分類: 综合

PHOENIX – Jalen Green seems to have found his rhythm at an important time for the Phoenix Suns. After struggling a bit at the slashing guard, he made up for it in a big way on Friday in a 118-116 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.

He scored 25 points on 47% shooting from the field, along with five rebounds and two assists in the win. Although Green has hit game-winners for the Suns, his performances since the All-Star break have been lackluster by his standards.

One of the key questions is how his play will impact the attack as they try to establish momentum. Luckily, Green’s game is all about getting buckets, and he’ll stick to that philosophy.

When Green was asked about balancing the flow of the offense, he said, “I’m on board with it. I’m always looking to buy a bucket.” “Obviously, it’s been a struggle when you try to get one and it’s not falling off.

“I’m always about a bucket. Always about going out there and hunting my shots. What I want to do is get into the flow of aggression, and then once I get going, I can find my shot a little easier.”

Jalen Green tells me what he likes about the flow of the offense when he’s asked to create in isolation.

“I’m on board with it. I’m always about to buy a bucket. Obviously, it’s been a struggle when you try to get a bucket and it’s not falling over. I’m always about to have a bucket. Always about to go… pic.twitter.com/TAPijYVHVZ

– Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) 7 March 2026

Suns teammates watch Jalen Green ‘buy a bucket’ every time

One of Green’s biggest supporters has been Colin Gillespie. The two have developed a quality rapport throughout the season, and it is paying off.

He mentioned how Gillespie has given him pointers on leading the second unit. Meanwhile, the latter noted how well Green has attacked and made himself comfortable in offensive and defensive rhythms.

When Green is in his offensive bag, Gillespie understands what the outcome will be.

“That’s who he is – a scorer,” Gillespie said. “I think he’s going to continue to feel it, feel the game and where people are… We love to see him do that and get to his spots and put the ball to the basket and get a lot of pressure at the rim.”

I asked Colin Gillespie about Jalen Green and how he finds his rhythm within the offense when he’s creating in isolation.

Green had 25 points on 47% shooting.

“That’s just who he is – a scorer. I think he’ll continue to feel it out, get game experience, and where guys are at… We feel good… pic.twitter.com/wGHIfIcqMt

– Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) 7 March 2026

Green has remained confident since returning from his hamstring injury. But after a disappointing game just 24 hours earlier, they showed that this could be an ideal game.

A healthy mix of tough isolation buckets, playing above the rim, playmaking, and putting more pressure on the defense to get more open looks for his teammates.

The Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers will play on Saturday night, however, Jonathan Kuminga is listed on the injury report. So, is Kuminga playing tonight against the 76ers?

Kuminga has battled injuries this season, but recently made his debut with the Hawks. Overall, he has played three games with Atlanta since transferring from the Golden State Warriors to the Hawks before the deadline in February.

Everything we know about Jonathan Kuminga’s injury status for tonight’s game vs. the 76ers.

Watch NBA games live with fuboTV (Get access save $30)*

Jonathan Kuminga’s injury status vs. 76ers

According to the NBA injury report, Kuminga is listed as questionable due to left knee inflammation.

The 32-31 Hawks are ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, while the 76ers are 34-28 and in sixth place in the conference. Saturday night’s matchup should be a competitive affair between the Eastern Conference teams. Kuminga’s final injury status will go a long way in determining the outcome of the game.

As far as the question of whether Jonathan Kuminga is playing tonight against the 76ers, the answer is probably.

hawks injury report

The Hawks have four players listed on the injury report.

• Jonathan Kuminga (left knee inflammation): doubtful
• Raze Dennis (G League Two-Way): Questionable
• Keyshawn Gilbert (G League Two-Way): Questionable
• Asa Newell (G League on assignment): Questionable

76ers injury report

The 76ers have five players listed on the injury report.

• Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee injury recovery brace): Available
• VJ Edgecombe (lumbar injury): doubtful
• Joel Embiid (right oblique strain): out
• Jonny Broom (recovering from right knee surgery): Out
• Paul George (League suspension): Out

BOSTON – Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum showed us the highest levels of recovery from an Achilles rupture, posting clips of him running again, dunking again and smiling again. He was also transparent about the physical and mental impact of this lengthy rehabilitation process, whether it was discussing his internal doubts about whether or not he should return or showing the world how terrible his ankle looked after surgery.

What Jayson Tatum’s foot looked like at the beginning vs. the end of episode 3 of “The Quiet Work”: pic.twitter.com/le4zub0Eiw

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 2 March 2026

That authenticity and vulnerability continued after Tatum’s victorious homecoming at the TD Garden on Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks.

“I was feeling really anxious,” Tatum revealed after his first game in nearly 300 days. “It has taken a long time to get to this point. Many nights and days I dreamed about this moment and the anticipation of the crowd. It has been 42 and a half weeks since I played in an NBA game.”

While the six-time All-Star could have played it cool, he gave real answers to the media and didn’t deny his nervousness.

“[I’m] Just trying to get caught up in the pace and everything,” he said. “I felt like I was a step behind or moving too fast.”

To start the game, Tatum failed to make his first six attempts from the field. A few shots fell short and one miss came when the 28-year-old missed an open dunk that would have sent the home crowd into frenzy:

The TD Garden crowd nearly exploded after this dunk attempt by Jayson Tatum: pic.twitter.com/rir8iKFmwE

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 7 March 2026

Clearly, Tatum still needs some time to get his feet under him (literally and figuratively). In addition to shooting, the Celtics forward moved the ball well and posted a game-high five assists in the first half. Generating those points for your teammates helped them get involved and, in turn, things started getting better.

“As soon as I relaxed a little bit, the game started to slow down,” he said.

This isn’t even an exaggeration, as Tatum made five consecutive shots after missing his first six. He even improved on his botched dunk by slamming home a missed triple from point guard Peyton Pritchard:

GO GET IT JT 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Tf8rLI6zcE

– Boston Celtics (@celtics) 7 March 2026

In a 120–100 win for the Celtics, Tatum finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists – just three assists short of a triple-double in his first NBA action since learning to walk again. And while he didn’t have a spotless offensive night, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t care.

“When he was 100% healthy, he had missed six shots in a row before, so I don’t think it really mattered,” he said. “What I liked is just his attitude and he continued to rebound. I thought he competed on the defensive end… I think he had three assists, two rebounds before he even took his first shot.”

What Jayson Tatum’s teammates and opponents thought about his comeback

Although Tatum is still not his usual self, the Celtics were happy to see him there, cheering him on from the bench and hugging him when he left the game.

“I appreciate him being able to put himself on the line a little bit to come back and be a part of something big,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said in the locker room. “I think that’s his mentality. I appreciate it. I know the organization appreciates it because he didn’t have to do it and nobody pressured him, but he wanted to be there.”

If it was for tonight, what would be the start for Jayson Tatum: pic.twitter.com/GqPRgXupfz

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 7 March 2026

Would Tatum like being 100% away from the field in his debut? Absolutely. But he understood why this was not realistic and stressed how fortunate he felt to be eligible for the green team again.

“When you take a long time off, you’re anxious, you want it really bad,” he said. “And, obviously, I wanted to hit every shot I took. But I was just really grateful. I had a real feeling of gratitude to get back on the floor and play basketball again, and it brought me back to everything I’ve gone through over the last 10 months, and the fact that I was even able to get there today was a really big win for me.”

The next phase of Tatum’s recovery process, which isn’t really over, takes place on the road. The Celtics have three games in a row against some of the best teams in the league: the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

To call this a litmus test would be taking it lightly. However, Tatum had already played 27 minutes against the Mavericks and despite his Achilles, he was not a kid at all.

This should be a good sign for the Celtics, and a bad sign for the rest of the NBA.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd praised him in his postgame press conference, “The pace he came back, the way he looked, coming off a serious injury, he looked good.” “As soon as he shakes off some of the rust, he makes the Celtics a contender and they had a tough year when he was rehabbing, so to get him back, they’re going to be a team that’s going to be tough to knock out.”

The Orlando Magic travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in a cross-conference clash on Saturday afternoon, coming into this game on the back of two wins. The Timberwolves are in great form and looking for what would be their sixth consecutive win.

Both teams are worried about several injuries. Orlando forward Jonathan Isaac and Minnesota veteran Kyle Anderson both appear on the official injury report before the game, with each listed as questionable due to knee soreness.

The Magic will also be without Franz Wagner, who is out with a left ankle sprain, with Alex Morales and Colin Castleton both out on G League assignment.

*Watch NBA Games Live with fuboTV (Free Trial)*

Jonathan Isaac’s injury status vs. Timberwolves

Jonathan Isaac enters the game with a questionable designation due to soreness in his left knee. Orlando has quietly been one of the stronger defensive teams since the All-Star break, going 5-3 and posting the sixth-best defensive rating in the NBA over that span.

The Magic recorded an emotional 115-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, sealed by Wendell Carter Jr.’s last-second dunk. That win added Orlando’s league-leading total of six game-winners in the final 10 seconds this season.

Orlando will rely heavily on Paolo Banchero, who is developing into one of the league’s most complete young stars. Saturday’s game will mark Banchero’s 250th NBA appearance. He is one of only seven players to record at least 5,000 points, 1,500 rebounds and 1,000 assists in his first 250 games since the 1979–80 season, joining such legends as Larry Bird, LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson.

Even if Isaac ultimately sits out, Orlando will rely on Banchero to carry the offensive load as the team tries to pick up another win on the road.

Kyle Anderson’s injury status vs. Magic

Minnesota forward Kyle Anderson is also listed as questionable due to right knee soreness. The Timberwolves are entering this matchup in strong form.
They currently have a 40-23 record and are in third place in the West. Much of Minnesota’s success has been driven by its high-powered offense, which averages 119.0 points per game, the fourth-highest in the league.

That largely depends on Anthony Edwards, who will look to be the star for his team once again. The All-Star MVP is shooting 48.5% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range this season, while averaging 29.5 points per game.

magical injury report

Jonathan Isaac: doubtful (left knee soreness)

Franz Wagner: Out (left high ankle sprain; injury management)

Colin Castleton: Out (G League Two-Way)

Alex Morales: Out (G League Two-Way)

timberwolves injury report

Kyle Anderson: Questionable (right knee soreness)

Jon Beringer: Out (G League assignment)

Enrique Freeman: Out (G League Two-Way)

Zion Pullin: Out (G League Two-Way)

The Golden State Warriors face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night and Kristaps Porzingis is once again at the center of the injury report. The Warriors have listed Porzingis as questionable due to illness, putting the focus on the veteran big man as Golden State looks to win back-to-back games.

The Warriors entered the matchup at 32–30, No. 8 in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Thunder are the top seed in the West at 49-15 and are aiming to extend their four-game winning streak. With Oklahoma City playing dominant basketball and the Warriors trying to solidify their position in the playoff race, the importance of Porzingis’ availability has increased. If he plays, it will be just the second game of his Warriors tenure.

Through 18 games this season, he is averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 46.1 percent from the field. The 7-foot-2 center contributes 1.3 blocks per game, providing valuable rim protection and floor spacing.

When Porzingis is available, the Warriors gain a unique frontcourt dimension. His size and perimeter shooting opened up the floor offensively while giving Golden State another defensive presence around the rim.

*Watch NBA Games Live with fuboTV (Free Trial)*

Kristaps Porzingis’ injury status vs. Thunder

Several additional names are included on the Warriors’ injury report. Stephen Curry is out with right patellofemoral pain syndrome, while Jimmy Butler III is out after right ACL surgery. Seth Curry is listed as questionable with left sciatic nerve irritation. Moses Moody is out with a sprained right wrist, while Gary Payton II is expected with a left ankle injury. De’Anthony Melton and Will Richard are both questionable with knee and ankle injuries, respectively.

For Oklahoma City, the Thunder injury report lists several players out, including Brandon Carlson (lower back strain), Alex Caruso (left hip strain), Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf strain), Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain and left ankle sprain), Thomas Sorber (right ACL recovery), and Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain). Are.

Still, Porzingis’ status remains one of the most important questions ahead of the matchup. The Warriors hope to build momentum in the Western Conference standings, while the Thunder aim to continue their run at the top of the conference.

So when it comes to the question of whether Kristaps Porzingis is playing tonight against the Thunder, the answer is uncertain. His final status will depend on pre-game evaluation as Golden State prepares for a big test against the top team in the West.

After winning their last game against the Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors traveled to Oklahoma City to face the defending champions. However, they have several major injury concerns and face a Thunder team that has won each of its last four games.

Oklahoma City entered Saturday night with a 49-15 record, already knocking on the door of its 50th win of the season, while Golden State is 32-30 and in eighth place in the West.
Mark Daigneault’s side have also won eight of their last 10 games, and have held opponents to 106.5 points per game during that span. Golden State, meanwhile, has struggled for consistency, going 4-6 in its last 10 contests while allowing 116.3 points per game.

These teams have met three times already this season, and the last meeting was a lopsided 131-94 win for the Thunder, fueled by a 30-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The following prospects are based on DraftKings’ coverage.

Warriors vs Thunder Odds

Warriors: +9.5

Thunder: -9.5

Overs: 228.5

Under: 228.5

Warriors vs Thunder Major Injuries

Golden State is entering this matchup heavily shorthanded. Stephen Curry is out with a knee injury. Jimmy Butler (ACL) is out for the season while Moses Moody (wrist) and Seth Curry (back) are also sidelined.

Gary Payton II is questionable with an ankle problem. However, the potential return of Kristaps Porzingis gives them some reason for optimism.

The Thunder are relatively healthy. Jalen Williams is out with a hamstring injury, while Isaiah Hartenstein (calf) and Alex Caruso (hip) are both listed as day-to-day. Thomas Sorber is out for the season with a knee injury.

Warriors vs Thunder Betting Trends

Oklahoma City has a 34–9 record against Western Conference opponents. Recent head-to-head results also favor Oklahoma City. The Thunder have taken Golden State to task already this season, including a blowout 37-point victory in January.

With Shai-Gilgeous Alexander fit and effective, this seems pretty straightforward on paper. However, with the stellar Draymond Green leading the way and Porzingis expected to play, the Warriors can always surprise.

Keys to Warriors vs. Thunder matchup

The biggest challenge for Golden State will be finding enough offensive firepower without Stephen Curry. The Warriors have relied heavily on Brandin Podziemski, who is averaging 16.7 points over the last 10 games.

The Thunder averaged 118.9 points per game, while also limiting opponents to 43.6% shooting from the field.
Warriors vs Thunder Predictions and Selections

Golden State’s system still produces efficient offense through ball movement and spacing, but without Curry, the Warriors lack the consistent scoring punch needed to keep up with Oklahoma City’s attack. Given the Warriors’ injuries and this huge blow to the reigning NBA champions, we expect a low-scoring game.

spread pick:Thunder -9.5

Total Selection: under 228.5

The Miami Heat delivered another explosive offensive performance Friday night, with Tyler Herro recording a dominant win that later drew praise from the opposing locker room. Herro’s performance showcased Miami’s offensive ability when clicking, and reinforced how difficult the Heat’s perimeter attack can be for opposing defenses to stop.

The Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets 128-120 on Friday at the Spectrum Center. Herro led the way with 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. The guard also knocked down eight triples while controlling the pace throughout the game.

Herro’s offensive impact versus Charlotte’s defense proved decisive late in the game. Miami trailed briefly before closing out strongly in the fourth quarter, as Herro ignited a key run, hitting multiple shots from deep while consistently moving without the ball to create open looks.

After the game, Hornets head coach Charles Lee discussed the defensive challenges created by Herro. Hunter Bailey of the Charlotte Observer shared Lee’s comments after the loss, first on Twitter.

Charles Lee described how the game slipped away in the fourth quarter:

Lee looked at Miami’s zone, Tyler Herro’s ball security and more. pic.twitter.com/P0TZOU2flr

– Hunter Bailey (@Hunter_Bailey45) 7 March 2026

“Defensively, Herro’s off-ball stuff, I thought we could have been a little tougher by staying connected to his body,” Lee said, referencing Miami’s zone defense and Herro’s movement away from the ball.

The former Kentucky Wildcats standout was repeatedly moved into open space, leading to defensive failures and creating scoring opportunities that fueled Miami’s late offensive surge.

Hornets forward Brandon Miller also accepted the challenge of controlling the Heat guard in a video shared after the game r/CharlotteHornets Community on the platform too.

“I feel like Tyler Herro was doing whatever he wanted,” Miller said. “As long as we play with the mentality of not letting everyone come here and feel comfortable, we should win every home game across the spectrum.”

🎙️ Brandon Miller: “I feel like (Tyler Herro) was out there doing whatever he wanted. As long as we play with the mentality of not letting everybody come in here and being comfortable, we should win every home game at the Spectrum.” pic.twitter.com/CVj6yeFBZ5

– r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) 7 March 2026

The seven-year veteran’s performance snapped Charlotte’s six-game winning streak and led Miami to another impressive win.

The Sacramento Kings’ season has tested everyone in the locker room, and veteran guard Malik Monk is now speaking openly about the frustrations surrounding the team. After another tough loss, Monk offered a brutally honest reflection on where things stand. Sacramento continues to search for answers under head coach Doug Christie, but the reality of this season has become impossible to ignore. With the Kings sitting at 14-50, the worst record in the league, emotions are running high inside the locker room.

The latest loss came against the New Orleans Pelicans, another painful chapter in a year full of failures. That loss gave Sacramento eight losses in its last ten games. Earlier this season, the Kings suffered a 16-game losing streak that began on January 18. The slump finally ended with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on February 23, but the momentum never came.

After the game, KCRA reporter Sean Cunningham asked Monk if the brutal stretch prepared the Kings for whatever lies ahead. Months of frustration were reflected in his answer.

After the Sacramento Kings suffered an NBA-worst 50th season loss, Malik Monk told me it’s been the “craziest” season of his career and he still feels like his voice still has an impact on his team.

“Nothing can be worse than this.” pic.twitter.com/UZhNNYf7KD

– Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) 6 March 2026

The monk said, “Yes, nothing can be worse than this.” “Nothing can be worse than this. It can’t happen. So yeah, it prepares you for anything.”

Malik Monk talks honestly about Kings’ season

Monk also reflected on the locker room dynamics as the Kings head into the final weeks of the season. Despite the defeat, he believes the young players are still learning valuable lessons.

“I think the young guys are learning a lot,” Monk said. “The vets are trying to teach them. Yes, they want to learn.”

When the Kings legend was asked about his goals for the remaining games, he kept his answer simple and extremely honest.

“Get well and move forward,” he said. Then he said, “Just deal with this shit, man.”

It was not polished. It was not filtered. But it was real.

Under Doug Christie, the Kings are going through a painful rebuilding year. For Monk and the rest of the roster, the focus now turns to growth, survival and the hope that better days will eventually return.

Because after a season like this, where else can the Kings go but up?

The Dallas Mavericks faced the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Friday night in a game that held personal significance for rookie forward Cooper Flagg. While Dallas lost 120-100, that night meant more than the score for the 19-year-old Maine native, who played his first professional game in Boston against someone he has idolized for years, Jayson Tatum.

Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, received an unusual welcome during pregame introductions. Boston fans, who typically criticize opposing starters at TD Garden, instead greeted the rookie with loud cheers. This reaction surprised Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. Many family members and friends from Maine were in attendance near the flag for the homecoming game.

Facing Tatum added emotional weight to the matchup. Flagg grew up watching the Celtics and followed Tatum’s development closely, including his college career at the Duke Blue Devils under coach John Scheyer. Flagg also played one season at Duke before entering the NBA.

“It was unbelievable. There’s a lot of levels to it,” Flagg said after the game when asked about playing against Tatum. “He’s someone I’ve idolized growing up, watching him come up through the ranks and ranks. I’ve watched him at Duke, and have been inspired to follow in his footsteps and play [Jon] Scheyer, and then obviously getting into the league is just unrealistic. It was really special for me to have this experience tonight.”

Sharing with Cooper Flagg/Tonight Jayson Tatum on the reception from the Boston/Maine crowd:

“There are so many levels to it. He’s a guy I idolized growing up…to see him at Duke and follow in his footsteps…it’s surreal. It’s really special for me to get this… pic.twitter.com/jq2CMbYptK

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 7 March 2026

The rookie finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes, but his efficiency wasn’t there, shooting 7 of 23 from the field and 0 of 4 from three-point range. He also committed three turnovers and had a minus-17 rating. The performance came just two games in after an eight-game absence due to a left medial sprain and returned for the second consecutive night.

Although his numbers were modest, Flagg continued to carry a heavy workload for Dallas. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward often serves as the team’s point-forward, running several offensive sets despite the Mavericks’ 21–42 record.

Tatum’s return to action was another major storyline. Playing his first game since rupturing his Achilles tendon last May, he finished the night with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes, and shot 6 of 16 from the field.

Next, the Mavericks will travel to Toronto to face the Raptors on Sunday, while the Celtics will visit Cleveland to face the Cavaliers.

The energy inside the TD Garden on Friday night was unlike anything the Boston Celtics had experienced all season. After a grueling 10-month absence due to an Achilles injury, Jayson Tatum finally made his long-awaited season debut, and it felt like the missing piece of the puzzle was back in place.

While fans were losing their minds, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla offered an especially profound perspective on this moment. Reflecting on his superstar comeback journey, Mazzulla said these are career-defining moments. “That’s why you coach,” Mazzulla said. “Being a part of someone else’s story and having someone be a part of your story.”

“This is why you train… to be a part of someone else’s story and for someone to be a part of your story” 🙌

Joe Mazzulla reflects on being part of Jayson Tatum’s journey as he works to return from injury. pic.twitter.com/O3dI4ZE5XJ

– NBA TV (@NBATV) 7 March 2026

Jayson Tatum really reminded the league what they’re missing. Tatum logged 27 minutes and looked remarkably sharp, scoring 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. He demonstrated his trademark versatility by adding 12 rebounds, seven assists and one steal, helping the Boston Celtics demolish the Dallas Mavericks in a 120–100 blowout. His rhythm appeared seamless, especially from the perimeter where he knocked down three triples.

The supporting cast ensured that Tatum’s return ended in a “W.” Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 24 points, while Neemias Queta
Reinforced the interior with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, on the other hand, finished with 16 points in his homecoming, but was no match for Boston’s new team.

The road back for Tatum was filled with tough rehabilitation and mental hurdles, but Friday night proved he hasn’t lost a step. With their cornerstone in place, the Celtics are not only looking toward a deep playoff run, but they’re also looking to the rafters.

Cooper Flagg’s homecoming was everything people expected, even if the scoreboard didn’t go the Dallas Mavericks’ way. The Maine native and No. 1 overall pick finally made his professional debut at TD Garden on Friday night, and despite playing for the visiting team, the Boston crowd treated him like a local legend.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement as the Mavericks took on the Celtics. The Celtics ultimately bounced back with a 120-100 blowout, but the story belonged to the 19-year-old rookie. Cooper Flagg finished his Garden debut with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes. While he struggled with his efficiency, shooting only 7-of-23 from the floor and 0-of-4 from deep, that moment was not lost on him.

After the game, the media tried to prod the rookies into imagining a future in green. When asked if the experience of the TD Garden crowd inspired him to experience it as a home player rather than a visitor, Flagg shrugged it off with the veteran patience he has shown all season. “I love being Maverick,” Flagg said. “That’s home, and I don’t want anything else.”

Cooper Flagg was asked if the experience of playing at TD Garden met his expectations and whether he would like to experience it “with the home crowd.” #mavs: :

“I love being a vagabond. It’s home and I don’t want anything else.” pic.twitter.com/okQuCz4bRq

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 7 March 2026

The Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, proved why they are the class of the Eastern Conference, but Flagg showed flashes of the generational talent that could make him the top prize of the 2025 NBA Draft. He hit two shots and played high-level defense against some of the best wings in the world. It wasn’t the “W” the Mavs wanted, but for a kid from Newport, Maine, to stand out on that court and applaud was a full-circle moment.

The San Antonio Spurs are currently doing things that shouldn’t be possible. On Friday night, the Silver and Black erased a massive 25-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 116-112, convincing the NBA world that a championship run is not just a dream, it is hope.

It appeared as if the Clippers were playing on the ice, but they were caught in the clutch. Despite San Antonio gifting them three missed free throws late in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles couldn’t muster a single defensive rebound to save their lives. The collapse was historic, the second-largest comeback in the Spurs’ play-by-play era.

pic.twitter.com/fr3wPPMAmy

– Marquis Swinton (@SwishDish720) 7 March 2026

What did we do to deserve this?pic.twitter.com/etHW3NNGQ3

– Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) 7 March 2026

These spurs will kill me man😭 pic.twitter.com/DBJKYU28ZT

– Bala (@BalaPattySZN) 7 March 2026

good game poetry pic.twitter.com/EgtGW3GFjH

– Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) 7 March 2026

Harrison Barnes will never take a nap again https://t.co/jwtPYdqfnX

– Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) 7 March 2026

“Tonight was a great example of why the Spurs are the best team in the NBA right now,” one fan posted on X.

Victor Wembanyama led the way with 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in just 22 minutes of action. However, the most iconic moment belonged to rookie Stefan Cassel. During the game, Castle missed a free throw, grabbed his own rebound and sealed the win. “What an exciting finish in San Antonio!” another fan commented. “Castle missed the free throw… grabbed his own rebound… and sealed the win!”

Wemby started crying after Spurs win 😭
pic.twitter.com/tfRyJr71iU

– Logion Noops (@LogionNoops) 7 March 2026

Spurs win!! Carter Bryant is special!! pic.twitter.com/eY7w8PeSEu

– PJ Hoops (@RealPjHoops) 7 March 2026

you can’t beat my spurs lfgpic.twitter.com/aWk9zwbUqa

– CLAN THE SPURS FAN (@ClanTheSpursFan) 7 March 2026

Spurs defense man.

Carter is flying everywhere.

Victor dominates the paint.

Steiff is the Nels POA in Primary.

Spurs were down 25 and are now up 2.

This is Spurs basketball. pic.twitter.com/MFAOcoCLq5

– Eric Salinas (@EricSal_7) 7 March 2026

Wembley is so sick that he is crying at the regular season victory in March. pic.twitter.com/FDSnfZCdNX

– 🥽 (@spursbeliever) 7 March 2026

The patience displayed by Vembanyama and Spurs is causing many skeptics to reconsider their stance. As another supporter said, “25-point comeback and people still try to say he’s overrated…the league is in trouble.” If San Antonio can find a way to win games like this while their superstar looks like he’s “about to pass out,” the rest of the league is in for a really long postseason.

Victor Wembanyama has done some incredible things in his short NBA career, but his latest accomplishment against the Los Angeles Clippers may be his toughest yet. On Friday night, the San Antonio Spurs made a miraculous 25-point comeback to defeat the Clippers 116-112, but the victory clearly pushed the young superstar to his absolute limits.

After the game, Vembanyama was not shy about the effect the competition had on his body. “I was going to pass out right from the first quarter. …This was close to being the toughest game of my life. It probably didn’t feel like it, we played a very rough game yesterday against the most physical team in the league.”

“I thought I was going to pass out…it’s close to being the hardest game of my life.”

Victor Wembanyama explains how he feels after the Spurs’ 25-point comeback over the Clippers.

(via @nba)

pic.twitter.com/NpOXh7kFvs

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 7 March 2026

Despite exhaustion, Victor Vembanyama managed to dominate in limited action. The French sensation recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in just 22 minutes of play. He was clinical from the floor, making 11 of 21 shots overall and missing four of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. His rim protection in the closing minutes was the catalyst for the Spurs’ late surge, as he consistently converted shots and erased easy looks for Los Angeles.

The comeback was not a solo effort. Julian Champagnie stepped up with a huge 20-point performance, while De’Aaron Fox and Stephen Cassel provided the perimeter pressure needed to overcome the deficit. San Antonio trailed by nearly 25 points before their defense tightened up and Wembanyama took over on the interior.

By scoring a 38-point masterpiece against the Detroit Pistons just 24 hours ago, the 22-year-old big man is showing the world that he has the stamina to match his generational skill set. If this was the toughest game of his life, the rest of the league should be very concerned about what he does when he feels really fresh.

Jamal Murray suffered a foot injury during Friday night’s clash between the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.

Murray suffered the injury in the final minutes of the first half. He was on defense when he contested a shot from New York’s OG Anunoby. However, he injured his left leg as he needed assistance to get to the locker room. According to reporter Rachel Strand, Denver provided an update on whether Murray could return.

“A sight that will make you sick to your stomach. Jamal Murray needs help off the court with a foot injury. He’s heading to the locker room immediately. #MileHighBasketball,” Strand wrote.

“Jamal Murray is questionable to return with a left ankle sprain.”

A sight that will make you feel sick to your stomach. Jamal Murray needs help getting off the court with a foot injury. He is immediately heading to the locker room. #milehighbasketball pic.twitter.com/1Ge61r2ecu

– Rachel Strand (@MileHighRachel) 7 March 2026

How the Nuggets played against the Knicks amid Jamal Murray’s injury

The Nuggets collapsed without the services of Jamal Murray due to injury, and suffered a crushing 142–103 loss to the Knicks at home.

Things were close between the two teams as Denver led 29–27 after the first quarter. However, their defense suffered without Murray as they lost 115–74 over the final three periods of regulation.

Four players, including Murray, scored in double figures for Denver in the loss. Before the injury, he finished with 12 points and three assists on 5 of 10 shooting from the field. Nikola Jokic led the team with 38 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Darron Holmes II was next with 11 points while Cameron Johnson added 10 points and five assists.

Denver fell to a 39–25 record on the season and finished fifth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns while trailing the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Nuggets will look to bounce back in their next matchup while on the road. They will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder as tip-off takes place on March 9 at 7:30 PM ET.

Luka Doncic didn’t even start the game on Friday night; They took over the Crypto.com Arena in a hostile manner. The Slovenian superstar turned the arena into his personal playground during a blowout opening frame against the Indiana Pacers, and reminded everyone why the Lakers moved mountains to get him.

Luka Doncic is on fire in the first quarter against the Pacers

🔹22 points
🔹4 rebounds
🔹3 help

🔹7-in-9 FG
🔹5 out of 5 3pts

pic.twitter.com/ToxtTEnkbV

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 7 March 2026

Doncic came out of the gate like a man possessed, and torched the Indiana Pacers for 22 points in the first quarter. He wasn’t just scoring; He was conducting a masterclass in efficiency. Luka shot a ridiculous 7-of-9 from the field and was a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the arc in those first 12 minutes. He added four rebounds and three assists for good measure, accounting for nearly every bucket the Lakers produced early on.

LOS ANGELES – Luka Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season amid more interaction with the referees during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-113 loss against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. Another technical foul and Doncic would automatically receive a one-game suspension. But amid their interactions on the court, Lakers head coach JJ Redick believes Doncic’s competitive fire is second to none.

Before the Lakers’ game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, JJ Redick explained how he will go to battle with Doncic every night.

“He’s a special type of player, a special type of person and a special type of competitor,” Redick said during his pregame press conference. “I’d prefer someone who’s going out every night and trying to kill, rather than someone who you literally have to revive with a defibrillator every other day. I’d take Luca all day.”

Doncic’s latest interaction with the referee resulted in a technical foul that was somewhat puzzling. Jamal Murray hit a 3-point shot in transition, and one of the officials immediately called a technical foul on Doncic, despite him not even looking the referee’s way as he walked back onto the court.

Doncic was incredibly heartbroken by what happened, and was not given a full explanation until after the game via the pool report. Crew chief Ed Malloy explained that the technical foul on Doncic actually occurred before the game, but officials called for the defense not to stop the transition play for the technical foul. The argument was that Doncic had used profanity toward officials earlier in the play.

The Lakers have 19 games remaining in the regular season after Friday’s matchup against the Pacers. Teams will definitely have to be aware of Doncic’s technical fouls and reactions during the final stretch of the year. Once the playoffs arrive, the technical foul count is reset, but suspensions begin early with seven.

Doncic is in the running for the MVP award this season, his first full year with the Lakers. Coming into Friday’s game, he had appeared in 50 games averaging just over 35 minutes per game. He is averaging a league-leading 32.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 35.8 percent from the 3-point line and 77 percent from the free-throw line.

Doncic is also leading the NBA in 3-point shot attempts (3.7), 3-point shot attempts (10.2) and free-throw attempts (10.3).

All-NBA conversations typically belong to well-established suspects, brand-name stars who have captured the discussion for the better part of two decades, even if those All-Stars are having a bad year. LeBron James and James Harden still remain at that level of talent. However, James Borrego’s new-look New Orleans Pelicans need to make a run for Trey Murphy III to join the club. The 25-year-old has been quietly building a statistical argument that rivals and surpasses the usual suspects in many areas.

This is not an exaggeration. This year’s figures show that it is time to make room for the Trigga tray. Designated stars with all-world resumes can act as one-man shows, shooting lights out and protecting the ball. Murphy III’s production, 22.6% of his field goals are unassisted, is going well. The swingman is shooting 38.6% from three-point range, sporting a 59.8 true shooting percentage, and can boast a 2.53 assist-to-turnover ratio on a 25.4% usage rate since New Year’s Day.

On the season, Murphy III is contributing 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals. In 2026, he is averaging 24.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals. Only 12 other players can say they are 22-5-4 over the last eight weeks. Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant and Cade Cunningham top that list. Exactly 22 players have averaged 21 points and 3.5 assists, making teammates better, and have played more than 45 games this season, further breaking down the All-NBA list.

The Pelicans have nothing to lose by gushing about Trey Murphy III’s speed during March Madness. If Trigga Trey is named to the All-NBA Third Team, his next contract and the city’s reputation will get a significant boost. If not, the Pelicans have four potential All-Stars returning next season with something to prove in Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray and surprisingly great Saddiq Bey.

More than a few coaches will be calling the front office wanting to work with that core. Each of them will have to explain how they will maximize Trey Murphy III’s prime years. His All-Star potential eventually developed into All-NBA expectations.

Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso addressed Jared McCann’s impact in his first 12 games with his new team, and explained why he is a better fit for the defending champions than the Philadelphia 76ers. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discusses what he has learned about McCann during his first dozen games.

Caruso gave the most credit to the Thunder front office, trade for McCain is ahead of this year’s deadline, he said, according to The Young Man and the Three podcast.

“For us, we do what we do as players, but the front office, as far as the fit, that’s probably the biggest compliment they can give me,” Caruso said. “The way Jared plays is like a mini I-Joe, like Isaiah Joe Light, not like the same player, but coming from the same movements, but the way they’re able to use their skill sets to shoot and move.”

Alex Caruso used an example from the Thunder’s 121–113 win against the Cleveland Cavs, where McCann drove to the rim, passed the ball to Joe before shifting to the corner for a deep three. For Caruso, it’s that style of play if the 76ers didn’t run their offense through McCann.

“I don’t think Philly played that way,” Caruso said. “I think they’re a lot more traditional because of Joel [Emiid]And, of course, Tyrese [Maxey] Very much on the ball. But for us, it is like freedom of movement. An open man is a right man. I think it benefits his game.”

“He’s playing the right way.” – Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein talk about why Jared McCann has fit in so easily with the OKC Thunder 🚨 New Thunder YM3 Out Now Everywhere 🚨 pic.twitter.com/epcOgO84l6

-TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) 6 March 2026

McCain is averaging 11.8 points on 41.5% shooting, including 39.5% from deep, and 2.2 rebounds per game with the Thunder.

Mark Daigneault on learning about Thunder’s Jared McCain

The apparent departure of 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to the Thunder’s Jared McCann ended the second-year guard’s tenure, and marked a new start with the defending champions. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault discussed McCann’s fitness after practice on Friday and told reporters how he has learned about his game so far.

“His shooting ability. He’s a guy you have to make runs off the line, which opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game — those mid-range games show his strength,” Daigneault said. “He’s going downhill, and he’s able to absorb contact and rise up and shoot a balanced rhythm shot, which is harder than it looks. He makes it look easier than it is. So, he’s done a great job.”

Daigneault and the Thunder will host the Warriors on Saturday at Paycom Center.

Someone stole the spotlight from Trae Young’s debut for the Washington Wizards on Thursday night at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.

And it’s none other than Julian Reese, brother of Chicago Sky star forward Angel Reese.

In his third game in the NBA, Julian Reese accomplished a historic feat, as he finished with 18 points on 5/7 shooting from the field and a total of 20 rebounds – 10 defensive and 10 offensive. He also added two assists and a steal in 38 minutes of work, however, in a 122–112 loss to the visiting Jazz.

As of Thursday, it had been more than a decade since either of the Wizards was able to grab at least 10 defensive rebounds and 10 offensive rebounds in a game.

“He is the first Wizards player to have 10 offensive and 10 defensive rebounds in a game since Antawn Jamison on January 30, 2010,” Ax, formerly of ESPN Insights, shared via a social media post on Twitter.

On January 30, 2010, Jamison totaled 21 points and 23 rebounds in a 106–96 home win over the New York Knicks. He had 12 defensive boards and another 11 from the offensive side of the court.

Julian’s rebounding effort against the Houston Jazz was perfect for Reese. His sister is also known for her brilliant talent. In her first two seasons in the WNBA, Angel averaged 12.9 rebounds in 64 games.

A product of the Maryland Terrapins basketball program, Julian was signed by the Wizards to a two-way contract in February. Unless he’s called up to the G League, Julien will try to keep his momentum going against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jayson Tatum is back in action, and fans are in championship excitement after his season opener in the Boston Celtics’ game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.

Tatum tore his Achilles in last year’s playoff series against the New York Knicks in the East Semifinals. After 10 months of rehabilitation, he successfully returned to court.

In 27 minutes of action, Tatum completed a major step in his recovery. He finished with a stat line of 15 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and one steal. He made 6 of 16 shots from the field, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc.

It didn’t take long for fans, who had high expectations on the Celtics’ championship potential, to respond to the performance. Here are some of their reactions.

NBA insider Brett Siegel wrote, “What a great debut for Jayson Tatum, as he had 15 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in exactly 27 minutes on the night against the Mavs. The Celtics star had a strong performance in his first game since tearing his Achilles in May.”

“Seeing Tatum back on the court is one of those iconic moments that will stick with me for the rest of my life. On behalf of basketball fans around the world, welcome back JT!” one fan said.

Another commented, “I couldn’t have imagined the reality of being a Celtic fan tonight even in my dreams.”

“Highlights: 1. Bible Belt. 2. Flagg stuck in NGL Dallas. 3. Tatum double double. 4. We’re back,” one commented.

One replied, “All it took was one try to get him to start cooking, my goat is really back.”

Jayson Tatum, how the Celtics played against the Mavericks

Jayson Tatum played brilliantly and the Celtics defeated the Mavericks 120–100 in a home win.

Six players, including Tatum, scored in double figures for Boston in the win. Jaylen Brown led the way with 24 points and seven rebounds, Derrick White had 20 points and four assists, while Payton Pritchard provided 18 points and seven rebounds.

Boston improved to a 42–21 record on the season and finished second in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers while trailing the Detroit Pistons.

The Celtics will look forward to their next matchup while on the road. They will take on the Cavaliers as tip-off takes place on March 8 at 1pm ET.

Nikola Vucevic has an early injury timeout on his ability to return to the court after suffering a hand injury in the Boston Celtics’ clash with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

Vucevic suffered an injury during the first half of the competition, forcing him to the locker room. Boston later ruled him out for the remainder of the game, saying he suffered a fractured ring finger.

ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania provided an update on Vucevic’s injury. He explained that there would be a procedure to treat the fracture at the veteran’s center and a month’s time would be lost as a result.

“Boston’s Nikola Vucevic will undergo a procedure on Saturday for his broken ring finger and will miss approximately a month,” Charania wrote.

How the Celtics played against the Mavericks despite Nikola Vucevic’s injury

Despite Nikola Vucevic playing only two minutes, the Celtics stepped up in a big way to defeat the Mavericks 120–100.

It took a while for things to settle down as shooting began in Boston. Despite this, they gained momentum as Jayson Tatum scored his first point since returning from his Achilles injury. As they played well in their season debut, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White assisted them with strong performances to lead Boston to victory.

Six players, including Tatum, scored in double figures for Boston in the win. He finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and one steal. He made 6 of 16 shots from the field, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Jaylen Brown led the way with 24 points and seven rebounds, Derrick White had 20 points and four assists, while Payton Pritchard provided 18 points and seven rebounds.

Boston improved to a 42–21 record on the season and finished second in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers while trailing the Detroit Pistons.

The Celtics will look forward to their next matchup while on the road. They will take on the Cavaliers as tip-off takes place on March 8 at 1pm ET.

LOS ANGELES – When the Los Angeles Lakers first acquired Luka Doncic last season, he immediately developed strong chemistry with Jaxson Hayes in the pick and roll. That chemistry has continued to develop this season, and head coach JJ Redick has even built some of the Lakers’ lineups around that pairing.

Ahead of the Lakers’ game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, JJ Redick pointed out how some of the team’s most successful lineups have included Luka Doncic and Jaxson Hayes at the same time. That lineup was able to make a positive impact on the last game against the Denver Nuggets, even though it resulted in a loss.

“We’ve had a chance to run some lineups with Jackson and Luka and shoot around that recently, and they’ve been really positive lineups for us. It gives Luka an outlet, it gives Jackson room to run,” Redick said during his pregame press conference. “He did a really good job for us last night, Jackson staying behind the defence, forcing Luka [Nikola] Jok has to make a decision there and allow that leg.”

“And sometimes, Luka was able to score the basketball. We’re not going to be able to do that every game. Denver doesn’t switch on, what we call flips or backside screens. We try to switch to blow him up,” Redick said. “The perimeter guy’s first screen last night, we were able to get some separation, and then from there it’s a quick pitch and roll from Jackson. We got a lot of good things from him.”

According to Databaller, in the Lakers’ top five offensive five-man lineup, Doncic and Hayes are both on the court. Those lineups also include players like Rui Hachimura, Jake Laravia and even rarely used Dalton Knecht, all of whom have been consistent 3-point threats at times for the Lakers.

One reason Hayes is more effective among 3-point shooters is his better decision-making ability in short rolls. He has done a much better job of being able to read defenses faster and recognize corner 3-point shooters.

And when it comes to most assists per 36 minutes when they’re on the floor together, Doncic and Hayes are in the top 10 in the league with 3.5, according to NBA.com.

There’s no doubt that Doncic and Hayes are very happy with each other when they are on the court together. Hayes gives Doncic a legitimate threat that opposing defenses have to be aware of. Defenders will have to choose their poison between Hayes getting a free lob or Doncic getting single coverage on his step-back jumpers.

Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, it will be interesting to see how Redick continues to utilize the team’s different lineups.

The Chicago Bulls face a tough challenge against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in their first of a five-game road trip. How could they win without Matas Buzzellis and Josh Giddy in the lineup due to ankle sprains?

Well, they put on their shoes and got the job done. The Bulls won 105–103. Overall, they won by taking advantage of each other’s strengths. As a result, everyone stepped forward and played a role.

Later, Colin Sexton pointed to the strategy without Bouzelis and Giddy.

“This game meant a lot because we knew we had to be the first one to throw a punch and be the more physical team,” Sexton said.

“We all had the mentality of being the next man up. Josh and Matus, they were out. So we had to be ready. We had big shoes to fill and everyone had to step up.”

Additionally, he noted some of the actions of his teammates that led to the Bulls victory. Overall, Sexton credited Nick Richards, Isaac Okoro, Yuki Kawamura, Leonard Miller, Trey Jones and Gershon Yabusele.

“Nick played really well,” Sexton said. “Isaac played really good defense. Yuki came in and gave us big minutes. Leonard came in. Trey, he had a big-time play. Yabu had big threes. Everybody had a part in this win, and everybody was ready when their name was called.”

Talk to them, Young Bull 🐂 https://t.co/RVQLQRIpoz pic.twitter.com/yAvbeC7gTo

– Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) 6 March 2026

Sexton finished with a game-high 30 points and five assists. In the end, the Bulls won their second match out of the last three. This February is coming without a win.

The Denver Nuggets have faced injury problems throughout the 2025-26 season. But all teams will know that what matters most is having a clean bill of health at the end of the season. And on Friday night, they’re one step closer to being fully healthy as a unit.

With a clash against the New York Knicks on the horizon, the Nuggets will welcome back Aaron Gordon from a 17-game absence while he dealt with a hamstring injury, ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel reports.

Gordon has been dealing with hamstring issues since the 2025 NBA Playoffs, when he suffered a Grade 2 strain, which put his status in doubt for Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs. The Nuggets forwards played through it, but Denver lost emphatically.

Those problems have carried over to this season. In addition to his recent 17-game absence, he also missed the first 19 straight games of the season from mid-November to early January. Overall, Gordon has only played in 23 of the Nuggets’ 63 games this season.

Denver will be very cautious with its prized forward, as it’s hard to imagine reaching the playoffs without his services. How important he is to this team.

Nuggets will assess Aaron Gordon’s status in Knicks clash

Gordon’s workload will certainly be monitored on Friday night, and the Nuggets are unlikely to push him into the deep end, especially with over a month left in the regular season.

The Nuggets will be without Peyton Watson and Cam Johnson for their showdown against the Knicks, and those two players will be expected to contribute big times in their final playoff appearance. Denver has to be careful with these things, especially when soft-tissue injuries tend to recur.

The Dallas Mavericks are very likely out of playoff contention for the remainder of this 2025-26 season, but there is a lot to look forward to with Cooper Flagg having a stellar rookie season.

That rookie season got a scare on Friday night when the Mavs took on the Boston Celtics. Early in the first quarter, Cooper went for a flag layup and was fouled, but he landed awkwardly and immediately grabbed his ankle in pain.

Flagg stood up with the help of his teammates and limped to the Celtics bench for a timeout.

It looked like Cooper Flagg injured his leg after going down after a foul. #nba #Different #celtics #MFFL #MFFLAGG pic.twitter.com/dTT7g2hARC

– ZeroChillSports (@ZeroChillSports) 7 March 2026

After the timeout, Cooper Flagg came back onto the floor, advanced to the free throw line, knocked down both free throws with ease, and remained in the game and played well without any problems.

Friday night’s game is the homecoming game for Maine native Cooper Flagg. He is the third player in NBA history from Maine to play in the NBA, joining current Detroit Pistons guard/forward Duncan Robinson as well as former Nets and Magic forward Jeff Turner.

“I think it’s great that his family is here,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Cooper Flagg’s return to the New England area. “Not just his mom, dad and brother, but other people will also be able to watch him play in person tonight. It’s exciting. Hopefully he can perform well and we understand that it’s not easy playing against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it’s a big challenge for him.”

In seven minutes of the first quarter, the Mavs rookie finished the period with six points, one rebound and one steal on 2 of 5 shooting from the field.

The Boston Celtics had high expectations for Jayson Tatum’s return to the lineup for Friday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. But just as the team moved on from their superstar, they lost their valuable NBA trade deadline acquisition.

Nikola Vucevic came off the Celtics bench Friday night and played just two minutes without recording a single stat before getting injured. Late in the first quarter, Vucevic was attempting to post up Mavs center Moussa Cisse when he suddenly grabbed his right arm as he received the ball.

Vucevic then continued to catch the same hand multiple times and appeared to be in pain on the next few possessions, causing Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to call a timeout.

Celtics reporter Bobby Manning was able to pinpoint the exact spot where Vucevic was hurt.

https://x.com/RealBobManning/status/2030084774170177771

The Celtics announced early in the second quarter that Vucevic would be out for the remainder of the game with a fractured right ring finger.

Nikola Vucevic was acquired by the Boston Celtics from the Chicago Bulls at the 2026 NBA trade deadline. In the deal, the Celtics traded guard Anfernee Simmons and a 2026 second-round pick to the Bulls for Vucevic and a 2027 second-round pick.

In 11 games so far with the Celtics, Vucevic has averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three.

PHOENIX – Before his usual pregame press conference, Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott addressed the Dillon Brooks DUI situation as part of his opening statement.

“I know you’ll have questions about the Dylan program last night. That’s why we sent the statement. We will continue, I will continue to reference the statement,” Ott explained.

“My focus here is on the back-to-back. We obviously didn’t play well last night. All our energy and focus is on moving forward and trying to win tonight.”

On Thursday, the Suns suffered an embarrassing loss to the Chicago Bulls. Although the 105–103 score suggested otherwise, it was one of the worst scores of the season.

Meanwhile, Brooks missed playing time with the Suns due to a fractured left hand. His presence on the field is missed. His scoring, assertiveness and willingness to generate energy at any cost have been overlooked.

Jordan Ott believes Suns not focusing on Dillon Brooks DUI

As Ott said, he would refer to the team’s statement regarding the incident.

“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time,” the statement, courtesy of AZCentral’s Duane Rankin, read.

While it may be a topic of discussion at least for Friday’s game, Ott isn’t letting it become a distraction.

“This is the NBA. There are a lot of nights like this,” he said.

He further explained that this almost matches the completely healthy New Orleans Pelicans roster. No matter how the game script or anything in the game unfolds, in the short term all the conversation may center on Brooks’ DUI.

Fans went wild after Jayson Tatum attempted a one-handed dunk during his season debut in the Boston Celtics’ matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

Tatum finally made his long-awaited debut on March 6. This occurred approximately 10 months after tearing his Achilles in Game 4 of the 2025 East Semifinals against the New York Knicks.

Tatum missed the first 62 games of the season, leaving him with 20 games left to potentially participate. Making his debut against Dallas, he attempted a one-handed dunk in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Even though the rim rejected him, the fans in attendance were happy to see him use that burst of athleticism to improve his health.

TD Garden was almost destroyed after this dunk attempt by Jayson Tatum 👀🗣️

pic.twitter.com/mAajlxH7W

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 7 March 2026

This weekend we found NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 22 Answers to help players earn some free VC. For those new to the series, NBA 2KTV is a weekly in-game program hosted by Alexis Morgan and Chris Manning. Overall, the show features a wide variety of content ranging from interviews with actual players and developers, fan highlights, and more. However, we also understand that everyone watches 2KTV to get VCs by answering questions in each episode. So, we have listed all NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 21 Answers for your convenience.

NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 22 Answers

1. street legend
2. reverse layup
3. proving Grounds
4. 24 seconds
5. proving Grounds
6. College
7. Truth
8. cap breaker
9. Any
10. magicians

Overall, this contains all the answers for NBA 2K26 2KTV Episode 22. To answer a question, you simply press the button that matches the answer you want to choose. The questions appear randomly in each episode, so you’ll have to watch the entire episode to find them all. Answering questions correctly in 2KTV usually rewards the player with VC, although sometimes you can earn something more.

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

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

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

Cooper Flag grew up cheering for the Boston Celtics, and now he’s probably filming a commercial with it The greatest player ever to represent the franchise. Chime dropped a video of Dallas Mavericks rookie and NBA icon Larry Bird preparing to film a commercial for the financial technology company.

Although the Maine native was born three years after Bird was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he must understand the importance of sharing the small screen with the two-time Finals MVP. The flag is moving fast, but an extended meeting with No. 33 is certainly a surreal experience. There is more magic to come, as the 19-year-old will compete at TD Garden for the first time on Friday night.

Larry Bird and Cooper Flagg together for their upcoming commercial

(via @jhankar)pic.twitter.com/UgezYjZZwi

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

The former Duke star has been eyeing this matchup for a long time, but a left medial sprain put this true homecoming in jeopardy. He made it back just in time. After shaking off the rust in Thursday night’s 115-114 loss to the Orlando Magic — 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting with six assists, five rebounds and four blocks — Flagg is poised for a big night in Boston. Maybe Larry Bird is watching.

Mavericks fans have been fed up for the last 13 months, but the No. 1 overall pick is giving them new life. As Bird did for Celtics fans, Flagg’s arrival is a symbol of hope for Dallas sports. If he can accomplish even half of what Larry Legend accomplished, this teenager is headed for a great run.

Cooper flags regularly visit American Airlines Center. On Friday, he’s trying to do the same at “The New Garden.” The Mavs and Celtics are in action at the time of printing.

Donovan Mitchell participated fully in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ latest practice, meaning he is likely to return before the team hosts the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson offered an update on the status of his All-Star guards as well as Max Strus, Jarrett Allen and Dean Wade.

Both Mitchell and Wade were fully engaged in Friday’s session, with Strus performing at about “90 percent” and Allen not practicing.

After missing the last four games with a right groin strain, Mitchell appears to be on his way to returning for Cleveland’s showdown with the Celtics. The same can be said for Wade, who hasn’t played in Milwaukee since Feb. 25 because of a right ankle sprain.

Strus got even tougher on Friday, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, although he likely won’t suit up for the Boston game in two days.

“He could have gone higher,” Atkinson said. “He and I got closer today in a loving way. He’s always going to challenge you. He always brings an energy. He gives 100 percent every practice. Obviously we missed the player, but we missed his personality.

“He and James [Harden] Worked out in a small group before starting, so that was good. It makes you feel optimistic, doesn’t it? You are becoming complete. If you look at it that way, adding Max is like adding another excellent free agent.

How serious is Jarrett Allen’s injury for the Cavs?

Atkinson assured the media that Allen’s right knee injury was “absolutely not long-term.”

“He did some conditioning and treatment, so we’ll see about that,” Atkinson said. “If he is out, it is a short-term thing.”

Allen suffered the illness while attempting to grab a rebound in the opening moments of the second half against the Detroit Pistons and was ruled out for the remainder of Tuesday’s contest.

It doesn’t look like the Cavs’ big man will suit up on Sunday, but we’ll get a clearer picture on Saturday.

Kristaps Porzingis has only played one game for the Golden State Warriors since joining the club from the Atlanta Hawks. After missing the last six games due to a mystery illness, Porzingis gets an inspiring update on his condition.

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, reports indicate the 30-year-old big man was upgraded to questionable on the latest injury report. He’s not guaranteed to play against the Thunder on Saturday, but it’s a great first step in the right direction. Seth Curry, Will Richard, and De’Anthony Melton are all listed as questionable as well.

“Kristaps Porzingis and Seth Curry have been upgraded to questionable for the Warriors last night at Oklahoma City. Both have a chance to return after going through recent on-court work. Will Richard and De’Anthony Melton are also questionable.”

The 10-year veteran has played in just 18 games so far this season (17 with the Hawks, one with the Warriors). In those 18 contests, Porzingis is averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. His field goal percentage is 46.1% while shooting 36.3% from beyond the three-point line.

He missed a large portion of the season due to a prolonged illness, which was initially believed to be postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). In February, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr claimed that Porzingis does not actually have potties. But Kerr quickly walked back those comments, making the whole situation a bit confusing. Either way, Kristaps Porzingis is still battling a mystery illness for several weeks.

The Warriors-Thunder game won’t start until 8:30 pm EST on Saturday. Therefore, Golden State will have most of the day to evaluate Porzingis’ situation and make a final decision.

Dallas Mavericks forward Najee Marshall pays tribute to rookie teammate Cooper Flagg before the Mavericks’ matchup with the Boston Celtics on Friday night at TD Garden.

As Dallas prepares to face off against Boston in under an hour on ESPN, Marshall steps onto the court for pregame warmups wearing a custom T-shirt honoring Flagg’s New England roots. The shirt features a graphic of a pine tree as well as the phrase “In the Flag We Trust” – a nod to the state of Maine, where the flag grew up.

Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News shared an image of Marshall’s shirt on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the moment before Flagg’s Boston homecoming.

The game marks a notable milestone in Flagg’s rookie season as the 19-year-old forward plays in front of an area crowd familiar with his rise. The Maine native has quickly emerged as a central part of the Mavericks’ future during his first NBA campaign.

Here in Boston, a Nazi marshal wears this t-shirt in honor of the Cooper Flag’s homecoming.

“In the Flag We Trust.” 🌲 pic.twitter.com/5JFXVoTjaz

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 6 March 2026

Flagg returned to action Thursday night after missing nearly a month with a left foot sprain. In Dallas’ 115–114 loss to the Orlando Magic, he recorded 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, four blocks and one steal while playing 26 minutes.

Nazi Marshall honors Cooper Flagg’s Boston homecoming as Mavs face Celtics

Through 50 games this season, Flagg has averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range. His all-around production has made him one of the Mavericks’ most consistent contributors during a challenging season.

Dallas enters Friday’s matchup with a 21-41 record while battling several injuries on its roster. Despite the setbacks, the Mavericks have continued to give extended opportunities to young players like Flagg as they evaluate their long-term core.

Meanwhile, Boston has a 41-21 record and is in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics also welcome back star forward Jayson Tatum, who returns from an Achilles injury suffered during last year’s postseason.

Friday’s game at TD Garden represents a homecoming moment for Flagg and another opportunity for the rookie to continue the momentum in his first season.

The primary storyline heading into Friday night’s game between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks is the return of superstar Jayson Tatum after tearing his Achilles 10 months ago. The Celtics are hoping to have Tatum back in the lineup for the final 20 games of the season so that they are in a position to compete for an NBA title with their entire team when the playoffs begin. The other story is that Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg will get a chance to play on the same court as Tatum for the first time in his career.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on Cooper Flagg’s excitement for today’s game:

“He mentioned Tatum as one of the guys he looks up to.”

“It is not easy to play against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it is a big challenge.” pic.twitter.com/taU0G38zwk

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 6 March 2026

Flagg grew up in nearby Maine, and he regularly followed Tatum in his formative years because he admired the way the Celtics superstar played the game.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said Flagg is excited to play in Boston against a player he has followed for several years. “He mentioned Tatum as one of the guys he looks up to,” Kidd said during his media availability before Friday’s game. “It is not easy to play against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it is a big challenge.”

Flagg and the Mavericks come into the game as 14.5-point underdogs against the Celtics. The rookie is averaging 20.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and is recovering from a recent foot injury. The No. 1 pick in last year’s draft has shown that he will likely be a superstar in the coming seasons.

Tatum is scheduled to play his first game since suffering an injury in last year’s second-round playoff game with the New York Knicks. He is a six-time NBA All-Star and partnered with Jaylen Brown to lead the Celtics to the 2024 NBA Championship. Tatum is averaging 23.6 ppg over his eight-year career.

Just weeks after unveiling his newest signature sneaker during a training session, Milwaukee Bucks franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nike recently unveiled their latest creation. Adding to the already extensive Nike Giannis Freak signature line, the new Nike Giannis Freak 8 will make its debut in the coming months.

Check out our sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been signed with Nike since 2017, four years after being drafted in the NBA. As spectacular as his rise to superstardom has been, he’s producing one of the more prominent collections in Nike basketball with only Kevin Durant and LeBron James having more current signature silhouettes with the Swoosh.

Always on the cutting edge when it comes to design and performance, the Nike Giannis Freak 8 appears to follow suit at first glance. Antetokounmpo previously shared a hyper pink colorway, but we can expect a whole bunch in the coming weeks.

Nike Giannis Freak 8

Officer: @nikebasketball Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 8th signature sneaker – Nike Giannis Freak 8 unveiled 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/ArsfhqWNUj

– House of Heat° (@houseofheat) 3 March 2026

OFFICIAL: As Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to the court tonight, Nike officially unveils the Giannis Freak 8. @Giannis_An34

Built to incorporate a full-length Cushionlon 3.0 midsole and feature a wingtip-patterned heel counter.

🗓️ 1 August
💵$115 pic.twitter.com/zO8HGfkUfp

– Sole Retriever (@SoleRetriever) 3 March 2026

Previously, the backwards Nike Swoosh served as a hallmark for Nike Giannis sneakers, so it’s interesting to see a clean, metallic gold Nike Swoosh with minimal branding and a center back. The shoes feature a contrasting tongue in black mesh to match the black laces and sockliner, complete with a gold Giannis logo on the tongue.

As is the case with the Nike Giannis Freak 7, the Freak 8 will feature a 360° cushioned outsole for maximum comfort, extending to the forefoot and rear heel in a “winged” design, reminiscent of the Nike LeBron 23.

The Freak 8 is expected to be released on August 1, 2026 at a standard retail tag of $115. Affordability and fair pricing have always been the central goals of Giannis’ signature line, which is constantly innovating from a performance standpoint while still remaining accessible. The shoes will be available on the Nike SNKRS app and should be available at a wide range of Nike retailers.

What are your thoughts on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s latest Nike signing?

Angel Reese has a lot of experience being in the spotlight, but last week it was her little brother Julian Reese’s turn and she’s been supporting him from the sidelines every step of the way. During JuJu’s first three games with the Washington Wizards, Angel has been vocally in his favor even as he had breakout moments.

“She attacks me before and after every game, just tells me what I need to do. [She] Watches games, tries to message me during halftime, stuff like that. Sometimes I have to push him away from me a little bit, just try to tell him to let me do what I do,” JuJu said with a smile. ”But it’s great to have a sister who always leans on me and tries to see the best for her brother, especially when he’s busy with what he’s doing. Love her till death.”

Julianne Reese on Angel Reese:

“She beats me up before and after every game and tells me what to do… It’s great to have a sister who is always there for me and tries to see the best for her brother… Love her to death” ❤️

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)

pic.twitter.com/PnAo1Jr6oi https://t.co/bqq9f5gUO0

– Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) 6 March 2026

The Wizards signed JuJu to a two-way contract on February 28, and he has played three games so far with the team battling injuries. He had 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals in his first two contests and followed up the success with an 18-point, 20-rebound performance in the third. Angel can be seen cheering for his brother both in person and online.

Angel Reese is courtside watching her brother JuJu Reese in his second career NBA game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2xPhBstc9R

– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) 4 March 2026

JuJu MF Reese. @reese10julian

– Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) 6 March 2026

The Reese siblings clearly have a lot in common on the court, as they have both demonstrated an impressive ability to work on the glass. JuJu set a Wizards franchise rookie record with 10 offensive rebounds in his third outing, while Angel has averaged a double-double with rebounds in each of his last five seasons. They both became the youngest players in their respective leagues to score 18+ points and 10+ offensive boards in a game, proving that the talent for grabbing “Maybounds” runs in their family.

Forever ours♾️ https://t.co/DL7wIA2oWt pic.twitter.com/vGKI4D4ePQ

– Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) 4 March 2026

The Milwaukee Bucks have had an up and down season and sit at 26-35. The biggest story for the Bucks is what’s happening with Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was almost traded by the NBA trade deadline, but remained with Milwaukee for at least the remainder of the season. Now, the biggest story is that Doc Rivers decided to keep Kyle Kuzma on the bench as a coaching decision.

The Bucks were playing the Celtics, and Kuzma did not play due to a coaching decision. Doc Rivers said the goal for the overall lineup is to try different things to find a rhythm, but he did not directly address benching Kyle Kuzma.

Kuzma addressed The Athletic’s Eric Nehm and said that he did not know in advance that it was happening, but he took it seriously and trusted the coaching staff, especially Rivers, given their past success.

“You have to take it seriously,” Kuzma said. “At the end of the day, we trust our coaching staff to make the right decisions on this team or whatever they think can win us games, especially for a guy like Doc. You know, he’s in the top 5 all-time in wins, so he knows basketball.”

Kuzma’s benching did not affect the outcome of the game, as the Celtics defeated the Bucks 108–81, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo returning from injury.

The former Laker was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Bucks midway through the 2024–25 season. In his first full year with the Bucks, the 2020 NBA champion averaged 12.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest, while shooting 48.3% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range in 56 games.

The Bucks are currently the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference and face an uphill battle to make the postseason, even a play-in game. They have also lost four games in a row and don’t look like they are a playoff-caliber team.

It’s been a tough journey for Kuzma, and if he’s still part of the Bucks’ plans moving forward, he still has another season left on his current contract beyond 2025-26. The $20.3 million Kuzma is owed in 2026-27 is also nearly fully guaranteed.

Jayson Tatum is back. One of the game’s brightest stars and reigning NBA champion is ready to return to the court after suffering a severely torn Achilles tendon during last season’s playoffs. Tatum is back after 11 months as the Boston Celtics are the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and look to make another serious run at the NBA Finals.

Even with all the hype surrounding Tatum’s return, there is still a lot of work to be done. The Celtics hosted the Dallas Mavericks after a bad loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Tatum wouldn’t have returned if he didn’t feel 100% ready to make a serious impact. It may take some time to get back to what they were before the injury. But after we all watched him struggle in the early stages of rehab, you know Tatum is happy to get back to doing what he loves.

Tatum took the field Friday night and responded with an “I’m excited” message as he walked down the hallway toward the locker room.

“How does it feel to be back JT?”

“I’m excited.”

Celtics star Jayson Tatum arrives before his first game after tearing his Achilles in the Eastern Conference Semifinals 😊🍀

(via @ESPN)pic.twitter.com/9UDZr7LYnz

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

ClutchPoints’ Celtics reporter Daniel Donabedian wrote that Tatum’s return would make life easier for the Celtics. Sam Howser told them Tatum would fit right back in.

“He’s been around [practice]So I think he’ll be able to fit right in,” he said. “We’ll be able to fit around him.”

The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past few months, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be letting up any time soon. After a slow start to the season, they have found their rhythm on both sides of the ball and are now over .500 for the first time this year, with a chance to move up in the Eastern Conference standings.

Fans have begun to embrace the Hornets’ success, and this is shown by how packed the field is these days, something that Miles Bridges has not seen since his time with the team.

“I’m not used to it,” Bridges said, via Will Eudy. “It’s usually just a few games, like Warriors, Lakers, Knicks. But now, people are coming to games against Portland. Portland is a good team… but people don’t play those type of games. So I’m happy for the fans that they’ll get to experience that.”

I was just at the Hornets shootaround and I asked Miles Bridges about playing in front of noisy crowds every night:

“I’m not used to it. It’s usually just a few games, like the Warriors, Lakers, Knicks. But now, people are coming to games against Portland. Portland is a good… pic.twitter.com/0Gfd4c7o7B

– Will Eudy (@WillEudyNBA) 6 March 2026

The Hornets have played great in their last few games and join the 2017 Golden State Warriors field, tying their streak to six straight games. Winning by 15+ points.

Head coach Charles Lee’s team is playing its best basketball at the right time, and he cited staying healthy as one of the keys to their success during this period.

“It’s been good to have a healthy roster,” Lee said. “It’s definitely played a role in some of the changes we’ve made. But I think our guys have embraced the process even more. It started in the offseason. I thought everyone has increased their work habits, their work standards and their togetherness about how we can lift each other up. We’ve come out stronger through all of this.”

The Hornets are currently the ninth seed in the East, but they could make up some ground and continue to climb depending on what the teams above them do.

New details have emerged regarding the DUI arrest of Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, who was taken into custody Friday morning after attending the team’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix, Brooks was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence shortly after the Suns’ 105–103 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Gambadoro shared an update Friday on X, formerly known as Twitter, and said the incident was not alcohol related.

“From a source – Dillon Brooks was arrested on suspicion of DUI last night after the game. It was not alcohol related but I’m told it was marijuana. He was released without charges. Brooks was asked to blow into a portable breathalyzer and he blew 0, showing no alcohol in his system. Like alcohol, marijuana also debilitates you and impairs your fine motor functions and ability to drive a motor vehicle. Affects.”

TMZ Sports reports that the incident happened around 2:00 a.m. Friday in Scottsdale, Arizona. Brooks was released about an hour later, at about 3:20 p.m. The report said Brooks was “respectful and cooperative” during conversations with authorities before his release. TMZ Sports also published Brooks’ mugshot after his arrest.

Brooks participated in Thursday’s game wearing a black brace on his right hand as he recovers from a broken hand. The veteran forward has not played since the Suns’ 113-110 double-overtime win over the Orlando Magic on Feb. 21.

In that game, Brooks logged seven minutes before being forced out due to injury. He finished with five points and three rebounds while shooting 2-for-7 from the field.

The Suns announced on February 23 that Brooks would be reevaluated in four to six weeks as his recovery progressed.

Suns acknowledge Dillon Brooks DUI situation as new details emerge

Phoenix acknowledged the situation Friday but declined to provide additional comment.

“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time,” the Suns said in a statement reported by AZCentral’s Duane Rankin.

The 30-year-old has been one of Phoenix’s most impactful players this season after arriving in the historic multi-team trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. Brooks quickly emerged as a central part of the Suns’ new identity, providing scoring, defensive intensity and leadership on the wing.

Through 50 games this season, Brooks has averaged a career-high 20.9 points along with 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and one steal per game. He is shooting 44% from the field, 34.3% from three-point range, and a career-best 85.6% from the free-throw line, while averaging 30.6 minutes per contest.

Phoenix entered Friday with a 35-27 record as it continues its push for a playoff position in the Western Conference. Despite the off-court situation involving Brooks, the team is focused on its upcoming schedule.

The Suns are set to face the New Orleans Pelicans (20-44) on Friday night at 6:00 pm PT as they look to maintain momentum during the second half of the season while waiting for further clarity on Brooks’ recovery timeline.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers after suffering a left elbow injury in Thursday night’s 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the team announced.

In the fourth quarter of Thursday’s game in Denver, James suffered a hard fall on a layup attempt. LeBron’s left elbow landed awkwardly and he lay on the ground writhing in pain before the ball went out of bounds and the game was stopped.

The team says LeBron James (left elbow injury) has been listed out for tonight’s game against the Pacers.

LeBron suffered an injury after a hard fall in the final minutes of Lakers-Nuggets game on Thursday night.pic.twitter.com/FILh742gJY

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

After being helped up and walking to the team’s bench, James was still grimacing and holding his elbows in apparent discomfort. Although James returned to the game after being immediately examined on the bench, his elbow was badly wrapped in ice during the team’s postgame media session in the locker room.

James said he would be dealing with the injury “day by day” and that it was a “funny situation, but it’s more serious.”

The Lakers did not provide any official update on his elbow specifically and did not say whether James had further testing for his injury. The good news is that his injury is being listed as an “elbow injury” and he is not expected to miss any length of time.

His next chance to play will be on Sunday at home against the New York Knicks.

Although the Lakers lost in Denver on Thursday night, LeBron had 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and eight assists. With his third shot of the contest, James recorded the 15,838th shot of his career, passing Kareem–Abdul-Jabbar (15,837) for the most field goals made in NBA regular season history.

“At the end of the day, just being added, and having my name mentioned with some of the greatest guys to ever play this game, it’s always humbling and pretty cool,” James said after the game. “I grew up watching, reading, analyzing a lot of great guys. If I ever got away from the NBA, I wanted to put myself in a position to do something like them and put my name up there with some of the greats.”

“So that’s awesome.”

LeBron is also closing in on another record, as once he plays six more games this season, he will surpass Robert Parish (1,611) for most games played in league history.

In 44 games this season, LeBron is averaging 21.4 points, 7.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 50.4 percent from the floor. Friday night will be James’ 19th missed game of the season, his most since missing 27 games during the 2022-23 season in Los Angeles.

According to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, the G League has become a proving ground for NBA veterans to try to return to the league, and the latest to do so is former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, who recently signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors’ affiliate, the 905 Raptors.

Markelle Fultz has not played in the NBA this season after appearing in a few games with the Sacramento Kings last year, and will now attempt to make a comeback with the Raptors G League team. Grange suggests the Raptors could eventually consider Fultz for their 15th roster spot when they can sign someone after March 15.

Fultz was selected with the top pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Once considered a potential franchise cornerstone during ‘The Process’ years, injuries derailed Fultz’s NBA career. He spent two seasons with the 76ers, appearing in only 33 games overall due to injury problems.

He was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic. After a promising first season with the Magic, where he played 72 games and averaged 12.1 points, Fultz suffered another injury, cutting his second year with the team short. He would play three more seasons with the Magic before entering unrestricted free agency after the 2023–24 season.

After being signed by the Kings last year, he appeared in 21 games at a rate of just over eight minutes per game. He averaged 2.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists with splits of 41.8 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

It was another terrific day for Victor Wembanyama as he led the San Antonio Spurs to a 121-106 win over the Detroit Pistons. After the win, Vembanyama equaled a record held before According to State Muse, by Nikola Jokic.

Career Barriers:

573 – Wemby
573 – Jokic

Joker has played 627 more games. pic.twitter.com/zpkuDio7j3

– Statmuse (@statmuse) 6 March 2026

Vembanyama have already put themselves on the map, being a monster on the board and a force on defence. Partly because of him, the Spurs are NBA Finals contenders ahead of schedule in the rebuilding process. His five blocks against the Pistons were another example of dominance on the defensive end, which also included Detroit’s offense.

Vembanyama continued to be a threat on the offensive end, leading the Spurs with 38 points and 16 rebounds. His leadership, along with the strong play of De’Aaron Fox and Stephen Cassel, have revitalized the Spurs and helped put them in a position to compete with the best.

The win against the Pistons improved their record to 45–17, and they are currently in second place in the Western Conference. Wembanyama has dominated the NBA this season and taken the next important step in his development. While much of the NBA thrives on the offensive side of the ball, Wembanyama makes his mark on both ends of the floor.

For years, Jokic had that reputation. While he remains a threat, Vembanyama has officially entered the history books, and he did so in a short period of time. Vembanyama is averaging three blocks per game. Although this is down from his average of 3.8 points last season, his mark on defense still remains strong. Ahead of a big showdown with the Houston Rockets on Sunday, Wembanyama will get another chance to keep the momentum going as the Spurs next host the Los Angeles Clippers.

Former NBA center Kendrick Perkins believes the New Orleans Pelicans should consider a major decision involving Zion Williamson this offseason, suggesting that the franchise evaluate potential trade offers for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Perkins shared his perspective during a recent episode of The Road Trippin’ Show, where he discussed Williamson’s recent improved availability and the Pelicans’ long-term direction.

“If I’m the Pelicans, I’d definitely shop around this offseason to see what kind of assets I can get back,” Perkins said.

“So, with this sample size of Zion, he’s not only helping the Pelicans, but I believe he’s helping himself. And I think it’s too late now…to try to rekindle this relationship and make it work and say he’s going to be our guy?”

The 25-year-old Williamson has delivered one of the healthiest seasons of his NBA career. He recently played 35 consecutive games, the longest such streak of his professional tenure, which has helped change the narrative about his durability.

In 47 games this season, including 40 starts, Williamson is averaging 21.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He is shooting 58.7 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range while playing 29.6 minutes per contest.

“If I’m the Pelicans, I’ll definitely shop him this offseason to see what kind of assets I can get back… It’s too late to restart this relationship.”

Kendrick Perkins thinks New Orleans should trade Zion Williamson

(via @RoadTrippinShow)pic.twitter.com/T4BJBdrjae

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

Despite Williamson’s individual production, the Pelicans have struggled to translate that performance into consistent team success. New Orleans currently sits in 13th place in the Western Conference standings with a 20-44 record, which raises questions about the organization’s long-term roster construction.

Kendrick Perkins questions Zion Williamson’s long-term future with Pelicans

Perkins acknowledged Williamson’s progress this season but questioned whether the forward should remain the centerpiece of the franchise moving forward.

“Do I believe Zion can go and help and be a man for somebody? Absolutely,” Perkins said.

“Like, I believe he can be a second or third option to the main option, but he’s not a cornerstone where you really want to build your franchise.”

Perkins also credited Williamson for reshaping the conversation around his professionalism and accountability during the current season.

Perkins said, “But I believe Zion has changed the story about him.” “Shout out to him because accountability means having tough conversations with people in his circle, leaving some people in his circle, going under Bill Duffy’s wing, and being able to have that level of accountability.”

The Pelicans have not publicly indicated any intention to move Williamson, who remains one of the league’s most talented offensive players even when healthy. However, the team’s record and long-term trajectory could impact how the front office moves forward in the upcoming offseason.

For now, New Orleans is focused on finishing the season. The Pelicans are scheduled to conclude a six-game road trip on Friday night when they face the Phoenix Suns (35-27) at 9:00 pm ET.

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault says Jared McCann’s consistency stands out. Still, he’s learning a lot about his second-year guard after a deadline trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. Amidst the injuries in the defending champions’ backcourt, McCann’s fit with the Thunder has been seamless. Over the course of a dozen games, he is averaging 11.8 points on 41.5/39.5/88.9 percent shooting splits and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Additionally, McCain’s Mid-range touch has devastated opponentsThat’s an aspect of his game Daigneault says he wasn’t familiar with until McCain joined the Thunder, he said, according to Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza.

“His shooting ability. He’s a guy you have to make runs off the line, which opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game — those mid-range games show his strength,” Daigneault said. “He’s going downhill, and he’s able to absorb contact and rise up and shoot a balanced rhythm shot, which is harder than it looks. He makes it look easier than it is. So, he’s done a great job.”

Mark Daigneault on Jared McCain’s mid-range game: “He’s a guy you’ve got to run off the line, that opens up some of those drives. I didn’t know his game well, especially that part of his game, the mid-range game shows his strength. He’s driving downfield and he’s … pic.twitter.com/ICzCnh3l86

– Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) 6 March 2026

Daigneault also praised McCann for being a secondary playmaker for the shorthanded Thunder, who are missing players like Ajay Mitchell, who has been out since January, and Alex Caruso, who has been in and out of the lineup. All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from an abdominal injury in Friday’s 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets.

He had not played since Feb. 3, and Caruso, dealing with a left hip injury, left Wednesday’s 103–100 win against the New York Knicks, as did Isaiah Hartenstein with a left calf injury.

Jared McCann continues to grow for the Thunder

Across a 12-game sample size, Thunder guard Jared McCann has made his presence felt on both ends of the floor, making life easier for his new teammates. In the recent 121-113 win against the Cavs, Jaylin Williams and McCann led the Thunder’s bench production while the defending champions were playing without All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Alex Caruso.

Isaiah Joe, who got the nod to start for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, explained how McCann’s influence opened up offensive opportunities he didn’t have before.

“It puts the defense in a dilemma whether to help or not, and it kind of creates driving lanes, even when they went box-and-1, and they made that run, we were still getting really good looks,” Joe said. “I think Lou got some wide-open shots – Jay-Will, Chet. The shot didn’t fall, but given that severity, we just try to find ways to either get looks, take shots, and a lot of times it creates opportunities for other guys, and creates other opportunities for everybody else.”

McCann and the Thunder will look to extend their four-game winning streak when they host the Warriors on Saturday.

The Dallas Mavericks welcomed rookie star Cooper Flagg to the lineup Thursday against the Orlando Magic, a game that came down to execution in the clutch. It was the Magic who secured a 115–114 victory after a late-game dunk by Wendell Carter Jr.

But Cooper Flagg had spectacular moments of his own, helping the Mavericks score four points in the final 37 seconds of the game. Flagg scored on an and-one to give the Mavericks control of the game. But they couldn’t maintain the lead and surrendered a 3-point shot to Jalen Suggs just before Carter’s dunk.

According to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, after the game, Flagg talked about his comfort level playing in tough time situations.

“I would say I’m pretty comfortable. Obviously we’ve been in a lot of these situations this season,” Flagg said. “We haven’t won one of those, but it’s all a learning experience for us right now. That’s what we have to take away from this. We’ve got to learn, we’ve got to get better. We’ll be in a ton of these situations moving forward next year. Just taking it in and learning. I’m pretty comfortable at this point.”

Flagg finished the game with a well-rounded stat line of 18 points, five rebounds, six assists, one steal and four blocked shots in his return from injury. He played 26 minutes and shot 7 of 22 from the field, 1 of 4 from the 3-point line, and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line.

One of the frontrunners for the Rookie of the Year award along with Con Knueppel, Flagg was sidelined before the All-Star break with a foot injury.

He has played just over 33 minutes per game in 50 games this season. He is averaging 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, 30.1 percent from the 3-point line and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line.

BOSTON – Dozens of media members crowded around the practice court’s baseline at the Auerbach Center on Friday morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who was officially upgraded to questionable after being listed out (due to an Achilles rupture) for the Green team’s first 62 games of the 2025-26 campaign. However, Tatum remained in the weight room and largely out of sight of the many cameras aimed at him.

Jayson Tatum talks to Derrick White while working out at the Auerbach Center: pic.twitter.com/LZUnypLOOa

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 6 March 2026

Celtics wing Sam Houser was the journeyman in the media arena. He was immediately mobbed by reporters eager for any updates on Tatum ahead of the Celtics’ Friday night showdown with the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Although Houser didn’t say whether Tatum would play in less than 12 hours, he did praise him.

“Obviously he’s a really great player, great guy,” he told the media. “He does a lot of things on the basketball court that are very difficult, but he makes it look really easy.”

Sam Hauser on Jayson Tatum and what he could add to the Celtics this season:

“He takes a lot of things on the basketball court that are hard, and makes them look very easy.” pic.twitter.com/wuOsnvHs5c

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 6 March 2026

Without Tatum, the Celtics have posted a 41–21 record and are in second place in the Eastern Conference. These facts alone make it an impressive season for the C’s, but as always, they want a ring – and for that they need their missing piece.

“We only have 20 games left, so whenever that happens, it’s going to be a quick process,” Hauser said of reinserting Tatum into the lineup. “And as much grace as you want for that, we really don’t have that luxury.”

Returning from an Achilles injury is no joke in the NBA, and returning so late in the regular season presents another unique challenge. However, Hauser was not too concerned about acclimating Tatum.

“He’s been around [practice]So I think he’ll be able to fit right in,” he said. “We’ll be able to fit around him.”

There is no precedent for a second-place team adding a six-time All-Star to its roster in the midst of a playoff push. Hauser, like many of his peers, welcomed the relatively new obstacle.

He said, “We all have to figure it out right away, and it’s a good thing for us to solve the problem whenever it comes up, and sort things out on our own.” “But I think, overall, it’s positive.”

For now, Tatum is still questionable, but it’s worth noting that he said months ago that he planned to come back from the injury at home. Following Friday’s home game against the Mavericks, the Celtics will embark on a three-game road trip and will not return to Beantown until March 14.

Whether or not Tatum returns home soon, or whether he gets back on the court at all, won’t affect Hauser’s high opinion of him.

“He’s humble in who he is, his approach every day,” Hauser complimented. “He works hard, gets himself treated, he’s a good person, he’s a good father. I think that says a lot more than just the player.”

Washington DC – The Washington Wizards lost 122-112 at home to the Utah Jazz on Thursday, but it was a perfect night for the franchise. Between star guard Trae Young’s Wizards debut, tank standings and rookie big man Julian “JuJu” Reese’s historic outing, there was a lot to like.

Head coach Brian Keefe spoke openly about Young’s on-court leadership after the game.

“People love it, they generate energy and confidence for their teammates,” he said. “There’s an energy he plays with, the unselfishness he plays with, that thing is contagious. You can feel it with our passing. He’s a scorer too, but his unselfishness… that’s the thing I really believe is contagious. The ball was moving around well and I was really happy with that.”

According to Keefe, eight of Washington’s 10 players dished out multiple assists and eight scored in double figures. The only one who didn’t do so was guard Jaden Hardy, who recorded four points (1-7 FG, 1-4 3-point) with one assist in 11 minutes.

Young finished with 12 points (4-9 FG, 1-5 3-point) with six assists, two rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes, but the excitement he brought to Capital One Arena couldn’t be measured by the box score. The 27-year-old, many among the 17,689 fans, was left screaming for his first bucket, a behind the back fake pass Another drive, another three, and more highlights.

Try Young Wizards Debut Highlights

12 points – 6 assists (19 minutes) 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dkrxtygMwK

– WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) 6 March 2026

Young is on a minutes restriction as he recovers from knee and quad injuries that limited him to just 10 games played for the Atlanta Hawks this season before being traded to the Wizards on Jan. 7, but Thursday still showed why the latter team acquired him. The four-time All-Star’s ability to get to the rim and create open looks for teammates has been foreign to Washington since the John Wall era, outside of Russell Westbrook’s tenure with the team in 2020-21. Instead of a committee approach at point guard, the squad finally has an engine.

Along with big men Alex Sarr (hamstring) and Anthony Davis (finger), Young primarily set up the other guards for three-point attempts. The former All-NBA honoree assisted two-way forward Leakey Black, third-year guard Bilal Quibly, rookie guard Trey Johnson (twice), and second-year guard Bub Carrington on long-range buckets. Overall, he was responsible for 29 points.

At the same time, the Wizards still lost to the Jazz, who were without starters such as forward Lauri Markkanen (hip), forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), and guard Keyonte George (ankle). This gives them more relief to tank in the standings, as they have the fourth-worst record (16-46) while Utah is fifth-worst (19-44). Washington would have to finish with a bottom-four record this summer to be guaranteed to retain their top-eight protected lottery selection.

Plus, the team is now just one game ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers, who are tied for second-worst. Finishing second worst would guarantee selection in the top six, while finishing third worst would guarantee selection in the top seven, and so on.

For now, Wizards fans can enjoy finally having a star player in the lineup again before the franchise focuses on winning games next season and beyond.

JuJu Reese makes the most of Wizards’ opportunities

With Davis out since the beginning of January, Washington did not have much depth after sending Marvin Bagley to the Dallas Mavericks in the Davis deal on February 4. Sir has not played since a 132-101 loss to the Miami Heat on Feb. 8, and backup seven-footer Tristan Vukcevic (thigh) has not played since a 134-125 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

Enter Reese. The Wizards signed the Baltimore native to a two-way contract on Saturday and thrust him into the starting center role for Monday’s 123-118 home loss to the Houston Rockets, his NBA debut. He started again in a 126-109 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and had 18 points (5-7 FG), 20 rebounds (10 offensive), two assists and a block in 38 minutes on Thursday. His rebounds were the most by any rookie this season and the most by any Washington rookie since Tom Gugliotta (20) against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 29, 1993. Additionally, her sister Angel Reese was the youngest WNBA player to record more than 18 points and more than 10 offensive rebounds in a game last season, and she is the youngest NBA player to do so this season.

JuJu told ClutchPoints his impressions of the Wizards organization after the game.

I asked JuJu Reese his first impressions of the Wizards:

“Great team, great organization. Great for developing guys. A lot of guys have come here who are good players and make a lot of money, they told me that right away. Just try to maximize your talent…” pic.twitter.com/oPz6sJp3gh

-Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) 6 March 2026

“Great team, great organization. Great for developing guys,” the former Maryland Terrapin said. “There are a lot of people who come here who are good players and make a lot of money, they told me that right away. Just try to maximize your talent…”

Since general manager Will Dawkins and president Michael Winger took over in 2023, Washington’s development program has built a foundation of young talent led by Sarr, second-year wing Kishawn George (UCL), Johnson, Coulibaly and Carrington. Reese will need more than one historic game against another tanking team to be a part of that long-term group, but if he continues to perform like this he’ll give the front office something to think about.

Next up for the Wizards is a road date with the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg is expected to be available on Friday night when Dallas faces the Boston Celtics, while veteran guard Klay Thompson looks probable on the team’s latest injury report.

Dallas released its updated report ahead of the matchup at the TD Garden, listing Thompson as probable with a right adductor contusion. Meanwhile, Flagg did not appear on the injury report after recently returning from a left medial sprain that kept him out of action for nearly a month.

The 19-year-old rookie returned to action in a 115-114 loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night in Dallas. Flagg finished with 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, four blocks and one steal, while shooting 7-of-22 from the field and 1-for-4 from three-point range in 26 minutes.

Flagg has emerged as one of the Mavericks’ key contributors during his rookie campaign. In 50 games this season, the forward is averaging 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range in 33.9 minutes per game.

Thompson also had a strong performance in Thursday’s close loss, leading Dallas with 24 points. The 36-year-old finished with four rebounds, one assist and one steal while hitting 7 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc in 26 minutes.

Now in his second season with Dallas, Thompson is averaging 11.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 55 games, including eight starts. The veteran guard is shooting 39.1% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range while playing 22 minutes per game.

Mavericks’ injury report shows multiple absences ahead of Celtics matchup

The Mavericks enter Friday’s contest with a 21-41 record as they continue to navigate a roster plagued by multiple injuries.

Dallas’ full injury report includes several key players:

• Marvin Bagley III – Questionable (neck sprain)
• Moussa Cisse – Questionable (G League Two-Way)
• Daniel Gafford – questionable (right ankle injury management)
• Kyrie Irving – Out (left knee surgery)
• Derek Lively II – out (right foot surgery)
• John Poulakidas – Questionable (G League Two-Way)
• Tyler Smith – Questionable (G League Two-Way)
• Klay Thompson – probable (right adductor fusion)
• Brandon Williams – probable (left quad contusion)

Dallas will face a Celtics team that enters the matchup at 41-21, the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston will be a big boost with star forward Jayson Tatum returning from an Achilles injury suffered during last year’s postseason.

Friday’s game marks the beginning of a challenging stretch for the Mavericks as they look to stabilize their rotation while dealing with several injuries.

Tipoff between the Mavericks and Celtics is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET at TD Garden, with the game being televised nationally on ESPN.

The Philadelphia 76ers is the biggest fantasy game of the 2025-26 NBA season. Many fans believe this team has a legitimate chance to make the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter century, but that can only happen if Joel Embiid is healthy and playing at an impressive level. The former MVP-winning center has missed half the campaign and is currently dealing with an oblique strain. According to PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson, he’s still at least a week away from returning to the court.

Embiid has begun individual strength and conditioning work, but it remains to be seen when he will participate in practice. The Sixers will reevaluate their injury-plagued big man and hope for some good news.

Additionally, standout rookie VJ Edgecombe did not practice due to a back injury suffered Tuesday. His status for Saturday’s road matchup vs. the Atlanta Hawks is uncertain. Fortunately, veteran forward Kelly Oubre Jr. was back in action after missing the last two contests due to illness. He is expected to take the field at State Farm Arena.

Philadelphia (34-28) has endured ups and downs all season, but this is not the ideal time to endure abundant adversity. Nick Nurse’s team remains in sixth place in the East, trying hard to overcome the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat and scorching Charlotte Hornets.

With Paul George serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, the 76ers need a healthy No. 21 even more.

76ers’ Joel Embiid can still dominate opponents

Despite his obvious physical limitations, Embiid is still an offensive powerhouse on the floor. He is scoring 26.6 points per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field this season.

Before suffering his latest setback, the two-time scoring champion was beginning to find his rhythm from 3-point range. He missed 42.9 percent of his attempts from distance in five February games. If Joel Embiid is shooting from all spots on the hardwood, this group can compete with anyone in the conference. Defenses will be pushed to their limits trying to stop five-time All-NBA selection Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Paul George.

But how many more “ifs” can fans endure? He has experienced firsthand the heartache that can come from setting high expectations. Regardless of how Embiid progresses through his recovery, the Sixers are having an entertaining campaign that should leave the city feeling optimistic about the long-term future of the franchise.

Nobody wants to admit it, but at this point, everything else will be a bonus. This is just the reality of the situation.

Lately, Anthony Edwards has been on a roll. Recently, Edwards passed Kobe Bryant by having the second most 40-point games before turning 25. As a result, he is now behind Michael Jordan.

If that wasn’t enough, Edwards received a special honor from NBA legend Carmelo Anthony on the Brooklyn Podcast at 7 p.m. Overall, Anthony said Edwards is by far the top player in the league.

“I think Ant Edwards is the best player in the NBA. I think he brings everything. He brings intelligence, he accepts the challenge. His stats speak for themselves. Taking his team to multiple WCFs as a young player. His teammates are saying it. His teammates are saying ‘Ant is the guy right now.’ If you look at the trajectory, the energy, the IT factor, the early success, the wins, moving an organization forward. I must say, he is the one.”

Carmelo Anthony believes Anthony Edwards is the best player in the NBA:

“I think Ant Edwards is the best player in the NBA. I think he brings everything. He brings intelligence, he takes on challenges. His stats speak for themselves. Taking your team so many times as a young player… pic.twitter.com/R7eWtANRb2

– NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) 6 March 2026

So far, Edwards is averaging 29.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. On Thursday, Edwards finished with 22 points and four rebounds as the Timberwolves defeated the Toronto Raptors 115–108. As a result, the Timberwolves are 40–23, in third place in the Western Conference standings.

Additionally, Edwards is thinking about his plans to play in the NFL if he wins an NBA title before turning 30.

In February, Edwards won All-Star Game MVP. Additionally, he displays efficiency in scoring and 3-point shooting. He is shooting 49.5% from the field and 40.6% from the 3-point line.

Additionally, he is a four-time NBA All-Star and a 2024 Olympic gold medalist.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the league office are in the process of developing new anti-tanking rules for the 2026-27 season. In addition to contacting all 30 general managers in the league about the issue after the All-Star break in February, Silver talked about the idea of ​​tanking throughout the league and what he plans to do about it on Friday.

“We’re going to make substantial changes for next year,” Silver said at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston on Friday morning, per Mike Vorkunov and Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “On the one hand, you could completely separate the draft from teams’ records… That would be a huge shock to the system. We can’t completely predict where we’re going to go, but I’m an incrementalist.”

In conversations with the Board of Governors, Competition Committee and league general managers, Silver and the NBA have begun discussing several concepts to end tanking.

Some of the changes discussed in talks include modifying the way pick protection works, freezing lottery odds on a specific date in the season, eliminating the possibility of teams receiving the top four picks in consecutive years, allocating lottery odds based on a two-year window, leveling the odds for all teams, etc.

This new concept, proposed and discussed by Silver in Boston on Friday, would certainly be a “substantial change,” as first-round draft picks would no longer be determined by where all 30 teams finish in the final standings. Essentially, this will make tanking irrelevant as trying to lose games to get a better draft pick will no longer be relevant.

At this time, it’s unclear what exactly the league’s anti-tanking rules will change. Silver was simply giving a glimpse of what some of the topics being discussed are and what scrimmages may be on the horizon ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Adam Silver, the NBA is already punishing tanking

While the league continues to evaluate the tanking scenario and changes that need to be made, Silver acknowledged there is a difference between organizations that are rebuilding and those that have already lost a season.

The NBA does not want to punish teams for playing their young players late in the season, but rather wants to prevent teams from signing out too many players with the intention of losing.

The Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz both received heavy fines for the same reason.

While the Pacers were fined $100,000 for violating the player participation policy by excluding players deemed healthy by an independent physician, the Jazz were fined $500,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league.”

Utah removed star talents such as Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. from their games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat on February 7 and February 9, respectively, before the fourth quarter, and neither player returned for the final 12 minutes of the game.

Upon review, the NBA stated that both players were able to continue playing, but the Jazz decided not to reinstate them, leading the league to believe that the Jazz were intentionally trying to lose. Ultimately, the Jazz lost to the Magic 120–117 after blowing a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Utah actually defeated the Heat 115–111 without Markkanen and Jackson playing in the fourth.

On Friday, Silver acknowledged that he’s more concerned about the moral changes in tanking this year due to what he called the “perfect storm” of a promising draft this June, which will be followed by less-talented draftees over the next few years, according to Weiss.

“There’s been a stigma around certain behaviors, and I think that’s a broader societal issue. I think in other aspects of society, the guardrails have come down a little bit.”

During his annual All-Star Weekend press conference, Silver said that tanking during the 2025–26 NBA season is “worse” than ever in recent memory and that the league will consider “every possible measure” to fix the problems that exist within the current draft and lottery system.

As a result, Silver and the NBA will spend much of the next few months implementing the new changes before the 2026-27 season officially begins in July.

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, when the LA Clippers traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline, there were two teams in particular who reportedly jumped to inquire about Kawhi Leonard’s availability. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Ramona Shelburne, it was revealed on Friday that one of the teams interested in a potential Kawhi Leonard trade with the Clippers was the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors’ original trade deadline targets were believed to be Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaren Jackson Jr. His interest in Kawhi Leonard was ignited after the Clippers trades, which seemingly signaled a reset. When none of those potential deals came to fruition, the Warriors turned to their backup plan which was the Kristaps Porzingis trade.

Leonard is entering the final year of his contract with the Clippers, which is worth approximately $50.3 million. Siegel suggests he may once again attract trade interest from opposing teams. This could be a similar situation to when the Toronto Raptors traded for Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard was in the final year of his deal at the time, and ultimately left the franchise in free agency after only one season. But it was still a success for the Raptors because it got them a championship.

Despite injury problems the past few seasons, Leonard has been relatively healthy this year and has been among the NBA’s top players. He has appeared in 47 games at a rate of just over 32 minutes per game. He averaged career-highs of 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals while splitting 49.7 percent shooting from the field, 37.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 90.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Kasparus Jakusionis has been playing a valuable role with the Miami Heat during his rookie season. After a ball-dominant freshman season at Illinois, the No. 20 pick’s dramatic shooting improvement has allowed him to catch up with Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and others.

After shooting 31.8 percent from three with Illinois, Jacusionis is shooting 44.0 percent from three on 7.5 attempts per 100 possessions this season. The 19-year-old leads all rookies in three-point percentage (minimum 30 attempts).

“Kas has really been working on it, and he’s obviously one of our better three-point shooters,” Erik Spoelstra said after Thursday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets. “I don’t know if you can make that case in July. He was a good three-point shooter, but he’s really refined it. His release is sharp. His reps are always at the top of our roster in the gym. And he’s able to do a little bit more going forward now, and it really helps us. We need that differentiation, we need his creativity, we need the things he can do off the dribble, but we look at his shooting, others. He is getting the benefits of playing. And he will get even better.”

“It’s hard to find players that can do both. They can make plays off the ball and move and get into open spaces. He’s also a very good, smart catch-and-go guy. But in his one year at Illinois, he was ball dominant, so he’s one of those guys. It won’t be as much with us right now, but you can see he’ll have a skill set that he can lean on as well.”

Jacusionis’ floor spacing has allowed him to make an immediate impact.

Kasparas Jakusionis getting attention amid shooting improvement with Heat

According to CleaningTheGlass, the Heat score 3.7 more points per 100 possessions with the rookie on the court versus off. This is the fifth-best mark in the NBA among all players under the age of 22.

“He’s not hesitating. He’s not really thinking about it. He’s just catching and just shooting it,” Bam Adebayo said. “When you’re in that kind of rhythm, we want you to just catch and shoot. Don’t overthink it. Because a lot of times that’s going to be the best shot you’re going to get. So for Kass, it’s just keeping it simple for him.”

Jaksionis would play a key role in the Heat’s playoff run in the final 19 games of the regular season. The Lithuanian guard has played 19.8 minutes per game over the past five weeks, eighth-most on the team.

The Heat are struggling to avoid falling in the Eastern Conference Play-in Tournament for the fourth consecutive season. Miami, the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are separated by half a game for the East’s sixth to eighth seeds.

After the Charlotte Hornets extended their winning streak to six with a 118-89 win against the Boston Celtics, head coach Charles Lee may have reminded Philadelphia 76ers fans of his old “trust the process” slogan. Injuries have been a frequent hindrance for the Hornets, limiting their growth in the past. With a young team like Charlotte’s, some parallels can be drawn with the young, promising 76ers of nearly a decade ago.

Lee says health has limited the Hornets’ potential, which is now blossoming this season, amid a team’s playoff potential that has boosted its record over .500 to 32-31, he said, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.

“It’s been good to have a healthy roster,” Lee said. “It’s definitely played a role in some of the changes we’ve made. But I think our guys have embraced the process even more. It started in the offseason. I thought everyone has increased their work habits, their work standards and their togetherness about how we can lift each other up. We’ve come out stronger through all of this.”

For Hornets center Moussa Diabate, beating the Celtics, who are in second place in the Eastern Conference standings, is an impressive feat for a young team, but it is also a testament to how much the Hornets have improved.

“They [Celtics] is a great team, we also believe we are a great team,” Diabate said, per Boone. “At the end of the day, we’re not trying to focus too much on them. Obviously, we want to win the game, but if we focus on what we have to do it will win on its own. For us, that’s a great thing, it’s a good message to the league as well – understand that the Hornets are here.

Amid a six-game winning streak, Charles Lee and the Hornets have won seven of their last 10 games.

ESPN analyst warns about Hornets’ recent surge

One could argue that this is the most exciting time to be a Hornets fan since the 1990s, as head coach Charles Lee has led his team to a 32-31 record, which few expected ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. With only 19 games left in the regular season, the Hornets are moving at an ideal time, which could make them a tough first round opponent In the playoffs, as Alan Hahn reported on ESPN’s Get Up.

“There’s a dragon slayer hiding in plain sight. They’re in the play-ins right now. They’re seeded 9th. They’re finally at .500 for the first time, I think, since Grandmama and Muggy Boggs. We haven’t seen them play like this for a long time, but they’re that team with this offense, and a defense, by the way, that’s in the top 3 these 20 games,” Hahn said.

The Hornets’ well-balanced attack on both ends of the floor makes them a tough matchup for the top Eastern Conference teams.

“Not only are they playing great offense, they’re playing great defense,” Hahn said. “They’re the team that, if you’re a contender, if you’re a higher seed, No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3, and you have to face them in the first round, you don’t want to do that because they’re unknowns and they can play free as well.”

🗣️ @alanhahn: “A dragon slayer hiding in plain sight. They’re in the play-ins right now. They’re the 9th seed. I think, after Grandmama and Muggy Boggs, they’re finally at .500 for the first time. We haven’t seen them play like that in a long time, but they’re that team… pic.twitter.com/Gze5F5ANwA

– r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) 5 March 2026

The Hornets will look to extend their winning streak to seven when they host the Heat on Friday.