分類: 综合

After three road games in their last four contests, the Philadelphia 76ers return home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday afternoon. The 76ers’ frontcourt depth is a concern heading into the game, with Andre Drummond listed as questionable and Joel Embiid still out with an oblique strain. Here’s everything we know about Andre Drummond’s injury and his playing status against the Nets.

Andre Drummond’s injury status vs. Nets

Andre Drummond has not played since the 76ers faced the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 9. He missed the team’s next game the following night and the upcoming game against the Detroit Pistons due to back spasms.

Drummond is once again listed as questionable for the same reason as the 76ers prepare to face the Nets on Saturday afternoon. Having already missed 17 games in the 2025-2026 season, Drummond could be viewed as a true game-time decision.

The 76ers will be severely short-handed up front due to another absence. Embiid is out with an oblique strain, and Adem Bona, who has started eight games this season, is also questionable with a back injury.

Bona also missed the 76ers’ last game, forcing head coach Nick Nurse to deploy a skeleton unit against the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons. Nurse started 6-foot-8 Trendon Watford as his makeshift center, allowing Jalen Duren to collect an easy 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Philadelphia will also be without Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. The Nets will play without Michael Porter Jr., but with or without Drummond, the 76ers will be the clear shorthanded team on Saturday afternoon.

Given his current roster status and his recent absences, Drummond is likely questionable for Saturday’s contest.

76ers injury report

Edem Bona, doubtful – back pain

Jonny Broom, out – recovering from right knee surgery.

Andre Drummond, doubtful – back spasms

Joel Embiid, out – right oblique strain

Paul George, out-suspension

Tyrese Maxi, out – right finger tendon strain

Kelly Oubre Jr., out – left elbow sprain

net injury report

Fracture, possible – pain in left ankle

Nick Claxton, Out – Rest

Igor Demin, out – left plantar fascia injury management

Michael Porter Jr., out – right ankle sprain

Drake Powell, out – left knee injury management

De’Ron Sharp, out – torn left thumb UCL

LOS ANGELES – After a promising start to his rookie year with the Los Angeles Lakers, things have not always been so smooth for second-year wing Dalton Knecht. Knecht has been unable to crack the Lakers’ rotation, and has had to work some assignments with the team’s South Bay G League affiliate, which was not the case last year.

Dalton Knecht has played two games with South Bay this season, the most recent coming last Wednesday between the Lakers’ home games. After the game, Knecht explained what the Lakers’ coaching staff expects from him when he is assigned to the G League, including going back to his college roots.

“They just tell me to play my game. That’s really it, just play my game,” Knecht said. “One thing I try and focus on is staying in front of my man and capturing D, getting as many rebounds, defensive rebounds and just being Tennessee Dalton.”

In the games he played with South Bay, Knecht certainly looked like ‘Tennessee Dalton’. In his G League debut in November, Knecht dropped 30 points while shooting 6-of-10 from 3-point range. In his second game, he finished with 18 points while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out four assists.

And he’s also had the opportunity to build chemistry with his Lakers teammates. Last week, Bronny James, Edou Thirou, Kobe Bufkin, Nick Smith Jr., Drew Timme and Chris Mannon were all assigned to the South Bay along with Knecht. That group is the Lakers’ ‘be ready’ group, which often scrimmages against each other at the end of practice.

Each of them have received ample time to develop and play with South Bay, and Knecht feels the G League is a good place for live game representatives when there isn’t enough time in the NBA. In Thursday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves’ affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, that group was matched up against the Timberwolves’ rookie big man Jon Beringer and two-way contract players Enrique Freeman and Zion Pullin.

“You get a real opportunity. You’re playing with most of the guys in the league, especially this Iowa team. That’s a good team,” Knecht said. “And we get those reps because at the end of the day it’s going to be important. For all of us, it’s just getting solid minutes and doing what the team says.”

Knecht has played sparingly with the Lakers this season, appearing in 48 games, including one start, in a little more than 10 minutes per game. He’s shooting 44.8 percent from the field, but only 30.7 percent from 3-point range, down from 37.6 from a year ago.

But for South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie, Knecht has done everything Redick and the Lakers staff asked of him when he was assigned to South Bay.

Guthrie said, “I think he’s done a good job of everything he’s been told … He’s comfortable in this environment, comfortable with these players and he’s just getting a chance to get into rhythm, get game reps, game opportunities and stay sharp and be ready when his name is called for the Lakers.” “Credit to DK for coming down and having the right mindset and approach and really attacking in these minutes and these opportunities.”

SAN FRANCISCO – If things couldn’t get any worse for the Golden State Warriors, already a team without stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, it did in a 127-117 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

Al Horford, Quinton Post and Seth Curry all sat out Golden State’s fourth consecutive loss. And before that, Draymond Green was scratched 20 minutes before the game started. That left the Warriors struggling for healthy bodies as T-Wolves star Anthony Edwards finished with 42 points on 13-22 shooting.

After the game, Dubs coach Steve Kerr acknowledged how depleted and injured the Warriors were at the moment as they fell to 32–34 on the season.

“We’re definitely going through it,” Kerr said. “But you saw how hard the guys played and stuck in it and got the fans into it. And we can’t ask for anything more from our players right now. What they’re giving as far as effort and playing together. But yeah, we lost just as well as any team I can ever remember.”

Beating is an understatement.

With seven players out due to injury, the Warriors were missing more than $160 million in salary. That’s about 70% of their $233,853,209 payroll. And to add literal insult to injury, this latest skid has allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to overtake them for the eighth seed, leaving them just a half-game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers in 10th.

status of wounded warriors

However, it remains to be seen whether these latest injuries will persist.

Kerr had no update after the game on Green, Post or Curry. As far as Horford is concerned, Kerr had few details regarding the veteran big man’s situation. While the team announced during the game that Horford was out due to right calf soreness, Kerr described Horford’s injury as a “strain” after the game.

“With a calf strain, I don’t know how long Al will be out,” Kerr said. “But I hope that with the calf, we won’t have to move him back too quickly.”

With Horford potentially out for a while, Kerr hopes to turn to Kristaps Porzingis for starts in the meantime. Porzingis, who has battled injuries this season and throughout his career, has had some encouraging games after missing six consecutive games due to illness. Porzingis finished with 20 points in 19 minutes of action, the most points he has scored in his four games for the Warriors.

“Feeling fine,” Porzingis said after the game. “Step by step, just trying to get back into really good shape. Still got a way to go, but happy with the progress so far.”

Captured the fort for the Golden State

In the meantime, the onus will be on Porzingis and the rest of the healthy Warriors to deal with this latest storm of injuries.

But with injuries also come opportunities. Brandin Podziemski, who has excelled in basketball since Curry’s passing, understands that common NBA adage.

“I look at it as a blessing in disguise,” Podziemski said optimistically after collecting 25 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

“Just because it’s an opportunity and you’re able to build confidence when you’re out there, especially when there’s no expectations, and people are probably expecting us to lose. So it’s a blessing to me that when other guys come back, that confidence you build, you can be ready to show when you come back as well.”

There is an obvious concern that due to not having enough healthy bodies, the remaining players may get tired from the extra workload. But Kerr isn’t too worried about that potential issue. He pointed to the medical staff’s diligence in monitoring that potential problem and the youth of the remaining players.

Despite this, Kerr is keeping an optimistic outlook, presenting this latest round of injuries as something he has to get past.

“I feel like there are really brighter days ahead,” Kerr said. “So you just have to go through a tough situation.”

Anthony Edwards stole the net with a stellar performance in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 127-117 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Edwards is playing the sixth season of his NBA career with the Timberwolves. He has exceeded expectations as the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, shining as one of the best young stars the league has to offer.

Edwards continues to improve in Year 6 as he has kept the Timberwolves in a strong playoff race. In Minnesota’s game against Golden State, he dominated the entire 37 minutes of action.

Edwards produced a stellar stat line of 42 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. He made 13 of 22 shots from the field, including 4 of 9 from beyond the arc and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line.

Anthony Edwards puts on a show to lead Timberwolves to victory 🔥

🐜42 points
🐜8 rebounds
🐜5 Help

🐜13-in-22 FG
🐜4-in-9 3pt
🐜10 out of 12 feet pic.twitter.com/385xsI6GOd

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 March 2026

Anthony Edwards, how the Timberwolves played against the Warriors

Anthony Edwards was too much for the Warriors to handle, leading the Timberwolves to a solid win on the road. Golden State was competitive despite missing Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but Minnesota beat them with a remarkably efficient offense.

Seven players, including Edwards, scored in double figures for Minnesota in the win. Rudy Gobert came in with a strong performance of 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. He shot 5 of 5 overall and 8 of 10 from the charity stripe. Jaden McDaniels was next with 15 points, Naz Reed and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points, Bones Hyland had 11 points, while Julius Randle provided 10 points and four rebounds.

Minnesota improved to a 41–26 record on the season and finished sixth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers while trailing the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.

The Timberwolves will remain on the road awaiting their next matchup. They will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder as tip-off takes place on March 15 at 1 pm ET.

Cooper Flagg broke Kobe Bryant’s NBA record after his performance in the Dallas Mavericks’ 138-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Flagg is spending the first season of his career with the Mavericks. After a slow start, he has made serious progress as he continues to live up to expectations as one of the best rookies in the draft.

In the running for the Rookie of the Year award this season, Flagg has continued to put in incredible performances that promise Dallas’ long-term potential. After the team’s latest game against Cleveland, the young forward achieved another record in NBA history.

In 29 minutes of action, Flagg finished with a stat line of 25 points, five assists and four rebounds. He made 8 of 16 shots from the field, including 1 of 3 from beyond the arc and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line.

Flagg recorded a 20-point game for the 25th time this season, having already achieved the record at the age of 19. He surpassed Bryant for most 20-point games by a teenager in NBA history.

Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg has passed Kobe Bryant for most 20+ point games by a teenager in NBA history.

🔸Cooper Flag: 25 20+ point games
🔸Kobe Bryant: 24 20+ point games

Every night he takes the court, he shows why he is one of the brightest young stars in the world… pic.twitter.com/tqkwYovZCt

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 March 2026

Cooper Flagg, how the Mavericks played against the Cavaliers

Cooper Flagg’s historic efforts were not enough as the Cavaliers’ offense was too much for the Mavericks in a blowout loss at home.

Five players, including Flagg, scored in double figures for Dallas in the loss. Najee Marshall came in next with a solid performance of 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. He made 7 of 12 shots overall, including 2 of 4 from downtown and 1 of 4 from the charity stripe. Max Christie had 12 points, Brandon Williams added 12 points and three assists, while Dwight Powell provided 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Dallas fell to a 22–45 record on the season and finished 12th in the Western Conference standings. They are above the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz while trailing the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Mavericks will look to bounce back in their next match at home. They will host the Cavaliers in a rematch as tip-off will take place on March 15 at 3:30 PM ET.

It looks like injury problems will really plague the Golden State Warriors throughout the 2025-26 season. After veteran big man Al Horford was forced out of Friday night’s contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to calf tightness, the Warriors lost another veteran contributor to injury, with Seth Curry following in Horford’s footsteps.

According to a report from ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, Curry will not return to action for the Warriors on Friday night after feeling soreness in his left adductor. It’s going to be even more difficult for the already shorthanded Warriors to pose much of a challenge against the Timberwolves as their players are dropping like flies.

Curry joins players like Horford, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody among the absent players for the Warriors. They’re falling apart in the West, and these injury problems aren’t helping one bit.

Curry may not be a major rotation piece for the Dubs, but the offense and shooting he provides could be useful, especially considering how depleted the Warriors roster was on Friday. Before fouling out, he had only one rebound and one assist, going scoreless in seven minutes of play after missing two of his attempts from the field.

Warriors’ depth continues to be tested

The good news is that the Warriors have depth at the guard positions, which should soften the blow of Curry’s injury. They have players like De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Pat Spencer, Will Richard, Gary Payton II and two-way player LJ Cryer who are capable of giving head coach Steve Kerr some quality minutes.

These shorthanded warriors aren’t giving up without a fight; At the time of writing, they had narrowed the Timberwolves’ lead to single digits, 109–102. Can they ride on the energy of the Chase Center crowd and cruise to an unexpected victory?

The 2025-26 season has not been great for Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green on the injury front. After missing a total of 21 games over the first four seasons of his career (including a total of zero for the last two campaigns), Green has missed 48 games this season due to hamstring problems. But it looks like Green is putting those injury troubles in the rearview mirror.

On Friday night, despite the Suns’ 122-115 loss to the Toronto Raptors in which he lost offensive fire in the clutch, Green made himself a peach of a ballgame. The fifth-year guard recorded a team-high 34 points on 13-25 shooting from the field (8-16 from beyond the arc) with five rebounds, four assists and one steal, and in doing so, he scored 30 points in two consecutive games for the first time this season.

Green scored 36 points in the win over the Indiana Pacers last night, and he’s looking healthy to the extent that he’s doing so despite being down two sets in a row to the Suns. This suggests that the team is not too concerned about the long-term stability of his hamstring.

His latest effort may end in defeat, but gaining a foothold late in the season helps Green at least cover for the absence of Dillon Brooks, who has been an offensive cornerstone for the Suns all season.

Suns are in the running for a spot in the Western Conference

As things stand, the Suns will be faced with the incredible task of becoming one of the best teams in the West by making it through the play-in tournament. Currently their record is 39-28, but that puts them in seventh place in the standings.

There will be no rest for these tired Suns, as their next three games will be against extremely tough opposition. On Monday, they face the Boston Celtics, followed by games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr couldn’t believe the buzz surrounding Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point game against the Washington Wizards, the second-most in NBA history.

“Is this a thing? People aren’t giving him credit for scoring 83.” [points]Kerr asked the room when told that a good portion of fans, reporters and analysts across the league have vilified Adebayo, the Miami Heat and the way Erik Spoelstra got to that incredible feat.

Amid the discussion surrounding Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game, Steve Kerr echoed Erik Spoelstra’s comments:

“I respect what Spo said. There’s no need to apologize, he was doing it for his team and I respect that.”

Explained how he left Klay Thompson to chase 14 threes in 2018. pic.twitter.com/WjhZCnjzCU

– Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) 14 March 2026

Opponents have cited Adebayo’s record-breaking 43 free throws, the way the Heat fouled the Wizards to get the ball back, and the fact that Spoelstra left his man in a blowout game to chase the record, as reasons why Adebayo’s 83 points should come with an asterisk. But it seems like Kerr is on the other side of the discussion, as he had nothing but praise for the player he coached during the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.

“It’s pretty amazing. I mean, what an incredible accomplishment,” Kerr said. “And he’s not even really a scorer. He’s an incredible player. But he wouldn’t be top of mind to score that many points. So just feels like a bizarre evening. I didn’t watch the game, we were playing so I saw some of the high highlights, but it was one of those physical experiences, and it seemed like the team was totally engaged and enjoying it.”

Steve Kerr supports Adebayo and Spoelstra’s defense

In recent days, since the historic night, Adebayo and Spoelstra have been dogged by questions about the ethics of the strategies they employed to help Adebayo score 83 points.

Adebayo called the haters “sofa coaches” and defended his performance.

“If you get that close to chasing greatness, that’s the point of chasing it, so you can overcome it,” Adebayo said. “And some people have never played basketball.”

Meanwhile, Spoelstra strongly supported Adebayo, calling out detractors in a lengthy response to the Miami media.

“I think most of the people who probably made comments didn’t watch the game. It’s ‘irresponsible’ or ‘immoral,'” Spoelstra said. “And I would do it again 10 times out of 10 for Bam, I’m not apologizing to anyone about that.”

Spoelstra won’t have to apologize to Kerr because the Dubs coached his longtime friend and coaching contemporary.

“I think every coach has to face that — himself and his own circumstances,” Kerr said. “I think the whole team was pleading to keep Spo [Adebayo] Out there. And it’s really tricky. As a coach, you may feel awkward.”

Steve Kerr references his feelings

Kerr recalled a similar experience to Spoelstra and Adebayor, when he passed Klay Thompson against the Chicago Bulls to set the record for most 3-pointers in a game on October 29, 2018.

With the Warriors up by 41 with 4:53 left in the third quarter, Thompson hit his 14th triple to tie the record. But before that point, Kerr had dismissed all the starters and left Thompson to chase the feat. But that pursuit led to shot-chucking, a context lost over time, as Thompson missed four consecutive 3-pointers in the process.

“I let him go because I wanted him to get the record,” Kerr said. “The team wanted him to get the record. And it was a little weird, sure, I felt bad that he was launching shots. Luckily, he made one. I think he missed his first three quarters, and he was just launching every time, and he made his fourth. And I couldn’t get him out fast enough. But it worked out. Everybody was happy, but yeah, it’s weird. There’s a lot of mouths to feed, a lot of people to think about in those situations. Are.”

With Kerr’s experience with record-chasing players and teams, he had no trouble with Spoelstra’s defense.

“But I respect what Spo said. There’s no need to apologize. He was doing it for his team and I respect that.”

The Golden State Warriors entered Friday night shorthanded in the frontcourt against the Minnesota Timberwolves with Draymond Green ruled out less than an hour before tip-off. Another unfortunate injury incident occurred for the Warriors during the game, with Al Horford connecting with Green after only five minutes of play.

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel for ClutchPoints, Horford will miss the remainder of the Warriors’ Friday night contest against the Timberwolves due to suffering from tightness in his right calf. Against an over-sized Timberwolves team, Horford’s defensive tenacity and ability to space the floor could have come in handy, but now, the Dubs will have to rely on their other options to hold down the fort.

The good news is that the Warriors have Kristaps Porzingis active on Friday night, and they also have the more than capable hands of Quinton Post to back up Porzingis. That should at least soften the blow of Horford’s absence.

Before exiting the game, Horford scored three points on 1-3 shooting from the field (all from beyond the arc) and he grabbed a single rebound.

Warriors are facing nightmare of injuries one after another

The Warriors have fallen to ninth place in the Western Conference with a 32-33 record, and are in danger of falling even further with the Portland Trail Blazers right behind them. Injury problems have made their lives miserable, with several key players suffering injuries serious enough to rule them out.

The most serious absence for them has been Stephen Curry, who is dealing with a knee injury. Jimmy Butler is out for the foreseeable future with a torn ACL. Draymond Green and De’Anthony Melton missed a few games here and there due to injury management. Moses Moody is out. Kristaps Porzingis is battling a chronic illness. And now, Horford is on the sidelines, too.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (40-26) have dropped to sixth place in the Western Conference after losing three consecutive games by at least 14 points. When Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu landed on the injury report before Friday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors (32-33), some fans believed West Coast’s problems could continue. Luckily, both players will be in action inside Chase Center, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.

Edwards is dealing with right knee soreness, but will move on. Dosunmu missed Wednesday’s 153-128 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers with a thumb sprain, so it’s encouraging to know he’ll be on the floor for this contest. While it remains to be seen how effective these guards will be, this update is important.

The Wolves should theoretically do well against the shorthanded Warriors, but fans aren’t taking any capable opponent lightly just yet. Minnesota is just one game away from the NBA Play-In Tournament, with the Phoenix Suns applying the pressure from the No. 7 seed. Although Chris Finch’s group has overcome challenging situations before, no one wants to play an extra game in this tough conference.

Conserving energy may be necessary in potential postseason meetings with the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs or Denver Nuggets. Therefore, it is important for the Timberwolves to take care of business in the final 16 games of the regular season. They can’t accomplish that task unless their franchise keystone is healthy.

Anthony Edwards is scoring a career-high 29.4 points per contest while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from behind the 3-point line. He’s getting better year after year and climbing the ladder of NBA superstars. When a two-time All-NBA Second-Team selection is on the final stretch, Minnesota can compete with anyone. Edwards is “the guy” on this team, but Ayo Dosunmu is valuable in his own right.

Acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, the 2021 second-round draft pick is able to ease the No. 5 offensive burden somewhat. He attacks the rim and plays with ferocity, making him a perfect fit for this Timberwolves team.

Edwards and Dosunmu will do their best to overcome any discomfort they are feeling in this matchup with the Warriors. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 pm ET.

The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. For Donovan Mitchell, he was looking maintain his week of excellence.

Mitchell did the same in the second quarter. With 8:50 left, the Cavaliers led the Mavericks 42–33. Cooper Flagg attempted to pass the ball at the top of the key. However, Mitchell was there for the interception.

As he moved towards the other end, Mitchell used to perfection His trademark windmill trick Against the flag for a layup, according to ClutchPoints.

Donovan Mitchell assembles his signature windmill atop the Cooper Flag 😮‍💨🔥pic.twitter.com/aW3bBKzN6l

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 March 2026

Mitchell has played 58 matches so far. Additionally, he averages 28.3 points and 5.8 assists per game. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are 40-26, in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, and have dropped their last ten games.

Additionally, Flagg is returning after missing eight straight games with a foot injury. Still, the flag remains Odds-on favorites for NBA Rookie of the Year.

Meanwhile, Michelle recently Missed four games due to back injury. Mitchell is with the Cavaliers through 2022. He is currently playing his fourth season in Cleveland.

From 2023 to 2026, Mitchell was selected to the NBA All-Star team as a member of the Cavaliers. In July 2024, Michelle Signed a three-year, $150.3 million contract extension With Cleveland.

On Sunday, the Cavaliers will face the Mavericks again at home. Next, they play on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Cavaliers travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls.

They will then finish the week against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Draymond Green received a negative update regarding his availability for the Golden State Warriors’ matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

Green has been in the league since 2012 when the Warriors selected him in the second round of that year’s NBA draft. He carved a niche for himself as one of the best versatile guards in the game, helping Golden State win four championships throughout his tenure.

Green has continued to play at a solid level for Golden State, primarily on defense. However, as he ages, he will need to maintain his fitness to continue performing for Golden State’s benefit. He was initially questionable to play against Minnesota due to injury management. Unfortunately for the team, NBA insider Brett Siegel provided the final update on Green’s status for the game.

“Draymond Green is out of tonight’s game against the Timberwolves,” Siegel wrote.

The New Orleans Pelicans face the Houston Rockets on Friday. Meanwhile, Zion Williamson is Despite this, they are securing their future with the franchise. early trade rumors And injuries.

Before tip-off, Williamson A rapid increase was seen In his contract, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. As a result of playing in 51 games, Williamson’s guaranteed salary will increase from $16.9 million to $25.3 million.

Additionally, his salary before the start of the season was $42.2 million for next season, with no money for security.

This year, Williamson is averaging 21.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 22-45 and have won seven of their last ten games.

Williamson has been with the Pelicans since being selected as the No. 1 pick out of Duke in 2019. Since then, he became an NBA All-Star twice in 2021 and 2023. In 2020, he made the All-Rookie team.

However, Williamson’s NBA career has largely been covered in bruises, criticism of their weightAs well as off-court issues such as 2025 sexual harassment allegation.

At the beginning of the season, it was reported that Williamson would be one of the players to be traded. However, the Pelicans are clearly doing everything possible to ensure that Williamson remains in the Big Easy for the long term.

On Monday, the Pelicans return home for four games. First up, they will take on the Dallas Mavericks. Then, they will play back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday and Thursday. On Saturday, March 21, the Pelicans will conclude the week by playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

MIAMI – As the buzz around the Miami Heat is that Bam Adebayo made history Tuesday by scoring 83 points, the second-highest scoring game ever in the NBA, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 points, there’s no doubt he made an impact. Whatever the effect of the social media discussion surrounding the “ethics” of the Heat captain’s 83-point night, it was felt during the team’s 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

The win over the Bucks is Miami’s seventh straight, the longest of the season for the team, and comes after Adebayo had a historic night against the Wizards on Tuesday. Adebayo was clearly and obviously gassed in the contest, though he still finished with 21 points and eight rebounds.

Erik Spoelstra called outing vs. Bucks “one of our more impressive wins”

However, Adebayo’s performance was “inspirational”, as said by head coach Erik Spoelstra, leading to a dominant win over Milwaukee led by a standout performance from Pelle Larsson, which included a career-high 28 points.

“I thought it was one of our most impressive wins of the season,” Spoelstra said. “Going into this, you want to make sure your emotional and mental batteries are recharged. But it’s quite natural that there are some things where you don’t get enough juice. And for what we talked about in our meeting and walk-through, we need some guys to step up, maybe bring some Motivators, you know, inspire motivators.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the Heat’s gutsy win, especially after an emotional game on Tuesday, and he talked about Pelle Larsson and Kaspars Jaksionis.

“I thought it was one of our most impressive wins of the season…they were both awesome…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/MukvJbWh6K

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Spoelstra would call it a “very good team win”, while acknowledging that Miami was not as “impressive offensively”, possibly due to Tuesday’s emotionally draining night. Still, the Heat would look to hold the Bucks defensively, although Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points.

Adebayo and the Heat look to get back on track and make things happen on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic.

This weekend we found NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 23 Answers to help players earn some free VC. For those new to the series, NBA 2KTV is a weekly in-game program hosted by Alexis Morgan and Chris Manning. Overall, the show features a wide variety of content ranging from interviews with actual players and developers, fan highlights, and more. However, we also understand that everyone watches 2KTV to get VCs by answering questions in each episode. So, we have listed all NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 21 Answers for your convenience.

NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 23 Answers

1. 83
2. Any
3. hawks
4. 13th
5. pelican
6. Truth
7. 6 minutes
8. Any
9. practice plays
10. go-to-shot
11. 2
12. gamertag

Overall, this includes all the answers for NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 23. To answer a question, you simply press the button that matches the answer you want to choose. The questions appear randomly in each episode, so you’ll have to watch the entire episode to find them all. Answering questions correctly in 2KTV usually rewards the player with VC, although sometimes you can earn something more.

New episodes of 2KTV are typically released on Fridays, although there have been exceptions in the past. Additionally, episode lengths vary, depending on the amount of content within the episode.

Luckily, the developers like to give away a few freebies (sometimes more) in each episode. So even if you don’t use any guides, you’ll still earn at least one or more free rewards. So, tune in to 2KTV, because there’s no reason not to earn some free VC.

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Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo looked to build on that historic performance and lead the team to victory after he scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. Since the Heat captain’s 83-point night led to an inspiring 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, the team is hoping for the same against the Orlando Magic on Friday night, with the possible return of Norman Powell.

Miami’s injury report released Friday showed Powell has been upgraded to “questionable” with a right groin strain that has kept him out the past seven games. As much as it was a familiar sight to see Powell go out immediately, it’s an encouraging sight to see some hope from the team that the first-time All-Star could make his return.

Norman Powell was labeled “week-to-week” by the Heat

Powell never set a timetable for his return, he was labeled “week-to-week” by the team, with the Heat being cautious about the 32-year-old’s health. Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra last spoke about Powell before the team’s 121-110 win over the Detroit Pistons, saying he was putting more effort into his recovery.

There’s no denying how important Powell has been to the Heat this season in his first year with the team, as he leads the team with 22.5 points per game on 47.3 shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Earning his first All-Star award, he was huge in becoming the main offensive weapon alongside Adebayo while Tyler Herro missed a portion of the time.

Speaking of which, Herro is also questionable to play against the Magic on Saturday due to quadriceps pain that has caused him to miss the last two games. Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jovic are out with toe and back injuries respectively.

It remains to be seen what the final situation is for Powell and Herro.

The Chicago Bulls will visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton are listed as questionable on the NBA injury report. Okoro Wright has been battling patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Meanwhile, Sexton is batting with a left fibular head injury. On Thursday, the Bulls lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 142-130 in a tense battle. Here’s everything we know about Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton’s injuries and their game status vs. the Clippers.

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Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton’s injury status vs. Clippers

Given that Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton are listed as questionable, it is assumed that they will not play. Both have been on the injury list this season. Sexton, while with the Charlotte Hornets, missed eight games due to quad/thigh and hamstring injuries. He suffered a neck injury in November.

During the trade deadline, Sexton was traded to Chicago in a deal that sent Coby White to the Hornets. Despite scoring 28 points against the Sacramento Kings on March 7, Sexton was taken out of the game with a concussion.

Sexton was absent against the Golden State Warriors and Lakers.

Okoro has missed several games due to neck, back/neck and knee injuries. He missed the Lakers’ game on Thursday.

Overall, Sexton is averaging 14.6 points per game. Okoro, meanwhile, is averaging 9.0 points per game. Additionally, the Bulls are 27-39 and have lost seven of their last 10 games.

So when it comes to the question of whether Isaac Okoro and Collin Sexton are playing against the Lakers tonight, the answer is no.

oxen injury report

Isaac Okoro (right patellofemoral pain syndrome) – doubtful

Colin Sexton (contusion of left fibular head) – questionable.

Jalen Smith (left calf strain) – probable

Patrick Williams (left ankle sprain) – questionable

Guershon Yabusele (left foot sore) – doubtful

Jaden Ivy (left patellofemoral pain syndrome)-out

Effernie Simmons (left ulnar styloid; fracture) – Outside

shear injury report

Bradley Beal (left hip fracture) – out

John Collins (neck strain)-out

Darius Garland (left toe injury management) – OUT

Yannick Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc ligament; rupture) – OUT

OKLAHOMA CITY – After breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record for most consecutive 20+ point games in NBA history, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander revealed the players he most admired growing up. After Thunder coach Mark Daigneault put Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak into perspective, SGA reflected on the legends who came before him, such as Hall of Fame guards Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson.

Three Hall of Fame guards and the most memorable shooters helped mold Gilgeous-Alexander’s attack, including his knack for mid-range looks, a dying art of the game that is frowned upon in the modern, analytically-driven era.

Gilgeous-Alexander said, “I don’t think it’s necessarily me. I shoot honestly and I fell in love with the mid-range jump shot because of guys like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Allen Iverson. If anything, he changed the game and how it’s played.” “They’re my favorite players and ones I try to model my game after. So, I try to apply that to today’s NBA. But if anything, it’s them.”

SGA has revealed that his father showed him Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson when he was a child. Kobe Bryant was his favorite. And as Gilgeous-Alexander continues to progress toward cementing his place as one of the greatest NBA players in league history, the win remains the most important amid the defending champions’ quest for a repeat.

Gilgeous-Alexander said, “If we weren’t winning none of the things I accomplished would matter. And I probably wouldn’t have most of them if we weren’t winning.” “And I know it and understand it. That’s why you play the game.”

The Thunder extended their winning streak to seven in a 104–102 win against the Boston Celtics, amid Gilgeous-Alexander’s 127th consecutive 20+ point game. SGA finished with 35 points.

Mark Daigneault puts SGA’s streak into perspective

Before Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s postgame media availability, head coach Mark Daigneault discussed what makes his reigning MVP so special. Daigneault It has been told Gilgeous-Alexander as a leading scorer, team leader and individual.

“Number one, he’s skilled at his craft. Nobody is more precise at his craft than him. Number two, the streak his entire life hasn’t stopped us from having a ton of team success and hasn’t stopped his teammates from being successful as well,” Daigneault said. “The individual scoring streak hasn’t come at the expense of the team or his teammates. And again, great father, great husband, great teammate.

“He treats everyone in the building with respect from top to bottom. So, he’s obviously a great basketball player, but he’s such a guy that you couldn’t be happier when he accomplishes something like this. So, huge congratulations to him.”

Mark Daigneault’s honest opinion on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak of 127 consecutive 20+ point games, the most in NBA history, and his leadership:

“There is no one more precise at his craft than him. The entire life of the streak did not prevent us from having a lot of team success… pic.twitter.com/WDNrrO2AZ5

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 13 March 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will look to extend their seven-game winning streak when they host the Timberwolves at Paycom Center on Sunday.

It’s not that common for rookies to make a team better defensively. Enter Phoenix Suns first-year players Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluch. Both of them have received immense support and praise from head coach Jordan Ott.

Ever since the Suns selected Maluach and Fleming in the 2025 NBA Draft, they have seen the potential. Both have the defensive abilities to switch, play pick-and-roll, and play bigger than their respective sizes.

As a result, this has allowed Ott to experiment and be creative. There may be offensive limitations, but the defensive promise far outweighs any shortcomings on the other end.

For example, they had a lineup at the five on small ball with Royce O’Neal, Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Jalen Green, and Fleming.

It’s an extremely small sample size, but that lineup posted an offensive rating of 141.7 and a defensive rating of 100 in just six minutes.

Will this lineup achieve a net rating of 41.7 every time it’s on the court? Probably not, but it’s a good metric to assess and see what the potential might be.

Fleming’s 7’5 wingspan and 9’1 vertical reach make him the ideal small-ball center. Not to mention, his physicality and athleticism far exceeds that of a typical rookie.

Again, the numbers are small, but it seems like Ott is optimistic about moving forward with it based on the scenario.

“Both games (vs. Milwaukee and Indiana), it felt great,” Ott explained via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin on Twitter (formerly Twitter). “When to really get near it. Facing massive pullouts again.”

“Some of the challenges we’re having with guarding those guys with our bigger players are new. Just new situations that (7-foot freshman Khaman Maluach) has been in. Thought we were able to respond in the game to try to find another way to get a win on the road.”

Defensive combo of Rasheer Fleming + Khaman Maluach = Jordan Ott for the Suns

Again, Fleming and Maluach, being rookies and picking up minutes, may have some skeptics, but they have earned their fair share of respect from their teammates and coaches.

Tireless work, playing with the G-League Valley Suns and constantly staying prepared are all parts of the process that helped him get here. Eventually, the Suns relied on Fleming and Maluach by trading Nigel Hayes-Davies and Nick Richards at the trade deadline.

While part of this was for salary cap purposes, it shows the confidence the organization and the entire team have in these two rookies.

As for the former St. Joe’s forward, he has all the makings of an elite defensive player. As mentioned earlier, her mentality as well as physical gifts have attracted many people.

Even Suns teammates Grayson Allen and Colin Gillespie shared that Fleming’s ceiling is so high. Devin Booker noted Maluach as having high basketball skills for a center, and for a young man like himself.

Given where we are in the season, a contending team typically doesn’t aim to keep two rookies around for a significant amount of time. However, Ott appears to have a lot of offensive and defensive potential.

Trust is growing with teammates, lineup experiments are going well, and Maluach and Fleming seem to be playing freely.

Phoenix’s defensive rating is already the tenth-best in the association. The influx of lineup combinations could disrupt a set five-man unit. However, this may be a blessing in disguise because of the opportunity both Fleming and Maluach have.

Meaningful minutes and impacting the game on the defensive end with strong rim protection, perimeter defense and a never-ending hustle is exactly what Ott was good at — and it’s paying dividends.

Of all the nations competing in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Italy stands out. On Saturday they will take part in the quarterfinals against Puerto Rico.

Additionally, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, their fans at home are in a good position to watch. While Italy will play at 8 p.m. EST, the Americans will occupy that time slot. Instead, Italy will play at 3 pm EST.

As a result, fans in Italy will be able to watch at 9 pm their time. Meanwhile, the Americans will play their quarterfinal match against Canada at 8 pm EST.

While Team Italy typically plays to win Pool B at 8 p.m., No. 2 seed Team USA gets that tonight’s time slot for Fox TV viewers.
But by playing on Saturday at 3 pm ET, baseball fans in Italy can watch the game live at 9 pm with a time difference of six hours

– Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) 13 March 2026

Without a doubt, Italy’s greatest victory was their 8–6 upset over the Americans. After this, they defeated Mexico 8–6 to book a place in the quarter-finals.

In the process, he helped the Americans secure a spot after momentary uncertainty following the loss to Italy.

Italy is attempting to win its first World Baseball Classic title.

He has competed in every single tournament since 2006. Overall, Italy’s best finish in the World Baseball Classic was 7th in 2013.

Recently, baseball has been gaining popularity in Italy. Nevertheless, football remains the most popular sport in the country. In America, Italian American players such as Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra have become larger-than-life icons.

The Italian Baseball League (Serie A) has existed in Italy since 1948.

Current players include homegrown Italian players as well as players of Italian heritage. Native players included Sam Aldegheri, Claudio ScottiAnd Gabriele Quattrini.

Meanwhile, players of Italian heritage include Aaron Nola, Matt Festa and Kyle Nicholls.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the midst of a tight Western Conference race, and every game will be important until the end of the season. Their next game will be against the Golden State Warriors, who are also alive in the West by being in the play-ins. Both teams are struggling to get seeded and are doing so while battling injuries.

As for the Timberwolves, they have been fairly healthy, but before their game, Anthony Edwards was added to the report with right knee soreness. It’s uncertain whether the injury is serious, but if so, he would likely have been listed as questionable or out.

Edwards still has a chance to suit up, and if he’s able to play, there’s no doubt he will. Plus, the Timberwolves don’t want to see him on the injury report at all, especially at this point in the season.

Edwards has been huge for the Timberwolves this season, as he is averaging a career-high 29.4 points per game. He is also shooting a career high from the three-point line at 40.2%.

Although Edwards is doing the best he can, the Timberwolves have still had times throughout the season when they have been very inconsistent. As far as a recent example goes, they are currently losing three games in a row and their defense is not playing well. They gave up 153 points to the Los Angeles Clippers, and in the game before that, they gave up 120 points to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The schedule will not be easy for the Timberwolves, as after the Warriors, they will have to face the Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns.

If the Timberwolves ever need to try and lock down a lead, it should be now. With them being seeded sixth, there is a possibility they could reach the seventh seed, depending on what the Suns do the rest of the season.

The Dallas Mavericks will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they will be without a handful of their players for the matchup. In the Mavericks’ latest game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Klay Thompson was ruled out due to rest, and that meant he played more minutes than usual in the game before facing the Atlanta Hawks.

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Mavericks would rule out Daniel Gafford due to rest after he finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds against the Grizzlies. PJ Washington is listed as questionable with a sore left ankle, and Najee Marshall is listed as questionable with a sore left foot.

Of course, other players on the list have been out most of the season due to injuries, such as Kyrie Irving and Derek Lively II.

The league has never been afraid to look at why teams aren’t playing specific players, but the Mavericks have a good argument if they do. This is back-to-back, and they actually won the game against the Grizzlies, so it doesn’t seem like they’re obviously trying to lose the game.

It has been a tough season overall for the Mavericks health-wise, as most of their key players have been in and out of the lineup. Irving did not fit in at all as he recovered from an ACL injury suffered last season. When Anthony Davis was still on the team, he only played 20 games due to injuries, and he has yet to play for the Washington Wizards.

Before the All-Star break, Cooper Flagg suffered a foot injury that caused him to miss a few games, but he has been able to return and play in the last few games.

It may be disappointing for Mavericks fans to wonder what this team would look like if everyone were available at the same time.

Luka Doncic continues to impress for the Los Angeles Lakers as the team enters a crucial stretch of the season.

Doncic led the Lakers to a 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night with a nearly triple-double performance that highlighted his offensive impact. The star guard finished with 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists while adding three steals and a block in 37 minutes.

He made 17 of 31 shots from the field, including 9 of 14 from three-point range, and converted 8 of his 9 free throw attempts. The performance marked one of Doncic’s most complete performances of the season and led Los Angeles to another impressive win.

The dominant night continued a remarkable stretch for Doncic, who has increased his production during the Lakers’ recent surge. Over the past four games, he has averaged 40.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists, while also contributing 2.5 steals per contest. During that span, he has shot 51 percent from the field, 45 percent from three-point range and 86 percent from the free throw line as Los Angeles has won four consecutive games.

Luka Doncic’s impressive season pushes Lakers to top seed in Western Conference

Doncic’s consistency has been central to the Lakers’ success this season. Through 54 games, the 27-year-old is averaging 32.9 points, 8.5 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game, while also recording 1.5 steals per contest. He is shooting 47.5 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three-point range and 77.6 percent from the free throw line while playing 35.5 minutes per game.

His offensive production has helped stabilize the Lakers as they push for position in the Western Conference standings. The win over Chicago improved Los Angeles to 41–25 on the season, moving the team into the third seed.

The Lakers will look to carry their momentum on Saturday when they host the Denver Nuggets (41-26) at 5:30 pm PT on ABC. The matchup could carry significant playoff implications as both teams sit at the top of the conference.

Following the home game, Los Angeles begins a six-game road trip Monday against the Houston Rockets (40-25) at 6:30 p.m. on NBCSN and Peacock as the team moves into a competitive Western Conference race.

MIAMI – Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo scored 83 points Tuesday night to surpass Kobe Bryant’s 81 for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, no doubt polarizing reactions. While the 83 points scored by the Heat’s face of the franchise in Adebayo was labeled “unethical” by some in the sports world, the star himself has hit back at some of the talking points.

Those online who have questioned the ethics of the 83-point game have pointed to the 43 free-throw attempts by Adebayo or Miami intentionally committing fouls and missing free throws to save time or gain more possessions. Some have even said that Adebayo should have checked before passing Bryant to show respect.

“I’m like, ‘Listen, I’m a Kobe fan. I got close to his record. What do you think I’m going to do? Try to break it?’ I’m pretty sure if I had 81 and Kobe was on his way, he wouldn’t be like, ‘You know, I’m going to check myself out with nine minutes left, but I got 70.’ Stay serious,” Adebayo said after Thursday’s 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bam Adebayo explains why he wasn’t surprised by the reaction to scoring 83 and being a Kobe Bryant fan; #HeatNation

“I’m pretty sure if I had 81 and Kobe was on his way, he wouldn’t be like ‘I’m gonna check myself out with nine minutes left, but I got 70.’ Be serious.” pic.twitter.com/pOdFxSlza7

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Heat’s Bam Adebayo on his “pinch-me moment”

Whether people debate whether or not the Heat star’s 83-point night was unethical, no one can take that moment away from the 28-year-old. Adebayo will delve into how it’s been a “pinch-me moment” since Tuesday night’s historic game.

“The last 48 hours, it’s kind of…I’m surprised by myself,” Adebayo said after recording 21 points and eight rebounds in a win over Milwaukee on Thursday. “Because someone will ask, ‘What’s my career at the highest level?’ You are 83 years old. And it’s not like the YMCA, this is the highest level of basketball…it’s still a happy moment for me. And, as Kobe said, ‘You’ve got to stay in shape. You have to have a lot of stamina, stay in shape and really grab it.’ And I understand it now, because the next game is what you have to worry about.”

Bam Adebayo talks more about what made him more profitable is that he not only scored 83 points but his name is also included among the NBA greats. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/3tjj2TpbAS

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

At any rate, Adebayo and Miami will now look to extend their seven-game winning streak against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Colin Cowherd offered a new comparison involving LeBron James and Michael Jordan during the latest episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, discussing James’ growing offensive role with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The comments came after the Lakers’ 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, a game that showcased the team’s offensive depth with strong performances from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Cowherd began the segment by revisiting his earlier predictions about the season, noting the unusual circumstances created by Doncic entering his prime while James remains a central figure in the offense.

“What’s really happened this year that has made it tough for LeBron is that Austin Reaves has popped and now LeBron has to have the ball as the third offensive option on the Lakers. So asking a guy who was the face of the NBA for 20 years, ‘Hey, we not only need you to be off the ball with Luka. [Doncic]But also Austin Reeves’. This is a great question. I don’t think Michael Jordan would have done that. I don’t think most of the all-time players are going to do that.”

Cowherd continued by emphasizing that James’ willingness to adapt reflects his focus on winning rather than individual scoring.

“And the fact is LeBron has always been about winning and he has won and I’ve defended him before when he didn’t take big shots like MJ or Kobe, and I will say he’s a winning player, he plays perfect basketball.”

“Asking a guy who was the face of the NBA for 20 years, ‘Hey, we need to be off the ball with not only Luka [Doncic]But also Austin Reeves’. This is a great question. I don’t think Michael Jordan would have done that.”

Colin Cowherd on LeBron James 👀pic.twitter.com/3m4iqLnGBj

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026

He ultimately concluded the segment by reiterating the difficulty of asking a player of James’ stature to transition to a tertiary offensive role.

“I think that’s a big question. I don’t think MJ would have done it, I don’t think a lot of stars who can still play at LeBron’s level individually would do it. But LeBron has always been a winning player, I think he deserves credit for committing to this kind of basketball when you can score 24 or more a night for half the teams in the league.”

Colin Cowherd’s Michael Jordan comparison highlights LeBron James’ evolving Lakers role

James’ performance Thursday reflected the Lakers’ evolving offensive structure. The 41-year-old finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block, while shooting 7-for-13 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line in 33 minutes.

Doncic led the Lakers with an impressive performance, recording 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while adding three steals and a block. He shot 17 for 31 from the field and made nine of his 14 attempts from three-point range in 37 minutes.

Reeves also played a key role in the win, scoring 30 points with seven assists, five rebounds and one steal, while shooting 13-for-20 from the field and 4-for-7 from three in 39 minutes.

Now in his 23rd NBA season, James is averaging 21.4 points per game – his lowest scoring average since posting 20.9 points as a rookie during the 2003–04 season. He averaged seven assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range in 45 games.

The win improved the Lakers to 41–25 on the season and clinched the third seed in the Western Conference. Los Angeles will host the Denver Nuggets (41-26) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on ABC before beginning a six-game road trip Monday night against the Houston Rockets (40-25).

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green shrugged off the criticism surrounding Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point performance, calling the reaction a “loser mentality” during the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show.

Adebayo had the second-highest scoring performance in NBA history during the Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old center exploded for 83 points while adding nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 42 minutes, shooting 20-for-43 from the field, 7-for-22 from three-point range and 36-for-43 from the free-throw line.

The performance immediately sparked debate throughout the league, with some critics questioning whether Miami should have allowed Adebayo to continue the late scoring milestone in a game that was already decided.

Green rejected that criticism during his podcast.

“Bam goes for 83 points. Let’s talk about it… 20 years from now, 30 years from now they’ll be in the record books saying Wilt Chamberlain 100 points and until further notice, Bam Adebayo 83. Can’t even say they were playing against the Washington Wizards and they were talking nonsense. So everybody out there is hating like, ‘Hey man, Spo got like that. Shouldn’t have done it. Oh, man Bam’ He shouldn’t have done that, he shouldn’t have done that, he shouldn’t have done that.

👀 🔥 “I don’t care how you do it, scoring 83 in an NBA game is crazy!” Voices rise in support of Draymond Green #BamAdebayo Putting up 83 – a statistic for the history books! pic.twitter.com/8wTXFzosnu

– The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) 13 March 2026

Draymond Green calls criticism of Bam Adebayo’s scoring night ‘loser mentality’

Green expressed much of his frustration toward what he described as unwritten rules that discourage teams from running score after the game’s outcome is no longer in doubt.

“Y’all want Spo to feel bad for that organization and kick Bam out of the game and not let him go after the record? I hate these unwritten rules in basketball like don’t score because y’all are ahead. Bullshit! This loser ass mentality people have in this world is really pathetic…’ You should kick him out [of] Who says ‘game because you’re up too many points’? It’s not their fault they stink!”

Adebayo’s scoring surge started early in the game. He scored 31 points in the first quarter and finished the first half with 43, already putting himself in range of one of the league’s most elite scoring marks.

Green argued that the initial outburst made criticism of the performance even more unfair.

“Bam had 43 at halftime, which means for all the haters out there, like, ‘Oh, he should have come out of the game,’ he was on his way to 86… I really think that’s crazy. [that] People are really hating. We’ve seen a lot of guys stat chase and stat pad in the NBA, but no one has made their way and stat chased up to 83. I don’t care how you do it, scoring 83 in an NBA game is crazy. And we’ll act like this guy was just chasing stats to get 83 points, no. He had 30 points in the first quarter. Let’s stop acting like some crazy person gone crazy, like it’s Bam Adebayo, are you all kidding me?

Green backs Heat coach Erik Spoelstra after Adebayo’s 83-point night

Green also voiced support for Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra, who allowed Adebayo to remain in the game as the milestone approached.

“Man, I got love from Coach Spo for that. A lot of times you see coaches take people out like, ‘Oh, we got a lead, sportsmanship bullshit’. Bullshit. I can’t believe there was so much fuss about Bam scoring 83 like he cheated or something? The bullshit went out of here.”

Adebayo’s historic outing added to an already productive season for the Heat star. In 59 games, he has averaged 20 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.4% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range.

Miami improved to 38-29 after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, extending its winning streak to seven games while taking over the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference standings.

The New York Knicks visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Karl Anthony Towns’ name is on the injury report along with Josh Hart, with both players listed as questionable. Towns is dealing with bilateral knee injuries, while Hart is dealing with a left knee injury. The Knicks are hoping for a strong finish to the regular season as they look to add to their win column. Here’s everything we know about Karl Anthony Towns’ injury and his playing status against the Pacers.

Karl Anthony Towns’ injury status vs. Pacers

Given that Karl Anthony Towns’ injury report is questionable, it is difficult to predict whether he will be fit or not. He finished with 21 points on efficient 8-for-13 shooting, including three triples, seven rebounds and seven assists in Wednesday’s 134–117 win against the Utah Jazz.

After the Knicks lost on two consecutive nights against the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, Towns was expecting a similar response from his team. However, due to a knee injury before Friday’s game against the Pacers, the Knicks could opt to sit him out.

Towns is averaging 20.0 points on 49.3% shooting, including 37% from behind the 3-point arc, 11.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Knicks this season. For a team preparing for last year’s trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks will hope to find their momentum amid a strong finish heading into the playoffs.

Still, when it comes to the question of whether Karl Anthony Towns is playing against the Pacers tonight, the answer is probably.

knicks injury report

Josh Hart – Questionable – Left knee soreness.

Karl Anthony Towns – Questionable – Bilateral knee injury

Miles McBride – Out – Pelvic; core muscle surgery

MIAMI – It’s been days since Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo made history by scoring 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, causing a lot of buzz in the sports world. As much as there is a part of the debate that questions the ethics of the 83 points scored by the Heat captain in Adebayo, no one can take away that historic night from the big man, as he spoke about the future of this type of game.

Speaking after Miami’s 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, extending the team’s winning streak to seven, he would talk about the attention he is getting because of his 83-point outing, the second-highest scoring game in history.

Having only surpassed Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points in 1962 and Kobe Bryant’s 81 points in 2006, Adebayo may be feeling like he doesn’t think “anyone will ever do that again.”

“I mean, you’re surrounded by eyes, because everybody wants to see if you can do it again, which is crazy, because I don’t think anybody will do it again, but you just have to turn the page,” Adebayo said after recording 21 points and eight rebounds against the Bucks. “You see people yelling 83 at you, and you just start living in the moment. And then, usually when you get into the game, you kind of forget where you are and lose yourself throughout the game.”

Bam Adebayo is in the spotlight after scoring 83 points on Tuesday:

“You’re surrounded by eyes because everyone wants to see you do it again, which is crazy, I don’t think anyone will do it again, but you just have to turn the page…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/FzvEX9T8I3

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Heat’s Bam Adebayo on ’emotional rollercoaster’

While Adebayo celebrates scoring 83 points despite the polarizing reaction from the Heat center, he will talk about continuing the performance as he leads the team to wins.

“An emotional roller coaster, and understand why,” Adebayo said. “But obviously to be able to move on to the next game, get a win, and approach it in a different way. It wasn’t 83 tonight, it was 21, so if anyone is upset? I don’t care, but we got the W, that’s all that matters.”

Bam Adebayo speaks on the “emotional rollercoaster” of the past few days.

“It wasn’t 83 tonight. It was 21, I don’t care if anyone is upset, but I got the W, so that’s what matters…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/jRqOAAoOZmZ

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Adebayo and Miami now look to extend their win streak to eight as they visit the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.

Josh Minott is attempting to carve out a consistent role during his fourth NBA season. The former Boston Celtics forward is making a strong case for an extended opportunity following a trade for the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets.

Minot had the best performance of his career during Brooklyn’s 108-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. The 6-foot-8 wing kept the Nets, who were down more than half their rotation, competitive for most of the game. He made a post A career-high 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, 4-of-7 from three and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line with three steals and three blocks in 24 minutes.

When Minot was asked what led to the best inning of his career, he said, “I would just say my teammates.” “They were finding me at their cuts when I was open. I mean, I basically owe them everything. I didn’t really do anything that didn’t involve them finding me… I’m coming into a situation in the middle of the season. So I have to make a crazy mental shift. So for them to really help speed things up and help me understand who we are as a team — just our game, values, how we play — I mean, I would say that.” That’s everything. They definitely help guide me, and I’m looking forward to what else they have to teach me.”

https://t.co/fqqnByahKa pic.twitter.com/x6GBVVDoBo

– Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) 13 March 2026

Minot joined the Nets at the trade deadline from the Boston Celtics, who dropped his minimum salary below the luxury tax. The 23-year-old has performed well for Boston earlier this season.

Josh Minott’s heads turned during the Nets’ rebuilding audition

Minot averaged 6.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 steals in 18.5 minutes per game in his first 27 appearances this season. He shot 50.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three on 7.1 attempts per 100 possessions during the stretch.

The 6-foot-8 Memphis product, with a seven-foot wingspan and above-average athleticism, has impressed as a defensive playmaker. His promising three-point shooting and drive length at the rim offer an interesting two-way upside for the Nets team that acquired him at no cost.

Minot’s four made threes and six steals (steals + blocks) on Thursday were both career highs.

“I was looking forward to it,” he said of his performance. “But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t call it futile, but there is a goal. So overall, I don’t want to say I’m satisfied, but I’m quite happy with my performance… I’m just trying to keep that momentum going. I understand that they had a momentum before me, and I’m not trying to ruin that. I’m just trying to find a way to come in and impact the game. Just keep the team up, elevate the team and its values.” “I’m trying.”

Minot should have ample opportunity to prove his worth as the Nets increase their offensive aggression to close out the season. Brooklyn recently shut down Igor Demin and Deron Sharp for the season. Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle sprain), Nolan Traore (rest) and Zaire Williams (illness) also were ruled out against Atlanta.

The Nets have a $2.58 million team option on Minot for next season.

Things haven’t been good in South Texas this week after the Houston Rockets were demolished by the Denver Nuggets. Now, the news may get even worse, as Alpern Sengun has filed an injury report against the New Orleans Pelicans, putting his status in doubt. The Pelicans are visiting the Rockets, and there is a possibility that Sengun will not play. Currently, he is dealing with lower back pain, which likely occurred during the loss to the Nuggets. Here’s everything we know about Alperen Sengun’s injury and his playing status against the Pelicans.

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alperen sengun injury status vs pelicans

Given that Alperen Sengun is questionable, there’s a legitimate possibility that he won’t suit up for this showdown with the Pelicans. This marks the second time he has been on the injury report this season, as Seungun suffered a foot injury earlier this season.

If Sengun had missed this game, he would have had an additional two days to recover before a big two-game home series against the Los Angeles Lakers. With the Rockets currently in fourth place in the Western Conference, these two games will be crucial for playoff positioning. Seungun is averaging 20.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game for the Rockets.

Seungun has been mostly unavailable for the Rockets this season, missing seven games. If he misses this game, there’s a good chance he could compete for the Purple and Gold on Monday. Whether or not Seungun plays tonight is still up in the air, and that could be a true game-time decision.

As the buzz continues about Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo making history by scoring 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, one person who saw it coming was his teammate in WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson. While the sports world can debate the morality of a Heat captain scoring 83 points on Adebayo, no one can take away that milestone, Wilson put it on full display Thursday night.

Wilson will be in attendance for Miami’s 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, where she was representing Adebayo’s accomplishment. Subsequently, Adebayo’s 83 points tied him for the second-highest scoring game in a game, ahead of Kobe Bryant (81) and behind Wilt Chamberlain (100), as Wilson used emojis to show the order.

A’ja Wilson wore this custom made shirt to last night’s Heat-Bucks game.

💯 💥 🐍

want. Bomb. Kobe.

(via @_ajawilson22/threads) pic.twitter.com/RCWg9tS4Pn

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026

A’ja Wilson speaks on the work done by Heat’s Bam Adebayo

After the historic 83-point game, Adebayo told ClutchPoints it didn’t matter to him that he made history until he hugged his mother and Wilson as they both witnessed the tremendous work he did. Wilson would echo those sentiments when speaking to the media alongside Adebayo on Tuesday.

“I know he says I’m his inspiration,” Wilson said. “But I don’t think he has any idea how much he inspires me to continue to be who I am.”

Wilson continued, “I see the countless hours he put in, I see the early-morning workouts, the question-and-answers, the self-doubt, all that.” “And I’m grateful that God is really special to her. God doesn’t play around with balms.”

A’ja Wilson speaks on the “countless hours” that Bam Adebayo has spent behind the scenes.

Talked about how “accomplished” he is and about Adebayo’s journey. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/2vvRQY3NoX

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 11 March 2026

At any rate, the power couple now have massive points totals for their respective leagues as Adebayo holds the second-highest scoring game with 83 points, and Wilson holds the record for most points in a WNBA game with 53 points. As a result, Adebayo now looks to continue leading the Heat and extend their seven-game winning streak against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 142-130 win against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday amid a 51-point explosion from Luka Doncic, the Lakers find themselves climbing up to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, there is still about a month of the regular season left with some key games coming up, and it would be fair for the Lakers to hold on to the third seed in the West standings for the NBA Playoffs.

“I’m looking for a way for the Lakers to get to the playoffs. It’s going to take three,” Windhorst said. “No. 1, you have home court in the first round. Last year they had home court in the first round and they lost. You’ve still got to play good basketball … and you’re probably on the same side of the bracket as the Spurs.

“If you’re choosing to root for the Spurs or the Thunder, you’re probably going to pick the Spurs because of their inexperience overall. They’re not as deep as the Thunder… The next three games are huge for the Lakers. Home against the Nuggets… And then they go off on a six-game road trip. The first two games of that trip, in Houston. With teams all around them wanting to beat them, we’re going to be a lot more about the Lakers after the next 10 days.” Will get to know.”

Currently, the West’s standings from No. 3 to No. 7 are separated by just two games. The Spurs are obviously a better matchup for the Lakers than the Thunder in the NBA playoffs. But last season, JJ Redick cautioned against trying to manipulate seeding for favorable playoff series.

The Lakers have 16 games left in the regular season, four of which are against teams they are battling for playoff position with in the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns. Windhorst is right in that the upcoming stretch will say a lot about the Lakers moving forward in the West playoff picture.

The Los Angeles Clippers are set to host the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. However, is Darris Garland playing in tonight’s game vs. the Bulls?

Garland is listed on the injury report with a left toe injury management. LA is monitoring his situation and taking a cautious approach. Garland has made a big impact with the Clippers since being traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles wants him to stay healthy for a potential postseason appearance.

Everything we know about Darius Garland’s injury status for tonight’s game vs. the Bulls.

Darius Garland’s injury status vs. Bulls

According to the NBA injury report, Garland is listed out for Friday’s game.

Garland has faced injury concerns this season. As mentioned, the Clippers are proceeding with caution regarding his toe injury. He won’t play Friday, but Los Angeles should still be in a respectable position to earn a win against the 27-39 Bulls.

When it comes to the question of whether Darius Garland is playing tonight against the Bulls, the answer is no.

clippers injury report

The Clippers have four players listed on the injury report for Friday night’s game.

• Darius Garland (left toe injury management): out
• Bradley Beal (left hip fracture): Out
• John Collins (neck strain): out
• Yannick Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc ligament rupture): out

The Bulls were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers 142-130 on Thursday. Friday’s game represents the second game of a back-to-back, meaning Chicago’s injury report has not been released as of the publication of this story.

The Los Angeles Lakers got a good win against the Chicago Bulls in their latest game, and it moved them up to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings. They have started to find some rhythm over the last few games, and now many are wondering if they can be a real threat to finish the season and make the playoffs.

Brian Windhorst has heard about JJ Redick and LeBron James meeting, seen the defense improve, and seen other players step up, and he believes there’s a chance the Lakers could be a team to keep an eye on.

“JJ Redick is selling these guys on working hard,” Windhorst said on First Take. “He’s making some changes to his scheme, he’s playing more zone, he’s coaching them very hard to make them better. I can see a path where they can make a run. I don’t know if they will.

“I’ve heard LeBron talk about reducing his role and changing the way he plays. I’ve heard about JJ meeting with him and having an open conversation. I’m watching Luka play, I’m watching Reeves play. There’s a way. It could happen.”

.@WindhorstESPN The word “dangerous” is being debated in relation to the Lakers as a potential 3-seed in the West ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Zu5W5W8IxA

– First Tech (@FirstTech) 13 March 2026

The Lakers have the potential to be a team that can make a move, but you also have to take into account the other teams around them.

Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves could give the Lakers trouble, and they are also fighting to reach the No. 3 seed.

The Lakers have matchups coming up against the Nuggets and Rockets, and that could be a good litmus test for where they stand against some of their competition. In the end, taking the Lakers to where they want to go may depend on the big three of Doncic, Reeves and James.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was the talk of the town at this year’s NBA trade deadline. For the first time, the Milwaukee Bucks are actually fielding calls about Giannis, who has continued to put pressure on the organization to make winning moves at this point in his career or risk losing him.

Although the Bucks did not trade their superstar in February, he was attracting significant interest from the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat during the trade deadline, as ClutchPoints reported. While neither team had enough assets to make a deal for Giannis, the Heat stood out as a prime destination for Milwaukee’s star.

In addition to his friendship with Heat star Bam Adebayo, the Heat have always been viewed as a winning organization in the NBA, which is what Giannis would want in a new team if he leaves the Bucks in the summer.

After a 112-105 loss to the Heat on Thursday night, which resulted in the Bucks falling to 27-38, Giannis raised some eyebrows with his comments about the Heat and his team’s culture.

Antetokounmpo said after the loss, “They’re going to play hard, and they’re not going to stop playing. That’s the Miami Heat culture.” “It’s tough. For me personally, I don’t know how the team feels, but for me personally, it’s a tough season… I’m just trying to take it game by game. I’m grateful – happy that I’m here competing.

“But at the same time, it’s in my nature to win games.”

Winning has been the biggest problem in Milwaukee since Giannis ended the organization’s 50-year championship drought in 2021. Since then, the Bucks have seen four different coaches as the main man on the sidelines, and the franchise has only won one playoff series.

These are the main reasons Giannis’ frustrations have reached a new boiling point this season.

As far as his affection with the Heat, Antetokounmpo continued to praise Miami’s competitiveness, Bam Adebayo’s performance and Erik Spoelstra’s ability to coach his team after Thursday’s loss in South Beach.

“Miami’s head coach is going to keep playing, man. Even when they don’t hit shots, you’re going to get second chances. They’re going to crash the boards, get rebounds, find the open man, try to get to the free-throw line, keep turning the ball over, get the ball to Bam, and try to execute from there. They’re going to play hard.

“They’ve got guards that can penetrate, drive and kick, and that’s what they do, man.”

Giannis has high praise for Bam Adebayo

In addition to sharing equal representation, Giannis and Bam have formed a strong bond with each other through their battles in the Eastern Conference over the years.

A strong mutual respect exists between the two All-Stars, and Antetokounmpo was one of the Heat center’s biggest supporters recently, scoring 83 points against the Washington Wizards, the second-highest scoring game in NBA history behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points.

While many were downplaying Adebayo’s accomplishments and finding ways to find fault with his 43 free-throw attempts, Giannis didn’t let the stigma persist.

“Unbelievable. Incredible. Says a lot about his hard work. I haven’t watched the game. I’ll have to watch the game and see,” Antetokounmpo said of Adebayo’s 83-point game on Tuesday night. “It doesn’t matter how you got it. It just means you got it. In 10, 20, 30 years from now, nobody’s going to remember how many free throws he shot. I don’t think I remember how many shots Kobe made, or how many free throws he shot, or three.

“You only remember 81, 100. You don’t remember that, you know?”

Coincidentally, the Bucks and Heat were scheduled to face off in the next game following Giannis’ praise of Adebayo and his 83-point performance. As could be expected, these two hugged each other before the game and their matchup with each other did not disappoint.

Antetokounmpo finished the game with 31 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes, while Adebayo had 21 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Although Giannis won the scoring battle between the two big men, it was Adebayo’s team that came away with a 112-105 victory.

Once again, Giannis’ postgame comments add to the mystery of what’s really going through his mind regarding a potential offseason departure. It’s very clear that Antetokounmpo wants to win, and if he can’t do it with the Bucks, maybe he can do it with Bam in Miami.

After all, from Antetokounmpo’s own comments it sounds like Adebayo is his ideal future teammate.

“Obviously, whenever I play against Bam, it’s always extra motivation. I think he’s one of the best players in the NBA,” Giannis said Thursday night in Miami. “One of the best two-way players in the NBA. One of the best 4-5 players in the league.”

“Whenever I go to him, I don’t need to see 83 points on the board or follow the hype to find extra motivation to protect the balm. I think it goes both ways.”

Could the Heat’s dream of landing Giannis in a blockbuster offseason trade actually come true? Time will tell what happens with the two-time NBA MVP, but it’s clear that the bond between Adebayo and Antetokounmpo is very real.

“I’m always motivated when I play against Bam. I think he knows that, and it goes both ways. He’s always motivated to play against me.”

NBA 2K26 MyTEAM players can get 100 OVR Bam Adebayo cards to strengthen their lineup. 2K added this powerful new card in celebration of his 83-point performance against the Wizards this week. However, not everyone may know about it or how to get it. Without any further delay, we will show you how to get 100 OVR Bam Adebayo Player Card in NBA 2K26 MyTEAM.

How do you get 100 OVR Bam Adebayo cards in NBA 2K26?

Bam for 83!?! 🔥😳

Celebrate Bam Adebayo’s Monster Night with a Monster Card:
Redeem Code BAM-83-Points for 99 OVR Dark Matter Fresh Bam Adebayo

Then let it cook 😤… Use any Bam card and drop 83 points across multiple MyTEAM modes to unlock 💯 OVR Bam Adebayo 🤯

already… pic.twitter.com/IQToBAYSIO

– NBA 2K MyTEAM (@NBA2KMyTEAM) 11 March 2026

To get 100 OVR Bam Adebayo in NBA 2K26 MyTEAM, you must complete the Bam Adebayo MyTEAM Takeover Challenge in the Weekly Challenges. In total, the challenge consists of six missions, all of which come with their own rewards:

1. dominance acquisition – Score 83 points with any Bam Adebayo in multiple Domination games
   • Reward – Diamond Shoe Pack
2. Pick-up Challenges Acquisition – Get 83 points with any Bam Adebayo in multiple pick-up challenge games
3. breakout takeover – Score 83 points with any Bam Adebayo in multiple breakout games
4. salary cap takeover – Score 83 points with any Bam Adebayo in multiple salary cap games
   • Reward – Takeover Option Pack (5 Cards)
5. Showdown and All-Star Team-Up Takeover – Get 83 points with any Bam Adebayo in multiple Showdown or All-Star Team Up games
   • Rewards – Hall of Fame Badge Pack
6. park acquisition – Score 83 points with any Bam Adebayo in multiple Triple Threat Park or Triple Threat online games

Completing all of these challenges will earn you a 100 OVR Bam Adebayo card, which will instantly improve your lineup. The 100 OVR cards are some of the best in the game, making them an essential card for various MyTEAM modes. Luckily, you don’t actually need to record 83 points in a game.

For those living under a rock, this challenge comes after Adebayo’s historic 83-point night against the Wizards on March 10. He scored the second-most points ever in an NBA game, breaking Kobe Bryant’s 2006 record of 81-points. The Heat also defeated the Wizards 150–129. Miami is currently in first place in the Southeast Division with a record of 38–29.

Overall, that covers everything you need to know to get the 100 OVR Bam Adebayo card in NBA 2K26 MyTEAM. Furthermore, we wish you all the best in earning this powerful player item. For more NBA 2K content, check out the list of redeemable locker codes to earn more in-game items. Finally, make sure to earn all the rewards from Season 5 before Season 6 arrives.

Finally, for more gaming and NBA news, visit ClutchPoints. Also, subscribe to our own gaming newsletter for more weekly updates.

The Boston Celtics were in a primetime matchup with another top team in the Western Conference after losing to the San Antonio Spurs a few nights earlier. This time, they had the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they could not win this one either and lost 104–102.

Jaylen Brown played until the end in this game after being ejected against the Spurs for arguing with the referees about a foul call. After this game, he shared that he was mostly satisfied with how the game was called as he went to the free-throw line 14 times, but he felt he could have gone more in the fourth quarter after some hard drives.

Brown then said that maybe he should have flopped to get those calls, and although he didn’t mention Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s name, some believe he might be calling the Thunder star.

Brown said, “We applaud the players for playing the game the right way, but we give an advantage to people who try to manipulate the game for their own advantage. I don’t think that’s basketball. All the false allegations… it’s anything to me.”

Brown wouldn’t be the first to say something about Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to get to the free-throw line over the past two weeks. When the Thunder played the New York Knicks recently, Mike Brown had some things to say after the game about how it was handled.

“SGA, that’s a tough cover,” the coach said. “He does a very good job of convincing the refs, probably better than anyone in the league, that he’s getting hit.”

At this point, everything people are saying about Gilgeous-Alexander and dirty talk is not working. The referees are seeing something completely different, and it’s causing them to consistently go to the free-throw line.

Thursday’s 108-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks felt like a turning point for the Brooklyn Nets’ tanking efforts. With Igor Demin and Deron Sharp recently shut down for the season, the Nets ruled out Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle sprain), Nolan Traore (rest) and Ziaire Williams (illness) for the matchup.

When that wasn’t enough, he took matters into his own hands during the game.

Despite taking an 83–82 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Nets did not play their top two available players, Nick Claxton or Noah Clowney, for the entire final period. They even benched Josh Minot, who scored a season-high 24 points. Brooklyn’s closing lineup included two rookies and three two-way players: Tyson Etienne, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, EJ Liddell and Cheney Johnson.

As the game progressed, it became clear that the Nets would not allow themselves to win. They’ll have to take measures like these if they hope to come out on top in a historic tank race.

Nets increase readiness for tanking during tough loss to Hawks

Brooklyn’s aggressive tank maneuvers on Thursday were followed by consecutive wins over the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and Monday. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez rode a veteran-heavy rotation to a 23-point comeback in Detroit, playing Michael Porter Jr. 39 minutes and benching rookies Ben Saraf and Traore. Despite the Grizzlies’ eight highest-paid players being sidelined on Monday, Brooklyn played most of its rotation and won 126–115.

However, Thursday’s loss signaled a philosophical shift in line with other tanking teams. For much of this season, the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz and others have made extreme efforts to maximize their draft lottery odds, and for good reason.

The 2026 draft is one of the most talented in the last several decades, with three franchise-altering prospects – Darin Peterson, AJ DiBunsta and Cam Boozer – at the top.

These are the types of players the Nets had their eye on when they paid a hefty price to re-acquire 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets during the 2024 offseason. However, Brooklyn went soft last season, finishing with the NBA’s sixth-worst record and falling to the eighth pick in the draft, a mistake a rebuilding team cannot afford to make twice.

Nets owner Joe Tsai acknowledged this long before the season.

“We have a selection in 2026, and we hope to get a good selection. So you can guess what kind of strategy we will use for this season,” Tsai said.

The Nets still have an opportunity to put themselves in the optimal position to clinch the top spot. They have only one more win than the Wizards and Sacramento Kings, who are second and third, respectively, in the lottery standings, and two more than the Pacers, who are in the top spot. Brooklyn’s remaining schedule includes a matchup with Sacramento and meetings with Indiana and Washington.

Rotations like Thursday’s should become common for the Nets in the final month of the season. The potential gains this summer are worth it.

LeBron James didn’t have to do much in his return from an elbow injury on Thursday, as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves scored as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls, 142-130, at Crypto.com Arena.

James had missed his last three games, all of which the Lakers won, with Doncic and Reaves out.

Against the Bulls, Doncic went on nuclear attack with a season-high 51 points on 17-of-31 shooting, including 9-of-14 from three-point distance. He also had 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Reeves was also special with 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting, five rebounds and seven assists.

According to Benjamin Royer of the OC Register, Lakers coach JJ Redick has discussed with James about allowing Doncic and Reaves to do their thing.

“I think, again, he wants to do everything he can to help his team win, and he understands the importance of making sure Luka and AR can perform at their best,” Redick said.

James finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals as the Purple and Gold won their fourth straight game and improved to 41–25.

The 41-year-old James has always been a team player, and he understands there are games when he has to outplay Doncic and Reeves, especially when the matchups and schemes dictate it.

The four-time MVP has often praised the talent of Doncic and Reeves, empowering them to take charge when needed. Redick also praised him, giving the backcourt duo extra confidence.

Reeves, in particular, missed several weeks with a calf injury, so it’s good to see him recapture his old form and give the Lakers more firepower.

They will face the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

There are many hierarchies in the NBA. Fans can debate how players can flaunt contracts, marketing deals and draft status forever. The only real ranking system that matters in the locker room is the talent component when all the chips are down. Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray have had the times of their lives over the past few years. However, for these experimental New Orleans Pelicans, Saddiq Bey has become the go-to guy when Zion Williamson’s shots aren’t falling.

James Borrego has taken notice. When asked about his approach to continuing to feed Bey into the post once a rhythm has been established, the interim coach said the players themselves often demand it.

“Yeah. Do that every time (be) in rhythm. I think most of the people posting will say that when they have that rhythm, you just have to keep doing it until they make the adjustment,” Borrego explained. “Generally, we’ve got good things whether he finds it or he throws it out, or some kind of rotation on the backside. It’s a great setter for us. So the players are telling me more than I am to get back on it. They’re going to ride Saddiq as long as they can.”

The Pelicans have shown signs of unity over the past few weeks with a fully healthy roster, stringing together wins after earlier struggles. Again, Borrego deferred all praise to the players for reading the flow on the floor.

“They’re figuring out how to play with each other because if (Tray Murphy III) gets it going, he has the awareness to go in. You know, if Saddiq turned it on or Zion stepped it up there, they knew we were going to get back on it. They deserve credit for that,” Borrego said. “Hopefully, I’ll try to help them a little bit to not ignore them.”

Everyone sees the progress. According to ESPN and NBA.com stats, Bey is now averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.2% from the field and 34.6% from 3-point range through 60 games. Those numbers take on extra significance when Williamson, who is averaging 21.4 points on 58.7% shooting, is kept in check.

According to Zion, it would be hard not to see the contribution.

Williamson said, “Having him on this team means a lot to us. Saddiq is a professional player.” “Whether he was in the starting lineup, when he was coming off the bench, whatever was asked of him, he accomplished it. It’s a blessing to have him on this team.”

Borrego and Williamson’s recommendations should have an impact on the front office. An unsung hero to start the season, now everyone at the Smoothie King Center is singing his praises. It will be hard for the Pelicans to ignore Bey’s agents when they try to talk about a contract extension this summer.

Despite not having the second night of a back-to-back, the San Antonio Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama for a big matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Wembanyama was kept out of action due to right ankle soreness, and the Spurs certainly could have used him to dismantle a Nuggets team they were beating for 90 percent of the game despite his absence before finally falling 136-131.

Wembayama’s long-term health will always be a priority, as he is Spurs’ best and most important player. His championship hopes will begin and end this year with the amazing Frenchman. And it seems as if his absence could extend beyond one game.

Following their loss to the Nuggets, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said that, despite expecting Wambayama to return for Saturday night’s contest against the Charlotte Hornets, he could not know for sure whether he would be able to suit up for that game. The good news is that Wembanyama’s ankle problem “is not a long-term thing,” according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Spurs err on the side of caution with Victor Wembanyama, still push Nuggets to brink

It’s a testament to how deep and excellent a Spurs team is that despite being without Wembanyama on Thursday, they were in control for most of their game against the Nuggets.

Stephen Castle, in particular, brought his A-game for the Spurs on Thursday. He put up a stellar stat line of 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, while De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes added 27 and 20 points, respectively.

But without Wembanyama, it was always going to be difficult to find a sustained defensive effort to slow down the league’s best scoring team. The Nuggets caught fire in the fourth quarter, denying the Spurs a win that would have been one of their best this season.

MIAMI – There’s no denying the sports world is buzzing about Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, who scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 points to become the second-highest scoring game in a game. While there is debate about the “ethics” of the Heat captain’s 83-point outing, the big man himself spoke about the play after Miami’s 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Adebayo’s 83-point night drew polarizing reactions, from the center celebrating to making incredible NBA history, with the other side questioning the performance due to a myriad of factors, especially in the fourth quarter. Whether it’s the 43 free-throw attempts or Miami’s strategy of passing the game to gain more possessions, these have been some talking points.

There has also been discussion about whether Adebayo should have surpassed Bryant’s mark in starts, saying that instead of making history, he would have taken himself out of the game. Adebayo will have a message for the “couch coach”, touching on every criticism of the 83-point game, mentioning Washington’s poor defense, and aiming to surpass Bryant’s milestone.

“First of all, you all are blaming me; you should blame their head coach,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints. “Get it first. I wasn’t going to let one go the whole game until I had 70. Then you started sending the double. At that point, I got 70 with, like, what, nine minutes left in the game. Do you think I’m not going for that?”

“And that’s the thing that’s crazy,” Adebayo continued. “When they talk about the unethical part of basketball. I’m like, I’ve got nine minutes left now. Who would be like, you know, coach, just take me out. Yeah, OK! There’s somebody in my spot who’s got nine minutes left? One minute? OK. Nine? Yeah, I’m going for it. You can’t be mad at that. If you’re mad, I don’t care.”

Had to ask Bam Adebayo about people questioning the “ethics” of his 83-point game.

Touched every conversation point around you.

“First of all, you’re all blaming me, but you should blame their head coach… That’s the thing to chase after, so you can move past it…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/yhQtFNhk6d

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Heat’s Bam Adebayo on 43 free-throw attempts in 83-point game

With Adebayo scoring 83 points and the Heat having a broader impact on a franchise making league history, the impact of Thursday’s win over the Bucks can’t be denied. Adebayo would still make his presence felt in the contest, scoring 21 points with eight rebounds, but one could tell the fatigue was emotionally and physically draining on Tuesday.

For 21 points, he shot six of 20 from the field and missed all five of his three-point attempts, but it was the fourth quarter that turned his night around. Entering the final frame with eight points, he scored a crucial 13 points, making nine of 12 from the free-throw line, helping Pelle Larsson finish with a career night with a total of 28 points.

It was certainly a quiet game for Adebayo, who made 43 shots, 22 from deep and 43 free-throw attempts on Tuesday, the most in association history. Adebayo continued the criticism, saying he was “being humiliated every time”, which the film proves.

“Because a lot of guys, they’re upset because if they played, they never would have had a chance to get close to chasing greatness,” Adebayo said. “And if you get that close to chasing greatness, that’s the point of chasing it, so you can surpass it. And some guys have never played basketball.”

“They’re going to talk about free throws. It’s not like I shoot 15 free throws a game,” Adebayo added. “It’s not like I averaged 10 free throws a game. I was, you can watch the film, I was legitimately getting fouled every time I went to the free-throw line.”

At any rate, Adebayo’s 83-point game will continue to be talked about, but for now the main focus is on Miami as they look to extend their seven-game winning streak (a season-high) with a crucial game on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault did his best to put All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s new record-breaking streak of scoring 20+ points in 127 consecutive games into words best suited for the reigning MVP. After breaking the 63-year-old record, Gilgeous-Alexander reflected on how he has emerged as one of the NBA’s elite scorers before Daigneault delivered his flowers to the SGA.

Talking about who Gilgeous-Alexander is as a player, a leader and a person, Daigneault it took time to explain What makes his All-Star guard so special during his post-game media availability?

“Number one, he’s skilled at his craft. Nobody is more precise at his craft than him. Number two, the streak his entire life hasn’t stopped us from having a ton of team success and hasn’t stopped his teammates from being successful as well,” Daigneault said. “The individual scoring streak hasn’t come at the expense of the team or his teammates. And again, great father, great husband, great teammate.

“He treats everyone in the building with respect from top to bottom. So, he’s obviously a great basketball player, but he’s such a guy that you couldn’t be happier when he accomplishes something like this. So, huge congratulations to him.”

Mark Daigneault’s honest opinion on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak of 127 consecutive 20+ point games, the most in NBA history, and his lead:

“There is no one more precise at his craft than him. The entire life of the streak did not prevent us from having a lot of team success… pic.twitter.com/WDNrrO2AZ5

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 13 March 2026

His 35 points on 13 of 18 attempts, nine assists, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals led the Thunder to the win. gilgeous-alexander Exceeded the 20-point threshold He received a standing ovation during the third quarter of a 104–102 win against the Boston Celtics at Paycom Center.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made NBA history with his 127th consecutive 20+ point game.

Historic Night at Paycom Center pic.twitter.com/lu7DrRPBWP

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 13 March 2026

In a matchup against the Celtics’ MVP candidate Jaylen Brown, who finished with 34 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block, Gilgeous-Alexander exchanged key buckets to tie the game. Then, Thunder All-Star Chet Holmgren was fouled on a rebound, sending him to the line for two with 0.8 seconds remaining in the game.

Holmgren sealed the win for the Thunder by making two free throws, putting Oklahoma City ahead by two. He finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.

SGA issues subtle warning after making NBA history

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander believes his improvement every season over the past few years has made him the leading scorer he is today. Adding a string of most consecutive 20+ point performances to his trophy haul, Gilgeous-Alexander explained that this was no coincidence, but a testament to his dedication.

“Over the years, I’ve just built my game, watched the defense, and just attacked the defense with the tools I have,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It feels like every year I’m getting better and better at doing this, and I think that’s why. I just watch coverages, learn from them, try to get better, and implement them whenever possible.”

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault watched Thursday’s historic night, followed by a 129-126 win on Monday in another duel against Nikola Jokic and an MVP candidate in the rival Nuggets, where Gilgeous-Alexander tied Wilt Chamberlain’s streak for consecutive 20+ point performances, and became only the second player to finish with at least 35 points, 15 assists and zero turnovers. Went.

The Denver Nuggets were about to be eliminated on Thursday night. After an impressive blowout win over the Houston Rockets just 24 hours earlier and losing an hour due to a time change on a flight to Texas, the stage was set for a “scheduled loss” against the San Antonio Spurs. Instead, Nikola Jokic decided to serve up the Frost Bank Center as a historic masterpiece, pulling his team back from a massive 20-point deficit to a thrilling 136–131 victory.

Jokic finished the night with an impressive 31 points, 20 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and two blocks. While a triple-double is usually just another day at the office for the Serbian center, the sheer volume of his production in every major statistical category puts him in a stratosphere of his own.

In fact, this performance was so rare that the last person to put up those elite numbers in a game was Jokic himself, just 18 days earlier. On February 22, he torched the Golden State Warriors with a nearly identical stat line, proving that his “ultra-rare” nights are becoming a regular occurrence in 2026.

Denver looked sluggish in the first two quarters, falling behind as the Spurs found their rhythm from behind the arc. However, head coach David Edelman tightened the rotation, and Jamal Murray provided the perimeter scoring punch needed to keep the Nuggets within striking distance.

Murray finished with 39 points, but it was Jokic who systematically dismantled San Antonio’s defense during a furious fourth-quarter rally. He hit back-to-back shots in the lane with less than five minutes remaining to pull Denver within one point, ultimately sealing the epic comeback at the stripe.

With the win, the Nuggets moved to 40-26 and remained alive in the hunt for a top-three seed. As the MVP race reaches its peak, Jokic continues to distinguish himself with a level of versatility that feels unprecedented. If he keeps posting these video-game numbers twice a month, the rest of the Western Conference is in serious trouble.

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers continued to move forward and won their fourth consecutive game with a 142-130 victory against the Chicago Bulls. The story of the night was Luka Doncic who dropped a career-best 51 points for the Lakers in the win. After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented that Doncic’s recent games were not being discussed enough.

“He’s playing as good as any other player in the NBA right now, and I think that’s probably not being talked about,” Redick said during his postgame press conference. “But I’m going to talk about it.”

Once Luka Doncic reached 51 points, at the end of the fourth quarter, the Lakers committed an intentional foul to take him out of the game. He finished just one assist shy of a triple double with 10 rebounds and nine assists. He shot 17 of 31 from the field, 9 of 14 from the 3-point line, and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.

Early in the game, Doncic talked some trash with Bulls young gun Matas Buzelis, a conversation that seemed to infuriate him. For Redick, one of the most impressive things about Doncic is his ability to stay focused between these little one-on-one battles.

Luca has words for Matas Buzelis after stepback trey

Doncic is one technical away from automatic suspension.pic.twitter.com/cMpQDODafo

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026

“It’s a unique quality. It’s not just the fact that he reacts to any kind of rude behavior or trash talk, but that he can broadcast it,” Redick said. “He can channel that while also doing all the other things that need to be done. That’s obviously reflected in his defensive rebounding, his assists, his steals. Another game where he gets a high assist number with low turnovers.”

Over the last 10 games, Doncic has 22, 41, 26, 28, 27, 27, 44, 35, 31 and now 51 points. The Lakers have gone 7-3 in that span with a few wins against very good teams in the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. As the Lakers have climbed up to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings, Doncic has begun to garner MVP buzz again.

This season, he leads the league in scoring (32.5 points), field goal attempts (22.0), 3-pointers attempted (3.8), 3-pointers attempted (10.4) and free-throw attempts (10.2). He is shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 36 percent from the 3-point line and 77.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The Lakers have just one home game remaining, with another big test with the Denver Nuggets coming to town on Saturday. They then took the field for six games before returning home to conclude the month.

It will be interesting to see how the Los Angeles Lakers handle the legacy of LeBron James after he essentially hangs up his sneakers. James has spent the last eight seasons with the Lakers, and he brought a title to LA in 2020, which means he should already be a franchise legend in the eyes of the team’s fans.

It remains to be seen whether this will result in a statue of James being installed outside Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers. But renowned pundit Colin Cowherd doesn’t believe James will get any from the team, especially when compared to other greats from the franchise who have been immortalized.

“I think if you ask Laker fans about a statue of LeBron outside of crypto, it’s not going to be it at all. People think of statues in front of crypto. Kobe five rings. Jerry West six as an executive, and then nine Finals appearances. Magic five titles, Shaq three, Kareem five, Pat Riley several. Chick Hearn 30-plus years of broadcasting,” Cowherd said in the latest episode of his podcast, The Herd. Said.

Cowherd compared James’ role with the Lakers to that of a mentor, unlike those who came before him who could be considered family.

“Is he really family? LeBron feels more like a consultant. He adds value, a fresh set of eyes, solves problems, and then when he leaves and the contract is done, you say, OK, let’s meet again. No tears shed, no crying, it’s not family, and that’s the downside of the dynamic. LeBron is not the Lakers family,” Cowherd said.

If anything, at least according to Cowherd, James deserves a statue outside Rocket Mortgage Arena as well as the Kasia Center for his contributions to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.

“Miami, definitely. Cleveland, absolutely,” Cowherd said. “The first sentence with LeBron is Cleveland’s best ever, highest points, part of the Heat.”

Los Angeles is definitely Kobe territory, and if James receives the same recognition as the late, great Black Mamba, it could generate mixed emotions from the fan base — especially if the reactions to Bam Adebayo’s 83-point night are indicative of how much Bryant has regional fans.

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis is still learning the game within the game in his second year in the NBA. They got a tough lesson in their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

In the second quarter, Buzelis started talking to Lakers guard Luka Doncic, hoping to get him off his game. However, it had the opposite effect. Doncic became excited and counterattacked Buzelis and scored 12 consecutive points.

From there it was all disappointment for the Bulls, as the Lakers won 142–130. Doncic finished with season highs of 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

After the game, the 21-year-old Bouzelis admitted that his biggest takeaway was to never talk trash about Doncic again, though he also displayed his mentality.

“Obviously, when I started talking to him he started hitting. But I don’t back down from anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are. I accepted the challenge, but it didn’t work out,” Bouzelis said in a video posted by Chicago Sports Network.

“I don’t back down from anyone. No matter who you are.”

Matas Buzelis reflects on his back-and-forth with Luka Doncic tonight pic.twitter.com/lbwNkrSQXj

– Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) 13 March 2026

Despite the tough lessons, Bouzelis played well, scoring 22 points, including four three-pointers, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

The Bulls fell to 27–39, while the Lakers improved to 41–25.

Doncic said that Bouzelis “woke me up”, adding that he was surprised that the young forward was chirping at him.

His mask may look innocent, but the six-time All-Star is notorious for running his mouth. Doncic has stunned several players, including Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves may seem like kids when they joke with each other, but when it comes time to take the court, they mean business for the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Thursday, he arrived at Crypto.com Arena and led the Lakers to a 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls. Doncic had a stellar performance with a season-high 51 points on 17-of-31 shooting. He also had a near triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists. Meanwhile, Reeves scored 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting, five rebounds and seven assists.

It was another efficient performance for the backcourt duo, as the Lakers recorded their fourth consecutive win.

The talent of Doncic and Reeves didn’t diminish LeBron James, who had two adjectives for his teammates, as reported by Benjamin Royer of the OC Register.

“LeBron James calls Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves ‘magical and dynamic,'” Royer wrote on X.

It’s unclear if James chose them specifically to contrast Doncic and Reeves’ styles, but yes, “magical” suits the former, while “dynamic” is perfect for the latter.

Since entering the NBA in 2018, it always felt like Doncic had superpowers. Reeves, meanwhile, has shown vast improvement in his all-around game over the past few years.

For his part, James returned from a three-game absence due to an elbow injury against the Denver Nuggets. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

The Lakers won three games without him, with Doncic and Reeves leading the team together.

They improved to 41-25 and have a rematch with the Nuggets on Saturday.

The Chicago Bulls may have lost 142-130 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, but it was still a memorable evening for Yuki Kawamura.

Kawamura played 10 minutes off the bench, adding three points, one rebound and two assists. But what happened after the game was special for Japan’s undersized guard.

He reunited with his national team teammate Rui Hachimura and they shared a memorable moment – ​​literally.

Casey Johnson of Chicago Sports Network on

Kawamura, 24, immediately became a fan favorite in Chicago when he joined the team in Summer League last year. However, he was released during training camp after suffering a foot injury.

Many were saddened by his departure, some even imploring the Bulls to reverse the decision. In January, the team brought back Kawamura on a two-way deal.

He’s not just a novelty, as Kawamura’s vision and athleticism are up there with some of the NBA’s top level generals. He is a prototypical point guard, as he likes to set up his teammates.

Kawamura and Hachimura last represented Japan together at the 2024 Paris Olympics. They did not win in three matches. Hachimura led the team with 22.0 points, while Kawamura was not far behind with 20.3 points. Kawamura also averaged 7.7 assists.

Hachimura had 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting in their win over the Bulls.

No one scored 83 points in the Association Thursday night, but someone rallied for a 50-point triple-double, thanks to none other than Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic.

The former NBA scoring champion tore apart the Bulls’ defense in a memorable performance. In just 37 minutes, Doncic scored 51 points and came just one assist away from a 50-point triple-double, as he had 10 rebounds and nine dimes.

He pushed it from behind the arc, knocking down nine triples on 14 attempts. He was 17-for-31 overall from the field and 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. Despite having the ball in his hands most of the time, Doncic turned the ball over only once.

A night after Bam Adebayo surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 81 points, Doncic gave Lakers and basketball fans a stellar stat line to celebrate.

“Luka smiling at that Lakers gold after 51-10-9? Pure joy 🔥 Trade of the century!”. one fan said.

Another commented, “Moral hoops by the GOAT. He had 73 ts.”

X, formerly a social media user on Twitter, shared, “All class Luka. Amazing game.”

“An honest 51 too,” one comment read.

“Luka putting on a show again. Back-to-back 50-point nights?”. a separate social media commentator said.

Luka Doncic also loves facing the bulls. He had 46 points in last January’s meeting with Chicago in the Windy City. The good news for Chicago is that it won’t be until the 2026-27 NBA season that they’ll share the court with Doncic again.

The win over the Bulls improved the Lakers’ record to 41–25 and extended L.A.’s winning streak to four games.

The Denver Nuggets’ 136-131 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night wasn’t just another regular season win. At one point, Denver was down by 20 points, and things were looking bleak. Plus, the Nuggets were playing for the second night in a row, so coming back against a team like the Spurs was going to be a tough task. But Denver’s response in the fourth quarter spoke volumes about the team’s resiliency.

For Jamal Murray, that’s what made the comeback so important. He would lead a rally in which the Nuggets outscored the Spurs 34–12 in the fourth.

“These are the games you live for,” Murray said after the game. “Maybe not the playoffs, but these wins mean a lot. It says a lot about your character on the road as a group to deal with adversity. … But it’s amazing to see this group come away with a win.”

Murray would have a tough first half, where he could only score nine points. However, he would score 30 points in the second half, including 16 points in the fourth quarter. His step-back three-pointer with less than five minutes remaining gave Denver its first lead, and he hit four crucial free throws to seal the win.

The adversity Murray mentioned extends beyond Thursday’s game. Throughout the season, the Nuggets battled persistent injuries, causing their starting lineup to play only a few games together. Despite Aaron Gordon being out for hamstring maintenance, Denver was still able to accomplish this.

With the win, Denver improved to 41–26 and moved into a three-way tie for third place in the Western Conference. On Saturday they face the Los Angeles Lakers, who themselves are fighting for a spot in this final stretch of the regular season.

The 2025-26 season is long lost for the Milwaukee Bucks, but Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t going down without a fight. Despite all the trade rumors surrounding him, he has proven to be as committed a star as can be to the Bucks franchise, but on Thursday, after a 112-105 loss to the Miami Heat, they fell to 27-38 on the season – six games back of 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

There was a key moment in the fourth that put the game out of reach for the Bucks. With less than a minute remaining, Antetokounmpo decided to go for the home run play and go for a three-point attempt, which he missed. On the other end, the Heat got a hot hand in Pelle Larsson, who swished a triple to extend the Heat’s lead to six with less than 30 seconds left in the ballgame.

After the game, the Bucks star admitted to being disappointed with himself, saying he wished he had taken more threes to get himself into a better rhythm when it came time for him to make the game-tying triple.

“I’m a little upset with myself because I didn’t shoot — like if I had maybe made one or two shots at the beginning of the first half when I was open and I kept passing it to my teammates to get better shots and I wasn’t confident in myself,” Antetokounmpo said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“Maybe, if I had shot them both, maybe I would have felt a little better and maybe that bullet would have gone in.”

Still, Antetokounmpo felt he made the right play, and he will never regret being aggressive in hunting his shot.

“Most of the time I do the right things, take good shots, so … I haven’t been able to do that,” Antetokounmpo said. “But still, I’m being aggressive. I don’t regret being aggressive. I regret when I’m being passive…the ball didn’t go in.”

Jaylen Brown has expanded his game out of necessity this season, as it was his first season as the undisputed number one option for the Boston Celtics amid Jayson Tatum’s lengthy absence due to an Achilles tendon rupture. Brown has responded with his best season as a professional, and even after Tatum’s return, he remains the foundation and cornerstone of the Celtics, the guy they rely on to take them home on a nightly basis.

On Thursday night, Brown certainly did his part in putting the Celtics in position to win. He answered his team’s call amid the absence of Tatum and Derrick White in a heated battle against the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring 34 points, six rebounds and seven assists. While a late-game call that went against the Celtics ultimately cost them a 104-102 loss, it shouldn’t take away from Brown’s efforts.

In fact, Brown has become so dangerous as a playmaker that he has become the first Celtics player since Rajon Rondo in 2014 to record at least seven assists in seven consecutive games, as reported by Taylor Snow of Celtics Stats.

Considering how Rondo is one of the best playmakers in Celtics franchise history, being mentioned in the same sentence as a passer is no mean feat for Brown.

Jaylen Brown has become more than a scorer for the Celtics

Over the years, questions have been raised about Brown’s dribbling and playmaking. The Celtics star has faced criticism for not being able to dribble safely with his left hand and passing has never been one of the biggest strengths of his game.

But being the team’s top dog for most of the season, Brown has had to make the most of the defensive attention he gets on a nightly basis. And he is passing that exam with good marks.

Not even the threat of an automatic suspension stopped Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic from playing with some attitude, at least for a moment, in Thursday night’s home game against the visiting Chicago Bulls.

During one possession in the first half, Doncic swung a step-back jumper past the outstretched arm of Bulls forward Matas Bouzelis in his face.

After missing a 3-point shot, Doncic turned to Buzelis and said a few words toward the Bulls forward as the two made their way to the other end of the court. Bouzelis also appeared to say something to Doncic, who smiled as he prepared to play defense.

You can watch their exchange here.

Luca has words for Matas Buzelis after stepback trey

Doncic is one technical away from automatic suspension.pic.twitter.com/cMpQDODafo

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026

Dončić is difficult enough to guard, and dealing with his antics can make the job even more difficult for anyone who tries to guard him. The thought of getting cooked by Doncic and talking trash every now and then can break a person, though that doesn’t seem to be the case with Bouzelis.

If Doncic looked a little more confident than usual against the Bulls, it’s probably because of what he did against them the last time the two teams met. In late January, the former NBA scoring champion gave Chicago 46 points on 15-25 shooting from the field with 12 assists and seven rebounds along with eight 3-pointers in 38 minutes of action in a 129-118 Los Angeles victory in the Windy City.

Doncic entered the Bulls rematch with season averages of 32.5 points, 8.5 assists and 7.9 rebounds.

Despite key players missing the contest due to their respective injuries, the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder prepared to battle each other on Thursday night. Going up against the defending champions brought out the best of Jaylen Brown and company; In particular, Brown had an excellent performance in the lead role against the league’s best defense amid the absences of Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, averaging 34 points, six rebounds and seven assists.

However, it all ended in heartbreak for the Celtics; They lost 104–102 after Chet Holmgren was whistled for a foul on an offensive rebound on the Thunder’s final offensive possession.

Boston’s defense had already done its job, forcing Alex Caruso instead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to score the game-winning try, but luck was not on Boston’s side, with Sam Hauser being called for a loose ball foul with 0.8 seconds left on the clock and the game tied at 102.

Holmgren made both free throws, and the Celtics could not respond after Peyton Pritchard missed the game-winning attempt from three-point range. Following this, Celtics fans on social media expressed their displeasure at how the clash between the two contenders ended.

celtics fans were angry

Celtics fans did not hide their anger towards the officials, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to express their feelings. Some believe that the Celtics were not at fault for Holmgren’s fall, which was reportedly caused by his teammate Lou Dortch.

“Celtics got fouled. You can’t foul there,” @A_King_Of_1Self wrote.

@aajalas said, “Lou Dort drew a foul on Chet Holmgren and they blew the whistle to end the game on the Celtics. Classic Thunder.”

@LebronJamesBond added, “That’s a weak way to end the Celtics OKC game. On a melee foul with .8 on the clock that sends Chet to the line.”

“The refs called a foul on the Celtics when Lou Douette fouled his own teammate,” @amwalsh16 reported.