標籤: Game

The Dallas Mavericks are unable to catch any breaks this season as their troubles continue. On Monday, Daniel Gafford was forced to miss their game against the Golden State Warriors with a shoulder injury.

Gafford was playing great before being sent off late in the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks announced that he would not return for the remainder of the game.

He finished with 20 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting. He also had seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.

The Mavericks ultimately lost to the Warriors 137–131 in overtime.

Gafford has already missed more than 20 games this season due to various injuries. Entering the game against Golden State, he was averaging 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

Dallas is already in fifth place, with Derek Lively II out for the season with a foot injury. The team acquired Marvin Bagley III at the trade deadline, but he is not a natural center. If Gafford sits out for an extended period of time, Dwight Powell could get extended minutes.

Cooper Flagg had a game-high 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting in the losing effort. He had four rebounds, nine assists and two steals, although he also had seven turnovers.

Bagley and PJ Washington combined for 18 points, three rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Mavericks dropped their fourth consecutive assignment and lost 23–49. Meanwhile, the Warriors snapped their three-game losing streak and improved to 34–38.

Things won’t get easier for Dallas as they face the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

The Detroit Pistons continued their strong performance with another impressive win, as Dennis Jenkins had a standout performance against the Los Angeles Lakers. A clutch, game-winning shot clinched the victory, showcasing Jenkins’ confidence in a key moment.

Jenkins turned in a career night, finishing with a career-high 30 points, eight assists and four rebounds. The Pistons relied on him late in the game and his performance was crucial as they defeated a revived Los Angeles team 113–110.

With the win, the Pistons remain firmly on top of the Eastern Conference standings at 52–19, five games ahead of the second-place Boston Celtics. It was their fourth consecutive win and seventh in the last eight games, while the Lakers’ nine-match winning streak ended.

Jenkins took control late and scored key points. He sized up Austin Reeves on the right wing, delivered a powerful jab step, and created space with an effortless step-back before knocking down a confident mid-range jumper to put Detroit in front. After this, he converted the important free throw to ensure the victory and maintained his composure in a tough match.

NBA star Axe, formerly of the NBA, shared Jenkins’ postgame reaction on Twitter, in which he discussed his fearless mentality after burying the decisive shot.

“I’m in that position for a reason. I just have to go out and be me.”

“I’m in that position for a reason, I just have to go out and be me.”

Dennis Jenkins (career-high 30p) on his game-winner! pic.twitter.com/pWd6QSWO8u

– NBA (@NBA) 24 March 2026

The league’s post highlighted the second-year guard’s confidence after a career-best performance. His response reflects the growing confidence Detroit has placed in him during high-pressure situations.

The result further solidifies the Pistons’ position as a legitimate contender. Jenkins is emerging as a reliable late-game option, adding another dimension to the team’s success.

Ultimately, Detroit is building momentum at the right time. With Jenkins’ production increasing and the team’s winning streak continuing, the Pistons are becoming increasingly dangerous as the postseason approaches, with contributions coming from the entire roster. The team is also expected to welcome back superstar point guard Cade Cunningham around the start of the playoffs after a lung injury, which will provide a big boost.

The Chicago Bulls have fallen short in the postseason picture, and they are set to miss the play-in tournament for the first time in the last four seasons. It’s clear that Chicago is paying more attention to its youth, and in return, Matas Bouzelis is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. On Monday night, Bouzelis played a key role in the Bulls’ 132–124 upset win over the Rockets, scoring 23 points on an efficient 8-16 shooting night.

Considering how much the Bulls have struggled since the trade deadline, they need every ray of hope that there is indeed some light at the end of the tunnel as far as their rebuild is concerned. And games like this one from Buzzellis that’s all it givesEspecially when he made some clutch plays in their most recent win.

Bouzelis told CHSN’s Casey Johnson, “I’m trying to be aggressive all the time. I don’t care who’s in front of me. I’ll take the challenge.”

It must have been very inspiring for Bouzelis to do well for himself, given that he himself admitted that Rockets star Kevin Durant, who had 40 points on the night, was “eating” him.

“He was kicking my butt, man. It was tough. Obviously, he’s an amazing player. I’m really happy we came out with the win. He was cooking me,” Bouzelis admitted.

“I’m trying to be aggressive all the time. I don’t care who’s in front of me.”

with Matas Buzzelis @KCJHope After a 23-point performance in the win over Houston. pic.twitter.com/7TnwhU39k4

– Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) 24 March 2026

The Bulls still have a long way to go in their rebuild, but to say they don’t have some promising pieces would be disingenuous. Bouzelis has the size to be a prototypically dominant two-way wing, and Josh Giddy is a stat-sheet stuffer extraordinaire.

Bouzelis is also only 21 years old, so the sky is the limit for a second year ahead. Watching Durant up close and personal has certainly taught the young Bulls player some tricks that he can incorporate into his game moving forward.

The Los Angeles Lakers come into their matchup with the Eastern Conference leaders Detroit Pistons with a lot of positives. They are currently on an eight-game winning streak and have enjoyed some great basketball from their offensive unit led by Luka Doncic.

However, his performance continued despite minor injury issues and the same appears to be true for the Detroit game. According to Benjamin Royer of the OC Register, both Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura are now scheduled to miss this contest, with Smart dealing with right ankle soreness and Hachimura dealing with right calf soreness. This comes on the heels of Luka Doncic’s one-game suspension that came as a result of his 16th technical foul in their recent win over the Orlando Magic.

However, it’s not only negative news for the Lakers, Maxi Kleber has been upgraded to available despite his back strain. Of course, the Pistons have their own injury concerns despite the current three-game winning streak.

Cade Cunningham suffered a ‘constricted lung’ during the Pistons’ win over the Washington Wizards and will be reevaluated in about two weeks. Marcus Sasser is out with a hip injury, while Isaiah Stewart is also recovering from a calf strain and will be out for the time being.

Nonetheless, even in Cunningham’s absence, Detroit looked comfortable in their win against the Golden State Warriors. Jalen Duren and Dennis Jenkins combined for 45 points against Golden State and will once again be expected to handle the offensive responsibilities.

The Lakers are in the middle of a six-game road trip and have won four games in a row. They have undoubtedly found their offensive rhythm with Deandre Ayton, showing a greater willingness to anchor the paint and run the floor for LA. Luka Doncic is in absolute form and is getting points with ease even on his off days.

He returned with 33 points in a win against the Orlando Magic despite going 12-30 from the field and 3-13 from the three-point zone. The Lakers’ attack will undoubtedly be tested in his absence, although they will be confident about their firepower even in the absence of the Slovenian international.

The Atlanta Hawks are set to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. Jalen Johnson is among the players listed on the game’s injury report, so is he playing tonight?

Johnson is struggling with a shoulder problem. The Hawks are hoping to have him on the field against the Grizzlies. Johnson has been one of the Hawks’ most important players this season.

Here’s everything we know about Johnson’s injury status for tonight’s game vs. the Grizzlies.

Jalen Johnson’s injury status vs. Grizzlies

According to the NBA injury report, Johnson is questionable to play on Monday night.

Atlanta is looking to clinch a playoff berth rather than a play-in position. The Hawks have played well in recent weeks and sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 39-32 record.

As for the Grizzlies, Memphis is 21-50 and in 14th place in the Western Conference.

The Hawks are in good position to win on Monday, but they would still love to see Johnson on the field. When it comes to the question of whether Jalen Johnson is playing tonight against the Grizzlies, the answer is probably.

hawks injury report

The Hawks have four players listed on the injury report.

• Jalen Johnson (left shoulder inflammation): Questionable
• Raze Dennis (G League Two-Way): Questionable
• Keyshawn Gilbert (G League Two-Way): Questionable
• Asa Newell (G League on assignment): Questionable

grizzlies injury report

The Grizzlies have 10 players listed on the injury report.

• Taj Gibson (right foot soreness): questionable
• Cam Spencer (lower back pain): Questionable
• Santi Aldama (recovering from right knee surgery): Out
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (recovering from surgery on right 5th finger): OUT
• Brandon Clarke (right calf strain): Out
• Cedric Coward (personal reasons): out
• Zach Eddy (recovery from left ankle surgery): out
• Jahmai Mashak (left ankle sprain): Out
• Ja Morant (left elbow UCL sprain): out
• Scottie Pippen Jr. (recovering from right toe surgery): Out

Even though he’s now 48 years old and hasn’t played NFL football in three full seasons, Tom Brady still has it. He proved it during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic on Saturday.

No, Brady’s team didn’t take home a trophy or win any games. Still, it’s clear that Brady’s fastball still has plenty of juice to it.

Throughout the event, Brady showed that not only does he still have a live arm, but he’s also no statue. Heck, he even dodged a defender’s attempt to grab his flag, while later maintaining his composure to toss a touchdown.

🐐 @tombrady To Diggs! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/27dzqn84Oa

– Fox Sports (@FOXSports) 21 March 2026

While Brady’s play certainly had some people talking throughout the game, what the retired NFL pro said afterward had people talking.

After the game ended, Brady reposted the above clip with the caption, “Makes you think.”

finish the sentence! Will you be wondering? We can’t help but wonder.

Maybe this is another retired player giving another great display of his athletic abilities. but what if?

Yet, since Brady is a minority owner of the Raiders, he is not allowed to be on the team’s roster. Except the Raiders do, but they are set to select Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. Of course, Brady could buy Mendoza a season to develop, as well as learn from behind the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But would Brady really interfere with the quarterback of a team in which he has a partial ownership stake? Brady himself may feel that way and wants Mendoza to have a chance to earn the starting job right away. Stepping down as a player would take away that opportunity for a Heisman-winning CFP champion.

Additionally, even if Brady is serious about returning under the right circumstances, he would still need the approval of at least 24 of the NFL’s 31 franchise owners through a voting process.

If you’re one of the owners who has to compete with Brady, why would you vote yes? Again, taking away an athlete’s last chance to play again would be against the spirit of the game and inhumane. But when competing for the Super Bowl, who’s to say pettiness won’t be involved?

RELATED: Tom Brady reveals what it takes to bounce back like Philip Rivers

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

Fireworks erupted during Saturday’s game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards as tensions rose and a fight broke out between the two teams that eventually involved Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell and Wizards wing Justin Champagnie. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, both players were ultimately ejected from the game, and on Sunday, the NBA handed down one-game suspensions to both Ajay Mitchell and Justin Champagnie for their roles in the fight.

Sunday’s Brooklyn Nets-Sacrmato Kings matchup will have a significant impact on the NBA’s draft lottery race. The Kings will be without Russell Westbrook, one of their top contributors, during the game. Westbrook was forced out of the game due to right leg pain.

The Kings are already without Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, De’Andre Hunter and Drew Eubanks.

Westbrook played 28 minutes during the Kings’ 139-118 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. He posted 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting, three rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and one steal. The veteran guard has appeared in 64 games with 58 starts this season, averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists on .427/.338/.694 shooting splits.

Russell Westbrook out of Kings-Nets matchup due to foot illness

Sacramento entered Sunday’s game one spot behind Brooklyn in the draft lottery standings. The Kings have lost their last two games 4-1, slipping from first place to fourth. They have one more win than the Nets in third.

The Nets have lost six games after consecutive wins over the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies earlier this month. They recently ruled out Igor Demin and Deron Sharp for the season, while Michael Porter Jr. is out for 2-3 weeks with a hamstring strain. Brooklyn also will be without Noah Clowney (right wrist sprain) and Nic Claxton (rest) on Sunday. Terrence Mann (illness) is probable for the matchup.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Kings enter Sunday’s game as 5.5-point favorites. They have another meeting with the Nets in Brooklyn a week from Sunday.

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.

After the Indiana Pacers lost Ivica Zubac for the season due to a rib fracture, there is an extended injury report for Saturday’s matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. The Pacers are listed with 11 players, including Tyrese Haliburton, who is out the entire season, Johnny Furphy, who tore his right ACL, and Zubac. The rest of the Pacers players mentioned on the extended injury list are listed as questionable.

Aaron Nesmith, who finished with 15 points in a 127-119 loss to the Portland Blazers, is dealing with a right ankle injury that could force him to sit. Ben Shepard, who is dealing with a left ankle sprain, is also questionable to face the Blazers. Shepard and Quenten Jackson, both dealing with right calf strains that faced the Blazers on Wednesday, also could miss Saturday’s game against the Spurs.

Zubac broke out with 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 23 minutes in Wednesday’s matchup against the Blazers. The Pacers announced Zubac’s diagnosis the next day. He averaged 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in his five games with Indiana since his trade from the LA Clippers.

pacers injury report

Jonny Furphy – Out – Right ACL; tears

Tyrese Haliburton – Outside – Right Achilles tendon; tears

Quenton Jackson – Questionable – Right calf; strain

TJ McConnell – Questionable – Right hamstring; agony

Andrew Nembhard – Questionable – Right calf; Indigo

Aaron Nesmith – Questionable – Right ankle; injury management

Micah Potter – Questionable – Right triceps; strain

Ben Shepard – Questionable – left ankle; Sprain

Pascal Siakam – Questionable – Right knee; Sprain

Obi Toppin – Questionable – Right leg; injury management

Ivica Zubac – out – fish; fracture

The San Antonio Spurs take on the Indiana Pacers at home on Saturday night. Victor Wembanyama is on the injury report along with Stephen Castle. Vembanyama is struggling with pain in his right ankle, while Castle is already out with right hip tightness. Here’s everything we know about Victor Wembanyama’s injury and his status in the game against the Pacers.

Victor Wembanyama’s injury status vs Pacers

While Castle has already been ruled out, Wembanyama is considered doubtful for Saturday’s contest between the Spurs and Pacers. His status will remain unclear until San Antonio announces his potential availability prior to tip-off. Victor Wembanyama has said he wants to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year so he can push to play on Saturday night.

The Spurs are currently firmly in second place in the Western Conference, as they are just three games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. Given that the Pacers have the worst record in the NBA (15–55), this game is not considered a marquee matchup.

Victor Wembanyama has been a monster for Spurs all season. The three-time All-Star is averaging 24.3 points (career-best), 11.1 rebounds (career-best), 2.9 assists and 3.0 blocks (league leader) per game. He also has an impressive 50.6% field goal percentage while shooting 35.7% from beyond the three-point line (career-best).

Wembanyama played in the Spurs’ last game which ended in a 101–100 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The third-year veteran finished that contest with 34 points, 12 rebounds, one assist and three steals. That win clinched a playoff spot for San Antonio.

So, when the question comes whether Victor Wembanyama is playing against the Pacers tonight, the answer remains up in the air.

spurs injury report

Stephen Cassel – Outside: Right hip; tightness
Harrison Ingram – Out: G League; two ways
David Jones Garcia – Out: G League; two ways
Emmanuel Miller – Out: G League; two ways
Victor Vembanyama – Questionable: right ankle; agony

pacers injury report

Jonny Furphy – Out: Right ACL; tears
Tyrese Haliburton – Out: right Achilles tendon; tears
Quentin Jackson – Questionable: Right calf; strain
TJ McConnell – Questionable: right hamstring; agony
Andrew Nembhard – Questionable: Right calf; Indigo
Aaron Nesmith – Questionable: right ankle; injury management
Talon Peter – Questionable: G League; two ways
Micah Potter – Questionable: Right triceps; strain
Ben Sheppard – Questionable: left ankle; Sprain
Pascal Siakam – Questionable: Right knee; Sprain
Jalen Slauson – Questionable: G League; two ways
Ethan Thompson – Questionable: G League; two ways
Obi Toppin – Questionable: right leg; injury management
Ivica Zubac – Outside: Fish; fracture

Luka Doncic continued his high-scoring onslaught over the past few days, exploding 60 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 134-126 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday at Kasia Center.

Doncic was coming off a breakout season of 40 points in their win over the Houston Rockets, 124-116, at the Toyota Center on Wednesday, but the busy schedule hasn’t stopped him from getting frantic again.

He was efficient against the Heat, shooting 18 of 30 from the field, including 9 of 17 shots from long range. He made 15 of 19 shots from the free-throw stripe.

After Doncic’s heroic performance, which was the second-highest output of his career, fans couldn’t help but bring up, or should we say, put down, Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game against the Washington Wizards.

“The Lakers’ Luka Doncic’s 60-point competitive game was far more impressive than the Heat’s Bam Adebayo’s 83 points in a meaningless game. Imagine if Luka had made 13 more field goals, five of them threes, and 24 more free throws? Come on,” @das_187 said.

@Gunsmoke__Q echoed, “Bam Adebayo scores 83 on Wizards, Luka scores 60 on Heat.”

@TomBrady80 said, “If Adebayo had shot as efficiently as Luka, he would have had 100+ points.”

“Luka just showed Adebayo what it was like,” @_SayParlay_ posted.

@BallinKP8 commented, “Luka Bam showing Adebayo how to properly put up a significant amount of points straight in his face. #thatsforkobe.”

The hate train continues for Adebayo to have a career night. Recall, he made 23 of 43 shots from the field, including 7 of 22 from long distance. He went 36-of-43 from the free-throw line. The Heat won 150–129.

Many, including Michael Jordan, congratulated Adebayo for his historic performance.

But on Thursday, he was on the receiving end of Doncic’s outstanding performance, and of course, Adebayo, who had 28 points and 10 rebounds, respected it.

The Montreal Canadiens were in Detroit on Thursday night, facing the Red Wings in a game steeped in playoff fallout.

In the end, the Red Wings emerged with a 3–1 victory, and in the process won one of the most important games of the schedule.

Let’s look at the highlights!

To assault

Neither team managed to break the ice in the first period, as makeshift hockey was on the menu, although it must be said that the Canadiens did a better job when it came to creating high-danger chances. The Habs took a 5–3 lead on high-quality shots, including a great scoring opportunity for Juraj Slafkowski that was set up by captain Nick Suzuki.

Great pass by Suzuki to set up Slafkowski for a great scoring chance. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/lDiteUfVI0

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 19 March 2026

Powerplay threat

There is a saying in hockey that states that generating a penalty will result in a potential windfall.

Or, more traditionally, put the puck on net and good things will happen.

The Canadiens don’t exactly follow this adage, as they take fewer shots with the man-advantage than most NHL teams, despite having a top-10 power play.

On Thursday night, we got a prime example of the principle at work, when a low-quality shot from Cole Caufield bounced off John Gibson and went straight onto the blade of Slafkowski. The 21-year-old Slovak player made no mistake and scored his 25th goal of the year.

If we wanted to be pedantic, we could describe it as a quick pass by Caufield rather than a shot, but the point stands.

If you want to take a boat ride in the river, you have to go down the river.

This is an important lesson that Canadians should keep in mind moving forward.

More shots. Always more shots.

Juraj Slafkowski scored his 25th goal of the year #GoHabsGo 1-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/n1joZ5wiXQ

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 20 March 2026

coaching ireland

The Red Wings tied the game in the third period when a point shot by Patrick Kane hit Jacob Dobbs and then deflected off JT Comfer on what, all things considered, was an innocuous play. However, Canadiens head coach Martin Saint-Louis was furious, with most of his anger directed towards Alex Newhook and possibly Ivan Demidov.

Martin was angry on the St. Louis bench after Red Wings goal pic.twitter.com/lDM4eP6F8q

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 20 March 2026

one mistake too many

It was a tight contest, usually requiring a bad bounce or a bad changeup to decide the outcome. In this case, Mike Matheson provided a terrific layup that gave Detroit its first lead of the game with about three minutes left in the third period. Shortly thereafter they would score an empty-net goal to seal the win.

Brutal turnaround for Mike Matheson.

The Red Wings took the lead with about 3 minutes left in the third. pic.twitter.com/nvjaEoio8s

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 20 March 2026

The Montreal Canadiens are back in action on Saturday facing the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Los Angeles Lakers extended their lead with a 124–116 win over the Houston Rockets, making their streak seven and improving to 9–1 in their last 10 games. Once again, LeBron James took charge on the night. At 41, he put in a performance that felt both skilled and inevitable. He finished with 30 points on 13-of-14 shooting, along with five rebounds and two assists. The matchup against the Rockets was high on energy, but LeBron controlled the Lakers’ rhythm from start to finish.

After the game, JJ Redick gave a response that immediately caught attention. “The one shot he missed, he was trying to make a foul shot. I mean, that’s the biggest thing,” Redick said. that was fast. it was funny. And it perfectly demonstrated how dominant LeBron was. A miss occurred only because everything else went in.

JJ: “One shot (LeBron) missed, he was trying to draw a foul. That’s the biggest thing” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/wu2L2pxfoL

– Oh no, he didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) 19 March 2026

LeBron also missed both of his three-point attempts. Every touch seemed deliberate. Every move felt calculated. Under the lights, it didn’t look like this was a player in the prime of his career. It seemed like the perfect order.

Lakers finding form at the right time

The Lakers just aren’t winning. Instead, they are building something. The difference is clearly visible. Meanwhile, decision making feels rushed. And through it all, LeBron James has been the engine driving everything forward.

However, the rockets did not fold easily. They kept the pressure on the scoreboard and forced the Lakers to respond. Still, Los Angeles never lost control. Each of Houston’s runs received a steady answer. As a result, that balance continues to define this expansion.

More importantly, this moment feels bigger than a game. Almost a perfect shooting night. A viral quote from JJ Redick. Plus, as the season gets tougher, the team’s confidence is growing. The Lakers are on an upward trend, and the signs are becoming harder to ignore now.

So now, the question arises again: If LeBron James is playing at this level, how dangerous can this Lakers run be?

Washington, DC – Washington Wizards/Monumental basketball president Michael Winger said on Jan. 22 that the organization will evaluate which young players will stick around long-term in the coming months, and second-year guard Bub Carrington showed why he should stick around on Tuesday. The 20-year-old scored a season-high 30 points (12-16 FG, 6-8 3-point) with four rebounds, two assists and no turnovers over 37 minutes in Washington’s 130-117 home loss against the Detroit Pistons.

Veteran forward Justin Champagnie told ClutchPoints after the game how Carrington has grown as a player since last season.

I asked Justin Champagnie last night how Bub Carrington has grown as a player since he was first discovered (thread):

“I think Bub is trying to learn his spots more. Starting to figure out when to shoot, when not to. When to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive. When… pic.twitter.com/KYEdtYxlmD

-Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) 18 March 2026

“I think Bub is trying to learn his spots more. Starting to figure out when to shoot, when not to shoot,” the 24-year-old said. “When to be aggressive, when not to be aggressive. When to turn the ball over, make the plays that have to be made. He’s diligent in his film work. I watch him do film before every game. I think he’s growing in those aspects. Gotta remember Bub is still young, like, 21 years old…I’m very proud of the growth he’s made this year.”

Carrington won’t turn 21 until July, but the rest of Champaign’s commentary track. The former Pittsburgh Panther is shooting 56.7% from the field (51.7% 3-point) with a 2.56 assist-to-turnover ratio in 25.9 minutes per game in March, which is a night-and-day difference from the rest of his season. For example, he shot only 36.4% (28.3% 3-pointers) with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio in February and 38.7% (34.6% 3-pointers) with a 1.76 ratio in January.

Carrington’s season-long numbers aren’t that different from his depth other than a 39.4% clip, which leads 2024 draftees with at least that many average attempts (4.9). The Baltimore native’s average three-point attempts also rank fifth in the class.

On the other hand, according to NBA Advanced stats, Carrington’s 14.1 turnover ratio is the third highest (minimum 20 minutes per game) and his -14.2 net rating ranks last. Luckily, Champagne gave him advice on how to deal with adversity.

“Stay the same… A lot of guys go through sophomore slumps… When shots aren’t falling and things aren’t going your way, what else can you do to make an impact and be the player we need?” When asked what advice he would give Carrington, he said. “I think he’s done a great job so far this year, I’m looking forward to seeing him continue.”

Spreading the ball around while limiting turnovers is one way Carrington can help the team when he’s not scoring. For example, the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder had eight possessions against just one turnover in Saturday’s 111-100 loss to the Boston Celtics. He only scored two points (1-2 FG) in 22 minutes, but still provided value.

It was a different story on Tuesday. Carrington looked as confident as ever, hitting a fadeaway midrange as well as a catch-and-shoot three Competitive layouts like The one below.

It’s hard bub 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/LWs05M0EGh

– Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) 17 March 2026

Carrington could stand to hit more contested layups, as he ranks 162nd among NBA guards with 0.5 paint touches per game as of Wednesday. If he gets to the rim more, he will draw more attention from the defense and open up space for his teammates, similar to fellow Wizard Trae Young.

It’s not realistic to reach Young’s level too soon, but it is realistic to build on Tuesday’s outing and show potential in that regard over the rest of the season.

Bub Carrington needs to prove valuable as a role player

It’s no secret that Washington’s youth center will be in a different situation next year and beyond. The acquisition of youth and star big man Anthony Davis this offseason signals an intent to get into the Eastern Conference playoff picture for the 2026-27 campaign, which is a far cry from the way things have been recently.

The organization has declined every year since winger and general manager Will Dawkins took over in 2023, which helped him land second-year big man Alex Saar and rookie guard Trey Johnson with the top six selections in the draft. If the season ends on Wednesday, it will gain another top-six selection in the draft with superstar prospects AJ DiBuntsa (BYU), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and Darin Peterson (Kansas).

This strategy puts player development above winning, allowing the young core to play through mistakes without the pressure of immediate results. But next year it will be difficult to get minutes for those players who will not help the team win.

There are no guarantees what the roster will look like next year, but Carrington can stake his claim as a long-term role player if he puts together a mix of performances like the Pistons and Celtics games the rest of this season. Whether the team needs him as a scorer or facilitator on some nights, if he consistently shows he can execute any job, it will be hard to sit him down.

Head coach Brian Keefe reported Tuesday that Carrington is learning “what he needs to do” each game.

“I think Bub had a good year. He really took over our second unit for a lot of the year, while our second unit was very positive for a long time,” he said. “He’s learned to control the game offensively. I like his physicality defensively, he’s gotten more interceptions as the season has gone on. And the shooting is right there as well.”

“Keep growing, and we will put our people in positions to learn and grow,” he added. “Tonight was great, he played a little off the ball. Sometimes he has the ball more, tonight he was a little behind. He was aggressive looking for his shot, and that’s what we needed him to do tonight. He’s learning what the game needs him to do. Some nights are different. Tonight, he was aggressive with his shot, and that was helpful for us.”

Washington has another home date with Detroit on Thursday before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

Ivica Zubac has performed well in all the last five games for the Indiana Pacers and has made a good start to his life as a member of his new team. Zubac was dealing with some ankle problems, and the Pacers were well aware of this when they brought him in via a blockbuster trade. Thus, it’s a pleasant surprise that he’s already back-to-back suits up for Indiana.

However, given that the Pacers have all the incentive in the world to not win a lot of games, given that they will give their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers if it falls within the fifth to tenth selection, they are undoubtedly going to manage Zubac’s workload.

To that end, Zubac played only 23 minutes of their 117–109 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, exiting the contest with 10:44 remaining in the fourth quarter due to a head injury. He did not return to the game, finishing with 18 points and eight rebounds during his time on the court.

The Pacers will have two full days of rest before taking the court on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs and for now, Zubac should be considered questionable for that game.

Ivica Zubac getting familiar with the Pacers’ system

Zubac is going to learn how to play faster and expand his offensive game beyond the paint now that he is a member of the dangerous Pacers. This is invaluable time for Zubac and the Pacers, as he can become familiar with the system in a more low-pressure environment amid Indiana’s gap year.

Indiana invested a ton of assets in Zubac, and only time will tell how successful their move will be. Nonetheless, it’s easy to see why the Pacers brought him in, as he’ll play such sweet string music with Tyrese Haliburton when the floor general returns.

LeBron James played one of his best games this season, scoring 30 points on 13-14 shooting from the field in a 124-116 win for the Los Angeles Lakers over the Houston Rockets. James has really shifted to an off-ball role, and he is thriving as a result. In fact, a lot of the little things James is doing that contribute to winning are just putting even more wear and tear on a body that’s already gotten a ton of mileage.

Notably, James suffered an elbow injury late in the Lakers’ victory when he faced a hard foul from Jabari Smith Jr. He was supposed to go straight to the locker room after the final buzzer, but he noticed that Lisa Salters was the sideline reporter for ESPN the night before and she was staying briefly to give an interview. out of love And he has admiration for one of the sport’s most experienced journalists.

“As soon as I get to the locker room, Imma throw some ice on it. That’s why I ran away. But, you know, I love you, you’re amazing, so I had to come back and do this interview for you. We got back-to-backs. I’m 41. I need to prepare but I take care of myself and hopefully I’ll be ready for tomorrow night,” James told Salters.

“I love you, you’re amazing, so I had to come back and do this interview for you.”

LeBron was going back to the locker room, but came back to do an interview with Lisa Salters 🙌

(via @ESPN)
pic.twitter.com/hTx8VwSisV

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 19 March 2026

Lakers’ LeBron James shows love for fellow sports legend

Salters has been working on the sidelines for nearly 20 years, joining NBA on ABC coverage in 2006 as the lead sideline reporter. She has been a part of ESPN since 2000. James has watched Salters on the sidelines throughout his career, and it seems as if the Lakers star has formed a relationship with one of the game’s most respected reporters.

In fact, the Lakers have to play a game tomorrow night as they face the Miami Heat.

Stephen Curry is currently dealing with a knee injury, which has kept him out of the Golden State Warriors’ last 19 games. Although it is unclear exactly when he will return, head coach Steve Kerr is optimistic that he will return before the end of the season. Still, after Curry was out, the Dubs’ troubles continued, as they lost another game on Wednesday night, a 120–99 loss on the road to the Boston Celtics.

However, some fans may be desperate to see Curry back in action. In fact, one fan in attendance at TD Garden on Wednesday was so desperate to get Curry’s attention that he crossed a line – pulling the Warriors star towards him, causing Curry to face a confused concussion.

This action of the fan did not go unpunished. the man who drew curry asked to leave game, which is the perfect job to maintain the safety of NBA superstars.

Someone in the Boston crowd pulled Steph Curry’s hand, and that person was asked to leave 😳

(via @KyleCelt33)pic.twitter.com/rhRs80c7LZ

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 19 March 2026

It’s not exactly clear what was going through that fan’s mind, because doing something like this would never go unnoticed and he would not be punished. They paid good money to see the Warriors take on the Celtics, but that doesn’t give them the right to do whatever they want.

The Warriors miss Stephen Curry a lot

Curry is the engine that powers the Warriors’ offense, and over the last 19 games, everything has been rough for Golden State. With Curry out, their net rating has dropped to almost minus-four, and it has led to their decline in the West standings.

What the Dubs are doing amid Curry’s injury is admirable, as many have tried to get Golden State a few wins here and there. But without Curry, the Warriors could reach a point of no comeback, which would be a sad way to go out for this team.

The Golden State Warriors have been without Stephen Curry since the All-Star break as he deals with a knee injury. It seems like Curry may be close to returning to the court as the Warriors try to make a late-season push, as he was seen taking shots in shootaround before the game against the Boston Celtics.

Warriors star Steph Curry gets a shot during a team shootaround in Boston.

(via @kenzofuku) pic.twitter.com/tuJ7X2Ghxg

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 18 March 2026

This is good news for the Warriors, but it also may not mean much. Curry is believed to be reevaluated soon, and there is a possibility he could return sooner rather than later.

Head coach Steve Kerr recently spoke about Curry’s injury, as many have asked why he doesn’t shut down the guard for the remainder of the season if he is injured.

“When people ask me about this year, and I’ve been asked this many times, why don’t you rest Steph all year? OK, he’s healthy, we’re competing, that’s what we do. And we want to give ourselves a chance and that’s the whole point. The beauty is in the pursuit, in the work. And when you fail, it’s hard to recover from that,” Kerr said on the Tom Tolbert Show.

The Warriors are still in the playoff race, and will likely have to make it out of the play-in tournament to earn a win. This is nothing new for them, as last year they found themselves in the same situation, and were able to earn the No. 7 seed. What made it even better was that they defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.

There’s no doubt that the Warriors are battle-tested, but they need their star player to improve their chances of winning more games during the season.

On Tuesday evening, the Philadelphia 76ers returned to the loss column with a blowout road loss at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. The 76ers were playing without several key players, including big man Joel Embiid, who remained out of the lineup due to injury.

However, Embiid was present on the sidelines at Ball Arena, and after the game, he shared a good moment With fellow Nuggets MVP big man Nikola Jokic.

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid catch up after the game

pic.twitter.com/eD98cAqoJq

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 18 March 2026

Embiid and Jokic have long been viewed as the two best centers on the NBA landscape, and fans have been frustrated by the lack of a head-to-head matchup between the two former MVPs. In fact, Embiid hasn’t played a game in Denver since the 2019-20 season, having been injured at that time of year every season since then.

Meanwhile, the 76ers recently slipped to ninth place in the Eastern Conference amid the Atlanta Hawks’ 10-game winning streak, and it’s unclear when Embiid will be ready to return to the court. The 76ers are still dealing with the absence of Paul George due to league suspension, as well as Tyrese Maxey, who is out with a finger injury.

At this point, it’s highly unlikely that the 76ers could realistically fall further than tenth place in the Eastern Conference, meaning they would be at worst heading into the play-in tournament. However, in a season that started with so much promise, it is certainly disappointing for Philadelphia fans to see things fall apart due to injuries once again.

The 76ers will next take the court on Thursday evening as they look to get back into the win column against the Sacramento Kings.

It’s mid-March and the New Jersey Devils (34-31-2) and New York Rangers (28-31-8) are meeting for the second time this season. In fact, all three of their meetings are this month amid this condensed schedule of 2025-26.

Perhaps with an 84-game schedule next year, the meetings could be a little more extended and frequent.

Anyway, neither the Devils nor the Rangers are headed to the postseason this year. Still, the Devils (6-4-0) and Rangers (6-2-2) are trying to show a little fight.

Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup.

What to know vs Rangers

– The Devils and Broadway Blueshirts will face off for the second of three games as their regular season series concludes on March 31
On MSG.

-Jack Hughes has recorded 19 career goals against the Rangers, which leads all NHL skaters since making his NHL debut in 2019-

-His 32 career points against the Rangers are second only to D. Pastrnak (34) for all NHL skaters since 2019-20.

-Hughes’s 32 career points are his most against a single NHL opponent. The 2019 No. 1 overall draft selection New York’s Igor Shesterkin has 10 career goals, leading all other NHL skaters. Sam Reinhart is second with nine, while four others have eight.

—The Devils were 3–0–1 against New York last season, while last year’s series marked the first time in team history that the Devils did not give up a goal at home against the Rangers.

—Last season marked the first time since 2003–04 that the Devils defeated the Rangers twice in the same season.

-Hughes earned his fourth career hat trick in the first matchup of the 2025-26 Hudson River Rivalry

2025-26 vs rangers

March 7/26 W 6-3 Prudential Center

March 18/26 7:00 PM ET Madison Square Garden

March 31/26 7:00 PM ET Prudential Center

devils vs rangers

All-time record: 114-122-27-13

All-time home record: 73-55-7-5

All-time road record: 41-67-20-8

Projected Devils Lineup*

Ahead

Timo Meyer – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer

Jasper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown

Arseny Gritsyuk – Cody Glass – Lenny Haminaho

Paul Couture – Nick Bjugstad – Maxim Tsyplyakov

defenseman

Jonas Seigenthaler – Dougie Hamilton

Luke Hughes – Jonathan Kovacevic

Brendan Dillon – Simon Nemec

goaltender

jacob markstrom

jake allen

*Lineup is subject to change

Current Injuries: Jack McEwen (upper body, out for the season)

2025-26 Total man-games lost: 286

Projected Rangers Lineup*

Ahead

Gabe Perreault – Mika Zibanejad – Alexis Lafreniere

Will Quile – Vincent Trocheck – JT Miller

Ty Carti – Noah Proffitt – Connor Sherry

Taylor Radish – Adam Edstrom – Jaroslav Chmeler

defenseman

Matthew Robertson – Adam Fox

Vladislav Gavrikov – Braden Schneider

Urho Vakkanen – Will Borgen

goaltender

Igor Shesterkin

jonathan quick

*Lineup is subject to change

How to watch the Devils game – 7:00 pm ET

Watch: TNT/HBO/MAX

radio: devils hockey net

next up

Wednesday, March 18, NYR at 7:00 PMET
Friday, March 20th WSH at 7:00 PMET
Tuesday, March 24 at 8:00 PM DAL
Thu, Mar 26 at 8:00pm NSH
Saturday, March 28 CAR 5:00 PM



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

Barcelona have decided to buy Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford at the end of this season.

The La Liga winners joined Manchester United on loan with an option to buy in July 2025.

Manchester United allowed him to spend the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side wanted to retain Rashford, but he was keen to join Barcelona.

Last season, he had 11 goals and nine assists for the Red Devils and Aston Villa, and four goals and six assists for the Villans.

Rashford has scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists in 38 appearances for Hansi Flick. Below are his per game statistics with Barça [first] And both Manchester United and Aston Villa last season.

• expected goal [per season]: 5.84 – 4.77
• expected assistance [per season]: 3.78 – 3.45
• big opportunities were created [per season]: 5 – 8
• Cross: 1 – 0.7
• Successful dribbles: 0.9 – 0.7
• Ground duel won: 2-0 -1.8
• Aerial duel won: 0-2 – 0-2

These figures show that Rashford’s overall performances have improved since moving to the Camp Nou.

Marcus Rashford taking key pay cuts

Last month, Sports Witness broadcast news Marcus Rashford’s agent meets Barca sporting director Deco in Spain.

on weekends, to be a chain Deco was interviewed during the election of Barça, won by President Joan Laporta.

When Barcelona’s sporting director was asked about Rashford, he said: “We know we have a choice. [The purchase option will be exercised] Fair play, depending on the club’s priorities and the player’s performance.”

Wednesday edition of sports world One report is headlined: ‘Rashford will have to push hard for his transfer.’

The newspaper says: ‘Barça have practically secured the signature of Marcus Rashford (28 years old), to the point of having a non-mandatory purchase option for €30m, which will be payable to United in three installments of €10m.’

The Blaugrana have also agreed to a three-year contract with the England international. All that is pending for them is to activate this section.

Rashford would like it to happen quickly, while the Camp Nou team is in no hurry. He starred for Barcelona during Raphinha’s absence due to injury.

With Raphinha already back in action, Rashford will have to prove his worth ‘either as a game-changer from the bench or as a starter to rest the Brazilian’.

He has not done so in recent weeks as the Manchester United player has failed to score or assist since the end of January.

World State: ‘The main thing with Rashford is his salary, which is not low, and the impact of the transfer on the club’s financial fair play, which will not be insignificant. If he has a breakout season, he will be easy to sign. If he struggles his chances will be reduced.

Barça is using local newspapers to apply pressure

The Catalan club has faced problems in recent years managing its wage bill and registering new players. They eventually solved it after making adjustments, but the same issue will continue this summer.

Marcus Rashford has shown willingness to take a pay cut. Now it seems that Barcelona want him to reduce his salary further.

It is possible that Flick’s team are using Mundo Deportivo to take advantage of the player’s recent decline in form to put pressure on him. He wants to use his Manchester United clause but, as usual, is cutting costs.

🇳🇱Mika Godts | Manchester United approach Ajax for star

➡️Want to know the status before attempt
⭐️ Multiple top clubs keen, #MUFC move forward to move forward
📈 At 20, the left winger is on the rise
⚽️ 14 goals + 11 assists this seasonhttps://t.co/8PiZl0IhFR

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 17 March 2026

BOSTON – “MVP, MVP, MVP.” That’s what Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown heard as he approached the free throw line in the fourth quarter of the Green team’s 120-112 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. Brown delighted the home crowd at TD Garden with a game-high 41 points – on 50% shooting – along with five assists and four rebounds.

The five-time All-Star played tirelessly against the Suns, constantly attacking the rim and forcing the referees to make call after call. This offensive aggression resulted in a career-high 21 free throws and allowed Brown to take all the MVP cheers while standing alone at the charity stripe.

“It’s pretty cool, not gonna lie,” Brown said of the MVP chants he received. “It’s just amazing to be at this point in my career and be able to get that love from the fans.”

Loud MVP chant for Jaylen Brown: pic.twitter.com/2PVsLxBjcH

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 17 March 2026

Brown deserved every scream from the Boston faithful, as he recorded a game-high 18 points in the final frame alone. He was also responsible for the biggest momentum shift of the contest, which came when he cleanly stole the ball from Suns star Devin Booker, giving an easy lead to Celtics star Jayson Tatum on the other end with 3:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. This limited the Suns’ lead to just one and forced a timeout – they never recovered and the Celtics went on a 10–1 run to close out the win.

“I think even now over the last few games, I’ve adjusted my game, and I’m still getting better at my ability to make plays, seeing the floor, taking my time, all those things, still continuing to improve,” Brown said at the podium.

While Brown thoroughly enjoyed the love he earned from Celtics fans on Monday, he may have enjoyed even more the support he received on a cold Sunday morning on the streets of South Boston.

The longtime Celtics participated in Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade for the first time and were surrounded by fans that exceeded the capacity of the TD Garden.

“I was at Southee’s yesterday and I got some MVP chants,” Brown recalled. “I think it might have been a little nicer.”

Jaylen Brown joins Southee St. Patrick’s Day Parade ☘️ pic.twitter.com/p3vBPLwn4u

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 15 March 2026

Although Brown is being serenaded with MVP chants throughout Beantown, that doesn’t mean he’ll be taking home the Michael Jordan Trophy. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite and his Oklahoma City Thunder have the advantage of having the best record in the NBA.

This will likely keep Brown from becoming the first Celtics MVP in four decades, yet he still has some history to chase. After lighting up the sun, the Georgia native is just 23 points away from entering the top-10 of the Celtics’ all-time scoring list. With a 23-point outing, he would be right behind his partner in offense Tatum on the historical leaderboard.

Tatum said of his on-court partnership with Brown, “We can count on each other in the biggest moments, the biggest games, the biggest situations, we’ve been through them all together.”

Following the 45-23 Celtics are the injury-hit Golden State Warriors, whom they host on Wednesday night during a primetime showdown. And while this contest likely won’t provide Brown with a big enough stage to further his MVP case, it will give him a chance to continue his stellar season and keep the Celtics in contention for the playoffs.

“I’m proud of my team, I’m proud of myself,” he said. “I always felt that if given the chance, I could become one of the top players in the world and I think I have to demonstrate that this season. Now my focus is on preparing for the playoffs.”

Washington, DC – Entering Tuesday night’s home date with the Detroit Pistons, the Washington Wizards have the NBA’s second-longest losing streak at 12 games. They also have the second-worst record (16-51), but four-time All-Star Trae Young is showing why next season will be different.

After Monday’s 126-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors, rookie wing Will Riley told ClutchPoints how 27 years old He has transformed the Wizards’ offense since making his debut for the team on March 5.

I asked Will Riley how Trae Young has impacted him as a player and the offense in general:

“Yeah, he’s an amazing player. It’s crazy to see it in person, I used to watch him all the time. Seeing the reads he makes shows how much attention he brings. The attention he brings… pic.twitter.com/43TLFAsX4v

-Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) 17 March 2026

“Yeah, he’s an amazing player. It’s crazy to see it in person, I used to watch him all the time,” said the 20-year-old. “Just seeing the reads he brings shows how much focus he brings. The focus he brings allows him to find us on time and on target, so it opens up a lot of opportunities for everyone. He’s an amazing person and great teammate, too.”

Young is averaging 6.2 assists in just 20.8 minutes for Washington, which equates to one assist every 3.35 minutes. The former All-NBA honoree averaged an assist every 3.1 minutes for the Atlanta Hawks as he led the NBA with 11.6 dimes in 36 minutes in the 2024-25 campaign.

Young’s work so far with the Wizards doesn’t guarantee he’ll lead the league in assists again next year, but it is a preview of things to come. The former Oklahoma Sooner is using his offensive toughness to create open looks for the “Wiz Kids,” which makes their job easier and helps their development.

Will Riley reveals Trae Young opened ‘doors’

Riley also talked about what he has learned from Young so far.

“Reading off ball screens has been a main point of emphasis… making reads, snaking, being aggressive, trying to score first… it’s opened up a lot of new doors for me…” he said.

According to former Hawks G League scout Dylan Murphy, snacking is a pick-and-roll maneuver “in which the ball-handler moves away from his original direction between the screener and the screener’s defender.” Learning that move adds to Riley’s already deep bag of moves, like spins and fadeaways.

An example of how Young “opened new doors” for Riley was executing a hockey assist (pass for assist) on his three-point shot in the second quarter. Young brought the ball up the court before second-year guard Bilal Coulibaly set a screen on the logo and swung to the basket. During the roll, Young threw the ball towards Koulibaly, causing the defense to collapse inside. then the next player passed it A wide-open relay in the corner, who swept all three.

Beautiful sequence right here 🤌 pic.twitter.com/Uc02NxzIlr

– Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) 17 March 2026

Head coach Brian Keefe referenced the game post-game when describing his favorite offensive moments from Young, Koulibaly and Riley, each of whom led the team with 21 points.

“I thought there were some good moments there. We had some good connections where the ball was moving, Trae was getting two, there was a play earlier when he hit Bilal on the short roll and he passed it to Will Riley,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons Trae is here, when he gets two he makes the right play. I thought we played him pretty well… You could see the passing skills of all three of them tonight.”

Young left Monday’s game with a quad contusion and was out on Tuesday, but he at least showed why Washington acquired him in five contests with the team in January. While no one knows how long he’ll last, giving the young core open looks and showing him new tricks provides invaluable experience.

For now, the Wizards are losing as much as possible to maximize their draft lottery odds as they try to get lucky in a class with superstar prospects Darin Peterson, AJ DiBuntsa and Cam Boozer. After hosting Detroit on Tuesday, they will do the same on Thursday before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

One thing that New York Knicks superfan Ben Stiller will be keeping an eye on as his favorite NBA team plays the Indiana Pacers again is the injury report.

The Knicks beat the Pacers on Friday, March 13, 2026, but the lineup may be different this time. The Pacers are getting healthy, and Stiller is aware of it.

He posted a GIF of Luke Skywalker in a bacta tank in the fifth Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back, with the caption, “The Pacers starters are beginning to emerge from their hyperbaric chambers since the last Knicks game….”

The Pacers’ starters are beginning to emerge from their hyperbaric chambers since the last Knicks game… pic.twitter.com/s3F9vrOMpz

– Ben Stiller (@benstiller) 17 March 2026

Unfortunately, the Pacers have had to deal with a long list of injuries this season. Several players were questionable for their last game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Injury report for the Knicks and Pacers before their game on March 17

However, their fortunes could turn just in time for the Pacers’ latest game against the Knicks. The latest injury report shows that players like Micah Potter, Obi Toppin, Ben Shepard, Quenton Jackson, TJ McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, Ivica Zubac and Aaron Nesmith are questionable for the game due to their various injuries.

However, it is doubtful that Pascal Siakam will be able to play. He is currently struggling with a right knee sprain and will need more time to recover.

As for the Knicks, they have very few players on the injury report. However, one of them is guard Jalen Brunson, the driving force of the offense, who is questionable for the game. However, Mitchell Robinson is doubtful. Miles McBride is still out after undergoing surgery for a core muscle injury.

Currently, the Pacers have the worst record in the NBA at 15-53. Still, the game is important for the Knicks, who currently sit in third place in the Eastern Conference. They are just five games behind the Detroit Pistons (48-19). The Boston Celtics are among them with a record of 45–23.

Houston Rockets All-Star forward Kevin Durant is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, but he has never recorded a 60-point game. His career-high score is 55, but his pace and legacy are far more important for the 19-year-old veteran. Only Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James can match Durant’s longevity and dominance as Kevin approaches his second decade in the association.

According to Michael Lee of The Ringer, Durant explained why he was never interested in scoring 60 points in a game.

“I’m in this for the long term, man,” Durant said. “I just want to win the game and go home. I know it’s been a talking point for me: ‘You don’t have 60, 70.’ You can’t just look at a 60-point game and say, ‘That’s what KD is all about.’ You have to look at my entire career and analyze what I actually did to understand the type of player I am. I like it that way.

“It’s like a story that way. I didn’t want to be a flash in the pan. I just wanted to be consistently great. I don’t have a 60, but that’s a lot of stats I’ve made up on my own.”

Durant is the only player in NBA history to finish a season with 56.0/40.4/91.9 percent shooting splits, a feat he accomplished in 2022-23. Kevin says it’s a testament to the sacrifices he’s made to pursue his career, abandoning friends, partying and having fun. However, in order to persist, he realized that he had left nothing behind.

Kevin Durant on his NBA scoring legacy

Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant was double-teamed by the Lakers in Monday’s 100-92 loss. That’s the kind of treatment you get when you’re one of the game’s elite scorers. Durant finished with 18 points on 8-for-16 shooting.

Aside from Lakers All-Star LeBron James, Durant is the only NBA player to average 25+ points for such a long period of time, which is indicative of his consistent approach.

As Lee said, “He and LeBron are the only players to average at least 25 points for more than 12 seasons.” “Durant has never played a game in which he made more than 19 field goals and averaged fewer than 19 shots per game in his career. On the night he scored a career-high 55 points, he took only 28 shots. On the night he scored a career-high 55 points, he took only 28 shots.

He reached 32,000 points in fewer games than any player other than Jordan. To which Durant asked, “What’s more important to some people – that or 60 points?” Durant remains the youngest NBA scoring champion and the youngest player to win three consecutive scoring titles.

Durant has always played the long game.

On Monday evening, the Atlanta Hawks picked up their tenth consecutive win with a comfortable home win over the Orlando Magic. The game was originally named “Magic City Night”, which was supposed to be a collaboration between the team and a local adult entertainment establishment, but the NBA ultimately canceled the promotion after criticism from San Antonio Spurs big man Luke Kornet.

However, despite this, many fans in attendance showed support for the venue anyway, as described by the Associated Press.

The Associated Press reported via ESPN, “Support or not, plenty of Hawks fans were dressed the same way. Magic City gear, both official and unofficial merchandise, was a common sight throughout the crowd. Among those proudly wearing club sweatshirts was Hawks principal owner Jami Gertz, who sat near halfcourt watching Atlanta cruise to a 124-112 victory.”

Gertz has ties to the Magic City, having previously produced a documentary about the iconic nightlife establishment.

Meanwhile, on the court, the Hawks had their most impressive performance of the season on Monday, defeating an Orlando team that was on a seven-game winning streak in its own right, and extending their own run to ten consecutive wins.

The hero was Nickell Alexander-Walker, who continued his Most Improved Player of the Year campaign with 41 points on nine three pointers, while Jalen Johnson recorded his 13th triple double of the year and second consecutive.

The Hawks are now just a game and a half out of the top six in the East, which would mean missing out on the play-in tournament altogether.

Atlanta will next take the field on Wednesday evening for a road game against the Dallas Mavericks as they look to take their streak to 11. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the San Antonio Spurs 119–115, and Kawhi Leonard’s absence quickly became the main story. The star forward missed the game and his absence was felt at key moments at both ends of the field. According to Tomer Azzarly of ClutchPoints, Kawhi Leonard is day-to-day with the injury, but is expected to travel with the Clippers on their upcoming three-game road trip. The update offers some optimism, although questions still remain as the team tries to stabilize its season.

The Clippers are now 34-34 and in 8th place in the Western Conference. The team has lost two consecutive games, even though it has won seven of its last 10 games. Still, the defeat to Spurs highlighted a familiar issue. Without Leonard, execution becomes less reliable late in games. Crime slows down. The defense loses some lead. In such tough matches, it’s the little things that decide everything.

Leonard remains the engine of this team. He is averaging 28.3 points per game, while shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc. His efficiency and control shape the Clippers’ identity. When he plays, everything looks sharp. When he sits, the margin for error diminishes exponentially.

Road trip pressure increases for Clippers

Now comes a serious turn. The Clippers suffered back-to-back losses against the New Orleans Pelicans before taking on the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night. Both teams sit near the bottom of the Western Conference, but the Clippers can’t take any matchup lightly.

If Leonard returns, the Clippers will regain balance. Ball movement improves. Confidence awakens. If he remains marginalised, the pressure shifts to the supporting cast. As the playoff race gets tighter, each possession will carry more weight.

This road trip may shape their trajectory. Can the Clippers stay afloat while managing Kawhi Leonard’s injury, or will this stretch test their limits at the worst time?

BOSTON – After the Boston Celtics won Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, it seemed as if they were on the verge of basketball immortality. But, according to ex-Celtic and current San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla did not behave as if this was the case.

Instead, he played down the big win in the locker room and told his players via “The White Noise Podcast” that they weren’t done.

“We won that game in Dallas and went 3-0, which is a really big moment,” Kornett recalled on a podcast run by former teammate and Celtics guard Derrick White. “So, we’re back in the locker room and everybody’s so excited and excited, and Joe came in and said something like, ‘Why are we celebrating? We haven’t really accomplished anything.'”

Kornet, White and the rest of the Celtics were soon reminded of this fact, as the Mavericks beat them in Game 4 during a 122–94 loss in Dallas.

After this disappointing defeat, which Kornet described as the Celtics’ “defeat by a billion”, Mazzulla approached his players with humility.

“At some point after that game, he apologized, acknowledging that he completely dampened the emotion in the room after Game 3 and that going up 3-0 is a very important part of trying to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish,” Cornette said.

The Celtics were excited after going 3–0 in the Finals, but Joe Mazzulla said they had accomplished nothing.

When Boston lost Game 4, he apologized to the team:

“It means a lot to me in terms of being able to recognize that you made a mistake,” Luke Cornett said. pic.twitter.com/ZaT2cXnK20

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 16 March 2026

While Cornette could regale White with many funny, larger-than-life stories about Mazzulla, he said this memory with his former captain was one of his favorite memories.

Cornette said of Mazzulla’s apology, “I think it means a lot to me, in terms of being able to recognize that you made a mistake.” “I think what’s great about Joe is he’s willing to trust the process and the timing of things and the players.”

Mazzulla’s words likely resonated with the rest of the Celtics, too, as they suppressed the Mavericks in Game 5 at TD Garden en route to their first championship in 15 years.

That title established Cornette and White as true winners, and it certainly helped the former ink a four-year, $40.7 million contract with the Spurs last summer.

When asked what he missed most about his reliable, 7-foot center in January, Mazzulla didn’t mention anything basketball-related.

“The biggest thing that stands out about Luke is that I miss going to Mass with him,” Mazzulla said before the Celtics’ 100-95 loss at home to the Spurs. “We used to go to church across the street.”

Joe Mazzulla on Luke Cornette and what he brings to Boston:

“I miss going to prayer meetings with him.” pic.twitter.com/nolWkFsHqx

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 10 January 2026

Although Mazzulla’s bizarre (and often hilarious) quotes make headlines, it is his strong relationships with his players that truly define him. He also explains why he’s in the running for Coach of the Year and explains how the 2025-26 Celtics, who were expected to stumble, are 44-23 heading into Tuesday night’s showdown with the Phoenix Suns.

“It’s funny when people say [Mazzulla’s] “Crazy, and I think he’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met,” Cornette said, laughing.

Donovan Mitchell scored a hat trick Sunday, achieving career, season and Cleveland Cavaliers team milestones in a single game.

Just three minutes into the first quarter, facing the Dallas Mavericks, he drained his 200th three-pointer of the season. The 2025–26 campaign marks the fourth time Mitchell has beaten at least that many in a season.

At the 8:45 mark of the third, on a pass from backcourt partner James Harden, Mitchell drilled another trey from 25 feet on the left wing to surpass the 15,000 mark.

Mitchell is the fifth NBA player to reach 15K since entering the league in 2017. Since that time, only Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have accomplished the feat. According to Stathead, he is also the 35th player in NBA history to record 15,000 points in his first nine seasons.

Then, in the final frame, Mitchell recorded a 20-point game for the 193rd time, and in the process passed franchise legend Mark Price for sixth-most all-time in Cavs history. He needs only four more to make the jump to World B. Free to make the top five (196).

It has been a remarkable year for Mitchell in many ways, which deserves much praise.

New-look Cavs going through tough first stretch together

The Cavs are 4-5 in their last nine games, having been swept by the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

It is the first time that this version of the team has run into issues, after Mitchell, the returning Max Strus and Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson described the Mavs as a “bad loss.”

“I’m not going to use the word concern,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s something that we have 12 games to fix and move on from there. With the current structure of the group we haven’t had this, really any, adversity. So how do we handle it, right? Like, two tough losses defensively, that really hurt us. We go back and watch film. We’re going to have an important trip, and then when we come back. We’ll have some home games, right?

“That’s going to be the biggest thing. It’s not always going to happen… We would love to go out there and win these games, but you learn more through these losses, and use it to improve and get better.”

On Sunday afternoon, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their fourth consecutive loss with a road loss against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Although it did not immediately derail, the Timberwolves ultimately could not keep up with their 2025 Western Conference Finals opponents, and their freefall in the playoff standings continued.

One positive side of this game was that power forward Julius Randle was able to bounce back from a recent poor shooting slump, shooting an impressive 11-18 from the field after a recent game against the Golden State Warriors in which he had to sit on the bench.

Before the game on Sunday, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch explained how he planned to help Randle get back on track.

According to John Krawzinski of The Athletic, Finch said, “I’ve got to direct the ball more to the spots where he’s really good.” “I think we’ve gone away from that at times. I think that will definitely help him. Also, we’ll have to be a little more open-minded to each other. I think that will help, too.”

After the game, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who spent a relatively quiet afternoon in Oklahoma City, talked about the silver lining of Randle’s bounce-back effort.

“It was a lot of fun to watch,” Edwards said. “We were just trying to get it to him as much as possible. He found his rhythm tonight, and hopefully that continues.”

Randall himself also talked about the relief he felt at being out of the recession.

“It definitely felt good to see the ball go in a little bit more today,” Randle said. “Just stay focused and consistent.”

If the Timberwolves want to continue their streak of deep playoff runs, and maybe even make it this far, Randle will have to step up his game.

The Timberwolves next play on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns.

The Boston Bruins (37-23-6) were in the same position last year as the New Jersey Devils (33-31-2) are in right now.

Well, now look at Boston.

The Bruins are almost certainly postseason-bound a year after their perceived demise.

In other words, Devils fans, there is hope.

The Bruins are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games tonight. They are not contenders for the playoffs, but there is a possibility. They’ll have to play desperation hockey against the Devils – who are still a team skilled enough to pull off an upset.

Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup.

What to know vs. Bruins

– The Devils and Boston face off for the second of three meetings this season. New Jersey lost 4–1 at Boston on December 6, 2025.

—The two foes will next meet on April 14 in Boston, which marks New Jersey’s regular season finale.

2025-26 vs. Bruins

December 6 at Boston/L 1-4

March 16 7:00 PM ET Prudential Center

April 14 7:00 PM ET in Boston

devils vs bruins

All-time record: 61-92-19-10

All-time home record: 31-43-11-4

All-time road record: 30-49-8-6

Projected Devils Lineup*

Ahead

Timo Meyer – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer

Jasper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown

Arseny Gritsyuk – Cody Glass – Lenny Haminaho

Paul Couture – Nick Bjugstad – Maxim Tsyplyakov

defenseman

Jonas Seigenthaler – Dougie Hamilton

Luke Hughes – Jonathan Kovacevic

Brendan Dillon – Simon Nemec

goaltender

jake allen

jacob markstrom

*Lineup is subject to change

Current Injuries: Jack McEwen (upper body, out for the season)

2025-26 Total man-games lost: 283

Projected Bruins Lineup*

Ahead

Morgan Geecki – Fraser Minton – David Pastrnak

Casey Mittelstaedt – Pavel Zacha – Victor Arvidsson

Marat Khunsutdinov – Elias Lindholm – Tanner Jeannott

Michael Issimont – Shawn Kuraly – Mark Kastelic

defenseman

Jonathan Espirot – Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm – Mason Lohrei

Nikita Zadorov – Andrew Banks

goaltender

jeremy swayman

joonas korpisalo

*Lineup is subject to change

Current Injuries: None.

How to watch the Devils game – 7:00 pm ET

Watch/Stream: ESPN

Radio: Devils Hockey Net

next up

Mon. March 16 vs BOS 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 18, NYR at 7:00 PMET
Friday, March 20th WSH at 7:00 PMET
Tuesday, March 24 at 8:00 PM DAL
Thu, Mar 26 at 8:00pm NSH

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

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.

The Golden State Warriors are scheduled to face the New York Knicks on Sunday night. However, Saturday’s injury report includes a total of 18 players from both the teams. Several players have already been ruled out, while several others are listed as doubtful.

The obvious names like Jimmy Butler (who is out for the season) and Stephen Curry (who is out for at least several more games) are both out for the Warriors. Golden State has a total of eight players ruled out, including Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis, while only Quinton Post is listed as questionable. With this, nine names have been included in the injury report of the Warriors.

Meanwhile, Miles McBride is the only player ruled out of the Knicks’ latest injury report. Eight players have been considered questionable, including Josh Hart and Jeremy Sochan. We probably won’t know exactly who will play for New York until just before Sunday’s game.

Here is the full Warriors injury report.

Jimmy Butler – Out: Right ACL; surgery
Seth Curry – out: left adductor; strain
Stephen Curry – Out: Right patellofemoral; pain syndrome
Draymond Green – Out: Left Low Back; injury management
Al Horford – Out: Right soleus; strain
D’Anthony Melton – Out: left knee; injury management
Moses Moody – Outside: Right wrist; Sprain
Kristaps Porzingis – Out: General; disease management
Quentin Post – Questionable: left ankle; Sprain

Here is Knicks’ full injury report.

Pacom Dadiet – Questionable: G League – On Assignment
Josh Hart – Questionable: left knee; agony
Ariel Hookporti – Questionable: G League – On Assignment
Trey Jameson III – Questionable: G League – Two-Way
Dillon Jones – Questionable: G League – Two-Way
Tyler Kolek – Questionable: G League – On Assignment
Miles McBride – Out: Pelvic; core muscle surgery
Kevin McCullers Jr. – Questionable: G League – Two-Way
Jeremy Sochan – Suspected: Illness; Disease

The Warriors and Knicks are scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. EST. in New York. Golden State aims to snap a four-game losing streak amid injury problems, while New York hopes to win its third straight.

Miami Heat president Pat Riley is furious with NBA fans and analysts who have tried to dismiss Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point game this week.

Earlier this week, Adebayo not only had the greatest single-game performance in Heat history, but one of the best scoring performances in NBA history. On March 10, the Miami big man hit seven three-pointers and an absurd 36 free throws en route to scoring 83 points in a win over the Washington Wizards.

While Adebayo’s performance did not earn the record for most points in a single NBA game – which is still held by Wilt Chamberlain and his 100-point game in 1962 – he passed Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant for the No. 2 spot on the all-time list. And this upset many fans and pundits of the game.

Hours after his performance of a lifetime, Adebayo received lots of love from around the world. However, there was a large section of NBA fans and experts who were not fans of his record-breaking night. The biggest point of contention was the number of free throws he shot – Bryant had 20 free throw attempts in his 81-point game – and how the Heat helped him reach 83 by drawing fouls late in the game to Adebayo to get more scoring opportunities.

Pat Riley hits back at Bam Adebayo haters

Well, one person who thinks the hate Adebayo is getting is a bunch of bullshit is Heat President Pat Riley. And the great coach and executive lashed out at the haters on Saturday.

“It’s all bulls***,” Riley told the Miami Herald. “It really is. Anybody who was negative on it, anybody who was cynical about it, anybody who talked about it the way they talked negatively about it, they’re either trying to get views, hits, or they’re podcasters, and that’s their job.

He said, “There are critics today who are very unfair in what was going on with the strategy, and we were fouled, and they were fouled. Same thing happened with Wilt Chamberlain when he scored 100 in the day.” “But I don’t buy any of that. He gave an iconic, absolutely incredible performance, and they tried to dismiss it. And that’s not fair.”

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

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status remains uncertain as the Milwaukee Bucks prepare for a road matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday afternoon. The Bucks (27-38) listed the former MVP as questionable on their latest injury report due to management of a right calf injury prior to tip-off at 3:00 PM ET at State Farm Arena.

UPDATE: Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out of Saturday’s game with an ankle sprain.

Milwaukee continues to monitor Antetokounmpo’s workload as the team goes through a difficult stretch of the season. The 31-year-old last played Thursday night in a 112-105 loss to the Miami Heat, and delivered another strong performance despite the loss. Antetokounmpo recorded 31 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block while shooting 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 11 from the free-throw line in 29 minutes.

Through 35 games this season, Antetokounmpo has remained the centerpiece of Milwaukee’s offense. He averaged 27.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and one steal per game, while shooting an efficient 62.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range in 29 minutes per contest.

Milwaukee enters Saturday’s contest looking to snap a three-game losing streak as the team attempts to regain the lead in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bucks’ injury report also includes several other players whose availability remains uncertain.

Bucks await injury update on Giannis Antetokounmpo as Hawks have won eight straight games

Giannis Antetokounmpo is listed as questionable due to management of a right calf injury. Ousmane Dieng is also questionable while dealing with an illness. Kevin Porter Jr. is listed as questionable with right knee synovitis. Alex Antetokounmpo and Cormac Ryan have both been listed as part of their G League two-way assignments.

Atlanta is entering the matchup with momentum on its side. The Hawks (35-31) currently have the longest active winning streak in the NBA, having won eight consecutive games prior to Saturday’s contest. The surge has helped Atlanta climb the Eastern Conference standings, solidifying its playoff position.

With Antetokounmpo’s status still uncertain, Milwaukee could face a tough challenge against one of the hottest teams in the league. The Bucks will likely make a final decision on his availability closer to game time after additional evaluation of his calf condition.

Saturday’s game concludes a brief two-game road trip for Milwaukee. The team will return to Fiserv Forum to host the Indiana Pacers (15-52) on Sunday at 3:30 PM ET, as the Bucks attempt to stabilize their season during the closing period.

The New Jersey Devils (32-31-2) welcome the Los Angeles Kings (26-23-15) to the Prudential Center on Saturday night, following a loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday.

New Jersey dropped two points to the Calgary Flames in disappointing fashion on Thursday.

They look to get back on track against the Kings who defeated the New York Islanders on Friday night.

Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup.

What to know vs Kings

– The Devils defeated the Kings 4–1 in November, as Dawson Mercer had two goals (1 SHG) and Nico Hischier had a goal.

-Jacob Markstrom recorded 43 saves on 44 shots in the win.

-Tonight’s tilt marks the first time the Devils will face the Kings with newly acquired forward Artemi Panarin.

2025-26 vs kings

NOVEMBER 1 LAK/9:00 PMET 4-1, W

March 14 Prudential Center/7:00pm TBD

devil vs king

All-time record: 43-58-11-4

All-time home record: 26-27-5-0

All-time road record: 17-31-6-4

Projected Devils Lineup*Forward

Timo Meyer – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer

Jasper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown

Arseny Gritsyuk – Cody Glass – Lenny Haminaho

Paul Couture – Nick Bjugstad – Maxim Tsyplyakov

defenseman

Jonas Seigenthaler – Dougie Hamilton

Luke Hughes – Jonathan Kovacevic

Brendan Dillon – Simon Nemec

goaltender

jake allen

jacob markstrom

*Lineup is subject to change

Current Injuries: Jack McEwen (upper body, out for the season)

2025-26 Total man-games lost: 280

Projected Kings Lineup*

Ahead

Artemi Panarin – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe

Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Alex Laferriere

Alex Turcotte – Scott Lawton – Jared Wright

Jeff Malott – Samuel Helenius – Taylor Ward

defenseman

Mickey Anderson – Drew Doughty

Joel Edmondson – Brandt Clark

Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci

goaltender

anton forsberg

Darcy Kuemper

*Lineup is subject to change

How to watch the Devils game – 7:00 pm ET

Watch: msgsn

radio: devils hockey net

next up

Saturday, March 14 vs LAK 7:00 PM
Mon. March 16 vs BOS 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 18, NYR at 7:00 PMET
Friday, March 20th WSH at 7:00 PMET
Tuesday, March 24 at Dallas 8:00 PM

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

Dutch analyst René van der Gijp has issued a scathing criticism of modern goalkeeping following Tottenham Hotspur’s Antonin Kinski’s 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

The 19-year-old made two costly mistakes in this week’s Champions League last 16 tie and was replaced by manager Igor Tudor after just sixteen minutes. Since that decision, there has been a wave of debate across Europe.

Kinski made his first Champions League appearance as a replacement for Guglielmo Vicario, struggling under Atlético’s high press. Tudor later decided to fire him, citing the need to stabilize the team.

‘Something went wrong with modern football’

The Croatian coach has been criticized for that choice. But Van der Gijp disagrees, insisting he fully understands Tudor’s decision.

“Of course you have to take it off,” Voetbal Primer reported him as saying On Today Inside.

“We were always told not to pass to the keeper. Now they say you should pass to the keeper as much as possible.”

Van der Gijp cannot understand the modern obsession with playing out from the back. He believes this option is creating unnecessary risks.

“It will wipe you out and cost you a lot of money. It works with players like Pique or Busquets, but not with everyone else – and yet everyone tries it.”

Many former goalkeepers and pundits Tudor was criticized for replacing a young keeper so soon, arguing that it could damage confidence in the long term. However, Johan Dirksen believes the Tottenham manager was implicated somehow.

“If you take the goalie off, it’s considered pathetic,” Dirksen said. “But if you don’t, you are criticized.”

symbol of a large strategic division

Kinski’s Nightmare Evening has certainly sparked an interesting debate between old-school pragmatism and modern positional play. As Spurs regroup, the question is where they go for.

With a significant possibility of demotion, it would not be surprising if they go for the former. Tudor’s efforts so far to change things certainly haven’t worked.

Tottenham is currently facing defeat in six consecutive matches. He is also the first manager in Spurs’ 143-year history to lose his first four matches in charge. This has created already intense pressure, a situation that does not usually encourage strategic courage.

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

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

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

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

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

– Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) 14 March 2026

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

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

Steve Kerr supports Adebayo and Spoelstra’s defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steve Kerr references his feelings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

Green rejected that criticism during his podcast.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Heat’s Bam Adebayo on ’emotional rollercoaster’

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

💯 💥 🐍

want. Bomb. Kobe.

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

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 11 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Touched every conversation point around you.

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shai passes longest 20+ point streak ever 🚨

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

– NBA (@NBA) 13 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 12 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Injury status of Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis vs. Lakers

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

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

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

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

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

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

oxen injury report

Matus Buzzellis (right ankle sprain) – probable

Josh Giddy (right ankle sprain) – probable

Jalen Smith (left calf strain) – probable

Jaden Ivey (left patellofemoral pain syndrome)-out

Effernie Simmons (left ulnar styloid; fracture) – Outside

Isaac Okoro (right patellofemoral pain syndrome) – doubtful

Patrick Williams (sprained left ankle) – questionable

Guershon Yabusele (left foot, soreness) – doubtful

Lakers injury report

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

Maxi Kleber (lumbar strain) – doubtful

Jackson Hayes (back pain) – probable

Marcus Smart (right hip injury) – questionable.

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

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

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

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

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Tyler Herro’s injury status vs. Bucks

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

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

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

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

heat injury report

Tyler Herro – Questionable (left quadriceps; soreness).

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

Andrew Wiggins – outside (left big toe; sesamoiditis)

Norman Powell – Out (right groin; strain)

Nikola Jovic – Out (Low Back; Injury Management)

Terry Rozier – Out (not with team)

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

Pelle Larsson – Available (left hip; tightness)

bucks injury report

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

Bobby Portis – questionable (thoracic spinal cord injury)

Jericho Sims – Questionable (right patella; tendonitis)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 12 March 2026

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

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

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

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

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 11 March 2026

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

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

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

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored by Bam
He spoke on 83 issues:

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

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

– Everything NBA (@herseynba) 11 March 2026

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

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

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

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

– Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) 11 March 2026

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

After a rare break in the schedule where the New Jersey Devils (32-30-2) had a three-game day, they were able to complete an equally rare two practices.

Tonight, the Calgary Flames (25-32-7) play at the Prudential Center in the middle of New Jersey’s current seven-game homestand.

After a four-game winning streak, the Detroit Red Wings put an end to the Devils’ latest advanced on-ice product, shutting out New Jersey on Sunday.

This lowered their playoff expectations to an even more unrealistic level and their chances of making the postseason dropped to 0.7%.

The Flames—who were nearly eliminated—were sold at the 2026 NHL trade deadline, leaving Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersen, two of their most rumored players, out.

Nevertheless, they brought some bodies to fill the void.

Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup.

What to Know vs Flames

– On January 19, 2026, the Devils and Calgary concluded their 2025–26 regular-season series after meeting out-of-conference foes.

—The Devils defeated Calgary north of the border 2–1 overtime.

-Simon Nemec scored the overtime winner, while Dawson Mercer scored the team’s first goal of the game.

-Jacob Markstrom recorded 21 saves on 22 shots against his former team on January 19.

-Captain Nico Hischier entered the contest with 13 career points (5G-8A) in 13 games against Calgary (1.08 points per game). Those stats also include one shorthanded goal and one game-winning goal. Seven of his 13 points (2G-5A) against Calgary were scored on the road.

-Former Calgary blueliner Dougie Hamilton has recorded 6 career points (1g-5a) in 6 career games with the Devils vs. the Flames.

2025-26 vs flames

1/19/26 OTW 2-1 Prudential Center

3/12/26 7:00 PM ET Prudential Center

devil vs flames

All-time record: 30-70-11-4

All-time home record: 19-35-3-1

All-time road record: 11-35-8-3

Projected Devils Lineup*

Ahead

Timo Meyer – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer

Arseny Gritsyuk – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown

Jasper Bratt – Cody Glass – Lenny Haminaho

Paul Couture – Nick Bjugstad – Maxim Tsyplyakov

defenseman

Jonas Seigenthaler – Dougie Hamilton

Luke Hughes – Jonathan Kovacevic

Brendan Dillon – Simon Nemec

goaltender

jake allen

jacob markstrom

*Lineup is subject to change

Current Injuries: Jack McEwen (upper body, out for the season)

2025-26 Total man-games lost: 277

Projected Flames Lineup*

Ahead

Joel Farabee – Morgan Frost – Blake Coleman

Connor Zary – Ryan Strome – Matvey Gridin

Yegor Sharangovich – Mikael Backlund – Matt Coronato

Victor Olofsson – John Beecher – Adam Klapka

defenseman

Kevin Bahl – Ollie Maatta

Yan Kuznetsov – Zain Parekh

Joel Hanley – Brayden Pachal

goaltender

dustin wolf

Devin Cooley

*Lineup is subject to change

How to watch the Devils game – 7:00 pm ET

Watch: msgsn

radio: devils hockey net

next up

Thu, Mar 12 vs CGY 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 14 vs LAK 7:00 PM
Mon. March 16 vs BOS 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 18, NYR at 7:00 PMET
Friday, March 20th WSH at 7:00 PMET

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

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

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

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

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

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 12 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo scored a career-high 83 points, the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81-point performance in 2006. Only Wilt Chamberlain and his 100-point game exceed Adebayo.

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

Adebayo set a new record with 43 free throws in a game, surpassing Dwight Howard’s record of 39.

Many players and coaches from around the NBA world reacted to Adebayo’s terrible scoring night, including some of the league’s best scorers.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo offered his support to Adebayo after the Bucks’ home loss to the Phoenix Suns.

“Unbelievable,” Antetokounmpo said. “83 is incredible. It says a lot about his hard work. I haven’t seen the game yet, I have to see the game. He took 43 free throws? It doesn’t matter how you got there. What matters is that you got it. Like 10, 20, 30 years from now, no one will remember how many free throw shots he shot. I don’t think I remember how many shots Kobe shot or how many free throws he made or That’s 81. You don’t remember that, at the end of the day he’s got 83 points. I know he works hard every day.”

Bam Adebayo’s former Olympic teammate in Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets was also surprised by the accomplishment.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it in real time,” Durant said after his team’s game. “It seems like he got 30 in the first quarter. Congratulations to Bam. I know how much he works. I looked at the stat-sheet, it’s crazy. He had 40 shots, 40 free throws, 20 threes. It takes a lot of stamina, a lot of energy to make those shots and then make them, set a record, surpassing Kobe as the second-highest scorer in the history of the game. Congratulations to him. It’s a huge accomplishment.” Which we will always talk about.

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

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

– Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) 11 March 2026

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama appeared to be more dismissive of the accomplishment in his postgame interview after the Spurs defeated the Boston Celtics.

“Yes, I see,” Vembanyama said before pausing. “I think we’re in a league where there’s a lot of inspiration to look at, but yes I looked…”

Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama says Bam Adebayo’s 83-point drop tonight is a source of inspiration:

“We’re playing in a league where there’s a lot of motivation to watch.”@spurfectblog #porvida pic.twitter.com/3HyxcojZT1

– Carolina Teague (@CTtheMicSlayer) 11 March 2026

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka also seemed a little dismissive of the 83-point performance.

“The first thing you think about is how, not because of him, but because of the way he plays,” Udoka said. “I saw he only made six threes, but 40 free throws or something. That tells the story right there. And the Washington Wizards.”

Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre expressed another opinion, crediting his Sixers teammate Joel Embiid.

“Well, I’m going to say it’s definitely legendary,” Aubrey said. “Hats off to the box-score, the numbers, and Bam. He’s etched himself in history. I’m sad that he bested Kobe, he’s definitely one of my favorite players, but I’ll just say, Joel did it masterfully and he did it in three quarters.”

Kelly Oubre totally talks about Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points with the mic drop after the game. 🫳🏽🎤

“I’m just going to say that this guy, Joel [Embiid] Did it efficiently, and they did it in three quarters”

(via @CiavoNBA) pic.twitter.com/gnzbi49jvk

— Philly Sports Network (@PhiladelphiaSN) 11 March 2026

Following Anthony Edwards and the Los Angeles Lakers’ home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers head coach JJ Redick explained where he was watching the game from and how he found out about the news.

“It’s incredible what he was able to do,” Reddick said. “I went in and I looked at the score. He was at the free throw line and they’ve been playing great basketball lately. I told my coaching staff, ‘The Heat is on.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Are you kidding right now?’ I said, ‘No, what’s happening?’ They are 36-28, they will be 37-28. And they say, ‘No, Bam has 77.’ And I was like, ‘Huh?!’ I watched the last three minutes and it was a different kind of basketball.

When asked by JJ Redick on Bam Adebayo’s 83-point night @mirjamswanson: :

“It’s unbelievable what he was able to do…I watched the last three minutes and it was a different type of basketball.”#lakers pic.twitter.com/Vk2cvpDFyf

– Carlos Yakimovich (@CarlosYakJr) 11 March 2026

There will surely be more players and coaches shouting out Bam Adebayo’s accomplishment on Wednesday night, but so far, there have been mixed reactions to the Heat star’s 83-point night.

Following his 83-point game, Bam Adebayo is now averaging 20 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from the free throw line.