State.
Johnson made 7 of 12 shots with a 3-pointer for the Vandals, adding five rebounds and four assists. Brickner missed all three of his first-half shots before sinking 6 of 8 after the break. He had seven rebounds and blocked a shot. Jack Rasmussen scored 11.
Jeremiah Davis hit four 3-pointers and scored 22 to lead the Bobcats (18-14), who split two games with Idaho during the regular season. Christian King connected three times from distance and scored 21. Jed Miller added 18 points.
Davis and King both scored 12 points in the first half and Miller added 10 as Montana State took a 40-34 lead into the break. Brickner scored in the paint to give Idaho a 63-61 lead and the Vandals never trailed over the final five minutes.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Jasson Domínguez left field experiment has had decidedly mixed results, which is among the reasons he’s likely headed to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the season.
But there has been some growth, as he displayed Sunday in a 10-4 loss to the Mets at Clover Park.
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For a second straight game, Domínguez made a nice running catch, this time on a sinking liner by A.J. Ewing in the bottom of the fifth, and Domínguez followed it up with a strong throw home, where he threw out Vidal Bruján.
“It was a busy afternoon out there,” said Domínguez, who also had a ball hit by Tyrone Taylor get by him in the gap, but neither he nor Aaron Boone thought he could have gotten to it. “It was good to throw the guy out at home.”
It came after Boone said Domínguez, who has struggled for the most part since shifting from center to left, made some poor decisions with his throws last week.
“He’s made excellent throws the last two days,” the manager said of the plays he made Sunday against the Mets and Saturday versus Miami. “He’s playing a lot. He’s worked a lot. One of the best parts about this trip [to the east coast of Florida, with most regulars staying back or in the World Baseball Classic] is that we saw his athleticism.”
The Jasson Domínguez left field experiment has had decidedly mixed results. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
When he was coming through the Yankees system, Domínguez was said to have an elite arm, but that has not been on display much.
“I’ve always had a pretty good arm, it just hasn’t shown as much,’’ Domínguez said. “My arm wasn’t the problem. Maybe I’m more aggressive now getting to the ball and am in better position to make throws. Compared to last year, I’m a lot more comfortable [in left].”
Boone said the team hasn’t “even really begun discussions” on the final roster spots.
“We’ll continue to let that play out and let guys get their reps,” the manager said Sunday.
They’ve got decisions to make regarding the last arms in the bullpen, as well as deciding between perhaps a backup shortstop or third catcher.
Ben Rice hasn’t caught in a game, but Boone noted that he caught Carlos Rodón’s bullpen session Saturday.
With Anthony Volpe sidelined and José Caballero expected to start at shortstop, Boone said the backup shortstop situation is “up in the air.”
Boone didn’t rule out Ryan McMahon playing there in the future or going with a “super-utility” player for the final roster spot.
And with Randal Grichuk expected to make his Grapefruit League debut Monday in Tampa, the Yankees will get a better read on what the veteran outfielder can potentially contribute after signing with the team on a minor league deal.
“That’s what the next two-plus weeks will be about,” Boone said of the decision-making process.
One standout during a live batting practice at Steinbrenner Field: Ocean Gabonia.
The righty reliever from Hawaii completed two “ups,” allowed no hard contact and struck out Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger consecutively.
The 24-year-old, who pitched to a 3.27 ERA in 31 games with High-A Hudson Valley last year, received fist bumps from Stanton and Bellinger walking off the field.
Cade Winquest gave up a run on a walk and a hit as he tries to make the team as a Rule 5 pick.
“There’s definitely some pressure,” said the right-hander, who will be sent back to the Cardinals if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster and stay there the entire season. “They drafted me for a reason and I can just do what I do.”
He allowed a run on a walk and a hit in two-thirds of an inning Sunday.
— Additional reporting by Mark W. Sanchez in Tampa
PORT ST. LUCIE — The idea of Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing together in the same outfield is an intriguing proposition to Mets officials.
On Sunday, for the second time in three days, the team got that look.
Benge started in center field with Ewing in left against the Yankees.
Both contributed to the Mets’ 10-4 exhibition victory at Clover Park.
Benge, a top prospect competing for the starting right field job, finished 2-for-3.
Carson Benge is competing for the starting right field job. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTA.J. Ewing rates among the organization’s top prospects. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Ewing, who also rates among the organization’s top prospects, delivered a two-run single against lefty Ryan Weathers.
“They have the ability to impact the game in so many different ways,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It wasn’t an easy matchup there with left-on-left with Weathers and the way he was throwing the ball. A couple of two-strike approaches when they put the ball in play and just make things happen. The way they run the bases, the way they play defense, it’s just good baseball from them so far.”
Benge started in center just to receive a taste of the position in camp, according to Mendoza, with Luis Robert Jr. scheduled for his first Grapefruit League game in a Mets uniform on Thursday.
“I felt like I was on time with everything,” Benge said of his plate appearances against Weathers. “I saw him well, he had really good stuff, but I felt like I stuck to my plan and did my job.”
Robert Stock will undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.
The right-hander, who had discomfort after pitching three scoreless innings for Team Israel against the Marlins in a WBC scrimmage, said he could be back pitching before the season concludes.
Brandon Waddell was scratched from his scheduled Monday start because of shoulder fatigue, according to Mendoza, and will now pitch later in the week.
Zach Thornton will be summoned from minor league camp to start against the Marlins at Clover Park.
Mendoza is keeping tabs on his WBC pitchers from afar.
A day after Clay Holmes pitched three scoreless innings for Team USA against Great Britain, the Mets manager watched video of Holmes’ outing.
"The bottom line is they kicked our behind on the glass, we did not box out, their second-chance opportunities in terms of 15 points was something that we don't give up -- we can't get beat in that area, and it was due to our ability to put bodies on bodies and boxing out -- it's the first thing," Brown said of the Knicks (41-24), whom the Lakers (39-25) outrebounded by a 12-10 margin on the offensive boards. "The second thing is we fouled 'em. We got beat off the dribble often. We got beat middle and, being real lazy about it, we reach at the last second and send 'em to the free-throw line. And then, lastly, we didn't take care of the basketball.
"That's a recipe to get your behind kicked, especially on the road. If you're going to get beat in second-chance points like we did without boxing out, if you're going to reach because you can't contain the basketball for the 30 free throws and then having 18 turnovers -- that's a recipe for disaster on the road, no matter who you play. So you've got to give the Lakers credit."
The Lakers were 25 of 30 from the free-throw line, led by Luka Doncic's 8-for-10 clip.
"I'm always direct," Brown said of what he told his team after the game. "Whether it's this game or another game, I'm always direct. There's nothing to sugarcoat -- you just tell the truth."
New York's five-game road swing, which included this past Friday's 142-103 win at the Denver Nuggets, continues with Monday's 10 p.m. game against the Clippers in Los Angeles.
"Our guys have been playing well -- I'm just talking about tonight," Brown said of the Knicks, who won three straight games before this past Wednesday's 103-100 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder. "And could it linger? Yeah, we could take another step back tomorrow. I don't know. But I'm talking about tonight. I did not like the way we played in those three areas. There's some games that you may say, 'You know what? Hey, they just shot the s--t out the ball and wasn't our night and we missed some shots.' Because we missed some shots tonight -- I thought we had some good looks that we've been normally knocking down.
"But to have a hand in losing the game yourself by not taking care of the things that are just effort and locked-in things ... those are things that we, in my opinion, could've controlled tonight, which we've done a pretty good job of, as of late, that we did not control. And the Lakers deserved to win, the way we played in those three areas."
Feb 16, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe (11) warms up during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: As he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum, shortstop Anthony Volpe addressed reporters this week. At the moment, the former top prospect, who may have suffered the injury last May, has progressed in his rehab from simply fielding grounders to diving, has yet to face live pitching, and has no current timeline for his return to game action. When he does, he will face competition for the starting job for the first time since he won the position battle with fellow prospect Oswald Peraza in 2023, as the Yankees — not to mention their fans — are high on José Caballero.
SNY | John Flanigan: Ever since watching the 2017 World Baseball Classic ahead of his rookie season, Aaron Judge has been eager to join Team USA for the international tournament. When asked about the experience, this year’s Captain America stressed the “lack of egos” in the group, noting that the roster is filled out with ace pitchers, closers, and star hitters willing to play supplemental roles. So far, this collection of All-Stars have worked out, as Team USA won their first two games and are currently all-but-guaranteed to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.
MLB.com: We’re still a few weeks out from Opening Day, but that doesn’t mean it’s not time to think about the Opening Day lineups are going to look like. As is usual, the MLB.com projections are fairly cookie cutter — the Yankees’ projected lineup and rotation have absolutely no surprises — but the collection of all 30 teams in one place does provide a nice way to get up to speed on news throughout the league all in one spot.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Scoot Henderson scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the skidding Indiana Pacers 131-111 on Sunday night.
Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday added 21 points apiece for the Blazers, who handed Indiana its ninth straight defeat. Henderson also had six assists with no turnovers.
Deni Avdija, who leads Portland in scoring (24.4 points per game) and assists (6.6), returned from a six-game absence caused by a lower back injury. He finished with 18 points and eight assists.
Indiana has dropped its past six games by an average of 20 points. This marks the team's third losing streak of at least eight games this season.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points and Jay Huff had 16 points and five blocks. Andrew Nembhard added 14 points and nine assists, and Jarace Walker also scored 14.
Huff has an NBA-leading 39 games this season with at least two blocks, two more than San Antonio center Victor Wenbanyama, who had four in a 145-120 win over Houston earlier Sunday and leads the NBA in blocks.
Robert Williams III had his streak of 18 consecutive games with at least one block snapped. It had been the longest active streak in the league.
Henderson scored or assisted on 15 points in a 25-7 run over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the second quarter to help the Blazers take a 69-52 lead into halftime. The Pacers were 2-of-11 shooting with three turnovers during that stretch.
Henderson had 19 points and five assists while going 7 for 9 from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, before the break. Grant added 14 points, Holiday had 11 and Avdija scored 10.
Up next
Pacers: Wrap up a four-game trip Tuesday at Sacramento.
Trail Blazers: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Joel Hofer made 22 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Jonathan Drouin scored in his Blues debut and St. Louis beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 on Sunday night to sweep a four-game trip.
Jordan Kyrou, Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter also scored to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in six games since the Olympic break.
Drouin was acquired from the Islanders on Friday at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Blues captain Brayden Schenn to New York. The left wing scored the second of three second-period goals, firing a slap shot past Ville Husso on a power play with 9:53 left.
Kyrou opened the scoring at 4:22, snapping a shot from the right side to the far post on a 3-on-1 break. After helping set up Drouin's goal, Snuggerud added one of his own on a one-timer with 7:49 to go.
St. Louis failed to add to the lead on an extended power play that spilled into the third when Ross Johnston received a major penalty for boarding Justin Holl, the defenseman who also made his Blues debut after coming over from Detroit.
After Anaheim successfully challenged Snuggerud's apparent goal midway through the third for offsides, Suter scored into an empty net with 4:02 to go
Husso stopped 31 shots. The Ducks completed a nine-game homestand, splitting the last four after winning the first five. They were 0 for 6 on the power play against the Blues.
John Carlson, the defenseman acquired from Washington on Thursday, missed his fifth straight game because of lower-body injury. Ducks center Mikael Granlund returned after missing six games because of an upper-body injury sustained playing for Finland in the Olympic bronze-medal game.
Up next
Blues: Host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 8: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 8, 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 San Antonio Spurs didn’t just beat the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, they buried them under an avalanche of offense.
San Antonio erupted for 145 points in a dominant 145-120 victory over their in-state rivals, delivering one of their most complete offensive performances of the season. The Spurs played with pace, passion, and purpose, turning what began as a competitive matchup into a one-sided showcase of firepower.
From the opening tip, the Spurs looked locked in. The ball moved with ease, shooters found space, and the Rockets struggled to keep up with San Antonio’s tempo. Victor Wembanyama set the tone early, attacking mismatches and controlling the paint on both ends of the floor. The Spurs’ young superstar finished with a strong all-around performance: 29 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks in 30 minutes.
Houston managed to hang around in the first quarter, trading baskets as both teams pushed the pace. But the game began to tilt heavily in San Antonio’s favor in the second quarter.
That’s when the Spurs caught fire and stayed hot the rest of the night.
“The pace has been really consistent recently,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of his team’s offense. “When you play with the speed we have combined with the talent and moving off the basketball, it is really hard to guard.”
San Antonio poured in points from everywhere: transition buckets, cutting layups and open three-pointers; stretching the lead with a relentless offensive surge. By halftime, the Spurs had seized control, leaving the Rockets scrambling to find answers as they went to the locker room.
Any hopes of a Houston comeback faded quickly after the break.
San Antonio came out of the locker room just as aggressive, continuing to push the tempo and widen the gap. Every time the Rockets showed signs of life, the Spurs responded with another scoring burst. The lead ballooned to nearly 30 points midway through the third quarter as the game slipped firmly out of Houston’s reach. The Spurs’ balanced scoring made the night even more impressive. Multiple players crossed the 20-point mark as San Antonio’s offense hummed with rhythm and unselfishness, a reflection of the ball movement that has become a hallmark of the team’s recent play.
“I thought we were really sharp,” Johnson said. “I thought the only area you could nitpick is some of the fouls. You got to make sure you aren’t off balance or out of position, but for the most part, I thought we played a really solid game defensively.”
Despite solid individual performances, the Rockets simply couldn’t slow down San Antonio’s offense or match its efficiency. Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson made life difficult as possible for Kevin Durant, who finished with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, most of which came from the free throw line.
“Something clicked from the first quarter,” Wembanyama said of the Spurs’ offense onslaught. “We figured out their adjustments and decided to hurt them elsewhere.”
By the fourth quarter, the result was essentially decided. The Spurs continued to pour it on before eventually emptying the bench as the final minutes ticked away.
When the buzzer sounded, San Antonio had produced one of its highest scoring games of the season and sent a clear message about the level this team can reach when everything clicks. It was more than just another win for the Spurs. It was a reminder of the offensive potential of a young team that continues to grow more dangerous every time it steps on the floor.
“These guys are trustworthy. I can trust them to make the right play,” Wembanyama said. “I can trust them to play unselfishly. And I can trust that anybody here can choose that if they do the effort, the efforts, like my teammates, will do the right choice, and we’ll capitalize on it.”
Game Notes
Keldon Johnson finished with 20 points off the bench, his 10th game of the season with 20 or more points. The league better start enraving that 6th Man of the Year trophy for him.
Dylan Harper may be a rookie, but he isn’t playing like one. He stat line in the first half: 17 points, 7-8 FG (85%), 3 ast, +9 in 14 minutes. Overall, he had 19 points on the night. That will be very valuable come playoff time. “I think any open shot, I’m going to take it,” Harper said. “I have confidence, but I shoot those in warm ups. So why not take them?”
San Antonio’s ball movement is a page right out of the 2014 “Beautiful Game” Spurs. The Silver and Black had 38 assists on 51 made shots. Fox led the team with 10 helpers.
De’Aaron Fox had a nice evening with 20 points and 10 assists in 32 minutes. He’s now scored double digits in the paint in consecutive games since January. Fans have been waiting Fox to attack the paint more, and it appears he’s gotten the message from the coaching staff.
On a fun note: The Jackals and the French squad support sections have made the Frost Bank Center a madhouse. It is so loud inside and it translates well on the boradcast. I can’t wait to see what they do in the playoffs.
