分類: 综合

Injury problems have plagued the Orlando Magic all season, and on Thursday night, another of their rotation players fell victim to injury problems. Following the Magic’s 136-131 win over the Washington Wizards, an unfortunate incident plagued the team, with Jonathan Isaac suffering a knee injury after being limited to just one minute of game action on Thursday.

According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, Isaac did not return to action and after the game, he underwent an MRI, which confirmed he was dealing with a left knee sprain. Considering the Magic big man’s injury history, it’s very possible the team is being cautious when it comes to his recovery process – leaving his status in doubt for the remainder of the season.

With just a month left until the regular season begins, it’s likely this injury will keep Isaac out of the final 17 games of the Magic’s season. Orlando will probably want to protect him anyway to qualify for the playoffs, as he could be a difference-maker on defense despite his injury history.

Magic requires the next man to step forward

As mentioned earlier, injuries have made the 2025-26 season challenging at times for the Magic. They even nearly lost to a hapless Wizards team that allowed Bam Adebayo to score 83 points. On Thursday, Franz Wagner and Anthony Black, two important members of the team, were still out due to their respective injuries, and now, Isaac has joined both of them.

At the very least, the Magic have solid depth at the big man spots to compensate for Isaac’s absence. Wendell Carter Jr., Goga Bitadze, and Mo Wagner could all help cover his impending absence, while Tristan Da Silva will have all the minutes he can handle.

It was back to regular programming for the Miami Heat on Thursday night, as Bam Adebayo recorded just 21 points in their 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks after scoring the second-most points in a game (83 points) in association history. No one realistically expected Adebayo to reach such heights on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards, and the performance he delivered against the Bucks on this night far exceeds what is expected of him to perform on a nightly basis.

Undoubtedly, Adebayo is the talk of the town, because what he did against the Wizards was amazing and impossible to believe. And even though the Bucks lost, they poked a little fun at the fact that Adebayo scored 62 fewer points on Thursday than he did on Tuesday, which is a feat for a struggling Milwaukee team.

The official post on X after the Bucks’ loss read, “The Bombs did not score 83 points.”

What followed was a response from the Heat social media team, with the Bucks dropping the mic with a brutal response to Adebayo.

“Wasn’t needed…obviously…” the Heat’s response reads.

This was not needed… clearly… https://t.co/3zWswkYKjw

– Miami Heat (@MiamiHEAT) 13 March 2026

Heat still get win after Bam Adebayo comes back to earth

The true testament to the talent of the Heat culture is that there is a clear unselfishness that defines the team, especially with some of their key guys like Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell all battling injuries.

On Thursday, it was Pelle Larsson who had the time of his life; Although he didn’t drop anything close to 83 points, he did score 28 points for himself, the best number of his career. The Heat continue to produce quality players left and right, the ultimate effect of their renowned culture.

Whenever a player is being mentioned in the same sentence as Wilt Chamberlain, he has done something extremely rare and historic. That’s what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accomplished, as the reigning MVP of the Oklahoma City Thunder broke a record that no one has come close to since 1963.

With another 20-plus-point scoring night, this time against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his 127th consecutive game with 20-plus points, surpassing Chamberlain’s record of 126 straight games between 1961 and 1963.

This unfathomable record now belongs to the Thunder superstar, and SGA can extend his streak even further to keep it within striking distance, as Wilt did before.

Shai passes longest 20+ point streak ever 🚨

Wilt: 126 (October 19, 1961-January 19, 1963)
Shai: 127 (November 1, 2024-) pic.twitter.com/aNOYWzh5LI

– NBA (@NBA) 13 March 2026

Oddly enough, Chamberlain holds the record for most consecutive 20-point games (126), and also had the second-longest streak, ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander, at 92 games between 1963 and 1964. The only reason Wilt’s streak ended in 1963 and he had to restart was due to him being ejected just four minutes into the game for “abusive language” towards the officials.

It’s why Chamberlain’s streak of scoring at least 20 points in 126 consecutive games ended, and it’s why Gilgeous-Alexander’s name now tops the list in NBA lore.

This is a remarkable feat for Gilgeous-Alexander, and it puts him in the same great position as Chamberlain, who has all of his nearly-untouchable records, as well as LeBron James and his streak of 1,297 straight games scoring more than 10 points. Perhaps this is the next record on Gilgeous-Alexander’s to-do list, but he still has a long way to go to catch LeBron, as anyone would.

Passing Chamberlain is the latest major accomplishment for Gilgeous-Alexander, just eight years into his career.

The 27-year-old superstar won his first championship with the Thunder last season and was crowned the 2025 NBA Finals MVP. He also led the league in scoring until being named the 2024–25 NBA MVP. With approximately four weeks remaining in the 2025–26 season, Gilgeous-Alexander is considered the favorite to once again win the MVP award.

After tying Wilt’s record with a 35-point performance on Sunday, which included a game-winning 3-pointer against the Denver Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander took a moment to reflect on the history he made, and gave a humble response to what the accomplishment means to him.

“It’s still a lot to wrap my head around,” SGA said. “To be honest, I don’t even try to think about it, especially during the season. There’s a lot going on. A lot of things have to go right to get what you ultimately want. I’m 100 percent focused on that.

“Obviously, it’s special to interact with a guy like that.”

Not many players ever come close to recording similar numbers or breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done so in his eighth season, as he is the new record holder for most consecutive games with over 20 points with 127 games and counting.

With only a month left in the regular season, it never seems too early to be discussing the NBA playoff picture. The Western Conference, as always, is very competitive, with a few teams clustered in the middle seeding behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs – with the Los Angeles Lakers jockeying for position against three other high-tier teams in the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers have had to deal with a number of injury problems, and there have been stretches this season where they have not looked like a competitive team in any way. Be that as it may, at the time of writing, the Lakers have a record of 40-25, which puts them in fourth place in the West standings.

Last season, it looked like the Lakers had a manageable first-round matchup against the Timberwolves. Minnesota swallowed them whole in the glass. There is no such thing as an easy matchup in the West, but some potential matchups may be easier than others.

Ultimately, this is a first-round matchup the Lakers will want to avoid at all costs.

Lakers say no to another playoff showdown vs. Nuggets

The four aforementioned teams competing for position in the West are playing musical chairs, meaning that every win and every loss causes them to change their position in the standings. Realistically, the Lakers could face any of those three teams in the first round of the playoffs, with the Phoenix Suns within striking distance of those four teams – so they’re also emerging as a potential first-round matchup.

But among those teams, the Lakers would like to avoid a first-round matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets for obvious reasons.

The Nuggets faced the Lakers in the 2023 and 2024 NBA playoffs, and the purple and gold could not challenge Denver. They were keeping the game closed, but the story was all too familiar; Jokic would take over and hit ridiculous shots, and Jamal Murray would make things worse by hitting clutch shots of his own to put the Lakers away.

It’s hard to think that anything will be much different with Doncic still on the roster. Doncic provided the Lakers with a greater offensive level and ceiling than when Anthony Davis was on the team, but their defense is now even more helpless against Jokic without Bro.

This was very evident in their recent clash; The Lakers had to resort to fake defensive coverages to slow down Jokic, and it’s hard to see that working in a playoff setting where the Nuggets can gameplan for Marcus Smart coverages as well as Rui Hachimura matchups.

That series will be an offensive bloodbath, but suffice it to say that the Nuggets have a more explosive offense and a better superstar in Jokic. Deandre Ayton is not the answer, and never was. The Lakers can probably win at least a game or two in this playoff matchup, but in a seven-game series, their lack of size and defensive problems on the perimeter will make it impossible to win four against Denver.

Their aggressive defense against Jokic will force a lot of turnovers from the Lakers defense, and it doesn’t seem like the best idea at all to have a team with a backcourt of Doncic and Reeves have to cover a ton of ground on that end of the floor.

As far as other matchups, the Lakers can definitely handle the Rockets and Timberwolves, and they have the talent advantage over the Suns if it comes down to it.

Houston’s offense can be a clogged toilet at times, as they have to labor to take open shots, which will work in the Lakers’ favor as they have two explosive scoring guards in Doncic and Reaves. Houston doesn’t have as many offensive weapons as Denver, which will shorten the rotation for LA, making life easier.

He has the Timberwolves’ number this season; They swept the season series and learned a lot from their embarrassing first round loss last season. Ayton has been disappointing down the stretch this season, but he has helped tremendously in Timberwolves matchups where he was dominant against Rudy Gobert last year.

Seeing how Dillon Brooks makes LeBron James’ life miserable, the Suns could be a difficult matchup. Whatever the case, Doncic has beaten Devin Booker and the Suns in the past, and the Lakers should have the best player on the floor in that matchup.

Ultimately, the Nuggets are looking like the worst possible matchup for the Lakers, and L.A. will be begging the West standings to swing in their favor in a month’s time.

When the Los Angeles Lakers’ injury report came out for their game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, veteran guard Marcus Smart had a surprising addition. Smart played just 31 minutes, providing his usual energy and intensity in the team’s win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Marcus Smart was originally listed as questionable for the Lakers’ game against the Bulls, then ruled out just hours before tip-off. Before the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that Smart had been dealing with a hip injury for the past few games, and the team wanted him to get some rest before another abbreviated stretch of the schedule, according to Thuc Nhi Nguyen of The LA Times.

Redick also mentioned that the team is hoping Smart can make his return to the lineup for the Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. This is the team’s last home game before embarking on a six-game road trip.

Smart has been one of the Lakers’ most impactful players this season after signing a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards over the summer. While Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are the team’s top players, it can be argued that Smart is the Lakers’ fourth-best player in terms of overall impact.

Although he began the season on the bench, Smart moved into the starting lineup when Reeves was sidelined with injury. Upon his return, Smart remained among the starting players with Rui Hachimura moving to the bench.

Smart has appeared in 55 games this season, including 48 starts, averaging a little over 28 minutes per game. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 39.9 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from the 3-point line and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Although Smart’s shooting efficiency hasn’t been great, his statistics don’t tell the whole story. During the Lakers’ win against the New York Knicks last Sunday, Smart shot just 1 of 10 from the field, but the Lakers were clearly excited by his defensive intensity and overall toughness.

After the win against the Knicks again, Redick explained how Smart’s impact was not measured in shots made or missed.

“Smart was 1-of-10 and plus-27. He had a really, really impressive game,” Redick said. “I think by the end of the third quarter, we had a comfortable lead, but when we turned the ball over at the end of the quarter, it saved two points. [Jordan] “Clarkson has to pass it.”

The Lakers will certainly hope Smart is back in the lineup when they face off against the Nuggets on Saturday, a big game with potential playoff seeding on the line.

The Detroit Pistons are trying to get back on track after going through a recent slump that saw them lose four straight games. They stopped the bleeding by beating the Brooklyn Nets 138-100 on Tuesday.

The Pistons are 7-5 since the showdown with the Charlotte Hornets in February, which some believe has sharpened the team’s focus. The incident could have been much worse and could have completely derailed Detroit’s campaign.

But lessons were learned and the Pistons are now trying to move on. Duncan Robinson admitted in “The Young Man and the Three” that he regretted not trying to stop Isaiah Stewart from entering the court.

“I couldn’t stop it, but I hate not seeing him on the court. So if I could have done something to stop him from getting to Miles (Bridges), but he had obviously made up his mind, there was nothing I was going to do in that moment,” Robinson said.

Fans mocked the 31-year-old shooter for running away and doing nothing during the brawl. To some, Robinson let down his teammates.

He said he understands the story being spread, but said his teammates always support him.

“I think Stu and my teammates know I ride for them. Obviously, it’ll be a little different than how Stu rides for his teammates. I’m also going to be authentically me, okay? In that moment, I got caught. It felt bad. Honestly, it did. It didn’t feel like I was down for that reason,” Robinson said.

“Next time, I’m going to catch someone. At least fake it, get in the way. But I thought it was like helping Bill Nye with a science project. Like he’s taken care of it, you know what I mean?”

The brawl led to heavy sanctions, with Stewart and Jalen Duren being suspended for seven games and two games, respectively. Meanwhile, Bridges and Moussa Diabate were both suspended for four games.

The Pistons won that game 110–104. Robinson had 18 points on 8-0f-10 shooting, three rebounds and four assists.

The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a blow against the Miami Heat on Thursday at Kasia Center when Ousmane Dieng missed the remainder of the contest due to an illness.

Dieng has been playing well since the Bucks acquired him from the Chicago Bulls before the trade deadline, even earning a starting spot right away.

Milwaukee announced on the air that he would not return to the game. Dieng, who was subbed out in the third quarter, failed to score in 14 minutes.

The Bucks are trying to snap a two-game slump, while the Heat are coming off a memorable win against the Washington Wizards, with Bam Adebayo leading the way with 83 points.

Dieng probably has a chip on his shoulder after the Oklahoma City Thunder traded him to the Charlotte Hornets with a second-round pick in February, despite helping them win last season’s championship. In return the Thunder received Mason Plumlee.

Dieng was traded to the Bulls along with Collin Sexton and three second-round picks in exchange for Coby White and Mike Conley Jr. Two days later, Dieng arrived at the Bucks in a three-team deal that also included the Phoenix Suns.

The feeling of being pinballed wasn’t good for Dieng’s morale, but since landing in Milwaukee, he has seen a bigger role, averaging 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 22.9 minutes.

At the age of 22, he has a lot to offer. Being moved to the Bucks, where he could learn from Giannis Antetokounmpo, looks like a blessing in disguise for the 11th overall pick.

At the time of writing, Miami leads Milwaukee in the fourth quarter.

MIAMI – After Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo had his 83-point game on Tuesday night, there was no denying how this performance would be immortalized in NBA history. As the sports world debates whether or not the Heat captain’s 83-point night was unethical, no one can take away from Adebayo’s special night for the positives it could have on its lasting impact on the team.

Adebayo will break franchise records and reach major milestones, but what matters most is that his 83 points on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 81 points, giving him the second-highest scoring game ever.

The loss meant the win dropped them to sixth place in the Eastern Conference, eliminating them from the play-in tournament for the time being, although they head into Thursday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks with 16 games left in the season. The outcome of even one game could impact the standings, with Miami holding just a half-game lead over the seventh-seeded Toronto Raptors.

If there’s one of many things that Adebayo can do to score 83 points in a game, it’s to inspire the team to greener pastures ahead, as head coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned.

“It was motivation the other night. And maybe motivation needs to be motivating tonight,” Spoelstra said. “So maybe there will be some X factors.”

“The situation we’re in right now, it’s not going to happen unless we create the environment for that game,” Spoelstra added. “Bam set the tone with his energy and will in that first quarter, and that type of energy and effort and motivation, maybe it comes from him, but maybe it comes from a lot of other players who inspire effort in any other game that means just as much in the standings.”

Erik Spoelstra is on the team and Bam Adebayo is now focused on the games and season ahead: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/NzEKbgH8De

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 12 March 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on the ethics of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game

While the big man’s night was special in every imaginable way, some were complaining about the Heat’s Adebayo the way he scored 83 points, whether it was the massive amount of free throws and intentional fouling in the fourth quarter.

Some have cited Spoelstra as one of the main reasons for questions about the “ethics” of the performance. As for Spoelstra, he stood ten feet down on the outing and said, “I’m not apologizing to anyone.”

Asked about the word ‘ethics’ being thrown around in criticism, Spoelstra told ClutchPoints, “I’m not losing any sleep over what other people are saying about it.” “What’s ethical? What’s not? Is it ethical to foul a three-point shooter? Is that ethical or not? Is it ethical to foul a bad free-throw shooter and get an extra possession, you know or not? Like all these things happened in under two minutes, he had already broken a lot of records, and we’re going to go for it. It was an amazing moment to be a part of that.”

“And I would do it again 10 times out of 10 for Bam,” Spoelstra continued. “I feel very good for Bam, because he’s about all the right things.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about critics questioning the “ethics” of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game.

“I don’t care…I would do it again 10 times out of 10…I think most people who probably made comments didn’t see that it was irresponsible or unethical…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/6iBMAi1P0A

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 12 March 2026

At any rate, Adebayo’s historic 83-point night has immortalized him in history as one that will always be remembered, no matter how the discourse looks. In terms of boosting Miami’s playoff run, the team looks to take advantage of this, as after Thursday against the Bucks, the Heat will face the Orlando Magic on Saturday night in an important matchup.

The term “Hall of Famer” gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, the claims take on more substance as time goes on.

The five-time All-Star has received recognition from many head coaches, but Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is new to the list.

Before Thursday’s game, Carlisle elaborated more on that three-word point.

“He’s got Hall of Fame in the books,” Carlisle explained on Twitter (formerly Twitter), via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin. “As far as I can see, he has become a great leader.”

Throughout Phoenix’s season, Booker has been the unsung leader, offensive engine and everything else you want to describe. His stats may not be where they were, but that doesn’t necessarily matter.

However, over the last five games he is averaging 26.6 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. The Suns have been on a hot streak since Booker’s return and have gone 4-1.

Devin Booker’s comment on Rick Carlisle highlights Suns’ success

Comparing the 2024-25 season to today, this is a completely different team. Although Booker made the All-Star Game, he noted that it was due to his team’s success.

He has also repeatedly mentioned finishing his career in Phoenix. But it is not just a feeling of pleasing the masses. At the same time, he wants to leave a lasting impact and has already done so.

For example, Booker broke the Suns franchise scoring record at the age of 28 during his ten seasons in the Valley of the Sun.

Somehow, his focus is more on winning than on accolades. As of this writing, the team has achieved 38 wins on the season, surpassing last season’s win total.

As the Suns continue to travel on the road, more coaches may get to see more of Booker’s leadership showcased.

Stephen Curry is close to returning to the court for the Golden State Warriors this season.

Curry has not appeared in a game since his performance against the Detroit Pistons on January 30. He is suffering from a knee injury which has kept him away from the game for the whole of February and half of March.

NBA insider Brett Siegel provided an update on the veteran superstar’s timeline during his appearance with Tomer Azrali on the Clutch Scoops show on March 12. His sources told him that Curry can expect to return in the last week of March to complete his recovery.

“Stephen Curry wants to return before the season ends and I’ve heard there’s optimism looking at the Saturday March 21 game, right after that 10 day window. That’s when things open up as to when he could potentially return. Or see if he travels on a six-game road trip because that will tell a lot about whether he can or not. But I’m told the Wednesday March 25 game starts seven of his last 10 at home, that’s really it. That’s the game in what’s probably the last period of this timeline,” Siegel said at the 42:23 mark.

Stephen Curry, what’s next for the Warriors

It is clear that the Warriors need the services of Stephen Curry. They’ve gone 23-16 with him and 9-17 without him, knowing he’ll be vital to their chances in the playoffs this year.

In the 39 games played by Curry, he averaged 27.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 46.8% from the field, including 39.1% from beyond the arc and 93.1% from the free-throw line.

Golden State has a 32–33 record on the season, tied for ninth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies while trailing the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns.

After three consecutive defeats, the Warriors will be looking to get back into the win column in their next match. They will face the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 13, tip-off at 10 PM ET.

After almost two full years of patience, the New Orleans Pelicans are finally getting an extended look at the version of Dejounte Murray they thought former EVP David Griffin was getting. If the past several weeks are any indication, the foundation of the franchise’s future is being built on the shoulders of the 29-year-old. Joe Dumars can’t deny how much James Borrego’s groundwork is starting to take shape on what has looked like a completely different team over the last 10 games.

The interim head coach has been generous with the praise lately, and made sure to give Murray plenty of credit. With the atmosphere they have established on both ends, the Pelicans are beginning to establish the habits needed to consistently compete in the Western Conference. For a franchise that has long sought stability, the emergence of a clear identity led by a fiery, disruptive All-Star offers a glimpse of what the future could look like.

New Orleans hasn’t seen anything like this since Jrue Holiday headed to the Portland Trail Blazers. Murray’s game-changing attitude was arguably never more evident than in Brandon Ingram’s recent win over the beleaguered Toronto Raptors.

“Dejounte (against the Raptors) was phenomenal,” Borrego admitted. “Probably the best game I’ve seen him play, certainly these last two years (with the Pelicans). Just his fire, competitiveness, obviously making shots, defense, communication, leadership out there, he instills so much confidence and fight in this group, and everybody is rallying around it.”

Everyone can talk about abstract things in probability. However, there’s only one way to measure those enduring qualities over time, and Borrego believes Dejounte Murray’s upside has been contagious.

“I think it’s really the same blueprint that we saw. Physical, offensively, defensively, disruptive, a big physical team. That’s what we’re looking to build,” Borrego explained. “That’s the goal, to keep that identity for the rest of the season. We’ve built habits to get to this point. Now it’s about not giving up and carrying it forward, like letting it become the standard.”

“Obviously, it starts with Dejounte at the point of attack,” the coach said, “and everyone else getting in line.”

Taking more than a year to recover from a torn right Achilles tendon, which came on the heels of a fractured hand, was difficult. Murray (17.6 points, 5.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 26.4 minutes per game) is trying to make up for lost time by building some momentum, scoring in double figures and recording at least one steal in each of his first five appearances. The story goes beyond the statistics, which is why Borrego has praised Murray’s leadership for weeks.

Dejounte Murray Motors Pelican

After the Pelicans returned home from a six-game road trip and defeated the Washington Wizards 138–118 on March 8, Borrego specifically credited Murray for leading the team to victory. The tone set defensively has created a ripple effect throughout the roster, setting a standard that was previously elusive.

Borrego admitted, “These are always tough games when we come home after a road trip. And they can be trap games sometimes. So, I’m proud of our guys. They responded with the right mentality. I give Dejounte Murray a lot of credit.” “He had fire, juice. He was going to get us a win (over the Washington Wizards) anyway. His great reaction, his leadership.”

The standard, as Borrego describes it, is rooted in toughness and defensive disruption. It’s a style that fits Murray’s game perfectly. He led the NBA in assists with San Antonio during the 2021–22 season. Murray has always been at his best whenever allowed to impose himself physically in a game. In New Orleans, that role has come into focus.

It remains to be seen if the Pelicans can turn these final weeks into a foundation for next season. But for a franchise that has faced hardships, seeing Murray playing with such purpose is, at least, a reason to believe that the future looks bright given the record.

MIAMI – As Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo made NBA history by scoring 83 points in the team’s 150-128 win over the Washington Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 for the second-highest scoring game ever, the conversation is polarizing. With the NBA world reacting to the Heat captain’s 83-point night, with some saying there should be an asterisk next to the game and others questioning the ethics, came head coach Erik Spoelstra’s response.

There was no denying a special night for Adebayo, who etched his name in the annals of NBA history by scoring 83 points, capping a dominant performance by Washington that few had seen before. However, people have pointed to the 43 free-throw attempts, the team intentionally committing fouls to gain more possession, and other examples of a lackluster night.

If there’s one word that’s been floating around on social media about comparing Adebayo’s game to Bryant’s game in 2006, it’s that some people say one word is more “ethical” than the other. For Spoelstra, those who have raised their voices on the matter did not take into account history and said that this in itself is “immoral”.

“I think most of the people who probably made comments didn’t watch the game, it’s irresponsible or unethical,” Spoelstra told ClutchPoints. “You don’t even understand the context of the game, like it was a 13-point game. I remember going back into the huddle after the timeout, and [Assistant coach Chris Quinn] Said, “‘Hey, we’ve got to win this game, like we’re chasing something, and that’s great, but we’ve got to win this game.'”

“It was a 13-point game with nine more turnovers, and then bang, we hit three threes in a row… and then his total kept going up. Everything, I would say, was pretty traditional, if you want to say that, until it was the last two minutes, and then we have the autonomy to do whatever we want in those two minutes, whether people think it’s pure or moral or not. Bam and what a great moment it is for this franchise and the city.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about critics questioning the “ethics” of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game.

“I don’t care…I would do it again 10 times out of 10…I think most people who probably made comments didn’t see that it was irresponsible or unethical…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/6iBMAi1P0A

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 12 March 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra: ‘I’m not apologizing to anyone’

Opinions coming from Tuesday night were all over the place, with one reporter, Sam Amick of The Athletic, even saying that the Heat center in Adebayo should have taken out the game before breaking Bryant’s mark to honor his legacy. As negotiations continue in the near future, Spoelstra has doubled down on his actions to help Adebayo achieve association history.

“I don’t care, I’m not losing sleep over what other people are saying about it,” Spoelstra said. “What’s ethical? What’s not? Is it ethical to foul a three-point shooter? Is that ethical or not? Is it ethical to foul a bad free-throw shooter and get an extra possession, you know or not? Like all these things happened in under two minutes, he had already broken a lot of records, and we’re going to go for it. It was an amazing moment to be a part of that.”

“And I would do it again 10 times out of 10 for Bam, I’m not apologizing to anybody about that,” Spoelstra added. “I feel great for Bam, because he’s about all the right things, you know. And already in our walkthrough, he’s talking about defense, and we’ve got to prepare our defense to rock tonight. But as a leader, the other night, you know, to set the tone for that game, they can be tough games. I thought it was the leadership personality, and then it went on steroids from there, and it just went off the hill. Became a snowball rolling down.”

With people questioning efficiency, this may have been more evidence that some people weren’t following the game, as Adebayo scored 31 points in the first quarter, 43 in the first half, shooting 54 percent from the field (13/24), 45 percent from deep (5/11).

Over the course of three quarters, he scored 62 points (17/35) on 49 percent shooting from the field, with the final frame being the highlight of those free throws, although Washington’s defense was poor and unable to stop Adebayo. At any rate, no one can take away from Adebayo that he has solidified himself among the greats as he looks to lead Miami into Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks and beyond.

The Atlanta Hawks have had an up and down season. They were believed to be a promising team in the Eastern Conference, plagued by injuries to key stars from contenders around the conference. Additionally, their 2025 offseason moves made by general manager Onsi Saleh had fans and prognosticators alike interested in what the Hawks could become in this wide-open Eastern Conference. But with the Hawks facing a slump due to injuries and an unfortunate trade, fans are clamoring for a 2026 offseason, and the value of the Pelicans/Bucks pick swap is highly anticipated.

But it appears as if the Hawks have turned the corner. At the time of this writing, they are on a seven-game winning streak and are 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are just three games behind the Miami Heat, who are currently in the six-seed in the playoff standings, with Toronto and Philadelphia one and two games ahead of them, respectively.

The ideal seeding situation for the Hawks is to get the number six seed. It’s realistic, and they’ve been on a roll since the end of the All-Star break. Finishing sixth takes them out of the play-ins for the first time in months. The Hawks have been a mainstay in the play-ins over the past few seasons since making it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, but they failed to make the playoffs last season after losing to the Miami Heat.

It would be a huge accomplishment for the Hawks to clinch the six-seed and put them in position to potentially pull an upset in the first round, which would garner fan support for the direction of the team. hawks nation was Disappointed Via Trae Young’s trade. But the preseason could help mend fans’ broken hearts

If the season ended today and the Hawks found a way to dethrone the No. 6 seed Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference, they would face the New York Knicks. The Knicks have been a consistent team this season, even winning the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup. But out of the top six current teams, they arguably have the biggest weaknesses that the Hawks can exploit to pull off a big playoff-series win.

While Karl-Anthony Towns is a phenomenal player, he is often inconsistent. With how heavy the Hawks are, I believe they can compete well with the Knicks in a seven-game series. And while Trae Young, who saw his star rise following the Hawks’ five-game defeat of the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs, is no longer with the team, Jalen Johnson could prove to be a thorn in the Knicks’ side. Johnson’s propensity to drive to the basket and his explosiveness could be a good fit for the small-ball lineups that Mike Brown likes to employ, and I think there is no defender on the Knicks outside of OG Anunoby who can really stay one-on-one with him.

Should the Hawks find a way to defeat the Knicks in the first round in this scenario, they would then face the Boston Celtics. Now, the Hawks have seen the Celtics in the playoffs before, ultimately losing 4-2 in 2023. So far, the Hawks have split the season series with the Celtics, with the Celtics defeating them 132–106 on January 17 and the Hawks getting their revenge on January 28, 117–106. Now that the Hawks are hitting form, two matchups between the Hawks and Celtics in late March could be a preview of how the teams will match up in the playoffs.

Jayson Tatum is back in the lineup, but he’s still not quite 100%. While the Celtics were smart to get him back into the rotation ahead of their playoff run, it’s unknown if he’ll actually get back to his pre-Achilles playing style any time soon. While Jaylen Brown has emerged as a phenomenal player and is even in the running for NBA MVP, the Hawks can certainly match the Celtics’ superior three-point shooting ability with a mix of savvy defense and athleticism. While they likely won’t win a series against the Celtics, having a good matchup against them could be a good sign for Quin Snyder and Atlanta, giving them the building blocks for more success in an important offseason.

The Hawks certainly aren’t championship contenders, but they have a chance to pick up a small win that could help them reign among the top teams in the NBA over the next few seasons. But that scenario hinges on the Hawks climbing out of the play-in picture and officially securing one of the top six seeds in the East for the first time in five years.

Brooklyn Nets center De’Ron Sharp will miss the remainder of the season with a thumb injury that will require surgery, the team announced Thursday.

“Deron Sharp has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. Sharp will require surgery to repair the ligament and will miss the remainder of the season. Further updates will be provided following the procedure,” the Nets said in a statement.

Sharp missed the Nets’ big loss against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday due to his injury. The 24-year-old big man continued to solidify himself as one of the league’s best backup centers this season after a breakout 2024-25 campaign.

Deron Sharp shut down for the season with thumb injury

Sharp posted career-highs across the board, averaging 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals on 60.1 percent shooting in 18.7 minutes per game. He was one of three players, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, to average 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists per 36 minutes on 55 percent or better shooting.

Sharp’s absence should boost Brooklyn’s tank amid a tight race in the draft lottery standings. According to CleaningTheGlass, his performance on the court versus off has led the Nets to outscore opponents by seven more points per 100 possessions, the team’s highest net rating swing and sixth among 35 centers who played more than 1,100 minutes.

Consecutive wins over the Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies dropped the Nets from second to fourth in the lottery standings. Brooklyn has one more win than the second- and third-place Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards, respectively, and two more than the first-place Pacers.

Sharp has a $6 million team option for next season.

The Los Angeles Lakers may face a playoff dilemma when it comes to utilizing LeBron James.

NBA insider Brett Siegel participated in the latest episode of Clutch Scoops with Tomer Azrali on March 12. Los Angeles seems to be playing better without James, but Siegel argues they still need him to play to have a chance. The insider states this but in no way gives them a chance to win the first round series.

“You can’t play with LeBron. I think you’re a better team without him, but he’s going to have to play for this team to stay in title contention. It’s not going to happen, they’re not a title contending team, but in that fantasy world a lot of Lakers fans want to live in, for this team to potentially win in the playoffs, you need LeBron next to Luka and Austin Reaves. And when you have that, you see what happens. They Not good defensively, ball movement is kind of stagnant, you have five guys lined up,” Siegel said at the 39:43 mark.

“I think their record is overstated. I think it’s a lot better than the team actually is. And I think we’ll see it when they get into a first-round series. I feel very confident in saying that they won’t win a first-round series.”

What’s next for LeBron James, Lakers

The Lakers are 26-18 with James this season and 14-7 without him. Whether his style of play looks better or not, there is no doubt that James will be active in the rotation come the playoffs.

Los Angeles has a record of 40–25 on the season, finishing in fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, while trailing the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers remain at home awaiting their next matchup. They will host the Chicago Bulls on March 12 at 10:30 PM ET.

The Rising Stars event on NBA All-Star Weekend gives fans a chance to see some of the league’s top young players, from star rookies to second-year standouts. The event has also grown to include G League standouts, but has always featured two-way contract players and assignment players. This season, Sean East II was the only non-NBA G League player to compete at All-Star Weekend.

A career game for Sean East II 🔥🌟 East finished with a career-high 39 PTS, 14 FGM and shot 63% from beyond the arc. @slcstars 🎯 pic.twitter.com/hzMTD8n4P1

– NBA G League (@nbagleague) 23 February 2026

East was a member of Team Austin, coached by former NBA player Austin Rivers. He played a little more than seven minutes, finishing with two points, one rebound and one assist as Team Austin was eliminated in the early rounds. East was also selected to play in the G League Next Up game, which featured some of the best players in the G League throughout the season.

For him, attending All-Star Weekend and sharing the court with some of the best young players in the NBA was an incredible experience. East grew up watching the All-Star Game, and still has strong memories of his favorite moments.

“Just watching the fight between Kobe [Bryant] and lebron [James]kyrie [Irving]Everybody, all of them great players. “Watching it with my family on Sunday nights,” East told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “It was good. . .I had to take it all in, it was fun. I wish we could do it again. Had fun. I had fun and I can’t wait to hopefully play one day on Sunday.”

Playing one day in Sunday’s marquee All-Star Game is no easy task. There has yet to be a player who made an NBA All-Star team who debuted in the G League. Players like Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet and Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam have made All-Star teams after spending substantial time playing in the G League.

But in Siakam’s case, he was drafted first by the Toronto Raptors. Along with VanVleet, he immediately joined the Raptors as an undrafted free agent before gaining a foothold in the G League. But aside from All-Star goals, making it to the NBA is actually a realistic option for the East.

He has been performing poorly in the G League this season, and has already attracted the attention of NBA teams.

“I’m getting a little buzz regarding a two-way contract,” East said. “But we’ll see. I’ll keep doing the work I do and hopefully the call-up comes soon.”

After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, East signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the Summer League. He played with the Lakers team in both the California Classic and Las Vegas, averaging 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

East finished playing in Canada with the CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League), and set the league record for most points in a season with 546. This year, he joined the Utah Jazz for training camp, but was one of the final cuts before the start of the season.

Since being waived, East has been playing with the Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars. This is his first official foray into the G League as a professional, and the competition has been equal so far.

“It’s good competition. It’s definitely not the NBA, but it’s a good mix of players who played in the NBA and the G League,” East said. “It’s pretty solid competition. Everyone is definitely trying to get to the NBA.”

In his first full season in the G League, East appeared in 44 games for Salt Lake City. He averaged 19.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 51.3 percent from the field, 40.3 percent from the 3-point line and 75.5 percent from the free-throw line.

He is now firmly on the radar of NBA teams, and it would not be surprising if he is signed to a two-way contract, at least, until next season. He has shown that he can be a capable scoring threat, while also being able to quarterback an offense and be a playmaking guard. But until that call-up comes, East is just enjoying the newfound attention.

“It’s just a dream come true,” East said. “So I just want to continue living it.”

It wasn’t a good night in Colorado, as the Houston Rockets struggled in a 36-point loss to the Denver Nuggets. According to NBA Courtside, after the 129-93 loss, Kevin Durant spoke honestly about the game and whether play played a role on the back end of the back-to-back.

“Kevin Durant asked if back-to-backs played a role in loss to Denver: ‘No. No. That’s our job. We get paid to do it. Back-to-backs shouldn’t matter at all,'” NBA Courtside posted on X.

The Rockets were coming off a 113-99 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Then, they made a change and traveled to Denver for this game. The results did not go as planned and it was the second time in a week that the Rockets faltered.

The Rockets kept it close early, trailing 24–20 after the first quarter, and 53–47 at halftime. But things quickly got out of control in the third quarter, as the Nuggets put up 40 points on them to take a 93–69 lead heading into the third. The deficit was too much for the Rockets to overcome, and Durant was not that productive.

Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 16 points on 8 of 14 shooting. Similarly, Durant added 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Jabari Smith Jr. had 11 points, while Alperen Sengun had 10 points. Overall, the team shot 43.3% from the floor, including just 12.1% (4 of 33) from beyond the arc. The Rockets allowed the Nuggets to shoot 55.2% from the hardwood, including 53.1% from triples.

The Rockets will have a day off Thursday and then head home for a showdown with the New Orleans Pelicans before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.

The New Orleans Pelicans haven’t been the best all season, but they have found a little life the past few weeks since the return of Dejounte Murray. He has made things easier for the Pelicans with his play and is another scoring option they need. What’s even better is that he can get as close as he needs to, and he’s not afraid to take the shot.

That’s what happened in their latest game against the Toronto Raptors, where the Pelicans were looking to shut them out. Murray had the ball and Jamal Sheed was protecting him. He hit some moves on Sheed which caused him to fall to the floor and Murray hit a shot.

The end of that sequence was something like this.

This picture of Dejounte Murray after taking down Jamal Sheed 🥶 https://t.co/VC7K7sxhgg pic.twitter.com/YWGanOLzEK

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 12 March 2026

It wasn’t a great moment for Shead, but Murray was in the news at least for the next minute. At that time, it was clear that the Pelicans missed him for most of the season.

After the game, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic spoke about the incident that occurred after the shot.

Rajakovic said, “I don’t give it too much attention there. The guys are competitive. What they did there was probably off the board. I got to see it on film. But I don’t want to make too much of it.”

That moment may stick around, but at some point, people will forget about it until something else like it happens.

In seven games this season, Murray is averaging 17.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists. The Pelicans have been near the bottom of the Western Conference for most of the season, but if Murray continues to play there is a chance they will finish the year strong.

They have no reason to tank like other teams in the lower tier because they don’t have their picks in this year’s draft.

The Los Angeles Lakers are set to host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. However, both teams are struggling with injuries. For the Lakers, LeBron James is among the players dealing with injury concerns.

The Lakers are proceeding with caution when it comes to the 41-year-old’s availability. He is currently battling a right hip injury and arthritis in his left foot.

Everything we know about James’ status for tonight’s game vs. the Bulls.

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Lebron james injury status vs bulls

According to the NBA’s injury report, James is listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game.

The Lakers are 40-25 and are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, while the Bulls are 27-38 and are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. LA is ready for a big game, but the team would love to have LeBron available.

As far as the question of whether LeBron James is playing against the Bulls tonight, the answer is probably.

lakers injury report

The Lakers have four players listed on the injury report.

• Jackson Hayes (back pain): Probable
• LeBron James (right hip injury, left foot arthritis): Questionable
• Maxi Kleber (lumbar sprain): doubtful
• Marcus Smart (right hip injury): questionable

oxen injury report

There is an injury report for 12 Bulls players.

• Matas Buzzellis (right ankle sprain): Probable
• Josh Giddy (right ankle sprain): probable
• Jalen Smith (left calf strain): probable
• Isaac Okoro (right patellofemoral pain syndrome): doubtful
• Colin Sexton (left fibular head contusion): doubtful
• Patrick Williams (sprained left ankle): Questionable
• Guershon Yabusele (pain in left foot): doubtful
• Zach Collins (right toe surgery): out
• Noah Esengue (left shoulder surgery): out
• Jaden Ivey (left patellofemoral pain syndrome): out
• Effernie Simmons (left ulnar styloid fracture): out
• Mac McClung (G League two-way): out

It’s been a collective group effort for the Atlanta Hawks to get to where they are now, and the proof is in. He has led the league in assists for most of the season, as sharing the ball has been the driving force behind his success. Everyone from guard to center is committed to passing, and that’s a testament to how Quin Snyder wants them to play.

Dyson Daniels in particular has had a huge role moving the ball and his role has changed as the year has gone on. Since being included in the Trae Young trade, he has had the ball in his hands more, and is playing at a high level for his team. During the Hawks’ seven-game winning streak, Daniels had 50 assists and only four turnovers, which is very efficient for a guard.

As for Daniels, he credits his IQ and his teammates.

“A lot of my game is trying to get into the paint and find my teammates, whether it’s cutting, driving back, kick-out threes, things like that,” Daniels said. “They make my job easier by spacing, and I think we look really good when we run in transition. I want to keep our turnovers low and get the assists, so I hope we can keep that going.”

As far as his teammates, they’ve watched his progress in that role throughout the season, and it’s no surprise to them what he’s doing.

“He’s really steady,” Nichelle Alexander-Walker said. “He gets into the paint the way he wants, and he’s ready. He does a really good job of playing with two feet and staying in control, and I think that’s why he’s had success making plays for others, and he’s really starting to slow down, and the game is starting to slow down for him too.”

“Dyson has been huge for us,” Jalen Johnson said. “Not just on this winning streak, but all year long. Dyson brings every aspect of the game to the table, and he’s a guy that’s always ready to get better and always ready to learn. It’s just a testament to the work he’s done, and obviously, we need him to continue to be big for us.”

Not only is Daniel doing so on the offensive side, but he is still being a pest on defense. Over the past seven games, he has had 18 steals, and he guards the team’s best player almost every night.

After his best season last year, it almost feels like Daniel has gotten better, and he’s been a big factor for them through all the changes this season.

The Chicago Bulls visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Josh Giddy and Matas Buzzelis are listed as probable. Both have recently sprained their right ankle. On Tuesday, Bouzelis and Giddy played key roles in the Bulls’ 130–124 OT win over the Golden State Warriors. Bouzelis finished with a career-high 41 points. Meanwhile, Giddy moved into 20th place on the all-time list with a triple-double of 21 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds. Here’s everything we know about Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis’ injuries and their game status against the Lakers.

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Injury status of Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis vs. Lakers

Given that Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis are listed as probable on the injury report, the assumption is that they will both be out against the Lakers. Giddy has been a fixture on the injury report, particularly during the second half of the season.

From late December to late January, Giddy missed 11 games due to a hamstring injury. On January 22, Giddy made his return against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He scored 21 points off the bench and the Bulls won 120–115.

So far, Giddy has averaged 17.7 points, 8.7 assists and 8.4 rebounds over the course of 43 games. Meanwhile, Bouzelis has missed only one game this season due to injury. He was absent from the Bulls’ game against the Phoenix Suns on March 5.

Overall, Bouzelis averaged 15.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 62 games.

The Bulls are 27-38 and have lost 7 of their last 10 games.

So when the question comes up about whether Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis are playing tonight against the Lakers, the answer is probably yes.

oxen injury report

Matus Buzzellis (right ankle sprain) – probable

Josh Giddy (right ankle sprain) – probable

Jalen Smith (left calf strain) – probable

Jaden Ivey (left patellofemoral pain syndrome)-out

Effernie Simmons (left ulnar styloid; fracture) – Outside

Isaac Okoro (right patellofemoral pain syndrome) – doubtful

Patrick Williams (sprained left ankle) – questionable

Guershon Yabusele (left foot, soreness) – doubtful

Lakers injury report

LeBron James (right hip injury, left foot arthritis) – questionable

Maxi Kleber (lumbar strain) – doubtful

Jackson Hayes (back pain) – probable

Marcus Smart (right hip injury) – questionable.

Brooklyn Nets center Deron Sharp will miss his second consecutive game on Thursday with a sprained left thumb. Head coach Jordi Fernandez said the fifth-year center has no timetable for his return.

“No timeline. [Day’Ron has a] Sprained thumb. No matter how long it takes for him to feel good enough to play again, Fernandez said.

Sharp suffered the injury during Brooklyn’s 126-115 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, the team’s second straight victory. The 24-year-old was Brooklyn’s top performer during the win.

He posted a team-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 18 minutes off the bench. The performance came after playing a key role in the Nets’ 23-point comeback win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

De’Ron Sharp sidelined with thumb injury amid tank race

Sharp posted 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals on 6 of 10 shooting in 21 minutes against the Pistons. He beat All-Star center Jalen Duren long and closed out the game on Nets starting center Nick Claxton.

Detroit demolished Brooklyn 138-100 on Tuesday with Sharp sidelined. Duren scored a game-high 26 points on 9 of 10 shooting in 23 minutes. Claxton, meanwhile, struggled mightily, posting just two points and four rebounds on 0-2 shooting in 21 minutes.

Sharp’s availability has been vital to Brooklyn’s ability to compete this season. According to CleaningTheGlass, his performance on the court versus off has led the Nets to outscore opponents by seven more points per 100 possessions, the team’s highest mark and sixth among 35 centers playing more than 1,100 minutes.

Sharp’s absence comes amid a hotly contested tank race. The Nets’ consecutive wins dropped them from second to fourth in the draft lottery standings. They have one more win than the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards in second and third, respectively, and two more wins than the Pacers in first.

Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle sprain) and Nolan Traore (rest) also will be sidelined Thursday vs. the Atlanta Hawks. Brooklyn recently shut down Igor Demin for the season due to a plantar fascia injury.

Former NBA star Dwight Howard officially announced his retirement through a post on social media. Howard posted a video montage of his life from a small child to now on Instagram and announced that it was finally time for him to hang up.

“Woke up today on the 12th of this month and thought it was time to move on from Superman!” Howard wrote on social media. “I’m not a super person… I cry! I struggle! I feel just like everyone else. Through lies, media and hate I still show love and smile through the storm.

“But now I’m retiring from all basketball to help my family and give back to communities around the world. I know some of you may think I thought I already ‘retired’, but I didn’t…the game retired me! I still have so much left to give!”

Dwight Howard said in his social media post that he wished he had a retirement tour like some of his teammates or played into his 40s, but his new mission is to support the next generation of players. He also said that in honor of his number, number 12, he is declaring the 12th of every month as ‘D12 Day’ where he will visit cities around the world and perform random acts of kindness.

Howard also revealed that he has a documentary in the works and plans to release it this year. The film is believed to show his journey from grade school to the NBA.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft, Howard had not appeared in the league since the 2021–22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last September.

During his 18 years in the NBA, he played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers. His career averages are 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 blocked shots.

Most recently, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo etched his name in the NBA record books with an 83-point performance against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. This stellar performance put Adebayo past Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors two decades ago, and he now trails only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point output for the highest-scoring game in NBA history.

Of course, Bryant had his fair share of high-scoring games throughout his Hall of Fame career, including the final game of his run in LA, in which he scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz. One player on the court for the Jazz that night was Gordon Hayward, and recently, the former NBA wing talked about why Bryant’s 60-point game needs a little context.

“That game was different than any game I’ve ever been a part of… I think he took 50 shots, something like that, so that wasn’t even a legitimate game. Both teams were out. We knew we weren’t getting to the playoffs, they knew they weren’t getting to the playoffs,” Hayward, formerly of SiriusXM, said on Twitter, according to SiriusXM NBA Radio.

However, he made sure to clarify that regardless of the shot attempt statistics, Bryant’s accomplishment was still impressive.

He said, “Obviously, we weren’t just letting him score… His last three minutes were completely different than the last three minutes of the Miami game. His last three minutes in that game were great. It was like old Kobe for three minutes.”

Many have taken issue with the Heat’s late-game strategy on Tuesday to get Adebayo more shot attempts and free throws, claiming that it does not fall into the “ethical” category of scoring records.

Still, no one will ever forget that monster game, or Bryant’s 60-point career finale.

The Golden State Warriors have been falling rapidly in the Western Conference standings in recent weeks due to the long-term injury absence of Stephen Curry, who has not played since before the All-Star break due to a long-term knee injury. The losing streak continued on Tuesday with a home loss to the Chicago Bulls in overtime.

Recently, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addressed Curry’s mental state as his absence continues.

“He’s disappointed,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Wednesday, according to Nick Avila of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He wants to be there for his guys. It’s obviously an injury that’s lasted much longer than anyone anticipated. He’s dying to be there, but there’s not a lot of it involved.

“We’re just following the leadership of the training staff and the advice of Rick Celebrini. We’re just trying to give him the best chance to come back and stay healthy and finish the season strong.”

The Warriors are currently 32-33 on the season, and if the season ended today they would be in the play-in tournament for the third consecutive year. While the Western Conference landscape makes it seem like falling below the play-in line would be nearly impossible at this point, it’s still not a possibility the Warriors would want to flirt with.

Curry was playing some elite basketball for Golden State before the injury, but the team has declined dramatically in his absence, which hasn’t been helped by the fact that Jimmy Butler is out for the year with a torn ACL, and trade acquisition Kristaps Porzingis has appeared in only three games so far for the Dubs as he deals with a lingering illness.

The Warriors next face off against the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening.

Prime Documentary Soul Power: Legends of the American Basketball Association Interest in the American Basketball Association (ABA) has increased again. Giving the younger generation the opportunity to learn from the players who fundamentally changed the game. Artis Gilmore was among them.

Gilmore played for the Kentucky Colonels from 1971 to 1976. His 7-foot-2 frame, trademark afro and prowess in the paint made him the quintessential basketball personality of that era. After all, the ABA was the rebel pro basketball league. His trademark red, white and blue balls, high-flying dunks, three-point shots and playground ethos paved the way for what exists today.

Gilmore garnered a lot of praise during that time. In 1972, he was named ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP. Two years later, Gilmore was the All-Star MVP. In 1975, he led the Colonels to the ABA title and was the playoff MVP.

After the ABA/NBA merger in 1976, Gilmore played with the Chicago Bulls until 1982. Twice, the Bulls made the playoffs in 1977 and 1981. Additionally, Gilmore was selected to four All-Star teams and averaged 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

However, Gilmore told ClutchPoints he has everything but one regret about Chicago. He wishes he had eventually played with Hall of Famers.

Gilmore said, “It was a really cool experience, but unfortunately, I think about all the players who have had a lot of success.” “Each of those players have two or three Hall of Famers, but I never had that honor during my career in Chicago.”

“You have to have at least three Hall of Famers on the team to have any hope of achieving excellence and making a difference.”

In 1987, Gilmore played another season with the Bulls alongside Michael Jordan.

Artis Gilmore wants his ABA record to be included among NBA records

Since the ABA disbanded, the records set are not included with NBA records, according to The Athletic. ABA teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, and Indiana Pacers were absorbed by the NBA. Meanwhile, teams like the Colonels folded.

Ultimately, the “merger” in 1976 was more of an expansion. Therefore, Gilmore’s achievements have not been formally recognized.

Overall, Gilmore is the ABA leader in defensive rebounds with 11,514. Meanwhile, LeBron James is 7th in NBA statistics with 10,143.

Additionally, Gilmore ranks third in field goal percentage with a .582. He ranks fourth in blocked shots, 3,148, and sixth in total rebounds, 16,079.

Over his ABA and NBA careers, Gilmore has 24,941 career points, 32nd highest. Patrick Ewing is No. 34, and Charles Barkley is No. 36.

Ultimately, Gilmore says he will find peace after he and other ABA figures join the NBA.

“This has been a work in progress for more than 50 years,” he said. “Until that happens, there’s not going to be much discussion of Artis Gilmore and my accomplishments until they tie it all together.”

Artis Gilmore put Jacksonville University on the map

Before his professional excellence, Gilmore made a significant impact on his alma mater, Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 1970, Gilmore led the Dolphins to an incredible 27–2 record. They made it all the way to the national championship game as the UCLA Bruins were in the midst of a dynasty. The Bruins defeated the Dolphins 80–69 for their fourth consecutive title.

Despite the loss, Gilmore reflects on that period fondly.

“It’s pretty special considering those years and everything that happened at Jacksonville University,” Gilmore said. “Now considering all the other things that were going on in the country, it was an incredible experience.”

Additionally, Gilmore also experienced what it was like to experience it all amid the turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s. He specifically cited playing in Dayton, Ohio, in the first round of the tournament, when race riots occurred at home.

“Just two years before the assassination of Martin Luther King, there were a lot of other negative things going on and we had to be there on the front lines,” Gilmore said. “We could see in Ohio, preparing to play in the first round, there were riots. There was a lot going on, and for us at that particular time in the environment I grew up in, it was extraordinary, extraordinary, and we were happy to be a part of it.”

Jacksonville was one of the first southern college basketball teams to start three black players (Gilmore, Pembrook Burroughs III and Chip Dublin).

The story is told in the documentary Jacksonville who?

The Los Angeles Lakers have quietly played their best basketball of the season, winning three in a row and going 5-1 in March. It is noteworthy that the team has relied on strong defense to defeat the teams. According to a post from The Athletic, coach JJ Redick has been encouraged by the Lakers’ improved defense in wins over the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

“We’re not going to be the No. 1 defense in the league. But to be above average, to have two performances in a row against those two teams is really encouraging,” Redick told The Athletic.

The Lakers played strong defense in their 110-97 win over the Timberwolves. He held the Knicks to 42.7% from the field, including 23.5% from beyond the arc. Additionally, the Purple and Gold forced 18 turnovers. The Lakers defeated the Wolves 120-106, holding them to 46.3% from the floor, including 25% from triples. Additionally, they held Anthony Edwards to only 14 points on 2 of 15 shooting, including 1 of 10 from the three-point line.

The Lakers did so without LeBron James, who is dealing with a right hip injury and left foot arthritis. Despite wanting James in the lineup, Redick isn’t worried about him. As for the rest of the team, the Lakers coach highlighted that he wants better rim protection.

“Just the consistency of our low man, you know. We’re one of the worst teams at protecting the rim. It’s not on our big, it’s on everybody. So we had stretches where, I thought, if you look at our defensive plays, our low man is really active, our low man in the paint is producing results.”

Redick and the Lakers will hope to continue the momentum when they host the Chicago Bulls before welcoming the Denver Nuggets to the Crypto.

The Atlanta Hawks have seen many versions of this team throughout the season. Through injuries and trades, it’s safe to say there have been about three or four different iterations of this roster. Despite the changes, the Hawks have managed to stay in things and are in contention for a playoff spot with just over a month remaining in the regular season.

This current version of the team is playing some good basketball, as they are currently on a seven-game winning streak. Jalen Johnson, a player who has been a constant on the team this season, recently shared what he likes about this version of the roster.

“Communication has been huge for us,” Johnson told reporters. “From the locker room to practice to halftime, the way we’re communicating with each other and everyone just speaking their mind. I think that’s really huge for us. At the end of the day, we’re the guys on the court, so for us to be communicating at that point and on a string, I think it’s been really good.”

Communication goes a long way in any profession, but strictly speaking basketball, it can have a big impact on sports. It helps that the Hawks have a good mix of young players and experienced guys on the team, so they can get different perspectives from different sides.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker said the Hawks have matured throughout the season, which is one reason why they are playing the way they have at this point in the season.

“The focus, how hard we’re playing, even down to the technical foul, something so small, I don’t think we would have done that in the first half of the season,” Alexander-Walker said. “Now we’re really starting to do that, and it’s a credit to everyone. I think this group is really starting to come together.”

The Hawks are getting hot at the right time, as they try to climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference. The thing is, the teams above them are also like Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. The Philadelphia 76ers have started battling injuries at the wrong time, so there’s a good chance the Hawks will pass them in the standings.

At the end of the day, they can only worry about what they can control and keep winning the game.

Phoenix Suns veteran Dillon Brooks’ promising update on his hand injury ahead of facing the Indiana Pacers could pave the way for his return. Brooks discussed the Suns’ upcoming postseason run and how a potential best-of-7 series would present “problems” for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The forward will look to regain his rhythm between now and the end of the regular season.

Brooks will make his first appearance since a 113–110 double-overtime win against the Orlando Magic on February 21. Brooks was seen during the Suns’ morning shootaround before facing the Pacers on Thursday shooting without actors According to AZ Central’s Duane Rankin, he suffered a fractured left hand.

Dillon Brooks no cast on fractured left hand for Suns morning shootaround. #Sun pic.twitter.com/GntKpKI3Fm

– Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) 12 March 2026

The Suns went 5-3 in their eight games without Brooks, including their current three-game winning streak, which was extended by a 129-114 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

Dillon Brooks warns Timberwolves about Suns’ playoff run

After a heroic performance from Suns veteran Dillon Brooks to capture the top 50 ranking, they threatened the Timberwolves with a potential best-of-7 playoff series. Brooks, who rarely shy away from expressing his honest opinions, believes the Suns can upset the Timberwolves in the postseason.

Brooks claims Suns have Timberwolves’ Numberhe said, according to the Million Dollar Worth of Game podcast.

“You never know, ant [Anthony Edwards] This year it could be a great year and win a chip. . .But they come to us, there’s going to be problems,” Brooks said. “We’ve got their number this year.”

“If they run into us, there will be problems. We’ve got their number this year.”

Dillon Brooks on a potential Suns-Timberwolves playoff matchup 👀

(via @mworthofgame)pic.twitter.com/EgEBtzl7Uf

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 10 March 2026

The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 108–105 on December 8, almost two weeks after a 114–113 win against the Timberwolves at home.

The Dallas Mavericks have seen their fair share of ups and downs during Mark Cuban’s ownership. They have seen many top-class players play for the franchise, from Dirk Nowitzki to Luka Doncic and now Cooper Flagg.

However, the Mavs have missed out on several big names over the years, and one reason for this is selecting the wrong players in various drafts. When asked about his biggest misses over the past few years, owner Mark Cuban gave two very valid responses in the form of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tyrese Maxey.

“Oh, there are a lot of them. Tyrese Maxi was a big miss for us recently. Greek Freak [Giannis Antetokounmpo] Was probably the biggest,” he said on the Adam Friedland Show, according to HoopsHype.

And well, that makes perfect sense. Dallas had the No. 13 and No. 18 picks in the 2013 and 2020 drafts, with Antetokounmpo selected as the 15th and 21st overall picks, respectively. Instead, Dallas selected Kelly Olynyk and Josh Green in their respective drafts.

Despite this, both Giannis and Maxi have established themselves as All-Stars in their final homes with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers. However, it would definitely hurt more to miss the Greek Freak.

The Bucks’ talisman has also become a 10-time All-Star and two-time MVP. He is on his way to becoming a Hall of Famer and by the time he retires, he may be viewed as one of the best players in modern NBA history.

On the other hand, Tyrese Maxey has also established himself as one of the best young offensive stars in the NBA. The 2024 MVPs have continued to improve their averages year after year, and Cuban has every right to view these two players as his biggest misses.

The New York Knicks got back into the win column on Wednesday with a road win over the Utah Jazz, but it still wasn’t an inspiring win over a tank opponent. Previously, the Knicks had suffered two consecutive uncompetitive losses to the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers on their West Coast trip, and the team is currently in third place in the Eastern Conference.

One person who believes the Knicks have everything they need to compete for a championship this year is none other than team owner James Dolan, who has put the organization on notice with his bold comments recently.

“We want to go to the finals,” Dolan said, per WFAN via ESPN.com’s Vincent Goodwill. “And we must win the final. This is sport and anything can happen. But to reach the final, we definitely have to do that.”

Many speculated that the Knicks might try to shake things up at last month’s NBA trade deadline amid a difficult stretch for the team, but it seems New York is mostly back on track since then, with emphatic wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets last week being some of the highlights of the season.

On paper, the Knicks have as much talent as anyone, and they’ve made several win-now moves over the past few seasons to build their roster into a contender. However, concerns still remain regarding the team’s two best players, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whom have been markedly negative on the defensive side of the ball, and most recently, there have also been major questions raised about Mikal Bridges’ reliability to perform with consistency in what has been a disastrous road trip for him.

The Knicks will hope they are able to get back to form before the NBA Playoffs, which begin in just over a month.

Some NBA history was made last night when Bam Adebayo exploded for 83 points. As he continues to recover from injury, the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton explained how Adebayo’s 83 point-game helped him believe the fact that Wilt Chamberlain had 100 points in a game.

“Wilt Chamberlain 100… I don’t know if I believed it or not… but after what I saw yesterday… Wilt had 100”

Tyrese Haliburton scores 83 points after Bam Adebayo

(via @hali/twitch)

pic.twitter.com/11FCQAFdQk

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 12 March 2026

Haliburton was considering the belief that Chamberlain did not reach 100 points. But after seeing Adebayo, he believed it. Adebayo’s 83 points generated some controversy, particularly regarding how he did it. But it was still an amazing feat that was almost unheard of in 2026. Most of the NBA watched Adebayo and contemplated the game, and Haliburton had time to observe as he continued to recover.

Haliburton’s discomfort worsened during Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Since then, he has been forced to watch the rest of the NBA while he recovers. The Pacers are currently 15-50, which is the worst record in the NBA. Assuming Haliburton is able to return next season, he could have a top draft pick in the future. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference while attempting to make some noise.

Adebayo played the best game of his career in a blowout win over the Washington Wizards. As everyone talks about this career game, it also put Adebayo’s name in the history books. He is currently third on the Heat in scoring. That’s what makes this monster game so amazing. As Adebayo comes out on top in this game, he will look to continue leading the Heat to victory as they host the Milwaukee Bucks in their next matchup.

Sacramento Kings veteran DeMar DeRozan passed Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan on the all-time scoring list in a 117-109 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. DeRozan finished with 39 points on 17-22 shooting and moved into 18th on the NBA’s all-time list.

According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee, DeRozan reacted to the historic night after the loss.

“I don’t take anything for granted in this game,” DeRozan said. “I never thought coming into the league that I would play so long, that I would have the opportunities, that I would accomplish the things that I have. “I’ve been a fan of the game my whole life, to be in a position to accomplish any type of goal in this league is an honor for me. It’s crazy to be in that situation, and I don’t take any of it lightly.

“I love playing basketball, and at the end of the day, you look up and things like this happen. It’s definitely cool.”

The 36-year-old DeRozan, in his 17th NBA season, passed Tim Duncan and Hall of Fame forward Dominique Wilkins (26,668) for 17th on the all-time scoring list. DeRozan has 26,505 career points.

DeMar DeRozan announces retirement amid tough season for Kings

Kings veteran DeMar DeRozan discussed the end of his career as an unknown in a recent interview. According to Sactown Sports 1140, DeRozan revealed that he doesn’t know when he will play the last game of his NBA career.

“Yeah, I mean everybody’s got to find their happiness, whatever way it is. For me, you know, you can’t take these moments for granted,” DeRozan told reporters on Wednesday, via Sactown Sports 1140.

For DeRozan, the joy that basketball still brings at this stage of his career is the inspiration that keeps him going.

The Miami Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night at the Kasia Center in Miami. The Heat come into this game coming off of six consecutive wins, the latest being a huge 150-129 win that included a spectacular 83-point performance from Bam Adebayo.

Herro missed the last game due to a left quadriceps injury and once again found himself on the official injury report. However, Herro is hardly the only player the Heat will likely miss.

Rookie big man Kel’El Ware is questionable with a right shoulder strain, Nikola Jovic (lower back injury management), Norman Powell (right groin strain) and Andrew Wiggins (left toe sesamoiditis) are out with injuries. Terry Rozier is away from the team while Pelle Larsson is available despite left hip tightness.

For the Bucks, Kevin Porter Jr. is listed as questionable due to right knee synovitis, while Bobby Portis is also questionable due to a thoracic spine injury in his back. Center Jericho Sims is tagged questionable with right patella tendonitis, while Alex Antetokounmpo and Cormac Ryan are both out during G League two-way assignments.

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Tyler Herro’s injury status vs. Bucks

Herro’s availability after missing the last game as a precaution will be a game time decision. Herro has suffered several injury-related absences this season, but has been a vital offensive engine for Miami when available.

He averaged 22.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting an impressive 50.0% from the field and 40.2% from three-point range. However, injuries have limited Herro to just 20 games this season, and fans will be hoping that doesn’t prove to be the case.

Nonetheless, Miami comes into this game as a clear favorite. The Bucks currently rank 25th in the NBA in defensive rating, while also being near the bottom in the league in defending the three-point line.

Milwaukee allows the 29th most three-pointers made per game and ranks 28th in opponent three-point percentage, and Herro could have a field day if he ends up playing. The Bucks arrive in Miami coming off a 129-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns earlier this week. They are currently 27-37 for the season and will look to Giannis Antetokounmpo to set the pace once again.

heat injury report

Tyler Herro – Questionable (left quadriceps; soreness).

Kel’El Ware – Questionable (right shoulder; strain)

Andrew Wiggins – outside (left big toe; sesamoiditis)

Norman Powell – Out (right groin; strain)

Nikola Jovic – Out (Low Back; Injury Management)

Terry Rozier – Out (not with team)

Jahmir Young – Out (G League – Two-Way)

Pelle Larsson – Available (left hip; tightness)

bucks injury report

Kevin Porter Jr. – Questionable (right knee; synovitis)

Bobby Portis – questionable (thoracic spinal cord injury)

Jericho Sims – Questionable (right patella; tendonitis)

Alex Antetokounmpo – Out (G League – Two-Way)

Cormac Ryan – Out (G League – Two-Way)

On Thursday evening, the Boston Celtics will take on the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a tough matchup. Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard are suffering from various illnesses. Here’s everything we know about the injury status of Boston’s three most important players.

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Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Peyton Pritchard’s playing status vs. OKC

Jayson Tatum is currently listed as questionable on the injury report for the Thunder matchup due to ongoing Achilles injury management. Tatum has played in three games since returning from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs, and so far has performed about as well as fans have expected. Some have theorized that Boston may have kept him out of Thunder games to avoid playing against Lou Dort, who has gained a reputation for injuring opposing star players.

Peyton Pritchard is listed as probable for Boston due to neck spasms after missing his last game against the San Antonio Spurs, while Derrick White is considered questionable with a right knee injury.

Meanwhile, for the Thunder, Isaiah Hartenstein will be out of the lineup with a left calf injury, with Jalen Williams also out with a strained right hamstring.

The Celtics are currently ranked number two in the Eastern Conference, and have been playing well since Tatum’s return last week. In their last game against the Spurs, Boston saw star Jaylen Brown controversially ejected in the first half, and despite ultimately putting up a valiant effort, they ran out of gas during the game.

They will need all the help they can get against defending champions Thunder, who are back in form after a brief spell of trouble earlier this season.

Tipoff is scheduled for 9:30 pm ET.

The Atlanta Hawks are currently on a seven-game winning streak, and they are planning to make it eight when they face off against the Brooklyn Nets. It was the win against the Nets that started their streak, and hopefully they can continue it as they try to climb the Eastern Conference standings.

Jonathan Kuminga was able to contribute to wins in some games, but he missed the last three games due to injury. The injury report initially listed him with left knee soreness, but the Hawks recently changed it to a left knee bone bruise, which sidelined him when he was traded.

Here is Kuminga’s position before the game.

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Jonathan Kuminga’s injury status vs. Nets

Kuminga is listed as questionable against the Nets, meaning he is likely to play. Additionally, he has been listed as questionable for the last three matches and has been subbed out an hour and a half before each game. It is uncertain how serious the injury is, but it is something that has been bothering him for some time and is affecting his ability to step on the court.

The Hawks were able to see what Kuminga can do when he’s on the field, and he showed a little bit of everything in the three games he played. There is no doubt that Kuminga can be a big contributor for the team, especially during this time of the season, and they are hoping he returns soon.

It would also be nice to see more from him on the front office side of the Hawks so they can determine if they want to accept his option when the season ends so he can come back next year.

The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their third consecutive loss, falling to the Los Angeles Clippers 153–128. It was a bad night for the Wolves defense, as they allowed Kawhi Leonard to torture them for 45 points. After the game, Anthony Edwards spoke honestly about Leonard and his position in the NBA.

“With all sincerity, Kavi [Leonard] When healthy, he could be one of the best players to ever play the game. I think many of his teammates feel the same way about him. If he’s healthy (100%) Kawhi is unstoppable.”

-Anthony Edwards

(via @timberwolves)
pic.twitter.com/XEeP4kUbCH

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 12 March 2026

Edwards was amazed at Leonard and his ability to do anything to help the Clippers win. That was more than evident in this game, as the superstar helped the Clippers take a 38-27 lead after the first quarter. It was still a 12-point game in the third quarter. Still, the Clippers blew everything out of the water in the fourth and Leonard helped them get there. The situation got so bad that a fight broke out on the court between the Clippers and Timberwolves.

Edwards bounced back from a poor game against the Lakers, leading the Wolves with 36 points on 11 of 17 shooting, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. However, no other starter scored above 11. Naz Reed had 18 points off the bench.

The Wolves shot 59.7% from the field, including 44% from the three-point line. However, they allowed the Clippers to shoot 63.4% from the floor, including 51.4% from beyond the arc. The Wolves turned the ball over 21 times, giving the Clippers many opportunities to take advantage.

Leonard’s 45 points came on 15 of 20 shooting, including 6 of 9 from the triple. Darius Garland helped with 21 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Benedict Mathurin had 22 points off the bench on 5 of 10 shooting.

The Wolves fell in the standings for the second consecutive day, falling to sixth place in the Western Conference. They are 40-26 as they prepare for their next game, which will be against the Golden State Warriors on Friday in San Francisco.

At one point, the New York Knicks’ game against the Utah Jazz was not looking good, as they found themselves in a big loss that almost kept superfan Ben Stiller from watching, before Jalen Brunson’s heroics saved the team.

At the beginning of the game, Stiller took to Twitter to discuss his discomfort in watching the Knicks lose early against the Jazz, writing, “Couldn’t watch for 10 minutes – feels like we finally remembered we’re the NY Knicks.”

Ultimately, New York came out on top, and a lot of that can be attributed to Brunson’s performance. Thanks to Brunson’s performance, they won by 17 points, which initially seemed impossible. He scored 28 points and had four rebounds and eight assists.

Stiller didn’t let his heroics go unnoticed, giving the point guard a shout-out, writing, “Brunson really stepped up [in the] Second half],” after the game.

Jalen Brunson leads Knicks comeback against Jazz

After the first quarter of the Knicks’ game against the Jazz on March 11, New York was down by 15 points, and lost 41 points. Even at the half, they were down 65–56.

Fortunately, they turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Jazz 40–29 in the third and 38–23 in the fourth. It was a much-needed win on the road for the Knicks, who are just 19-16 on the road this year.

Brunson made the biggest splash, but he wasn’t the only impact player. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points and was extremely efficient, making eight of his 13 shots. OG Anunoby also scored 22 points while making 70% of his shots from the floor and all five of his free throws.

Jordan Clarkson also scored 27 points off the bench. In 26 minutes, Clarkson made 10 of his 15 shots with four free throws. Clarkson is averaging only 8.9 points per game this year, so this was a phenomenal performance for the guard.

San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets will face each other on Thursday night. Victor Wembanyama is listed on the game’s injury report, so is he playing tonight vs. the Nuggets?

Wembanyama has emerged as one of the best players in the NBA. His availability against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets will obviously be important for the Spurs. Fans would love to see Wembanyama and Jokic play in a battle of MVP candidates.

That said, San Antonio will proceed with caution as Wembanyama deals with right ankle soreness. Here’s everything we know about Wembanyama’s injury status for tonight’s game vs. the Nuggets.

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Victor Wembanyama’s injury status vs. Nuggets

According to the NBA injury report, Wembanyama is currently questionable due to an ankle problem.

The Spurs are 48-17 and in second place in the Western Conference standings, while the 40-26 Nuggets are in fifth place in the West. Thursday’s match should be competitive, but Vembanyama’s final position will clearly play a key role in determining the outcome.

When it comes to the question of whether Victor Wembanyama is playing tonight, the answer is probably.

spurs injury report

Spurs have six players listed on the injury report for Thursday night’s game.

• Victor Vembanyama (right ankle soreness): doubtful
• Harrison Barnes (left ankle injury): doubtful
• Lindy Waters III (illness): Questionable
• Harrison Ingram (G League Two-Way): Out
• David Jones Garcia (G League Two-Way): Out
• Emmanuel Miller (G League Two-Way): Out

The Nuggets defeated the Houston Rockets 129-93 on Wednesday. Thursday’s game represents the second consecutive game for Denver, meaning the team’s injury report has not been released as of the writing of this story.

In years past, facing the Charlotte Hornets meant only two things: 1. It’s an automatic win and 2. The Stars don’t have to play hard.

But fighting hornets is no longer an easy task these days. The Stars will have to bring their A-game to keep up with Charlotte’s high-octane offense led by LaMelo Ball.

Ball has always had talent, but due to injuries he has struggled to stay on the field. This season, he stayed healthy, reminding everyone that he is still one of the premier players in the league.

Ball accomplished another historic feat in their win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, as he became fastest player To reach 900 three-pointers in NBA history. Ball accomplished the feat in just 287 games, breaking Duncan Robinson’s previous record of 305 games.

LaMelo Ball just added another historic shooting mark to his resume!

The Hornets star is now the fastest player in NBA history to reach 900 career 3-pointers, doing so in just 287 games.

Melo’s deep range, fearless pull-ups and consistent green light from beyond the arc… pic.twitter.com/NjUGLnKXN7

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 12 March 2026

Just imagine how much faster Ball would have done it had he not missed so many games.

He finished with 30 points and six three-pointers, including one in front of the Kings’ bench. After this, he spent some quality time with Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk.

LaMelo blanks the corner 3 in front of the Kings bench, and Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk are laughing on the bench (with replay) pic.twitter.com/jvlkoLASlH

– MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) 12 March 2026

Any guesses on what Ball told them?

With Ball, who is averaging 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.1 steals, at the helm, the Hornets have become a threat in the Eastern Conference. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. At one point, they had a nine-game winning streak, their longest since the 1997–1998 season.

Of course, the 24-year-old Ball isn’t doing it alone. The arrival of Kon Knuppel has certainly boosted the Hornets, while Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate have provided steady support. Adding Coby White at the trade deadline was a smart move.

Barring any unexpected setbacks, the Hornets are finally on track to end their nine-year playoff drought.

The Brooklyn Nets will be shorthanded for the second consecutive game when they travel to face the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. The Nets ruled Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle sprain), Deron Sharp (left thumb sprain) and Nolan Traore (rest) out for the matchup. Ziare Williams (illness) is questionable.

The Nets recently shut down breakout rookie Igor Demin for the season due to a plantar fascia injury. The lengthy injury report comes after Sharp and Williams missed Tuesday’s 138-100 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Brooklyn benched veteran Terrence Mann during the game, playing recent two-way signing Chanie Johnson and trade acquisition Josh Minot in extended minutes.

These rotation changes were followed by consecutive wins over the Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies, causing the Nets to lose significant ground in the NBA’s tank race.

Nets rule out several starters for Hawks matchup after back-to-back wins

Brooklyn was tied with the Indiana Pacers for second place in the draft lottery standings and within striking distance of the first-place Sacramento Kings last week. However, the Nets rode a veteran-heavy rotation to take on the Pistons on Saturday. They then played most of their rotation against the Grizzlies, which were without their eight highest-paid players, and led the way to a win on Monday.

The pair of wins dropped Brooklyn to fourth place in the lottery standings. Jordi Fernandez’s team has one more win than the second- and third-place Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards, respectively, and two more wins than the first-place Pacers.

Despite their recent wins, the Nets control their own destiny in the draft lottery race. Brooklyn’s remaining schedule includes two matchups with the Kings, as well as meetings with the Pacers and Wizards.

A loss in those games would allow the Nets to climb into the top spot in the odds for May’s draft lottery.

The NBA world continues to react to Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo’s spectacular 83-point performance. As NBA players and coaches continue to share their insights about the game, even the best players are not holding back.

On Wednesday night, the LA Clippers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 153-128, led by a 45-point effort from Kawhi Leonard. In his 32 minutes of play, Kawhi scored 45 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists, and missed only five of his 30 total shot attempts on the night.

After the game, Leonard was asked about Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points, and he gave a very Kawhi Leonard answer.

“I haven’t had a chance to see it, but it’s amazing,” Leonard said. “He’s a hard-working guy, getting better every year. It’s something to see. I’m happy for him.”

Kawhi Leonard on Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game:

“I didn’t get a chance to see it, but it’s amazing. He’s a hard-working guy, getting better every year. It’s worth seeing. I’m happy for him.” pic.twitter.com/IEuV2PgJmR

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 12 March 2026

Bam Adebayo finished his historic night by scoring 83 points with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocked shots in 42 minutes of play. Adebayo shot 20 of 43 from the field, 7 of 22 from three and 36 of 43 from the free throw line.

With the points total, Adebayo passed Kobe Bryant for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain.

Bam Adebayo has set a new record for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant.

83 points 20-of-43 FG
9 rebounds 7-of-22 3pts
3 ASSETS 36-IN-43 FT
2 theft
2 blocks pic.twitter.com/ZkdhRV5m17

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 11 March 2026

Leonard was one of the few NBA superstars who has had incredible performances. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo praised Adebayo for the effort and dismissed any notion that Adebayo’s play was not impressive.

“It’s unbelievable,” Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks’ home loss to the Suns on Wednesday night. “83 is incredible. It says a lot about his hard work. I haven’t seen the game yet, I have to see the game. He took 43 free throws? It doesn’t matter how you got there. What matters is that you got it. Like 10, 20, 30 years from now, no one will remember how many free throw shots he shot. I don’t think I remember how many shots Kobe shot or how many free throws he made or Three. You don’t remember that, Wilt.

“At the end of the day, he got 83 points. Amazing way to help his team win. I know his family and close friends are extremely excited and happy for him. The game reflects his hard work. I know that Bam, he works hard every day, never cheats the game. It’s incredible to see a guy like him do that.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored by Bam
He spoke on 83 issues:

💬 “It doesn’t matter how you did it. What matters is that you did it. In 30 years, no one will be talking about how many free throws you made.

“I don’t remember how many free throws and three-pointers Kobe made.” pic.twitter.com/c45SD03DfZ

– Everything NBA (@herseynba) 11 March 2026

Even Kevin Durant, who spent time with Adebayo during Team USA’s Olympic gold medal run in 2024, expressed his interest in the Heat star having a big scoring night.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it in real time,” the Houston Rockets star said Wednesday. “It seems like he got 30 in the first quarter. Congratulations to Bam. I know how much he works. I looked at the stat sheet, it’s crazy. He had 40 shots, 40 free throws, 20 threes. It takes a lot of stamina, a lot of energy to make those shots and then make them, set a record, surpass Kobe as the second-highest scorer in the history of the game. Congratulations to him. That’s a huge accomplishment to be talking about.” I’ll always keep talking.”

I asked Kevin Durant about Bam Adebayo’s 83 point game.

“Something we’ll always talk about.” pic.twitter.com/mRXm3XkBrY

– Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) 11 March 2026

Bam Adebayo’s big night will surely have more players speaking out as he continues to be asked about it, but one thing is for sure: NBA stars and the Miami Heat star’s teammates are excited for the new, second-best scorer in NBA history.

While much of the conversation surrounding the Boston Celtics-San Antonio Spurs contest focused on Jaylen Brown’s ejection, Jayson Tatum turned some of his attention to another call. Or in this case a non-call. And that included Victor Vembanyama.

At one point during the game, the Celtics star went into the lane to get a bucket. As the ball passed through the hoop, Wemby gave Tatum a slight push. There was no foul play.

Tatum minced no words in describing the incident.

Jayson Tatum scores a basket and then Victor Wembanyama pushes it in, it’s interesting.

🤔 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gRQb7SzU5P

– SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) 11 March 2026

“I mean, there was definitely a talk about it between me and the ref. I was like, how did you not see it!”

Tatum’s comments came just minutes later and in the same locker room spot where teammate Derrick White called two technical fouls on Brown “bullsh*t.”

“I said so on the way back.” Tatum continued his comments. “Yeah, I stopped talking and just went back into the crowd.”

“I said so, didn’t you really see him?”⬇️

The Jaylen Brown ejection wasn’t the only call (or lack of one) that got the Celtics heated after last night’s loss #spurs

-Jason Tatum answers question about Wembley initiating contact, but not being whistled on Tatum lay-up pic.twitter.com/Ghk5cjbZNv

– Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 11 March 2026

In his third game of the year, due to an Achilles injury suffered during the playoffs, Tatum scored a season-high 24 at the Alamo City. Vembanyama scored the highest score of 39 points in the game.

Jayson Tatum reacts to Jaylen Brown’s firing

Tatum’s thoughts on the drama involving Wembley come after he shared his thoughts on Brown’s firing.

“I disagreed with that. They made a big deal about prime-time games and the stars playing and being available. You definitely got a push, and it probably wasn’t very good at first. The emotions are here, so I can tell you, you have to understand a nationally televised game between the best teams in the league. When you make a big deal about the stars playing and being available, you make everybody want to finish the game. So, I disagree with that.”

Tatum, who has held the position for the past six seasons, was the Celtics’ leading scorer last year, admitting he felt the need to do more. However, in reality, he could do very little with half the competition watching on the bench.

When the four-time All-NBA First Team selection was asked if he was ready for 35 minutes per night, down from about 27 minutes per outing, “I can play more.”

“But, I understand the bigger picture,” Tatum continued. “Right now, I’m not thinking about my soreness. I mean, I’m trying to compete, I’m trying to be out there, but it’s part of the plan, so I have to stick with it.”

The third overall pick in 2017 saw the court for 24 minutes in a 125–116 loss to the Spurs.

“I feel good,” Tatum said after helping Boston keep it close against a team that has won 16 of 17 contests, including this one.

“You have to give them credit,” the former Duke star said of the Spurs. “They made some plays, they hit some big shots. I felt like we missed some shots that we normally make. We competed to the end. Guys stepped up in a big way.”

“They’re a fun team to watch,” Tatum continued about San Antonio, “They’re very competitive, and you can see why they’ve had such a good season.”

The trajectory of the Dallas Mavericks franchise changed on February 1, 2025, when the franchise inexplicably traded superstar guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were gifted a 25-year-old megastar after their first NBA Finals appearance, while the Lakers traded away 31-year-old Anthony Davis, 21-year-old Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Dallas has been unable to recover from the brutal trade, and fans said they would not be satisfied until Nico Harrison was fired, which came less than a year after the trade was pulled off.

The Mavs selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft last year, and hope to add another piece to their puzzle this summer.

In a recent interview with Adam Friedland on The Adam Friedland Show, former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban talked about the franchise’s decision to trade Luka Doncic without consulting him.

“Do you regret hiring Nico Harrison? Cuban was asked.

“Yeah, sometimes, I do,” Cuban replied. “When we do stupid things like the Luka trade. I miss it because I think the fans have been let down, and I think because I’ve let them down. That’s what bothers me the most.

“As much as I loved it, and I still love the Mavs. I’ll always be a Mavs fan, sometimes there’s bigger things to do. I love the Mavs.”

To this day, Mark Cuban says he still remembers exactly where he was and how the famous Luka Doncic deal happened.

“I remember exactly where I was,” Cuban said. “I was talking to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, literally I was at a health care event and there were six or seven politicians there. We were having beers and I got a message from our general manager and he said, ‘Hey can you talk?’

“I hired him. Yeah, looking back now, it was a mistake. He was like, ‘Mark call me,’ and I did and when he told me about it, I thought he was asking me instead of telling me and he said, ‘No, it’s done.’ And I was like fuck?!

Mark Cuban has retained a small ownership stake after once seeing the majority prior to the Doncic trade. At 23-41 on the season, the Dallas Mavericks are the third-worst team in the Western Conference and will hopefully be able to acquire pieces that will best complement each other.

The Los Angeles Clippers were left for dead in November. After a disappointing 5–20 start to the season, most pundits were examining mock drafts rather than playoff standings. But after Wednesday night’s 153-128 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, this team did something no one in NBA history has done.

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, with the win, the Clippers became the first team in league history to go above the .500 mark after falling at least 15 games below .500 in the same season. Sitting at 35-34, Los Angeles has completed a comeback that seemed statistically impossible four months ago.

The Intuit Dome was rocking as Kawhi Leonard turned in one of the most accomplished pieces of his historic career. Leonard torched the Timberwolves for 45 points on a ridiculous 17-of-21 shooting from the field. They didn’t just beat Minnesota; He destroyed them, scoring at will from mid-range and the perimeter.

However, it was not just a one-man show. Benedict Mathurin operated the offense like a surgeon, scoring 22 points and 3 assists. The Clippers’ offense looked like a well-oiled machine, shooting a whopping 63 percent from the floor as a team. Los Angeles dominated every aspect of the game, outshooting Minnesota 60–44 in the paint and turning 10 Timberwolves turnovers into 14 points.

The Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards’ 36 points, could not keep up with the Clippers’ historic heater. Minnesota struggled to find stops as the Clippers dropped more than 40 points in three of four quarters.

From a 15-game losing streak to a winning record, the Clippers have officially flipped the script for the 2025-26 season. If they keep playing like this, “phenomenal” could be the beginning of their story.

The Los Angeles Clippers not only beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night; He embarrassed them. But while Kawhi Leonard was busy putting on a historic masterpiece, the real fireworks began after the final buzzer sounded at the Intuit Dome.

In a game in which Leonard went completely nuclear, the Clippers won 153–128, which was marred by a post-game brawl. Tensions eventually flared up when a heated exchange broke out between Naz Reed, Jaden McDaniels and Benedict Mathurin, requiring teammates and security to separate the groups. The frustration on the part of the Minnesota Timberwolves was understandable, considering they were on the wrong end of one of the most efficient scoring performances in NBA history.

Naz Reed, Jaden McDaniels and Benedict Mathurin get into an altercation after the game 👀

pic.twitter.com/EAf5Y3T93J https://t.co/rwzwGhRYRu

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 12 March 2026

Kawhi Leonard was the catalyst for all that frustration. “The Claw” finished with 45 points, five rebounds and five assists, but efficiency was the terrible part. Leonard shot a whopping 15 of 20 from the field, including 6 of 9 from beyond the arc. He also missed 9 of 10 free throws, essentially scoring at will against a Minnesota defense that currently ranks among the league’s elite.

While Anthony Edwards tried to keep pace with 36 points, the Timberwolves had no answer for a Clippers team that shot 63 percent as a unit. Julius Randle contributed 18 points in the loss, but the lack of defensive resistance clearly took its toll on the visiting team. The postgame melee between Mathurin and the Timberwolves’ frontcourt duo looked like a direct byproduct of a 25-point blowout.

For the Clippers, this win did more than just provide highlights; It takes them above the .500 mark for the first time since their disappointing 5-20 start. If Leonard continues to play at this “cyborg” level of efficiency, the rest of the Western Conference players are going to have a lot more to worry about.

The Toronto Raptors are stumbling right when they need to make a run. After Wednesday night’s disappointing 122-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, All-Star forward Brandon Ingram had nothing to say about the current state of the team.

Returning to the city where he spent six seasons, Ingram made a valiant effort, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists. He even reached a major milestone during the competition, surpassing 11,000 career points. However, their individual success couldn’t hide the collective struggles of a Raptors team that has now lost six of its last eight games.

“We’re going through a little tough time,” Ingram admitted after the game. “But I think it’s going to bring us even more together. We’ve just got to figure it out. Figure out what’s best for us offensively and defensively, and just play a little harder.”

Brandon Ingram weighed in on whether the team is matching the urgency/intensity needed at this point in the season, where the standings are constantly changing:

“We’re going through a little rough time. But I think this will bring us even more together. We just have to figure out… https://t.co/a3oWc4HE3d pic.twitter.com/5SevdZ3MXS

– Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) 12 March 2026

The “rough patch” in the crowded Eastern Conference is proving costly. This latest loss dropped Toronto from the fifth seed to seventh, leaving them half a game behind both the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. Despite Immanuel Quickley’s 25 points and a stellar performance from Scotty Barnes, the Raptors couldn’t stop New Orleans’ duo of Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray.

Murphy caught fire from deep, scoring 28 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, while Murray spoiled Ingram’s homecoming by adding 27 points. The Raptors struggled with efficiency, shooting just 31.8 percent from downtown compared to the Pelicans’ blazing 48.3 percent.

Toronto briefly cut an 18-point deficit to just two early in the fourth quarter, but a lack of defensive urgency resulted in the Pelicans taking an 8–0 lead. For a team with championship aspirations, the margin for error is officially gone. If Ingram and the Raptors don’t figure it out soon, they could find themselves fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament.

Sacramento Kings vet DeMar DeRozan isn’t one of the greatest bucket-getters of his generation. He is one of the best players ever and the statistics speak for themselves.

On Wednesday night, DeRozan once again moved up one spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, passing former San Antonio Spurs superstar big man Tim Duncan for 18th. DeRozan entered Wednesday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento with the league leading 26,466 career points, 30 points behind Duncan.

Six-time NBA All-Star DeRozan scored 39 points against the Hornets and surpassed Duncan in scoring by dropping 39 points on the Hornets.

DeRozan got by Duncan with a jumper with less than three minutes remaining in the third period.

And it is on this basket that…

DeMar DeRozan has passed Tim Duncan in the all-time leading scorer rankings!!!

26’497…and counting!

18th best scorer in historypic.twitter.com/dmmzAkgOGw

– 50 Nuances 🇺🇸🏀 (@50NuancesDeNBA) 12 March 2026

The 36-year-old DeRozan did most of the damage, where he always does. He made 17 of 22 shots from the field, and all but one of those attempts came from behind the arc. DeRozan also hit all five of his free throws.

Unfortunately for DeRozan, his big scoring night was ruined in a 117–109 loss. He couldn’t beat Charlotte alone, four Hornets scored at least 20 points, led by LaMelo Ball, who had 24. While the Kings shot just 8-for-25 from deep, the Hornets drained 19 3-pointers on 40 attempts.

The loss put Sacramento back in the loss column after enjoying a two-game winning streak.

At 16-51, the Kings don’t have to plan for the NBA Playoffs, but that won’t stop DeRozan from going to work and scoring points, as he has done throughout his career.

DeRozan and the Kings next match up this Saturday in Inglewood against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ask any fan who the greatest player in Orlando Magic history is. The answer is usually limited to just four players: Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard.

Although he’s still a long way from those legendary names, Desmond Benn is slowly making his mark in Orlando.

In his first stint with the Magic, Ben has already made game-winners and scored explosively, silencing critics who turned up their noses at the team’s decision to trade for him in the offseason.

In Wednesday’s 128-122 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Kia Center, Ben had another impressive performance. He scored a game-high 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting, six rebounds and six assists. He had no turnovers.

According to ESPN Insights, the 27-year-old guard became only third player O’Neal and McGrady set a team history record of 35 points, five assists and zero turnovers in a single game.

Desmond Benn is the third different player in Magic history with 35 points, 5 assists and 0 turnovers in a game.

He joins Tracy McGrady (3 times, last in 2003) and Shaquille O’Neal (1994) 🗒️ pic.twitter.com/AJzQvVvebA

– ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) 12 March 2026

Not bad at all for someone who is on his first visit to Orlando.

The Magic won their fifth consecutive game and went up 36–28. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, fell to 40-26.

The Magic dropped their last two meetings against the Cavaliers.

Many eyebrows were raised when the Magic acquired Benn from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and four unprotected first-round picks. The consensus was that the Magic gave up too much.

However, Bane has shown his worth. He got off to a slow start as he was still adjusting to his new team, but has since found his rhythm, showcasing the two-way talent that has made him one of the more dependable players in the NBA.

Zion Williamson has been dealing with injuries for quite some time and has once heard of NBA trade chatter. But the New Orleans Pelicans were trending for another reason on Wednesday: via a stunning windmill dunk over the Toronto Raptors.

Williamson ran down the court on a fastbreak and headed for the rebound alone. The former top overall NBA draft pick did not settle for a layoff. Instead he threw it down in epic, rim-rattling fashion.

zion windmill pic.twitter.com/8h4hLFbiDT

– Pelican Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) 12 March 2026

Williamson sets social media website X, formerly Twitter, on fire with his jams.

What Rotowire posted on the site was “reminiscing about his days at Duke”.

One fan started reacting after seeing Williamson enter the 2027 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Another fan commented how Williamson caused an earthquake in New Orleans.

Brandon Ingram praises Pelicans’ Zion Williamson

Another person reacted to Williamson’s big night: Raptors’ Brandon Ingram.

Except fellow ex-Duke Blue Devils shared nothing but high praise for Williamson.

“It was good to talk to him because we’ve been together for a while and we wanted to build something that could lead to a championship,” Ingram shared via Will Guillory of The Athletic. “Just meeting him and seeing where he is in his career. I’m happy for him that he’s healthy and he’s out on the basketball floor doing what he loves.”

The NBA world often sees superstars battling injuries. He even suffered an illness in early March, ending his 35-game playing streak with the Pelicans.

But Ingram doesn’t appear to be a player struggling with injuries.

Ingram said, “He’s a generational talent. Nobody can do what Zion does on the basketball field.”

Williamson suffered an ankle injury at the beginning of the month. But that ankle seemed like an afterthought after throwing a windmill.

Desmond Benn proved on Wednesday why he’s worth a trade to the Memphis Grizzlies. The new Orlando Magic sharpshooter stifled James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers from deep threes, ending a rally in the process.

Bane executed this clutch catch-and-shoot dagger that ended the Cavs’ late run. He threw the ball over Keon Ellis to put Orlando ahead by five before securing the 128–122 win.

Desmond Bain in clutch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Pyv9efi8Cs

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 12 March 2026

Even more adventurous was Ben’s Basket time. Cleveland could not challenge the Magic’s poor passing, which Harden even tried to dispute. Harden is also heard talking to the referee to explain his case.

“on my life!”

James Harden to the referee😭😭 pic.twitter.com/GwDaWc4c25

– Sports Center (@SportsCenter) 12 March 2026

Still, Ben showed the magic that made him worth a deal.

Desmond Bain looking at the Magic trade that led to Wednesday’s moment

Cole Anthony and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were part of the blockbuster summer deal. But there were more than just giants there.

Four unprotected first round picks came with the Bain deal. Orlando still landed one of the league’s top perimeter shooters, which kept the Magic out of last season’s playoffs.

The 27-year-old is proving his shooting ability, averaging 20.4 points per game, including shooting 38.7% from long range. He especially lit up Cleveland for 35 points on 12 of 19 field goal shooting.

Bane has now added his 12th 30-point game of the season in his arrival to Orlando. His current best is 37 which he dropped over the Chicago Bulls (in a 125–120 win on December 1) and the Detroit Pistons (in a 112–109 road win on November 28).

Ben’s shooting has ignited a five-game winning streak for a Magic team seeking a return to the postseason. And maybe the Cavs-Magic will be the No. 4 and No. 5 pairing in the Eastern Conference.

The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday in a marquee matchup in the Western Conference.

The Timberwolves are trying to break a two-game skid, while the Clippers have been on a roll recently, winning five of their last six games, with Kawhi Leonard playing at an MVP level.

Stopping Leonard will require a collective effort from Minnesota, with Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels being the primary on-ball stoppers. But clearly, Rudy Gobert remains their defensive anchor.

The Athletic’s Law Miller points to significant decline in Timberwolves defensive efficiency When Gobert is off the field this season. When asked about it, Minnesota coach Chris Finch emphasized Gobert’s importance and acknowledged his shortcomings.

“When he’s off the floor, we need to protect the rim differently. Better on the ball, better around the ball and earlier at the rim. Obviously, we’ve been inconsistent at times with things like that this year,” Finch said.

“He’s huge for us. It takes some nuances to play with a guy like Rudy. When he’s off the field, you have to transition to a different mentality defensively.”

The Timberwolves’ defensive efficiency with Rudy Gobert this season: 107.7

The Timberwolves’ defensive efficiency with Rudy Gobert this season: 116.7

asked Chris Finch about this pic.twitter.com/nWVDpE6B75

– Law Murray 🕯️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) 12 March 2026

Many have mocked the 33-year-old Gobert for his lack of offensive skills and awkward antics. But there’s no denying that he can be a game-changer on the defensive end.

He’s not a four-time Defensive Player of the Year for nothing.

Edwards has often talked about his defensive identity and how important it is for him and Gobert to set the tone.

Entering their game against the Clippers, the Timberwolves are allowing 114.5 points per game. But as Finch said, there is still room for improvement overall.

At the time of writing, there is a close game between Minnesota and Los Angeles in the first half.

After Bam Adabayo’s historic 83-point night on Tuesday, NBA champion Metta World Peace gushed about who he believes will eventually break Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point record. Chamberlin set the scoring record on March 2, 1963 against the New York Knicks. World Peace stated on his X account that he believed Wembanyama would eventually have a 101-point game.

“Now I’m waiting for @wemby to score 101,” World Peace posted.

Wembanyama certainly has a tremendous opportunity for goals, with an amazing ability to score at all three levels. He towers over most NBA guards with his 7’4″ frame and definitely has the mentality to make history. He also demonstrated his ability to score points quickly in February.

Wembanyama scored 25 points in the first quarter of their matchup against the Lakers on February 10. He finished the game with 40 points and 12 rebounds on 13-20 shooting, added four three pointers and shot 10-12 from the free-throw line. No other starter finished in double figures in that game.

After the matchup, Wembanyama talked about his historic night against the Lakers. He indicated that he wants to continue playing and increase his scoring output further.

“You have to have a greed for these kinds of games,” he said. “I mean, in every game you have to be greedy to get more every time, because, you know, all the time, no matter who’s on the court, someone is going to want to stop you from doing what you’re doing out there. So you have to be greedy.”

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo made headlines after dropping 83 points in their win over the Washington Wizards at Cassia Center on Tuesday. Adebayo immediately became the biggest story in sports, as many were in disbelief at his unique accomplishment.

Even the GOAT, who has chosen to stay away from the spotlight, took notice.

Many congratulated Adebayo for setting the second-highest scoring game in league history, but arguably the most important of them was none other than NBA legend Michael Jordan.

In an interview with ESPN, Adebayo revealed what Jordan told him during the five-time MVP contacted.

“Just congratulations. Very brief. Short and sweet. You know Mike. He’s not talking much,” Adebayo said.

Bam Adebayo says Michael Jordan reached out to him after his 83-point performance

“If you know Mike, he’s not much of a talker.”

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)

pic.twitter.com/RWFy4Kksbu

– Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) 12 March 2026

When “his alter ego” moves forward to welcome you, you definitely know you have done something special.

Jordan is quite familiar with Adebayo, as Adebayo is one of the top endorsers of Jordan Brand. He even wore yet-to-be-released Air Jordans against the Wizards.

Some people decried Adebayo’s crazy act. NBA icon Robert Horry said it should have an asterisk because Adebayo shot 43 free throws and “didn’t respect the game.” Meanwhile, Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. claimed that Adebayo was not efficient in scoring 83 points.
Others said Adebayo was merely stat-padding.

However, it cannot be denied that the 28-year-old Adebayo has achieved a rare feat. He still had to make those shots and put in the work. No amount of criticism will erase the fact that Adebayo has rewritten history.

Plus, it already has the Jordanian seal of approval.

While the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo had a historic night by scoring 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, March 11, the NBA star is giving credit to his girlfriend, WNBA star A’Ja Wilson.

During a press conference after the game, Adebayo made sure to thank Wilson who was present to witness his historic feat.

“She was complaining about how I got 10,000 points and she wanted me to wait until I got 83 points. [points] “His first game here is very special,” Adebayo told the press.

Wilson was not only present to witness that magical night when Adebayo had the second-highest scoring game in NBA history with 83 points, but he also credits him for everything he did for him.

He said of his girlfriend, “The behind-the-scenes footage, the workouts and the conversations are very inspiring. Obviously, you see what she does and you’re inspired by her every day.” “I’m grateful to have her in my life.”

Adebayo beat his basketball idol, the late Kobe Bryant, who had previously scored 81 points in a single game and ranked No. 2 behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962.

“Wilt, me, then Kobe,” Adebayo said after the game. “It sounds crazy.”

“For me, it was just staying calm, staying locked in and understanding that I could go on to do something special,” Adebayo said. “I didn’t think it was going to be 83. But to have this moment is surreal, because like I said, man, to be able to do it at home, in front of your mom, in front of your people, in front of the home fans, it’s a mark in history that will be remembered forever.”

Adebayo finished the night with impressive stats: 20 of 43 from the field, 36 of 43 from the foul line, 7 of 22 from 3-point range.