標籤: calls

west ham united Star Crescencio Somerville has called on the Netherlands to remain calm ahead of the World Cup despite their shock defeat to Algeria.

Ronald Koeman’s side were defeated 1-0 by the African nation in one of their World Cup warm-up matches this week.

To say the least, it was a disappointing result for the Dutch, and naturally, raised some concerns ahead of the World Cup this summer. However, the West Ham star believes there is no need to panic.

“We have to stay calm. Of course, it’s a shame that we lost, but we still have a friendly match before the World Cup starts. Against Japan, we have to be prepared for that.” Voetbal Primer reported him as saying.

First Netherlands appearance

The 24-year-old was handed his first start for his country in the game, having been a surprise inclusion in his World Cup squad earlier this month.

Eager to impress, he turned down the opportunity to play for Suriname to secure his dream of playing for the Netherlands. He was happy with what he showed in the defeat but knew he needed more.

“I was really in the zone,” he said.

“There were some bad moments where I needed to be faster. In the final pass or when providing the right assist. Overall, it was okay. Still, I stand here with mixed emotions, because I would love to win.”

koman contact

The West Ham forward is eager to repay the faith shown in him by Ronald Koeman. And admits that he has had a lot of talks with the coach about what he wants from him.

“We have had a lot of contact,” he concluded.

“He knows me and my game. It’s good for a winger like me to have the manager’s trust. I have to live up to that trust. Every manager wants players who are reliable and can work hard for the team. I am also ready for the next match.”

on sunday evening San Antonio Spurs lost the fourth game of their second round playoff series against minnesota timberwolvesLeaving things tied at 2-2 for Game 5, heading home.

However, the big story of the game was Victor Wembanyama, who was ejected in the second quarter after taking a serious elbow to the neck of Minnesota’s Naz Reed, resulting in two flagrant fouls.

Now, ESPN sports personality Stephen A. Smith reflected on the incident on his social media page amid the ongoing debate over whether Wambanyama should be suspended for Tuesday’s decisive Game 5.

Smith wrote on Sunday

But Stephen A. Smith also said that although he did not support Wembey’s conduct on the floor in Game 4, he did not want the centre-forward to be given a suspension as a result.

“But I’m praying he doesn’t get suspended for the game [5]Which is very possible. We don’t want a series of decisions. But we will see.”

Dirty elbow from Victor Vembanyama This was quite a shock to Reid, especially given the Spurs star’s usual gentle demeanor on the court.

There is also precedent for suspensions with previous such incidents in NBA history, with many fans pointing to Ron Artest’s elbow to James Harden’s head more than a decade ago. This resulted in the then-Los Angeles Lakers forward being suspended for seven games.

But the NBA would like nothing more than to have Victor Wembanyama, who they have touted as their future and possibly the current face of the league, on the court for the crucial Game 5 of this playoff series. However, it remains to be seen whether their desire to maintain the integrity of the game as an organization will ultimately prevail over them.

However, the league is expected to make an official decision on a possible Wembanyama suspension later in the day on Monday.

Since his first foray into online journalism in 2019, Peter Okereke has written widely on entertainment, politics and pop… More about Peter Okereke

Arizona coyotes have long been missing from the desert. But one of the most plugged-in insiders in Phoenix has responded with disbelief that the Toronto Maple Leafs will hire former Coyotes executive John Chayka as their new general manager.

John Gambadoro watched the surprise news conference introducing Chayka in Toronto and posted on Twitter.

Spectacular. Chayka here (in Phoenix) was a complete fraud. The fraud cost the Coyotes their first- and second-round selections. Exit the team just before the bubble. Stab Don Maloney in the back to get the job here. The way he treated (veteran Coyotes player) Shane Doan was disgusting – he wanted him gone – he wouldn’t even consider letting him play on the third line last year – just jealous of him. The tea is fake. (Leafs Alumni Tie) His connection to Domi is what is getting him this job.

Very good.

Chayka was the youngest GM in NHL history when he got the Coyotes job in 2016 at just 26 years old. He was gone after four years, and some of his violations not only cost the Yotes draft picks, but commissioner Gary Bettman also suspended him for a year.

Former Coyotes insider questions Chayka’s credentials

But Gambadoro did not stop there. He listed Chayka’s brutal drafting record during his stay in Arizona. He passed over some elite players when handling team’s NHL draft selections.

And Maple Leafs fans don’t look at their past drafts – while they did draft (Clayton) Keller, let’s not forget 2017 when they took Pierre-Olivier Joseph over Jake Oettinger and Jason Roberton or 2018 when they took Barrett Heaton and passed on Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson. 2019 you ask – we got Victor Soderstrom but could have had Matt Boldy, Cole Caulfield, Thomas Hartley, Connor McMichael or Shane Pinto… Enjoy Toronto, their draft was horrible!!!!

Gamboa certainly doesn’t paint a rosy picture for Chayka’s draft decisions. However, to be fair, five other teams also passed on Quinn Hughes, while two other teams passed on Bouchard after taking Hughes (nine teams total), and 11 teams passed on Dobson. A year earlier, in 2017, no fewer than 25 teams advanced beyond Oettinger, while Jason Robertson didn’t even get past the second round.

Certainly, no GM has a perfect drafting record. Far away from. But it’s clear that Chayka’s time in Arizona was not a success. Or all the above boards.

Many other people in the game are also trashing the Leafs for their new front office hire. And they’re still continuing to pile on as the press corps is officially introduced.

But the proof, as they say, will be in the pudding. Chayka has now grown up 10 years since her days in Phoenix. He’s learned some lessons the hard way (or at least from MLSE) expectations He’s learned), and we’ll have to sit back and see how things unfold.

But there are definitely some nervous nerves around Leafs Nation. Insider Chris Johnson described Monday’s press conference as “uncomfortable.”

The Carolina Hurricanes are no strangers to the heated competition of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, nor are they unfamiliar with the vice grip-like pressure of their opponents’ passionate fan bases. However, Saturday was a step into uncharted territory with an in-depth statement from an unexpected source.

On May 2, immediately after Game 1, a new episode of NBC Sports Philadelphia’s podcast, flyers talkBroadcast. In it, Flyers television play-by-play announcer Jim Jackson, Flyers reporter and host Ashlyn Sullivan, and reporter Jordan Hall reflect on the opening second-round series with the Hurricanes, and discuss what will be needed in the upcoming games.

However, to Jackson, a taboo topic was brought up that sounded like a call to injure Hurricanes goaltender Frederick Anderson.

Jackson said, “You have to get into Freddy Andersen’s grill; he’s not a goaltender who likes that stuff – he also gets injured by contact.” “I’m not saying ‘Go ahead, try to hurt him’, but if there is physical contact, there’s a possibility he could get hurt.”

However, despite an apparent effort to clear it up, he appeared to repeat the previous statement moments later.

“He’s one of those goaltenders that you want to take out of his game any way you can, and if he gets hurt, that’s OK – because he has a history of injuries, and he has a history of struggling a little bit in the playoffs when he gets off track a little bit.

“So, I think the Flyers are going to have to put in a little more effort to get him to that point.”

Physicality has always been a part of hockey, and especially so in the postseason, but it would seem that the suggestion of getting hurt by people with such a respected position is a bit unprecedented.

One Hurricanes fan analyzed, “It seems they don’t believe their team is good enough to beat the Canes and the only way they have is to intentionally make contact with Freddy and injure him.” “When someone makes a statement like that and then tries to soften it with a “but” you know what he’s expecting.”

“It’s crazy that he, a “professional”, thought that; but especially, he said it out loud,” said another.

“There is a former Flyer who will punish this behavior,” another fan said, referencing enforcer and grinder Nicolas Deslauriers, whom the Hurricanes acquired at the trade deadline.

Seriously, it’s a shame anyone would shed light on injury-related strategies, it’s something that has become all too common outside of the media and in the dark corners of sports fans, and as such, it’s no surprise that such ideas have made their way into the mainstream.

Perhaps this is less the result of passionate fans amid bitter postseason rivalries, and more a symptom of the times – a streak of darkness that society has allowed into its hearts and minds due to the toxic nature that has become common in the digital age.

Hopefully, there will be no wrongdoing in this dilemma – for either party.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

The outcome of Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Perrow set the stage for a new rivalry on April 25, 2026, as Jarrell Miller used the moment after the fight to knock out Deontay Wilder. Fighting at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas in a WBA eliminator, Miller won by unanimous decision with scores of 117–111, 117–111 and 115–113.

The win moved him to 28-1-2 with 22 knockouts, while Lanier Pero fell to 13-1. The fight itself was tough and physical, but the big story came after the final bell, when Miller made it clear he wanted Wilder to fight next, which he described as a great fight between the top American heavyweights.

Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Perrow result sets up Deontay Wilder callout

The result of Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Pero came after 12 rounds of close-range action. Pero started well and used his reach to land clean shots in the early stages. He controlled the distance and prevented Miller from going inside repeatedly in the beginning.

Miller remained patient and continued to move forward. He entered the fight weighing 305 pounds but maintained a steady pace. As the rounds progressed, they began to close the gap more and more. The fight turned into a physical exchange, with both fighters trading blows at short range.

By the middle rounds Miller began to take control. His pressure increased and he started landing heavy combinations. Pero’s pace slowed and the pace changed. The outcome of Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Pero became clear as Miller’s output remained higher in the later rounds.

Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Pero outcome driven by pressure and work rate

Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Perrow The result reflected Miller’s ability to keep up the pressure for 12 rounds. He landed over 1,000 punches, bringing the total to over 1,650 punches in the fight.

Pero continued to respond, but as the fighting progressed, his activity decreased. Miller remained active and kept working inside. His combinations were more effective in the later rounds and he controlled the pace. Both fighters showed fatigue late, but Miller finished stronger.

The judges scored the fight in his favor, confirming the impact of his volume and forward speed. The result of Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Perrow ended Perrow’s undefeated streak and put Miller in a strong position in the heavyweight division.

Jarrell Miller calls out Deontay Wilder after Las Vegas win

After the Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Pero results, Miller immediately focused on a potential fight with Deontay Wilder. He made his intentions clear in an interview and pointed towards the demands of the fans.

Miller said, “I think if the fans push hard enough for it the fight will happen.” “Everyone doubts me. They say he’ll beat me or knock me out, but there’s only one way to find out. He’s been knocked out several times. I haven’t. So let’s do that.”

Miller also highlighted the appeal of the matchup and what both fighters bring. “We are two top American giants and we can both attract attention,” he said. “My trash talk and his dramatic speeches and entrances will make it entertaining.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn supported the idea of ​​the fight and pointed to its potential impact. He said both fighters have knockout power and contrasting styles, which could attract strong interest.

Miller, now 37, plans to stay active and return soon. The Jarrell Miller vs. Lanier Perrow result has now directly called out Wilder, setting up a potential next step in the division.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

The New York Knicks are in serious trouble. It was their second one-possession collapse in three games following a 109-108 blowout loss in Game 3 to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith completely dismantled the Knicks on the latest First Take episode, delivering one of the most powerful speeches of his career and putting every single person in that organization on notice.

Stephen A. Smith had a lot of New York Knicks

Stephen A. was of a calm nature. He arrived at the first take desk loaded with items and left nothing on the table. “Get out of the way,” he said. “I’m just one of many to apologize. I’m so upset by what I’m seeing right now. I’m losing my mind.”

The harshest words were directed at Mikal Bridges, and honestly, it was deserved. Bridges went scoreless in 21 minutes during Game 3, finishing a brutal minus-26, and committed four turnovers. He did not attempt a shot after five minutes of the second quarter, and coach Mike Brown benched him for most of the second half.

Stephen A said directly: “Mikael Bridges is scoreless. I’m seeing a bunch of zeros, a bunch of donuts everywhere. Four turnovers, three shot attempts, two assists, one rebound, no free throws, no points, no steals, no blocks. That’s why we gave up five picks in the first round.”

The context makes it even more damaging; Those five options were the cost of acquiring Bridges from Brooklyn, a trade that now leaves New York with no assets to pursue stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Knicks management and coaching staff in the crosshairs

Stephen A. Didn’t stop with the players. He took aim at the front office and coaching staff with equal intensity: “If the New York Knicks lose this series, head down. I’m telling you this right now. I’m sick and tired of that damn Leon Rose.” He said the decision to fire Tom Thibodeau now looks like a catastrophic mistake, especially after the Knicks were swept by a young Hawks team in the first round.

Coach Mike Brown is now on the hot seat. Brown benched Bridges for parts of Game 3, but CJ McCollum’s pull-up jumper with 12.5 seconds remaining sealed Atlanta’s victory and gave the Hawks a 2–1 series lead.

As Stephen A clearly stated: “It’s going to be another head coach in New York City. If they lose this series.” The Knicks can’t afford to go down 3-1. Game 4 is now a must win.

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

The 2026 NFL Draft takes place tonight at 8 PM ET, and the Detroit Lions hold the 17th overall pick in the first round. After missing the postseason in 2025, succeeding with their first-round pick will be key to continued roster growth.

Still, the Lions can’t be satisfied with holding on and picking at 17th. They may have their eye on a top prospect who Detroit thinks won’t fall into their draft slot.

According to ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Lions are making “trade calls” for Thursday’s event. He further stated that “some teams are looking at Detroit as a trade-up threat.”

The Lions could take a look at one of several offensive tackles who are projected to be selected in the first round after Taylor Decker’s request for and his release is granted. Detroit plans to transition Penei Sewell from right to left tackle, but the Lions still need a replacement for their All-Pro on the right side.

Of course, Lions general manager Brad Holmes is known for some draft day surprises. Often Leos go into the night with a specific need, but emerge with a different playmate. Maybe they are planning the same thing again.

With a total of nine draft selections, the Lions have some extra ammo to play with. Still, they don’t even have a third-round pick this year, so dipping into their 2027 draft capital may be necessary for a big move.

RELATED: Final 2026 NFL mock draft: Projecting Round 1 with trades

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

It’s the same story, this time louder. David Benavidez is not holding back, and his latest comments aimed at Canelo Alvarez are easily his most direct to date. In a recent interview, the undefeated contender didn’t dance around it. He questioned Canelo’s desire to fight him and made it clear that he still viewed that matchup as unfinished business.

“He’s scared, he has no balls. That’s the thing. I give Canelo total respect… but I was the #1 contender in two weight classes for a long time.”

That tension has been building for years. Benavidez, now 30-0 with 24 knockouts, has consistently topped the super middleweight division. At one point, he held the WBC interim title and sat as a mandatory challenger, yet the fight never came to fruition.

“He’s shown he doesn’t want to fight me. It’s a real shame because it’s a fight everyone wants to see.”

David Benavidez vs. Canelo Alvarez: A fight that never came together

On paper this was the fight. Two Mexican stars. Same division. High stakes. Huge interest from fans.

But boxing rarely goes according to script.

Canelo Alvarez, now 35, has built his career around big names and calculated moves. He became a four-division world champion and one of the biggest pay-per-view draws in the sport. Nevertheless, Benavidez believes that despite earning his position he was constantly ignored.

The situation changed even further last year after Canelo lost his undisputed super middleweight title to Terence Crawford. That loss changed the division and, in some ways, changed the urgency of the Benavidez fight.

Now, with Canelo Alvarez planning a comeback later this year and reportedly knocking out both Benavidez and Dmitry Bivol, that long-awaited clash is looking less likely than ever.

Benavidez moves forward but doesn’t let go

This is where things get interesting. Benavidez isn’t waiting any longer, calling out Canelo Alvarez still.

He is going up.

The 28-year-old is set to face Gilberto Ramirez at cruiserweight on May 2, a serious step up to a heavier and more dangerous division. It’s not just a fight to stay busy, either. Ramirez holds the major titles, and a win would immediately legitimize Benavidez at 200 pounds.

Benavidez even claimed that he tried to make the Canelo fight a financial success, saying that he had offered $150 million which went nowhere. Whether those numbers hold up or not, it shows just how far he was willing to go to secure the fight.

Still the tone did not change.

“I have 100% confidence in myself and my skills. If he says he’s the baddest man on the planet, why not give the fans what they want to see?”

the window might be closing

At this point, it seems like one of those feuds that remains more in debate than reality.

Benavidez is moving to a different weight class. Canelo Alvarez is choosing his path carefully. The time that once made this fight right is beginning to slip away.

Promoters know this. The fans definitely feel it.

And if Benavidez wins at cruiserweight, the conversation could completely change. He will no longer pursue Canelo. He might be making something new.

Still, this rivalry won’t be completely over until both fighters battle it out. Too much history. Too much conversation. And honestly, a lot of people still want to see it happen.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

chelsea And Manchester City Get the boost to sign Ruud Nijstad from FC Twente in the summer.

The 18-year-old has attracted the attention of some European clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City.

Earlier this week, Sport Witness The Dutch press covered the claims. That Chelsea want to bring him to the Premier League.

The same report stated that the Blues planned to buy him and immediately send him back to Twente on loan. There was no mention of Manchester City.

The Eredivisie side promoted the centre-back to the first team in October and he has been a regular since then.

His league statistics this season are as follows:

• Appearances: 16
• Start: 13
• Total minutes: 1,251
• Minutes per game: 78

Chelsea and Manchester City follow the player

Club World Cup winners and Pep Guardiola’s side Barcelona are also in the mix.

is according to espn nlThat reports Chelsea, Manchester City and La Liga sides are all showing interest in Ruud Nijstad.

ESPN NL also spoke with the Netherlands U19 international to get his thoughts on the interest from these clubs.

Responding to that he said: “I try to focus mainly on what I can influence and that is winning matches.”

At the same time, the Dutchman admits that these claims affect him and he will let his agent and family take care of his future.

“We’ll see at the end of the season. I’ve been able to stop it well and leave it to my parents and the management. I concentrate on football. Of course, it affects you, because it’s nice when a big club calls.” Nijstad explained.

The defender admitted that he would either sign an extension or change clubs after this season.

“I think it will either be extended or dropped,” He added.

Contract, price and agent information

Ruud Nijstad talks about the possibility of leaving Twente after this season as his contract expires in 2027. His growth this season has increased his value as Transfermarkt now value him at €8m.

Dutch agency Essel Sports Management is representing the defender. Agents Steinar Dietz and Bas Schotthorst, along with his family, will decide where the young player will play next season.

The long wait for a decisive all-British heavyweight showdown is finally about to end. Tyson Fury has made his position clear ahead of his return to the ring and has called on Anthony Joshua to fight next and avoid any further delays.

Fury is due to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, but his focus has already moved beyond that fight. After years of failed negotiations, injuries and unexpected losses that disrupted plans, Fury is finally pushing for the fight if both fighters come through in their next bouts.

Tyson Fury urges Anthony Joshua to start fighting now

Fury didn’t hold back when discussing the long-delayed matchup. He pointed to seemingly repeated failures that have stalled the fight over the past decade.

“This fight was supposed to happen a number of times over the last 10 years, but then in the middle of the fight someone gets into another fight, and someone drops out or gets injured,” Fury told ESPN.

He made it clear that he did not want history to repeat itself.

“I think we should get this fight going as soon as possible, just in case something happens in between. The problem is that anything can go wrong in heavyweight boxing; there are no easy fights. And if you get upset, it’s over, that’s it. I want the next fight, and I’m sure AJ feels the same way.”

Fury also discussed the possibility of Joshua facing Deontay Wilder instead. His attitude was straightforward.

“Forget Wilder, the man is a shell of himself; forget anyone else.”

The message is clear. Fury wants no delays, no interim fights, and no distractions from what he sees as the biggest fight available in the division.

The focus will be on Makhmudov before the talks begin

Despite his comments about Joshua, Fury is still preparing for his upcoming fight against Makhmudov. This bout marks his return after a 16-month break from competition.

“Let me go until Saturday, and then we’ll fight before the end of the year. I’ve been out of the ring longer than that [Joshua] Has been out of the ring for 16 months. Let’s do this, let’s dance.”

Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, also confirmed that the immediate focus remains on the scheduled fight.

“We don’t talk about that business until this fight is over, then we go right back in and talk about business.”

Brown said that once the fight is completed and Fury is successfully presented, discussions will begin without delay.

“Once the fight is over and Tyson wins and everybody’s happy, his family is happy, and he’s happy, let’s move on. Let’s watch the fight. I like Anthony Joshua. I like AJ, I like Tyson Fury. We’re Team Fury.”

Heavyweight division waiting to ramp up momentum for showdown

A potential fight between Fury and Joshua has been discussed for years. Both fighters held world titles at different times, but timing issues have consistently prevented a deal.

Brown believes the fight will happen, only the details remain to be sorted out.

“Let’s watch this fight. The World Cup final of boxing. It’s bigger than that… so let’s watch it. I know where my money is on.”

He said that now the main question is about time and place and not whether there will be a fight or not.

“I just feel like we’re going to see it. It’s not a question of when, it’s a question of how and when. Where will it happen?”

Possible venues have already been discussed, including large stadiums in the United Kingdom. Hopefully the scale of the event will match the long anticipation surrounding it.

Fury enters his next fight with a record of 34-2-1, while Makhmudov is at 21-2. Joshua has not fought since December 2024 but has been linked to other potential bouts.

If all parties move forward without setbacks, the long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua could finally take place before the end of the year.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

British welterweight contender Conor Benn has shared a candid and direct take on WBC champion Ryan Garcia ahead of his next fight. Benn is due to face Regis Prograis in Manchester this Saturday, but attention has also turned to a potential future clash with Garcia.

Benn said in an interview with the BBC that he is in line to face Garcia as a mandatory challenger. However, rather than wait for a later date, they chose to be proactive. Their comments highlight both Garcia’s appeal and the uncertainty that surrounds him. Ben’s decision reflects his focus on staying busy while maintaining his position in the division. Additionally, it draws renewed attention to Garcia’s position in boxing after a turbulent period.

Connor Benn explains decision to stay active

Benn said negotiations have already taken place for the fight with Garcia. “Garcia was next, it was determined – I’m the mandatory number one spot for Garcia.” The fight was expected to take place in September, but Ben decided not to wait.

He explained his thinking clearly. “Now if you’re me, would you wait until September or take a potential banana peel in the middle? I like to roll the dice and have a little fun and stay active.”

Ben has remained active in the ring after competing with Progress. Prograis is a former world champion with top level experience. This matchup gives Ben an opportunity to remain sharp while maintaining his essential status.

Ben’s approach reflects his focus on regular competition. Instead of waiting for a title opportunity, he chose to fight and keep the momentum going. His decision also avoids the risk of inaction while negotiations continue regarding a future fight with Garcia.

Benn praises Ryan Garcia but raises concerns

Benn acknowledged Garcia’s influence on boxing and his ability to command attention. “I think Garcia is good for the sport of boxing, I think he’s a character and he’s entertaining, but he’s also a liability.”

He also talked about authenticity in sports. “People don’t want to involve themselves in the sport of boxing, so I love it when I see a young guy take criticism for being who he is. At least you’re being true to yourself and who you are. Whether I like you or not – I don’t – but some people do that, just be who you are.”

Garcia has garnered a large following and remains one of the most visible fighters in boxing. His acting and personality continues to attract attention. However, his career has also included periods of disruption.

Ben’s comments reflect both sides. He recognizes Garcia’s value to the sport while pointing to concerns raised by others in the boxing world.

Questions remain about Garcia’s credibility

Ben made his concerns clear when discussing Garcia’s unpredictability. “You don’t know who’s coming – you don’t know if Garcia’s coming or not. You don’t know if he’s going to fight or have some type of episode. You just don’t know.”

Garcia won the WBC title earlier this year after a difficult period that included suspensions and public issues. While his success in the ring remains evident, questions about consistency continue.

Ben’s decision to fight Progress allows him to remain active without relying on a situation that may change. It also keeps him ready for a title opportunity when it becomes available.

For now, Benn is focused on his upcoming fight in Manchester. A strong performance against Progress will strengthen their position in the division. At the same time, while Garcia remains a dominant figure as the WBC champion, the focus is on what’s next in his career.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

LeBron James has been in the headlines recently as his NBA future continues to be debated. Several teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors have been mentioned as possible destinations if he leaves the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the Memphis Grizzlies could possibly be removed from the list.

James made his YouTube golf debut with Bob Does Sports on Thursday afternoon and was asked about playing for the Grizzlies. The four-time NBA champion not only rejected the idea, but he asked the Grizzlies to move to Nashville.

“You think I want to do this [expletive] at a random in memphis [expletive] Thursday?” James said. “I’m not the first person in the NBA to talk about this. We’re all like, ‘You guys have to move on.’ Just go to Nashville…their only chance would be 2003 if they won the lottery and I’d probably pull an Eli Manning and not come.”

James is not the first NBA player to mention the Grizzlies moving to Nashville. In March, Golden State forward Draymond Green called for the Grizzlies to relocate to Nashville, sparking conversation among fans about this possibility. In fact, the city has not been mentioned as a possible expansion destination.

The NBA has circled Las Vegas and Seattle as two expansion sites. Seattle lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008, while Las Vegas never got a professional NBA organization. The city has hosted the NBA Summer League and the NBA Cup in the past, so this isn’t a surprising development.

Nashville would likely require an existing organization to relocate to the city. If it were up to James and Green, the Grizzlies would relocate from Memphis to Nashville.

READ MORE: New NBA rumor reveals surprising LeBron James summer suitor

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

Oleksandr Usyk has offered strong public support for Anthony Joshua, describing his former opponent as a brother and backing his return to the top of the heavyweight division. The undisputed champion shared his thoughts in a recent interview, where he talked about their growing relationship outside the ring. The message comes at a crucial moment for Joshua, who is working through recent defeats and personal challenges as he aims to rebuild his career.

Oleksandr Usyk made his stance clear as he reflected on how their bond has changed. “I showed Anthony my national food, my culture, Ukrainian music and my church. My church is a very important place for me. Anthony liked Ukrainian food, especially borscht. I really appreciate that he came here. Now he is like a big brother to me. He is not my rival or rival. He is my partner, my brother.”

Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua’s relationship has changed beyond rivalry

The two fighters faced off in back-to-back title bouts in 2021 and 2022, with Usyk winning both bouts. Since then, their relationship has grown beyond competition. Usyk now describes Joshua as a person close to him, sharing regular communications and time outside of boxing.

He cited Joshua’s character and work ethic as major reasons for his respect. “I know Anthony is a very kind person. He is well-mannered, very hard-working and very smart. He is a good guy. Mentally, I think he is good because we talk every day. We train twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.”

Usyk supports Joshua’s mentality during difficult times

Joshua’s recent period has included setbacks in the ring and personal losses. Usyk addressed this directly by focusing on flexibility rather than titles. He said that despite not holding the belt at this stage of his career, Joshua still meets his definition of a champion.

“Anthony is a champion. He may not have the belts right now, but that doesn’t matter to me. A champion is someone who never gives up. Life brings tests. God tests me and he tests Anthony too. God has a plan.”

Heavyweight comeback remains the goal for Anthony Joshua

Usyk also teased what could be next for Joshua in the heavyweight division. He pointed to the possibility of a return to the top level in the coming years based on current work and mentality.

“Maybe in 2026 or 2027, Anthony can become the undisputed champion. It’s possible. He can do it.”

The comments have attracted the attention of the entire boxing sector, with fans and celebrities of the sport noting the level of respect between the two fighters. The clip has spread widely on social media, with many highlighting Usyk’s tone of support as Joshua rebuilds.

Their story now reflects much more than the feuds of the past. It shows how competing at the highest level can create long-term respect and bonding, even in a sport defined by rivalry.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a four-game winning streak, and Donovan Mitchell and James Harden each scored 66 points in their latest win, but Kenny Atkinson made a point of pointing out team-wide defensive shortcomings after the Cavs’ 136-131 win over the Orlando Magic. This is the fourth instance in the last two weeks in which the Wine and Gold gave up at least 128 points to an opponent.

Atkinson said after the game, “I just told the team in the locker room, if we play defense like this, we’re going to have a short playoff stint.” “Right now, our mentality is we’re just going to outwork people. We all know when it comes playoff time, offensively it’s not going to be that easy. You’re not always going to shoot like we’re scoring right now. So if we’re giving up 132 points, 128, I don’t know, it feels like every game, we’re going nowhere.”

“I mean, we all know,” Evan Mobley said. “The good thing is we have games to get better,” Mobley said. “And we all know what we’re capable of doing at the end of the day, so that’s the main thing. I think everyone has taken it pretty positively and knows we’ve got to get better at it. Guys have to keep stepping up and getting better defensively.”

Max Strus agreed with Atkinson on the matter because “it’s true,” noting that despite finding offensive flow, 131 is “too many points” and that defensive improvements are needed “all over.”

“This is not something you want to live with,” Strus said. “We’ve got to figure it out defensively. That’s got to be our MO. We’ve got to find a way to create our identity, and that can help us win a lot of games. Everybody can make the excuse that we don’t have a rim protector in Jarrett Allen, but it starts on the ball. It starts with our communication, physicality. We just let them be aggressive, and we need to come out with physicality and make a statement on that end.”

“I think we just have to keep our energy higher and try to disrupt the ball a little bit more,” Evan Mobley said. “I think guys are getting to their spots easier, but we definitely have the pace where we do that. We just have to be able to keep it up and slow guys down a little bit because sometimes it’s too much scoring back-and-forth. Just try to be as disruptive as possible. I think that’s the key right now. On the ball, off the ball, being physical, trying to dictate the game a little bit. I feel like sometimes we let them dictate what we do.” They want to, and it’s very easy for them.”

Atkinson was disappointed with Cleveland’s competitive level and IQ level, making it clear that communication had also been poor.

“We’ve got to make a decision, Atkinson said. We’ve got two weeks to figure it out, and that’s the challenge for this group. But right now, we just think we can beat people.”

“He’s not wrong,” Mitchell said. “You love when a coach is honest with you. As we all know, we all have goals and targets on bigger things, and it’s on us to go out there and get it right. The intensity is there, but now it’s mental, thinking about different things; that’s the gameplan, that’s the execution. It’s the little things; [offensive] The boards are also huge. It’s hard to protect 24 [seconds] And then the other 14 have to be protected. Just the teams will have to be given a second chance.

The Cavs have been extremely intentional about fixing a problem that has plagued them for nearly a month.

“I think we’ve been talking about it for a minute already,” Mobley said. “So we’re all on the same page, we’re all talking about it, we’re all working on it, and we’re going to get better at it. We’ve seen it before, we’ve done it before. We’re not playing the best right now, but we have the right mindset behind it. That’s the main thing. If we weren’t, I think it’s a little more scary.”

“Very [confident],” Mitchell said. “I’m not trying to put it in a way where it sounds like we’re just going to stay there. We have to implement it.”

Atkinson doesn’t like using Jarrett Allen’s absence as a crutch, and neither do his teammates. He has missed the last nine games with right knee tendinitis and although he is close to returning, the Cavs will have to find ways to deal with the veteran center not being on the floor.

“I think a lot of times in the defensive lineup we’re used to having two big guys on the field, where we have two guys that can rotate and get there, and right now, we only have one, so it’s a little different with that aspect,” Mobley said. “Also, we can’t depend on him. He’s not playing right now, so the next guy has to step up and it’s on me to protect the rim better and everyone else to stay in their spots and not let them get to the rim that easily.”

Mitchell said, “Obviously JA isn’t playing. Our defense is definitely based around that. But we can get better, and we will.” “There are 10 sports [left]. We have to reach there now. I have no doubt that we will do that, and it’s up to the 17 of us in the locker room.”

Atkinson has a huge belief in what the Cavs have and he’s seen it firsthand, which is why he’s being so hard on them.

“We’re very capable. I think that’s where the frustration lies,” Atkinson said. “And our leaders [have] Gotta take ownership of getting that locker room to a better defense. It really starts there.

“So we’ll get another chance tomorrow night. This is a really good offensive team [in the Miami Heat]. We have to turn it on, we have to change it. “We just have to change our mentality, which is too much inclined towards the offensive end.”

In the wake of Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham’s recent lung injury, he is now in danger of not qualifying for the NBA’s 65-game rule to be eligible for postseason award honors. As a result, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the National Basketball Players Association, or NBPA, came out with a prepared statement in support of Cade Cunningham and called on the NBA to get rid of the 65-game rule for postseason honors.

The NBPA wrote, “Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and is another example of why it should be eliminated or reformed to make exceptions for significant injuries.” “Since its implementation, too many eligible players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honors by the arbitrary and overly stringent quota.”

Cade Cunningham has been a potential MVP candidate, and is almost certain to make the All-NBA team. But he’s only played 61 games so far, and with the Pistons only having 11 games remaining in the regular season, it appears to be an uphill battle in terms of qualifying for the NBA’s 65-game rule.

Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung during the Pistons’ win against the Washington Wizards on March 19. He was expected to be reevaluated in two weeks due to the injury, leaving him with six games remaining and about a week and a half before the end of the season.

The Pistons have been the top team in the Eastern Conference this season due to Cunningham’s MVP level play. He has appeared in 61 games at a rate of just over 34 minutes per game. He averaged 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 1.5 steals, including 46.1 percent shooting from the field, 34.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 81.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Amen Thompson put the cherry on top of a historic night with a wild game-winner. The Houston Rockets guard wasn’t the story for most of the game, but he became the hero of the night by shutting out the Miami Heat with a tip-in in the last seconds at the buzzer.

Trailing by one on the final possession of the game, the Rockets turned the ball into the hands of Kevin Durant, who had passed Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time scoring list before the game. Durant missed a wild floater and was buried by Bam Adebayo, but Thompson flew in to clear the glass and signal the game-winner.

Amen Thompson suggests this for the win 🔥pic.twitter.com/XYhAMbwjYC

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 22 March 2026

A game-winner could have capped off a perfect game for Durant, but it was Thompson’s night. The last-second tip also had Thompson’s career-high 18th rebound of the night, including seven on the offensive glass.

This is a developing story.

The 65-game rule is once again under scrutiny as Zach Lowe criticized the concept following an injury to Detroit Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham.

Cunningham has been playing at an incredible level this season, leading Detroit to serious playoff contention. However, his lung was damaged which would cause him to lose significant time.

NBA analyst Zach Lowe provided his thoughts on Cunningham’s injury during his March 19 show. Cunningham has played in 61 games so far this season and the team has 14 games remaining. It’s very possible he doesn’t play another regular season game this year. Lowe wants an exception where a minimum number of players can be named to third-team All-NBA.

“I get it. I get the reason why they’re doing it. They have to try to encourage the best players to play. Spoiler alert, it hasn’t worked. And I also remember saying, can you at least give me the flexibility to be like third-team All-NBA so I don’t have to follow this rule,” Lowe said at the 8:45 mark.

“Respect me as a voter, former voter now, maybe in the future, that I can actually analyze games played, impact, minutes played, team records, like I can put it all together and actually compare somebody who played 63 games versus somebody who played 72 games and maybe come to the conclusion that maybe the guy who played 63 games is better, or more valuable, or more deserving of All-NBA, but you Concluded I’m too stupid to do that.”

Cade Cunningham, what’s next for the Pistons

It’s brutal news for the Pistons to learn about Cade Cunningham. He hopes to make a full recovery while keeping his season as strong as possible without the services of the star guard.

Detroit boasts a 49–19 record on the season, finishing atop the Eastern Conference standings. They are 3.5 games up on the Boston Celtics and five games up on the New York Knicks.

Following Thursday night’s matchup against the Washington Wizards, the Pistons will be at home for their next contest. They host the Golden State Warriors as tip-off takes place on March 20 at 7:30 pm ET.

New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes didn’t pull his punches when talking about where his golden goal ended up. He wants it back, and he made it known.

He can be found in the link below.

Elsewhere, Matthew Neese’s business partner, Doug Armstrong’s resignation, more.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

ESPN: So, uh, Jack Hughes isn’t happy with his golden goal at the Hockey Hall of Fame, huh? He pulled no punches, explaining that he felt he should have the puck that won the gold medal over Canada in Milan last month.

📺 devil’s rink report: Is Tom Fitzgerald on the hot seat, or did his comments at the 2026 NHL trade deadline feel like he’s really going nowhere? Pasha Eshghi joins me for the latest Devils Rink Report to discuss what the GM needs to do to take the heat off himself if he does indeed return next season.

Full episode here 👇🏼 Watch the full Devils Rink report here:

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

athletic ($):This is why Doug Armstrong resigned as general manager of Hockey Canada.

Daily Faceoff: Claude Giroux. Nick Jensen. Lars Eller. There could be a mass exodus of veterans via trade and free agency as the Ottawa Senators need to regroup.

Sportsnet: Therefore, Leon Draisaitl is going to miss the rest of the regular season. Ouch. Mark Spector says it’s a good time for the Edmonton Oilers to take a look at how they’re doing without one of their superstars.

montreal hockey now:Cole Caufield is a 40 goal scorer. Watch the Montreal Canadiens forward score his 40th goal.

Toronto Hockey Now: The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly listened to forward Matthew Nease at the trade deadline. Nick Kyprios has linked three teams to the 23-year-old power forward. Is Satan one?

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

OKLAHOMA CITY – Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch had some words for the officials after Sunday’s 116-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards was cleared to play in a matinee on the road, Minnesota trailed in the final frame, where the Thunder outscored their opponent 36–27.

In the second half, the Thunder took a two-point lead amid a tough contest. Then, Edwards fouled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a 3-point play, turning Oklahoma City’s 13-point lead into a 16-point lead. According to Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza, he said, Finch did not back down from his complaint with the officials related to Edwards’ serious foul on Gilgeous-Alexander.

“The first one was probably a foul. What was unfortunate was they called a little grab on the inbounds play. It’s going on all over the place,” Finch said. “I still maintain that he doesn’t get as much respect defensively as he should. If you watch his guys play defense, they get caught a lot, which is OK. That’s part of the game. Then, you call him out – take him straight out of the game – that was tough for us.”

A reporter’s follow-up question focused on Isaiah Hartenstein, who returned to the Thunder’s lineup from a calf injury, and the starting center’s impact from the top of the key, where he did his damage passing and setting screens.

“We fell behind them a little bit,” Finch said. “Back then, we weren’t in a position to make emergency assists, you know. Had to struggle through those screens. We know he’s a playmaker. That’s what he does. Thought some of them were highly questionable whether they were legal or not, it didn’t matter. Got to struggle and you had to miss them.”

Edwards, who spent time in front of Gilgeous-Alexander all day, finished with 19 points on 6-for-17 shooting, including 2 of 5 from deep, six rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal against the Thunder.

Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves fall short

While the final score between the Thunder and Timberwolves showed a 13-point difference, this Western Conference Finals matchup was much more competitive than the scores indicated. Anthony Edwards had a valiant all-around effort on both ends of the floor in the 127-117 win after his 40-point game. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch just wants his team not to fall behind.

However, the Thunder showed their depth around All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (20 points) and Chet Holmgren (21 points), who combined to score 41 points, while Isaiah Joe scored 20 of the Thunder’s 61 points off the bench. Alex Caruso added 17 points, and Jared McCain connected on five 3-pointers.

The Denver Nuggets lost a tough game against the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime, but it feels like some things should have been different at the end of regulation. Austin Reaves went to the free-throw line a few times with a few seconds remaining in the game, but the first time he went, Spencer Jones drew the foul.

The next day, the last-two-minute report said Reeves was not to get to the free-throw line.

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, formerly of the

This would have changed a lot for the Nuggets and could have given them a chance to increase their lead. Instead, Reeves sank both free throws, and went to the line again after being fouled. That miss allowed him to get the ball back and shoot the floater, tying the game and sending it into overtime.

The Nuggets lost the game with a Luka Doncic game-winner, and now they do not have a tiebreaker against the Lakers. This makes a lot of sense at the position, especially since everyone in the Western Conference is tight.

The Nuggets still have plenty of time to make up some ground, but they need to start piling up wins before other teams overtake them.

Plus, no matter where the Nuggets finish, they will be a tough matchup for anyone because of Nikola Jokic’s strength and his dominance.

MIAMI – As the Miami Heat saw the return of Norman Powell and Tyler Herro, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Orlando Magic on Saturday night, losing 121-117. The Heat had major momentum after Bam Adebayo scored a historic 83 points on Tuesday and won seven straight games on Thursday, a streak that was snapped, albeit in an instance that left teammates angry.

Although Miami struggled in the first half, with Orlando jumping out to a 22-point lead, the team returned to its strength on both sides of the ball in the second half, making it a close game with less than a minute left in the contest. The game-changing moment was when the Heat were down four points with 36.6 seconds left in the game as Pelle Larsson inbounded the ball.

After Larson did not blow the referee’s whistle, Miami called for a five-second violation, with the team clearly upset by the decision.

pic.twitter.com/XzNeAqrclL

– /r/Heat (@tomgreen99200) 15 March 2026

With the team and officiating working on it all night, Adebayo had a strong message, calling out the referee who “changed” the game.

“As for the call, it felt like it was swift. That’s what’s frustrating about it, because if we say anything about it we get fined,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints. “But it changed the game. And when you change the game, you’ve got to stick with it.”

“Then on the other side, I felt like they had a five-second call that wasn’t called. Changed the game,” Adebayo continued. “They influence the game in a way that sometimes has an impact, and they get to go home and sleep peacefully, and we’re talking about a call here that you feel should have been called or wasn’t called.”

Asked Bam Adebayo about the controversial five-second call and the second half.

“The disappointing thing is that if we say anything about it we get fined, but it changed the game. When you change the game you have to stick to it…” #HeatNation

Full response: pic.twitter.com/8xKFrU3XTd

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

Heat’s Norman Powell says controversial call by refs was “BS”

Heat players raised their voices about the five-second violation, though they all mentioned how the team suffered in the first half, especially when the Magic were allowed to score 41 points, shooting nearly 70 percent from the field in the first quarter. Still, the violation was a stifling call that took away momentum from Miami, such that the call could have been considered a toss-up; Many on the Heat believe this decision was made too quickly.

Star Norman Powell spoke openly about his displeasure with the call, after scoring 20 points off the bench in his return after missing seven games due to a groin strain, telling ClutchPoints that the five-second violation was “BS.”

“It was so fast we didn’t even get through our first two options before they called a five-second violation,” Powell said. “And late in the game, we tried to get them the ball inbounds, they allowed them to call timeout when it was obviously longer than our five-second call. So, we just got frustrated when we were trying to figure out how we could steal the game on the inbounds.”

Norman Powell was asked about repeated calls with referees, particularly the controversial five-second call:

“I thought the five-second call was BS…” #HeatNation

Full response: pic.twitter.com/Hg8H0euAwx

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

Another player who returned from injury, this time missing two contests due to quadriceps soreness, was Tyler Herro. Finishing the game with 10 points on a disappointing shooting night, he agreed it was a quick call, but says the team will “stick with it”.

“I don’t think it was five seconds. It was a quick five,” Herro said. “Obviously, we stepped back and put ourselves in a position to be limited to four, limited to three, reduced to a one-possession game. But we can’t put ourselves in that position.”

Tyler Herro’s full comments after the loss where he talks about five-second violations being quick, the message about Norman Powell’s role with the return and the Heat not having the defensive flair to start: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/45tkLUA0W6

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

Erik Spoelstra on self-inflicted wounds by the Heat

While the Heat had an inspiring win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, the loss against the Magic hurt for a number of reasons, the main one being that Miami has been unable to defeat Orlando in its five games this season. The Magic are just the second team in the last three decades to defeat a team (the Heat) five times in a single season.

While Spoelstra also agreed about the five-second call being harsh, he would discuss how the team positions itself for the referee’s single call as the deciding factor.

“They said it was five seconds. I mean, I haven’t gone through the mechanics of it yet, but it felt like a quick five,” Spoelstra said. “But still, we put ourselves in that position. And defensively in the second half, we made a lot of stands, holding them to 37 percent and 50 points. It was a lot different than that first half.”

Spoelstra continued, “We were getting attacked off the dribble, a lot of them, in one-on-one situations, and then in different ways, then cuts, then transitions, we didn’t set the tone for the game defensively.” “And then the rest of the second half, we had to dig out from behind. We don’t want to get into the habit of allowing teams to score 70 and a half runs on us without any resistance.”

Erik Spoelstra said the five-second violation felt quick, but he said the Heat put themselves in that situation. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/qd9Rq3n2f9

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

The loss to the Heat dropped them to 38-30 on the season, leaving them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, with their next game coming on Tuesday against the Charlotte Hornets.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 12 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bam Adebayo did the unthinkable on Tuesday night when he scored 83 points in the Miami Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. Despite scoring the second-most points ever in a single NBA game, Washington head coach Brian Keefe didn’t seem too impressed with Adebayo’s performance at the end of the contest.

The 49-year-old head coach credited Adebayo for playing well in the first half of the game. However, during the post-game press conference, Keefe explained that as the game progressed, it began to feel like a fake basketball game, especially in the fourth quarter.

“I give [Adebayo] Credit to the first half, Keefe said. “He hit the ball brilliantly, he scored really well with the ball… [The Heat] Obviously kept him in the game. You know, there were a lot of wrong calls. 16 free throws in the fourth quarter…

“He still got some free throws from 40 feet to the rim. I can’t explain some of those calls… The turnovers and the offensive rebounds, the possession game was definitely important. We only lost the game by seven in the second half, but the fourth quarter turned into a real basketball game.”

“The fourth quarter turned into a real basketball game.”

Wizards head coach Brian Keefe dropped 83 points on his team’s Bam Adebayo 😳

(via @WashWizards)pic.twitter.com/XfrN11UuWM

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 11 March 2026

The Wizards coach also pointed to Turnov and offensive rebounding as major reasons for Washington losing the game. Washington turned the ball over 23 times compared to the Heat’s 16, while on the offensive end the team was outscored four times for 15. Ultimately, Keefe claimed that it was a mistake for him and his team to allow Adebayo to take control of the game.

36 of Bam Adebayo’s 83 points came from the free-throw line, a new NBA record for most free throws made in a single contest. The 28-year-old center recorded 21 points from beyond the three-point line, while shooting 31.8% from deep. The remaining 26 points scored by Adebayo came within two-point range, the majority of which were within the key. He also recorded nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block.

Paolo Banchero praised Jayson Tatum after the Boston Celtics forward returned to action after suffering an Achilles injury during last year’s postseason.

Banchero shared the comments Saturday after leading the Orlando Magic to a 119-92 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 22-year-old forward finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds and three assists while shooting 10 of 18 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line in 35 minutes.

After the win, Banchero was asked about Tatum’s return to the court.

“It was great to see him out there. I just have to give him a lot of credit. I think his mentality was there from the beginning when he first got injured, I watched him over the summer and you could tell he was going to try to get back sooner than everyone thought. I didn’t know it would happen this season, but you could tell he was already working, even right after the injury.”

Banchero continued by emphasizing the challenge of returning from an Achilles injury and the impact of seeing Tatum back on the floor.

“So, it was great to see him out there and I think he’s an inspiration to everybody… Just for him to be completely recovered in front of the whole world and to come out and have a great game last night. It’s not easy to get over that injury, and I can only imagine how he had to deal with it mentally and all that stuff, but happy for him, man. Looking forward to getting down there against him. I think we’ll play Boston once again, see him in the playoffs, But yes, he is happy, for sure.”

Paolo Banchero praises Jayson Tatum as Celtics, Magic can meet again in playoffs

Tatum returned to the lineup in Boston’s 120-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, helping the Celtics improve to 42-21, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

In his first game, the 28-year-old recorded 15 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and one steal, while shooting 6-for-16 from the field and 3-for-8 from three-point range in 27 minutes.

Banchero and Tatum share a connection dating back to their college careers. Both players starred at Duke University before entering the NBA, with Tatum playing one season for the Blue Devils in 2016–17 and Banchero following a similar path during the 2021–22 season.

The Celtics and Magic also met in last year’s postseason, when Boston defeated Orlando in five games during the first round.

With the Magic currently positioned in the Eastern Conference play-in race, a postseason rematch is possible. Orlando improved to 34-28 with Saturday’s win and the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for sixth place and one game behind the Toronto Raptors for the fifth seed.

Orlando will conclude its two-game road trip on Sunday night when it visits the Milwaukee Bucks (26-35) at 8:00 pm ET.

Mexico manager Javier Aguirre has said he encouraged Jose Mourinho to sign West Ham United’s Edson Alvarez for Fenerbahçe in August 2025.

The national team boss gave an interview to journalist George Van Rankin. record He released his comments in Mexico, where he said that Mourinho had called him to ask about the 28-year-old.

West Ham allowed the midfielder to join Fenerbahçe on loan with an option to buy.

When Alvarez joined the Turkish club, Mourinho was in charge. However, he parted ways with the manager just days after the Mexico international arrived in Istanbul.

The Portuguese coach returned to the bench a month later when Benfica appointed him as manager in September.

West Ham player made offer to Fenerbahçe

Aguirre revealed that the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager had contacted him to find out more about Álvarez.

He took charge of Mexico for the third time in July 2024 and promoted the West Ham player as his captain. The midfielder has been a regular under the manager when available for selection.

Therefore, it is no surprise that Aguirre told Mourinho to move ahead with the signing of Álvarez.

“Mourinho calls me, he calls me on the phone. He says: ‘Javier, they are offering me Edson, you know him, you have included him in the national team, what position does he play?’ ‘He plays like this and that.’ ‘What do you think? Can he compete?’ Absolutely right. Take him away,” He said.

“Then Edson called me: ‘Thank you, Mou told me he talked to you.’ He signed Álvarez and after one match, he sacked Mourinho.

Our opinion: What’s next for the West Ham-owned player

Edson Alvarez has played 1,125 minutes in 17 matches for Fenerbahçe so far but recently underwent surgery. Alvarez is expected to regain full fitness for the World Cup, but his future needs to be clarified after this season.

In November, witness the game Covered Claims That the Turkish club has a €22m purchase option. Fenerbahce finds this figure ‘excessive’.

On February 7th, we news broadcast from Türkiye In January Fenerbahçe tried to send him back to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side. This clearly did not please the former Ajax man.

Fenerbahce are unlikely to make Alvarez’s stay permanent for at least €22m. Therefore, he will have to return to the Premier League team, and both the player and West Ham will have to make a decision in the summer.

On paper, Deandre Ayton has enjoyed a great start to life with the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 53 starts. Dig deeper, however, and the cracks begin to appear, mostly due to flaws on defense and Ayton’s refusal to become a role player on a roster loaded with offensive talent.

This was very evident in Ayton’s “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela” comment, which has drawn some harsh criticism from Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem.

“I played with the Big 3, the other 12 of us didn’t have the role we wanted… and you’re no different than Deandre Ayton. Play your role and get your ring or not.”

– Udonis Haslem 👀

(via @NBAonPrime)pic.twitter.com/VG4O5jH1X5

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

“For Deandre Ayton, we’re talking about buying in. That’s a losing mentality. If that’s what’s required of you to put your team in a position to win a championship, then you’ve got to buy in and do your part,” he said, according to a post on X by ClutchPoints, suggesting that Ayton needs to be more open to his team’s needs.

The Lakers need the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft to become a rim-running, screen-setting center and play a less offensive role with primary scorers like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

“I played with the Big 3, the other 12 of us didn’t have the role we wanted. Only three guys had the role they wanted. Everybody else had to fill a gap and play their role to get wins. And you’re no different than Deandre Ayton. Play your role and get your ring or not,” Haslem concluded, referencing his time playing with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

With Doncic orchestrating the offense and LeBron continuing to serve as one of the league’s most productive creators even early in his career, Los Angeles doesn’t need additional post-up scoring from its center. Instead, the offense requires vertical spacing, offensive rebounding, rim protection, and efficient finishing near the basket.

However, Ayton has a plus-minus of -65 since the All-Star break, primarily due to an erratic style of play with regular defensive lapses. His two-point performance against the Phoenix Suns also earned applause from Capela, who urged Ayton to be locked up because his team had two of the game’s best floor generals.

Needless to say, as Haslem has claimed, Ayton may need to embrace his new role with the Lakers, especially given the overall production their Big-3 is currently producing.

NEW YORK – The New York Knicks lost 103-100 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, facing a tough challenge from the reigning NBA champions. This was the Knicks’ first success over a top-seeded Western Conference club, having already failed to defeat the East’s number Q seed, the Detroit Pistons, three times.

Despite some notable losses, the Knicks have performed better than last season against top teams under new head coach Mike Brown. The coach did not describe the game as important, but stressed the importance of learning from the match post-match.

“Seeing what they did, how they did it, why we shot 28% from three. Why this happened, why that happened. It’s a great learning experience,” Brown told reporters at Madison Square Garden. “It doesn’t matter if you – you want to win. But it doesn’t matter if you win or lose. And seeing the competitiveness from our guys was something I love, as well as the physicality.”

The process-to-results mentality fits the coach, who uses the regular season as an information-gathering period to get the most out of his personnel in the postseason. He has often said that the Knicks’ regular season losses are treated as learning opportunities, not failed opportunities to compete.

No matter how one spins it, the Knicks’ margin of error in the playoffs continues to shrink. Will these regular season losses become a topic of discussion if the team fails to deliver in the postseason?

The pressure to outperform last season’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance was already intense prior to the season. And with six weeks left in the NBA playoffs, it looks like it’s only going to keep on going.

Final preview? Brown, Daigneault both play it cool

Brown downplayed the significance of the matchup after the game, telling reporters that he believed the regular season “statement games” were contradictory.

The coach said, “I don’t believe in statement games just because in the playoffs, it’s a different season, you know? … They’re one of the elite teams defensively. You can probably get more from that film than a team that might be 29th defensively.”

Mark Daigneault shared a similar sentiment before the game, telling reporters that the Knicks are a “great test” for his Thunder and crediting New York with being one of the best groups in the league. Asked by the coach if he thought of games like Wednesday as a potential Finals preview, he quickly replied that it was still too early in March to have any thoughts about playoff matchups.

Brown clearly values ​​the opportunity for teams like the Thunder to test his Knicks’ ability. However, his zoomed-out approach to these games, viewing them as data points that span a long season as opposed to the confrontation of individual battles, is representative of the exact philosophical shift the Knicks’ front office wanted from their coaching change.

New York will travel to Oklahoma City in late March for the teams’ second and final regular season matchup. After this, one thing is clear whether Daigneault wants to accept it or not. If these teams meet again, it will be in the 2026 NBA Finals.

ESPN NBA insider Tim McMahon publicly criticized Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert on Wednesday, accusing the four-time Defensive Player of the Year of “crying” about offensive touches following recent comments involving teammate Kyle Anderson.

Speaking on ESPN’s NBA Today, McMahon addressed Gobert’s comments and suggested the veteran center should focus on the role he has played in helping Minnesota find success this season.

“Rudy… who has the ball? Anthony Edwards has the ball. These are the same kind of comments that used to get under Donovan Mitchell’s skin at Utah. Now fortunately, the ant’s skin has gotten really thick. I mean, that kind of stuff blows up but Rudy, you guys are rolling. You don’t have to complain about not touching the ball. Protect the rim, like you did with four Defensive Player of the Year awards. Run the floor, set screens, roll. If you don’t touch the ball much, this is not the time to rock the boat.

McMahon’s comments came shortly after Gobert spoke about Anderson, who recently returned to the Timberwolves after signing with the team last week following a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Rudy, you guys are rolling. You don’t have to complain about not touching the ball. Protect the rim, like you did to get four Defensive Player of the Year awards.”@BannedMacMahon On Rudy Gobert after his comments about Kyle Anderson as a guy who ‘wants to pass…’ pic.twitter.com/o8PIrbeal0

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 4 March 2026

Gobert addressed Anderson’s playmaking ability after Minnesota’s 117-110 win over Memphis on Tuesday. While discussing what Anderson has added to the offense, Gobert made light-hearted comments about ball movement early on.

“I think just passing the ball…Yeah, somebody that wants to pass the ball to his teammates.”

NBA insider criticizes Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert after Kyle Anderson comments

Gobert later clarified that Anderson’s value went beyond that comment, emphasizing his ability to connect the offense and facilitate opportunities for others.

“But yes, he’s a coordinator. So, someone who makes plays for his teammates.”

Anderson spent parts of three seasons with the Timberwolves before departing for the Golden State Warriors. He was later traded to the Miami Heat last season, then transferred again in the offseason to the Utah Jazz, before Utah dealt him to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this season. Following a buyout in Memphis, Anderson returned to Minnesota, giving the Timberwolves another experienced ball-handler and facilitator with All-Star guard Anthony Edwards.

Minnesota continues to maintain strong momentum in the Western Conference heading into the 2025–26 season. The Timberwolves improved to 39-23 after Tuesday’s win over the Grizzlies and are currently in fourth place in the conference standings.

Gobert remains a central figure in the team’s defensive identity. Known for rim protection and rebounding, the French center has had a stellar career highlighted by four Defensive Player of the Year awards and multiple All-Star selections.

The Timberwolves will look to extend their current four-game winning streak when they host the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm ET as Minnesota continues a three-game homestand.

Golden State Warriors forward and podcaster Draymond Green chimed in on the conversation about shutting down Steph Curry for the remainder of the season so the Warriors can tank. On January 30, Curry suffered a right knee injury in a game against the red-hot Detroit Pistons; It did not appear to be serious, and as the All-Star break approached, the Warriors listed him day-to-day.

But Curry has been out for more than a month, as the Warriors said they are ready to reevaluate him soon. Now, the Warriors face a tough challenge without Curry and Jimmy Butler, who were sidelined midway through the season with ACL injuries. With the eighth-seeded Warriors having lost seven of their last 11 games, there is speculation that the season is over.

In an interview with Tim Kawakami tk showMike Dunleavy Jr. did not completely rule out Curry sitting out the remainder of the season, but said it would be surprising if that happened.

“It would be very, very surprising. But, you know, I’m not ruling anything out; I’m not a doctor, and things could go a certain way. So, I don’t want the headline to be that Steph could be done for the year because I’m not ruling it out, but just because he’s not playing right now, I just have to admit that I’m sure there’s a chance, but we don’t expect it.”

Following the conversation, Green discussed the possibility of the Warriors making this decision on his eponymous podcast.

“I’ve seen a lot of people say, ‘Hey man, they should just tank and not bring Steph back the rest of the year’ and all this stuff. One thing I will tell you is this: Shutting Steph down for the rest of the year is not something that’s just going to happen, except so he can play. I can also assure you, Joe Lacob is not going to tank. I saw Matt Ishbia say it, tanking is in my DNA. Never will. You get better and if we end up being bad and get a good draft pick, we get a good draft pick, but we’re definitely not going to tank Joe Lacob.”

Of note, senior NBA insider Brett Sigel of ClutchPoints reported that sources indicate Curry will receive around-the-clock treatment to put himself in position to compete in the playoffs. The Warriors are getting a break of sorts, with no games on Tuesday and Wednesday as they prepare for Thursday’s game against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets that will air nationally on Prime Video.

With the Warriors having interesting games against tough teams like the Thunder on Saturday, the Timberwolves on March 13 and the Knicks on March 15, a decision will certainly have to be made regarding Steph’s immediate playing future in order to keep the Warriors at least in the play-in picture.

On Tuesday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Detroit Pistons in a good litmus test for the East. Throughout the season, the Cavs have played below expectations, although they are turning over a new leaf since James Harden arrived via trade. And the Cavs, despite being without Donovan Mitchell for the night, overcame the Pistons and won 113–109 at home.

Halfway through the game, Cade Cunningham and former teammate Dennis Schroder had an interesting conversation. This piston looks like a star haven’t kept in touch much That’s even with Schröder after the two battled together in the postseason last year, and the German floor general told Cunningham how he felt about it.

“Don’t talk to me anymore. I tried to call you and you’re not answering the phone,” Schroder said via the official ClutchPoints account on X (formerly Twitter). “You got MVP mantras and now you’re not answering the phone, huh? Still I got you.”

“You got MVP mantras and now you’re not answering the phone, huh? Still I got you.”

Dennis Schroder to Cade Cunningham 😅
pic.twitter.com/ZzoETrATEm

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 4 March 2026

This could just be a joke between two former teammates. Schroder changes teams so often that it becomes difficult to keep track of where he is and what he’s doing, and perhaps Cunningham is the kind of person who isn’t very active in keeping in touch via social media.

However, it was Schroder who got the last laugh that night.

Dennis Schroder, Cavs get last laugh on Cade Cunningham, Pistons

The Pistons decided not to bring Schroder back after he played a key role in their playoff run last year, which ended with a loss to the New York Knicks after six games. But now that Schroder is back with a competitive team in the Cavs, he has a chance to get revenge on the team that let him go last year.

And on the night, Schroder at least got a return to action on the Pistons, and it could be a preview of a potential second-round matchup in the East.

Former NBA center Kendrick Perkins criticized Steve Kerr following the Golden State Warriors’ decision to trade Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Road Trippin’ Show, Perkins questioned Kerr’s confidence in Kuminga’s ability after the 23-year-old’s strong debut in Atlanta.

“We knew Jonathan Kuminga’s ceiling was high. Steph Curry knew it, Draymond Green knew it, Jimmy Butler knew it. The only guy who didn’t believe it was Steve Kerr.”

The Warriors dealt Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis, a move that reshaped Golden State’s roster as it attempts to remain competitive in the Western Conference. Kuminga, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, had shown flashes of his athleticism and scoring ability during his time with Golden State, but often played up-and-down minutes within Kerr’s rotation.

Since joining the Hawks, Kuminga has provided immediate production. Through three games – including one start – he is averaging 21.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 26.7 minutes per contest. He has shot 67.7% from the field, 55.6% from three-point range and 77.3% from the free-throw line during that period.

Jonathan Kuminga’s fast start with Hawks prompts scrutiny of Warriors’ decision

Atlanta has won all three games with Kuminga in the lineup, highlighted by a 135-101 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. The Hawks improved to 31–31 on the season and are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Perkins’ comments show that several prominent Warriors, including Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, believed in Kuminga’s rise. His comments defined the trade as a missed opportunity for Golden State to further develop the youth within their system.

Meanwhile, the Warriors (31-30) have suffered two consecutive losses, including a 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday after blowing a 17-point lead. Golden State continues to search for stability as it slips in the Western Conference standings.

As Kuminga has had early success in Atlanta, the trade has drawn renewed scrutiny, with Perkins openly questioning whether Kerr had maximized the forward’s role before the organization moved on.

After winning a gold medal at the Olympics for Team USA, it’s not too surprising that returning to the last-place Toronto Maple Leafs hasn’t exactly been thrilling for Auston Matthews. But these last three games? not even that much He could imagine it.

After their third consecutive disappointing effort coming out of the break, a 5–2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, captain Matthews criticized his teammates, calling his team “embarrassing”.

“There’s actually been a loss of communication in all three zones. Too bad. It’s a shame, to be honest,” Matthews said. “No matter where we are, no matter what the situation, we need to take more pride in our game…

“Everyone just has to look in the mirror and be better.”

But Matthews wasn’t the only one disappointed with the team’s effort. Jake McCabe also did not back down.

“I thought, the first five minutes were good… after that we’ll get out of bed.”

The Leafs’ playoff hopes are now little to none, and they will be sellers

After this three-game losing streak, and eight losses in 11 games, the Leafs now only have a 1.2% chance of making the playoffs. And that, frankly, seems a bit much. It seems that, by all accounts, they will open the door to a fire sale of sorts as we approach Friday’s trade deadline.

No, Matthews won’t be going anywhere, but at this point we wonder if he won’t. Could this be a conversation this summer, depending on how much disruption it takes?

The Arizona-born center still has two years left on his four-year, $53 million contract ($13.25 million AAV). In his first year without Mitch Marner, he is having a poor season, scoring 26 goals and 51 points in 54 games. With 778 points in 683 career games, Matthews was averaging 1.14 points per game over his first nine seasons. It has dropped to 0.94 in this losing Leafs season.

The shine of the gold medal wore off quickly for Matthews, who faced some ridiculous media and fan backlash after defeating Canada at the Olympics.

Toronto, welcome back to Austin.

There is no way around it. This is the worst possible time for the Chicago Bulls. On Thursday, they finished February without a win, losing to the Portland Trail Blazers 121–112.

The Bulls’ losing streak stands at 11, and they are five games shy of the franchise record of 16 set in 2001.

On Friday, former Bulls player turned analyst Stacey King made a bold request to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on his Gimme the Hot Sauce podcast. He is asking the Bulls to acquire the No. 1 draft pick before the lottery.

“It’s time to make Chicago basketball relevant again,” he said.

Stacey urges Adam Silver to bless the Chicago Bulls with the #1 pick in the draft😉⬆️

“It’s time to make Chicago basketball relevant again”

🎙️:https://t.co/LPxfvRzPIG pic.twitter.com/0Oxik6VAi6

– Gimme the Hot Sauce Podcast (@gimmehotsauce21) 27 February 2026

Chicago is now 24-36 after the loss to the Trail Blazers. On Sunday, they’ll kick off March by taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at home. Then, next Tuesday they will play at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Recently, there has been speculation that Chicago is focusing on sports in order to be in a position to secure higher draft picks. However, Matas Buzelis completely rejected those claims and said that the Bulls are playing to win.

Recently, the NBA has been taking steps to combat tanking. Chicago is adjusting to a new roster dynamic after making seven trades that sent out Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter.

King is best known for playing for Chicago during the teams first three-peat from 1991 to 1993. Overall, he played in Chicago from 1989 to 1994.

Since 2007, he has become a popular analyst for the franchise. He is currently working for Chicago Sports Network. Additionally, King is the co-host of the popular Gimme the Hot Sauce podcast.

The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers were already in a chaotic, “Twilight Zone” matchup at Little Caesars Arena when Donovan Mitchell decided to steal the show from the sideline. With a broken scoreboard and a literal handheld air horn dictating the rhythm of the game, Mitchell provided the perfect comedy beat on an otherwise tense Friday night for the Cavs.

While participating in an in-game interview from the bench, the sidelined Cavs superstar couldn’t help but play “armchair referee.” As he watched Dennis Schroder steal and then be fouled, Mitchell took over to defend his teammate. “Look at Dennis, man. That’s foul. Sorry,” he joked. It was a rare moment of jubilation in a building that felt more like a construction site than an NBA arena.

“Look at Dennis, man. This is foul.”

-Donovan Mitchell joins the broadcast from the bench pic.twitter.com/CWlyHJK2fw

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 28 February 2026

Ultimately the jokes faded as the Pistons won 122–119 in an overtime thriller. Jalen Duren was a pass rusher, anchoring Detroit with a 33-point, 16-rebound triple-double. Cade Cunningham performed equally well, finishing with 26 points and seven assists to secure the win in front of the home crowd.

Despite Mitchell and James Harden being down, the Cavs refused to go quietly. Evan Mobley put up 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Jarrett Allen’s 25 points kept them alive long enough to force a 114–114 tie at the end of regulation. In the end, Detroit’s interior strength proved too much for the shorthanded Cavs to handle in the additional five minutes.

Despite showing tremendous grit and determination, the Cavs could not overcome the Pistons, who were losing their stars.

The Phoenix Suns snapped a three-game losing streak on Thursday and they have a lot to thank Royce O’Neal for. O’Neal broke the tie by hitting a dagger 3-pointer with one second remaining in the fourth quarter to give Phoenix a 113–110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Suns played brilliantly in that game, leading to a wide-open try from deep by O’Neale, who finished the game with 13 points.

It all started with Grayson Allen attacking the Lakers’ defense, and when everyone’s attention was on him, he threw the ball to Collin Gillespie, who immediately passed the ball to O’Neal. Without hesitation, former Baylor Bears forward O’Neal launched a shot from behind the arc that found nothing but the bottom of the net.

Royce O’Neale leads with less than a second left 😳🍿

pic.twitter.com/LbNWE9B86Q

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 27 February 2026

There was still time left on the clock after O’Neal, but the Lakers could not convert a bucket after the timeout, as Austin Reaves missed a last-gasp 3-point attempt from the corner.

O’Neal finished his evening with 13 points with three triples, while Allen and Gillespie provided 28 and 21 points, respectively, for the Suns, who won despite missing star shooting guard Devin Booker and forward Dillon Brooks.

That shot from O’Neal also summed up the Suns’ unselfishness in the contest. He had 22 assists on 40 field goals and also hit a total of 22 3-pointers on 50 attempts from deep. It seemed a little easier for Phoenix to make outside shots from deep against the Lakers’ defense.

While ESPN NBA insider Zach Lowe believes Luka Doncic is a basketball “genius”, he can no longer tolerate his frequent complaints to the referees and has called the Los Angeles Lakers star unwatchable.

The LA Lakers certainly don’t regret their spectacular trade from a year ago that landed them Luka Doncic, one of the best players in the NBA. In his first full season in LaLa Land, the 26-year-old not only leads the Lakers in scoring, but his 32.5 points average currently tops the league. He is second in the NBA in three-point makes (3.6) and third in assists (8.6).

Furthermore, the LA Lakers have a record of 34–23, which is sixth best in the conference. Although the LA Lakers may not want to be at this point in the season, they are still in the early stages of building a proper team around their new top star. However, despite his play, the reputation he grew in Dallas has begun to become a fixture in the team’s games this season, and he is constantly complaining.

Doncic’s constant nagging of NBA referees to call fouls is a common complaint about the six-time All-Star. And as he gets older, it’s getting worse. It’s gotten so bad lately that Zach Lowe is upset about it and he made a funny but fair comment about the Slovenian this week.

Luka Doncic stats: 32.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 8.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 35% 3pt

Lowe said in a new edition, “The crying is at an extreme level in Dallas. It’s every bullshit game.” zach lowe show. “Just play, man. Not everything is a foul. And, it’s almost like, are you playing to get fouled or are you playing basketball?

“Are you playing one-on-one with the referee, or are you playing a game? It’s every single possession now, it’s completely out of control, it’s absolutely unwatchable.”

While Lowe is tired of the constant complaining, he admitted that he is more frustrated because it is not absolutely necessary, and Doncic is a “basketball genius” who can “get any shot.” Unfortunately for him and other NBA fans, there are no signs that the LA Lakers star will stop his constant crying anytime soon.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

NBC analyst Reggie Miller is high on the Boston Celtics’ potential in the NBA playoffs. in a recent appearance dan patrick showMiller praised the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown for stepping up during Tatum’s absence and highlighted the team’s depth. He then said that the Celtics are “the scariest team in the Eastern Conference”, even with Tatum marginalized.

“The Celtics are the scariest team in the Eastern Conference, and the reason there are no expectations is because people thought it would be a gap year. Yeah. About Tatum and the way Jaylen Brown is, his name should definitely be in the MVP discussion with Cade Cunningham.”

He added, “With the Celtics, with or without Tatum coming back, the Celtics are a real threat to win the Easter Conference… They’ve been well coached by Coach Mazzulla. They’re deep. They can play a lot of ways. They can play big, small, and I think Vucevic has a pickup low. You can play it back to the basket. He can knock down threes. They play a certain way. They shoot a lot of threes. Gonna jack up. Most of those shots come from, uh, 16 feet away. Defensively, I’m just telling people they’re high on the Knicks and that’s right, and Cleveland’s going up too.

The Boston Celtics are currently in second place in the East behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They are two games up on the third-seeded New York Knicks in the loss column. The Celtics have emerged as one of the biggest stories of the season, as many NBA fans and forecasters believed they would suffer a blowout without Tatum in the lineup.

But Jaylen Brown has stepped up. He averaged 29.2 points, 7 rebounds and 1 steal along with 4.9 assists per game. The Browns also have help from Peyton Pritchard, who is averaging 17.6 points per game, and Derrick White, who is averaging 17 points per game. Additionally, a sharpshooter like Sam Hauser has emerged as one of the best high-volume shooters in the league, as he shoots 39% from the three-point line. The Celtics also recently acquired Nikola Vucevic, who is averaging 11 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The Celtics head to Phoenix to play the Suns tonight at 9pm Eastern.

The Houston Rockets are suffering a significant identity crisis after several disappointing losses to teams they were expected to beat. This struggle has sparked debate regarding the team’s floor leadership, with many fans and analysts calling for Reed Shepard to be included in the starting lineup. Supporters of the move argue that the Rockets lack a traditional floor general to organize their attack in high-pressure moments. However, head coach Ime Udoka has been steadfast in his refusal to bench Amen Thompson in favor of the newcomer.

Udoka made it clear that no such seismic change is on the horizon, primarily because the team prioritizes a strong defensive identity. While Thompson is considered one of the league’s premier defenders, Shepard has yet to make significant progress on that end of the floor to justify a starting role in Udoka’s system.

This lack of late-game organization was on full display during a narrow 108–106 loss against the Knicks, where even Kevin Durant’s 30-point effort was not enough to secure the win. This collapse has highlighted the same inconsistencies that have plagued Houston all year.

After the game, Udoka expressed his disappointment with the backcourt’s execution. According to Kelly Echo on X, the head coach noted that the ball stopped moving because the team leaned too heavily on the separation play.

Udoka commented that it was a familiar story of losing games this way, saying, “The ball stopped moving, started falling apart too much. Same story – we’ve lost a lot of games like this. I’m telling Amen and Reed to be more demonstrative and get us into our sets; this is not the time to freestyle. Turnovers hurt, but bad offense is just as bad.”

The pressure on these young guards has increased even more after the Rockets decided to stand down at the trade deadline. Despite the glaring gaps in perimeter shooting, the front office has essentially tasked its current roster with fixing these issues internally. It focuses extensively on Reed Shepard, who is currently going through a difficult period of shooting.

If the Rockets really want to stop the freestyling that Udoka has criticized, they will have to strike a balance between developing their young shooters and making sure they are on the floor when the game is on the line.

Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers got a big win against one of the NBA’s best teams on Thursday night thanks to the contributions of freshman shooting guard Benedict Mathurin.

The fourth-year guard was traded to the Clippers on the day of the NBA trade deadline in a package that brought Isaiah Jackson and some draft picks to Los Angeles in exchange for All-Defensive center Ivica Zubac.

In his third game with the team since the acquisition – and his first game inside the Intuit Dome as a Clipper – Mathurin led the Clippers’ comeback win.

Benedict Mathurin scored 38 points in his first game at home, leading the Clippers to a 115–114 win over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The guard shot 12 of 22 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free throw line in the win, scored 11 points off the bench in the first quarter and poured in 16 points in the fourth quarter to close out the win.

“He’s doing it,” Kawhi Leonard said of his new teammate. “It’s great to have another scorer that can get 30 points, saw him in the NBA Finals [against the Oklahoma City Thunder]. “He was doing that all year with the Pacers, in the finals last year, so it’s great to have him.”

Kawhi Leonard on Benedict Mathurin’s 38-point night vs. Nuggets:

“He’s doing that. It’s great to have another scorer that can get 30 points, saw him in the finals. He was doing that with the Pacers in the finals last year, so it’s great to have him.” pic.twitter.com/rDreMcknPn

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

Mathurin had some big performances for the Indiana Pacers last season, including a 27-point performance in Game 3, helping his team take a 2–1 series lead, and a 24-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 7, after Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles tendon.

“He’s been aggressive since he’s been playing with us, but it was great,” Leonard said. “Like you said, he scored 11 in the first, and he continued it from there. He came out in transition, made some layups, hit some big three-point shots. Guarded very well, so it’s been a great pickup.”

Benedict Mathurin has increased his scoring, rebounding and assists for three consecutive seasons, but now he has a chance to develop a consistency that was not available to him at Indiana under head coach Rick Carlisle.

“It’s going to be amazing [playing under head coach Tyronn Lue],” Mathurin said after last night’s win. “He might end up being my best friend.” He told me to be aggressive, man. He told me how I am, and I feel like he really knows my game. He knows exactly what I can do. So, I’m glad to have him as our coach and I think with everyone together we can do great things.”

Thursday night was also the second consecutive game in which Mathurin reached double-digit free throw attempts, displaying the ability to not only score at a high level, but also pressure the defense and get to the free throw line, where he shot 83.6 percent for his career.

It’s fair to say that Christian Wood didn’t have the best career in the NBA. However, even making it in arguably the toughest league in the world requires a lot of talent and consistent work, and while Wood last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2023-24 season, he still made an impact during his eight years in the league.

The 30-year-old told exactly the same thing to an ex user when he was trolled by a fan after he was seen wearing his jersey at an event. Wood wore number 35 throughout his career, the fan in question was wearing a Houston Rockets jersey.

Why is this madness? I was tough, especially on Rocket.. Accidental.. Respect to brother https://t.co/UzbrJ3cCIM

– 35 (@chriswood_5) 19 February 2026

The user initially wrote on the

However, Wood quickly hit back at the slight, even calling the original poster “casual.”

“Why is this crazy? I was tough, especially on the Rockets.. casual.. respect for the brother,” Wood wrote, apparently demanding more respect for his accomplishments in the league.

And this seems appropriate. Not many players are able to average 20 points per game over an entire season, and while Wood only did so once, he consistently proved his ability as a lethal scorer, especially during his two seasons with the Rockets.

During that time, Wood averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 50.1% overall and 38.4% from three-point field. And while he was often criticized for his defensive work, his ability on the other end of the court was never in doubt, and deserves more respect from fans.

Of course, the player himself is well aware of this fact and was quick to hit back on social media.

Seeing Stephen Curry wearing a pair of signature shoes usually involves his own brand, but the Golden State Warriors superstar decided to shake things up during NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco.

Curry was seen wearing a “Gold Medal” edition of the AE 1 Low, which is the signature sneaker of Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. It was a game-changer moment that left the normally confident Edwards feeling like a starstruck teenager on the sidelines.

Edwards has never been shy about his admiration for the greatest shooter of all time. He called Curry the GOAT, though he did it with a classic Edwards twist. “Goat Curry… He doesn’t know it but he’s actually me, his alternate ego is me.”

“Curry the Goat… He doesn’t know it but he’s actually me, his alter ego is me.”

Anthony Edwards’ reaction to Steph Curry’s kick for NBA All-Star Media Day

(via @nba)
pic.twitter.com/SP9YaLbs7o

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 14 February 2026

Anthony Edwards is also a favorite of the players. He loves to joke with stars ranging from LeBron to KD and many more, a glimpse of which fans got to see during the Olympics.

In fact, the relationship between the two also dates back to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they helped Team USA win the gold medal. During a game against the Warriors last year, Edwards was seen breaking league protocol by hiding his phone on the bench to take photos of Curry wearing his kicks.

Edwards admitted that he feels like a kid again, noting that he has grown up wearing Curry’s shoes since middle school and even attended Curry’s basketball camp before coming to the league.

Seeing the four-time champion lace up his signature line was a big moment for Edwards, especially since Curry is currently navigating a high-profile sneaker free agency.

While the actual All-Star Game featuring the new Team USA vs. Team World format is still hours away, the viral moment involving AE1 Lowes has already stolen the show. For Edwards, seeing a player he idolized wearing his gear solidified the “alter ego” story he likes to pursue.

The Baltimore Ravens’ decision to fire John Harbaugh shook the NFL world by storm. While the decision wasn’t completely a surprise, it was still surreal to see the long-time Baltimore coach get the axe. Immediately, there were rumors as to why the Ravens canned Harbaugh.

One of the prevailing rumors immediately after Harbaugh was fired was that the former head coach “lost the locker room”. In other words, the Ravens’ players lost trust in Harbaugh. Insider Adam Schefter dismissed these reports a few days ago. The latest report from Jamison Henley and Jeremy Fowler corroborated this claim, with one team source citing the Ravens’ performance in Week 17.

“There is plenty of speculation about what led to the firing of Harbaugh, but team sources pushed back on the narrative that losing the (Ravens’) locker room was one of the reasons for the move,” Henley and Fowler wrote for ESPN. “Multiple team sources noted how Harbaugh had the team ready to play in Week 17 in Green Bay, pouring 41 points on the Packers.”

One of the sources went so far as to say, “Saying John lost the locker room is bulls—.”

The Week 17 game against the Packers was a critical moment for the Ravens. Their playoff lives hinged on them winning that game. Against one of the better teams in the league, Harbaugh’s team put in arguably their best performance, dominating their NFC North opponents. That, coupled with a Pittsburgh Steelers loss that week, set up a win-or-go-home game between the two in Week 18.

Sadly, the Ravens ended up losing to the Steelers in the most heartbreaking fashion. After a missed extra point by Chris Boswell, Baltimore drove down the field with less than a minute remaining to get into field-goal range. However, kicker Tyler Loop’s 44-yard attempt went wide right, leading to the loss.

The Ravens are now searching for their new head coach. They have already started the interview process, with former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski as the latest name they’ve interviewed.