標籤: Breaking

There’s a lot of pressure on Sunny Mehta to get it right this upcoming offseason with the New Jersey Devils.

Part of this will be re-signing not only pending free agents, but also those eligible to sign extensions. So what will those contracts look like?

More on that in the link.

Plus, the Devils at the World Championship, and breaking bias in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: In the latest contract projections, is Nico Hischier going to cost the Devils more than $11 million per year? That and all the other major contract projections inside.

Speaking of Hischier, he and Timo Meier helped dominate Germany as Switzerland continued their dominant run at the World Championships.

And while we’re on the subject of dominant performances, Lenny Haminaho had a performance of his own yesterday when Finland thwarted the USA.

Well, looking ahead, there is a player in the 2026 NHL Draft who – if he were a little taller – could be selected in the top 3. His name is Viggo Bjork, and Daniel Amoia advocates that the Devils should consider him at 12th overall if he falls that far.

📺 devil’s rink report:Sunny Mehta has a lot to do this summer. One of those things involves addressing the elephant in the room with Dougie Hamilton, as I mentioned in the last clip on the Devils Rink Report.

Here’s what else he needs to do:

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Chicago hockey now: Ilya Mikheyev is a pending free agent. However, after several attempts by the Chicago Blackhawks to re-sign the veteran forward, it seems they are ready to move on as they are shopping his rights.

Montreal hockey now: Alex Newhook called the game for the Montreal Canadiens when he scored in overtime to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in Game 7 vs. the Buffalo Sabers last night.

Athletic ($): There is already interest in Craig Berube, who was released by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Apparently, he may remain north for his next interview with the Edmonton Oilers.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The Philadelphia 76ers have already square off against the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Now we’ve learned they’ll be without Joel Embiid for Game 2 on Wednesday night.

The big man will be out of tonight’s game due to soreness in his ankle and hip. He was unable to participate in the team’s morning shootaround. As Shams Charania said, Embiid was “getting treatment around the clock for his efforts to play.”

The Knicks beat Philly 137-98 in Game 1, even with Embiid in the lineup. New York limited the former league MVP to 3-of-11 shooting for 14 points and just four rebounds. He averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in four games against the Boston Celtics in the first round, helping the Sixers win the series in seven games.

Embiid was still recovering from an emergency appendectomy near the end of the regular season, which caused him to miss the first three games of the Boston series.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse expected to return for Game 2

Meanwhile, head coach Nick Nurse is expected to sit out Game 2 after leaving the team under tragic circumstances after Game 1. He attended the funeral of his brother Steve, who was 62. His death was unexpected.

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their late-season streak by defeating the Indiana Pacers 137-130 on Wednesday night behind another stellar performance from Luka Doncic. The Slovenian star finished with 43 points, seven assists and six rebounds, his league-leading 14th 40-point game of the season.

Setting the pace early, Doncic scored 21 points in the first quarter, his eighth instance of a 20-point span this season, approaching Stephen Curry’s 2015–16 record of 11. He reached 11 consecutive 30-point games, equaling the longest streak in the last 20 years.

The 27-year-old has been historically productive during this period, averaging 40.7 points on the Lakers’ six-game road trip, the first player to average 40 over that span since Michael Jordan in 1986-87. He currently leads the NBA in scoring with 33.6 points per game.

Doncic shot 15 of 30 from the field and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, including five 40-point games in his last 11 outings.

Los Angeles (47-26) took control of the game early and went on a 10-0 run to lead 45-28 after one quarter. They led by 29 points and entered the fourth quarter ahead 105–85 before Indiana (16–57) made a late push to cut the margin to six in the final minute.

LeBron James contributed 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, while Austin Reaves finished with 25 points and eight assists. Jackson Hayes recorded his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Playing without Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart, the Lakers finished the road trip 5-1 and have now won 13 of their last 15 games. They sit in third place in the Western Conference with nine games remaining and next host the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.

Recently, the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their ninth consecutive win with a narrow road win over the Orlando Magic. Its hero was Luke Kennard, who inexplicably got wide open on the final play of the game and buried a three-pointer to give Los Angeles a one-point victory.

In this game, Lakers star LeBron James passed Boston Celtics legend Robert Parish for the record for most regular season games played in NBA history and now, Parish himself has taken to social media to congratulate James on the feat.

“Congratulations on passing the most games played 1611!! It’s a great moment for me as you continue to strive for greatness/excellence with grace and respect for the game!!” Parrish wrote on X, formerly on Twitter.

James has indeed accrued 23 years of NBA advantage on his body, but has still continued to produce at a high level, recently having a stretch of several games where he made 20 of his last 21 shots.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are playing their best basketball at the right time this season, separating themselves from the pack in the race for the third seed in the Western Conference, and are currently on a nine-game winning streak, with many of those wins coming against playoff competition.

During the hot stretch, James has been more willing to outplay both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in the Lakers’ offense, but more importantly, Los Angeles is playing much better defense with quicker rotations, better on-ball defense and communication than at any other point in the Doncic era.

Los Angeles will look to make it ten consecutive wins when it takes the field for a road game against the Detroit Pistons on Monday evening.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a game-winning triple to beat the Denver Nuggets 129-126, tying Wilt Chamberlain’s record for most consecutive 20+ point games in NBA history. In a duel between the two leading MVP candidates, Gilgeous-Alexander topped Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets with a 35-point performance, and finished with back-to-back threes with just 3.3 seconds left in the game.

A night when Gilgeous-Alexander equaled NBA history Most consecutive 20+ point gamesHe explained how achieving such an astonishing league record had not even crossed his mind until his postgame media availability, he said.

Gilgeous-Alexander said, “It’s still a lot to wrap around in my mind. To be honest, I try not to think about it, especially during the season. There’s a lot going on. A lot of things have to go right to get what you ultimately want.” “That’s my 100 percent focus, especially in a basketball context. It’s special to interact with a guy like that (Wilt Chamberlain).

“It’s crazy to think that where I was 10 years ago, I would be here today. You work hard. You trust the process. You look up, and great things can happen to you, and I’m proof of that.”

SGA on equaling Wilt Chamberlain’s record for most consecutive 20+ point games (126): “Honestly, I try not to think about it, especially during the season. There’s a lot going on…

But to interact with a guy like that (Wilt Chamberlain) is special. It’s crazy to think… pic.twitter.com/Mdfj7jVSDp

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 10 March 2026

After Gilgeous-Alexander connected on his second-to-last 3-pointer to give the Thunder a four-point cushion, Jokic responded with a 3-pointer of his own. At the same time, Jaylin Williams drew a foul on Christian Braun, who tied the game at the free-throw line (126). Then, SGA sealed the Thunder’s victory with another triple.

He also went 14 of 21 from the floor, including 3 of 7 from deep, with 15 assists, nine rebounds, one steal and one block. Jokic recorded a triple-double (32 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists) and one block.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on his game-winner vs. the Nuggets

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander equaled Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record and then left an indelible mark with Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic at the end of this year’s MVP race. One could argue that Gilgeous-Alexander has just caught up with him in the race Game-winning 3-pointerAmid a 35-point performance, the shorthanded Thunder managed to defeat the Nuggets for the second time in 10 days.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (35 PTS) game-winner beats Nuggets 129-126 pic.twitter.com/r9gpVMBY0y

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 10 March 2026

Without Thunder starters Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein, Gilgeous-Alexander led his team to a tough win against the Nuggets. In a game that went down to the wire, SGA helped the defending champions earn the victory while sending a message to the Nuggets and the rest of the Western Conference about the reigning MVP’s dominance.

The Thunder are on a six-game winning streak.

LeBron James has spent more than two decades rewriting the NBA record books, but his latest milestone holds a special kind of significance. On Thursday night at Ball Arena, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar officially became the league’s all-time leader in field goals, surpassing the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Entering the game needing only two buckets to claim the throne, James wasted no time. With 8:12 remaining in the first quarter, he added his signature 14-foot turnaround jumper to tie the record. Moments later, he passed Abdul-Jabbar’s mark of 15,837 with his 15,838th career field goal. Despite the hostile Denver crowd, the game stopped briefly as the accomplishment flashed in the Jumbotron, marking another chapter in the “Kings'” career.

“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 told Spectrum SportsNet after the game. “I grew up watching, reading, analyzing a lot of great works.”

LeBron James makes the most field goals in NBA 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 been humbling and pretty cool. It’s a great thing. I grew up watching,… https://t.co/7XAXtJ1OV8 pic.twitter.com/1ZU3Qk3vur

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

While the history was perfect, the game itself was a war. The Los Angeles Lakers struggled early against a surging Denver Nuggets team, falling 16–3. James finished the night with 16 points on 7 of 15 shooting, adding five rebounds and eight assists before exiting prematurely due to an elbow injury. Luka Doncic led the Lakers scoring with 27 points, but it was not enough to overcome the balanced Nuggets attack.

Nikola Jokic dominated with a triple-double, posting 28 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, while Jamal Murray added 28 points to secure a 120–113 victory for Denver. The loss drops the Lakers to 31-31, leaving them in a tight race for a postseason berth.

Even in defeat, the night belonged to James. At 41, he continues to bridge the gap between the legends he once studied and the history he is currently making.

MIAMI – Miami Heat captain Bam Adebayo is chasing Udonis Haslem’s record for most rebounds in team history, reaching a milestone in that goal on Tuesday. The Heat’s star in Adebayo displayed his defensive ability in Tuesday night’s 124-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets as he sent Haslem a message about getting closer to his record.

While Haslem still holds the record for most rebounds with 5,791, his defensive rebound mark of 4,176 has been broken by Adebayo, who now totals 4,180 after grabbing eight of them on Tuesday. Adebayo and Haslem have a close relationship off the court, but there is also a friendly rivalry due to the star’s speed, which is likely to see the 28-year-old break the overall record soon with 235 boards adrift.

“I’m on the way. He knows it, that gap is getting closer and closer,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints after scoring a game-high 23 points with nine rebounds. “Being a part of this organization, the guys ahead of me, there are records to be broken, but they want you to earn them. And obviously, I’m earning it every game, and at some point, it’s going to happen.”

However, in search of the full record, asked Bam Adebayo about breaking Udonis Haslem’s defensive rebound record:

“I’m on my way man, he knows it, that gap is getting closer and closer…” #HeatNation

Full response: pic.twitter.com/dXdee71zZg

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 4 March 2026

Bam continues to make franchise history 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Kd2g1FfMPv

– Miami Heat (@MiamiHEAT) 4 March 2026

In addition to breaking records, the Heat’s Bam Adebayo is also playing elite defense

Adebayo is also demonstrating that he is one of the league’s best defensive players, as he led the NBA in defensive rating (99.7) in February. After the rare occurrence of not making the NBA’s All-Defensive team last season, he believes people may be “tired of seeing consistency.”

“But as I’ve grown up in this league, the standards have changed,” Adebayo said after recording a career-high six steals and a team-high +22 on Tuesday. “You’ve got guys that aren’t making the playoffs, they’re at the bottom of the league record… I don’t know if it’s just voter fatigue, but I’m always going to be first-team on defense. That’ll never change, no matter what the voters say. My guys know that.”

Bam Adebayo made it a point to remind people that he’s one of the NBA’s best defenders, despite not being on the All-Defensive team last season.

“I think people get tired of seeing consistency… I’m always going to be first-team on defense… My teammates know that…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/zUpEVCcjo8

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 4 March 2026

This type of outing from Adebayo is especially needed at this point in the season, as the team is trying to climb out of the eighth seed and play-in tournament play like they have been in the past three seasons. After the win over the Nets, Adebayo would insist that “we can’t afford any more mistakes.”

“We have a lot going on in the first half of the season, and you have to hold each other to a higher standard and accountability,” Adebayo said. “And it gets uncomfortable sometimes, because you feel like you don’t want to go too far, but in that sense, man, we’ve passed that stage, and we’re trying to do something special, and it’s going to affect all of us, and we have to hold each other accountable in some serious situations.”

Bam Adebayo asked about taking care of business tonight:

“We can’t afford any more mistakes, we’ve done a lot in the first half of the season… We’re trying to do something special and that will impress us all…” #HeatNation

Full response: pic.twitter.com/9spUJ021BC

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 4 March 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on Bam Adebayo chasing Udonis Haslem’s record

Teams facing the Heat could be accused of tanking, they took care of business on Tuesday night against the now 15-46 Nets, led by Adebayo’s anchoring performance. As longtime teammate Tyler Herro talked about one of Adebayo’s better defensive seasons, another who has watched the big man up close is head coach Erik Spoelstra.

Tyler Herro speaks after the win over the Nets where he scored 22 on 8/15 from the field, 1-4 from deep.

Talked about getting more comfortable, predicted his three-point shot will get better as he plays, and more below. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/NK0YUd3h37

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 4 March 2026

Beyond basketball, Spoelstra will talk about the “quality human being” that Adebayo is, earning a chance to break the record of Haslem, a former player who has been a flag bearer for the franchise.

“I know he’s chasing him, so I’m sure he’ll do some crazy things to him. He wants to get the full rebound record, but it’s a testament to his consistency, and we love to see that,” Spoelstra said. “You know, records are meant to be broken, especially when good guys are breaking records. And Bam is a quality guy. And you know UD will love it when Bam finally surpasses him.”

“But he sets the tone in that first quarter,” Spoelstra continued. “I think he had four steals; he had a couple blocks in the first half, which really helped our defense. And that’s two really good defensive games in a row. Our defense has been good all year, but we need to step up to a really high level to finish out this regular season.”

Erik Spoelstra speaks on Bam Adebayo laying out and passing to Udonis Haslem for the most defensive rebound in Heat history.

“I know he’s stalking her, so I’m sure he’s saying some weird things…but that’s a testament to his consistency…”

Full Comment; #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/gtkvjlz8Xr

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 4 March 2026

At any rate, Adebayo and Miami will be looking to keep that going as they face Brooklyn once again on Thursday, with the team’s record at 33-29, which puts them in eighth place in the East, although they are a half-game behind the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey may not have returned with a good performance at the All-Star 3-Point Contest. However, the rest of the weekend was as ideal as could be, with Maxi’s Team Stars emerging as the winners of the tournament.

And well, the player had a very simple reason for his team’s victory.

“We won because we’re young and turned!” According to a post on X by ClutchPoints, he hilariously explained.

Tyrese Maxey explains why Team Stars won the All-Star Game 😅

“We won because we’re young and turned!”

pic.twitter.com/zwDc4xg2zQ

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 16 February 2026

Team Stars won the round-robin tournament, defeating Team World in the opening match, losing by a narrow margin to Team Stripes, and then dominating the championship rematch. Maxey’s best performance came in that final, where he scored nine points on 4-of-8 shooting, had three steals, and an assist in the decisive 47–21 victory.

During his tenure, Team Stars outscored Team Stripes by 22 points. The second game against Team Stripes was quieter statistically, as Maxey scored two points in nearly eight minutes during a close 42–40 loss decided by De’Aaron Fox’s buzzer-beating three.

Nevertheless, the short 12-minute game structure meant that individual production was often limited, and the scoring load was carried primarily by Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham. Maxi’s most impressive performance came in the title game.

He scored on several isolation drives, hit a deep three after forcing a turnover, and made a key defensive stop on Jalen Brunson, allowing a teammate to score a triple. His explosion helped Team Stars build a 26–9 lead midway through the contest, a margin that ultimately decided the championship.

From a broader perspective, the weekend also cemented Maxi’s growing position in the league. He entered the season scoring 28.9 points per game, ranking sixth in the NBA with 6.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals.