Manchester City, newcastle And chelsea He is again being drawn into the race for Mikael Bro Hansen’s rise, with the Danish forward now attracting attention beyond Scandinavia.

The 17-year-old left AGF for Bodø/Glimt at the start of 2025, and his progress has already pushed him onto several major scouting lists.

Italian journalist Rudy Galetti Have previously claimed interest around the player and Danish outlet tip sheet Now that adds local significance to the picture.

According to reports, Manchester City, Newcastle and Chelsea are among the clubs pursuing Bro Hansen, along with Barcelona, ​​Juventus and Ajax. Several of those sides are said to have sent scouts to keep an eye on him at the U17 Euros.

english club in the mix

Mikael Bro Hansen is already the captain of Denmark’s U17 team, and this situation helps explain why Premier League clubs are taking a quick look.

Tipsbladet says that despite not always playing full matches, he has scored 12 goals in 14 games for Denmark U17. But he is considered a classic centre-forward with lethal finishing abilities and a strong aerial presence.

At club level, Danish reports credit him with seven goals and three assists in 12 matches for Bodø/Glimt. This is significant, as he only joined the Norwegian team from AGF in February 2025.

Why does it matter?

Both Manchester City and Chelsea have created recruitment models based on early moves for elite young talents. Since its acquisition Newcastle have also entered that market.

This makes Bro Hansen an obvious profile for all three clubs. He is young, physically advanced (1.88 m), productive at international youth level and already gaining senior experience.

Furthermore, he is under contract until June 2027 with a current valuation of €800k (£680k).

However, Bodo/Glimt is unlikely to treat this as a simple Academy sale. The Norwegian club has enjoyed a major European rise, and Tipsbladet pointed to their strong Champions League season.

For now, it looks like a scouting race rather than an advanced transfer. Still, the Danish update makes it clear that Bro Hansen is becoming harder to ignore.

On Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders unveiled their 2026 schedule. All 32 NFL teams announced their 17-game slate simultaneously, which was a media spectacle.

The Raiders will travel 21,099 miles in 2026, the 12th-most in the league. Based on opponents’ 2025 record, they also have the seventh-highest strength of schedule at .529.

For the first time since 2010, the Raiders will not appear in a single primetime game, which is not surprising considering their record over the past several years. Except for late-season flex, Fernando Mendoza and the Silver and Black will not receive any national spotlight on Monday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday nights. Las Vegas is the only NFL team not to play an international game this decade, a streak that now stretches to seven seasons. The Raiders last played internationally in London in 2019.

Let’s break the slate.

Week 1: Las Vegas Raiders open season against Miami

The Raiders opened at Allegiant Stadium, marking the first time the building has hosted a weekend game since 2021. Every Raiders game through 2026 is scheduled for a Sunday. This is likely the film debut of Kirk Cousins ​​or Fernando Mendoza, both Miami natives. Las Vegas last hosted the Dolphins in 2021, winning 31-28.

RELATED: Las Vegas Raiders secondary overhaul: How Jon Spytek’s 4 draft picks fit Clint Kubiak’s defense

Week 2: at Los Angeles Chargers

Las Vegas faces its first AFC West opponent in Week 2 when it travels to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Chargers. It was last year’s meeting against the Chargers that Brock Bowers recorded a one-handed touchdown grab on his shoelaces. In the first 17 weeks, the Raiders are expected to play 11 games on CBS and six games on Fox.

Week 3: at New Orleans

The road trip continues in New Orleans as the Raiders visit the Saints. This is the first of three consecutive games away from Allegiant Stadium and the third consecutive meeting between the teams at Caesars Superdome. The series is split between those games. The Saints won on Halloween Eve in 2022. Two years later, the Raiders won the game as Aidan O’Connell threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns.

Also Read: Las Vegas Raiders Draft Recap: Getting to know the picks including Fernando Mendoza

Week 4: vs. Kansas City

October begins with the Kansas City Chiefs at home inside Allegiant Stadium. The Chiefs could work with Patrick Mahomes or backup Justin Fields depending on Mahomes’ recovery from a torn ACL. The injury occurred a few weeks before the Raiders won the 2025 season finale on Daniel Carlson’s 60-yard walk-off field goal.

RELATED: ‘Every ball is a dart’: Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit make brilliant Fernando Mendoza comparisons

Week 5: at New England

The Raiders travel to Gillette Stadium to face the defending AFC champion New England Patriots. Las Vegas defeated New England in Week 1 last year, with then-rookie Ashton Jeanty scoring a touchdown in his NFL debut. A win in Foxborough would even the all-time series at 18-18-1. It is the first of three games scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PT. The rest come in the 1 pm PT window.

Week 6: vs. Buffalo

The Raiders will host their second consecutive AFC East opponent on October 18, looking for their first win over Buffalo since the franchise moved to Las Vegas. The Silver and Black lost to the Bills in 2020 and 2023. Cousins ​​last faced Buffalo in 2022, leading Minnesota to a 33-30 overtime win capped by a one-handed fourth-and-18 grab from Justin Jefferson.

Also Read: Where is Terron Johnson? The Raiders’ best offseason trade has quietly disappeared

Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Rams

The Raiders also clinched the NFC West this season, and the Los Angeles Rams came to Las Vegas in first. This is the first time that the franchise has hosted Los Angeles since relocating in 2020. The Raiders have lost by a combined six points in the last two meetings at SoFi Stadium (2022, 2024). This match is also Davante Adams’ first game against his former team after the trade.

Week 8: at New York Jets

Las Vegas concludes its AFC East slate against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. The Raiders have won four of the last five meetings, including the last two meetings in 2020 and 2023. The 2023 game at Allegiant Stadium was highlighted by O’Connell’s 7-yard touchdown catch of Michael Mayer. In 2020, Darren Waller posted 13 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Carr capped it off with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III with five seconds remaining.

Week 9: at San Francisco

The famous Bay Area rivalry has returned. The Raiders made their first trip to Levi’s Stadium since 2018, also drawing the 49ers in their third preseason game. The Raiders last hosted San Francisco in 2023, when Davante Adams passed for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard score.

Week 10: vs. Seattle

Head coach Clint Kubiak is facing his former team for the first time since winning the Super Bowl in Seattle. Kubiak brought offensive coordinator Andrew Janko and offensive line coach Rick Dennison with him to Las Vegas. The Seahawks will play in Las Vegas for the first time on Nov. 15. The game is capped with the Raiders facing three NFC West teams in four weeks. The last meeting was in 2022, when Josh Jacobs had an 86-yard walk-off touchdown run.

Also read: ‘No excuses’: Clint Kubiak issues clear warning to Raiders coaches and front office

Week 11: at Denver

The annual trip to Mile High takes place the week before Thanksgiving. Denver reached last season’s AFC Championship Game with former Raider Jarrett Stidham under center. The tour is limited to three consecutive weeks on CBS.

Week 12: at Cleveland

Weather could become a factor in back-to-back road games before the bye. The matchup will reveal a lot about where the offense stands. The Browns fielded one of the NFL’s top defenses last year. Cleveland is led by Myles Garrett and Carson Schwesinger, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively. Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23 in 2025.

ALSO READ: Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver depth chart 2026: No clear No. 1 option heading into training camp

Week 13: Bye

Las Vegas got its long-awaited bye a week before the playoff race. That would set the Giants up for a potential playoff run, whether Mendoza or Cousins ​​is under center.

RELATED: Las Vegas Raiders tipped to pursue All-Pro pass-catcher

Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Las Vegas returns from the bye with three straight home games, starting with the Chargers. It is the first of three December games. The Raiders play each of their three AFC West opponents in the final five weeks of the regular season.

Week 15: vs. Denver

For the second time in four weeks, the Raiders and Broncos completed the season series, this time at Allegiant Stadium. This will either be in the middle of a stretch run or bring valuable minutes to Mendoza. Las Vegas looks for its first home win over the Broncos since Week 18 of the 2023 season. That win made it eight consecutive wins over Denver, a streak that began when the team moved to Las Vegas.

RELATED: Why analysts already consider the Raiders out of the 2026 playoffs

Week 16: vs. Tennessee

The home finale comes a few days after Christmas. The Raiders have won four of the last six meetings with Tennessee, including last year, when Maxx Crosby sacked 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward twice in a 20-10 win at Allegiant Stadium. Week 16 is also the third Raiders home game in the last four meetings since 2019.

Week 17: at Arizona

The Raiders head down Highway 93 to Phoenix to face the Cardinals for the first time since 2022. It is their first trip to Glendale since 2018, a game Carlson won on a 35-yard field goal as time expired during his rookie season. Arizona’s backfield also includes Jeremiah Love, who was selected two spots after Mendoza last month.

Week 18: at Kansas City

The season ends at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, marking the third time since 2022 that the Raiders and Chiefs have finished the regular season against each other. A lot could be on the line. The Raiders can clinch a playoff seed and rest their starters. They may fight for position. Or Mendoza could be playing valuable minutes in the final game of his rookie season.

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

A top NFL expert offered a bold prediction for the New York Giants that will have Big Blue fans happy heading into the 2026 season.

In November, the Giants were a complete mess. After finishing 3-14 in 2024, head coach Brian Daboll began the 2025 campaign with a miserable 2-8 record that included some brutal losses. Unsurprisingly, this was the last straw for the management, and they fired him midway through the fourth season. It was the right move, but there was no obvious replacement they could turn to.

Then the Baltimore Ravens gifted the Giants with the perfect option: John Harbaugh. Although it wasn’t easy and they are giving a Super Bowl winning coach a lot of money and control over the roster, there is a lot of hope and excitement for the team next season.

Not just because of how good a coach Harbaugh is, but because the Giants have some very good pieces on the roster that were absolutely wasted last season. Additionally, many NFL experts believe the team played well in last month’s draft, which included a pair of first-round picks in Arvel Reese and Francis Mauigoa.

The new coaching staff and roster have many in New York thinking the team can compete for a playoff spot this season. However, ESPN NFL expert Peter Schrager believes they can do even better and compete for the NFC East title.

Peter Schrager loves the NY Giants roster and coaching staff for the 2026 season

In a new conversation with SNY, Scherzer explained why he’s confident the Giants can be an “11 or 12-win team.”

“I think Jimmy and Jose are there. They’ve got a pretty good roster,” Schrager began by saying. “I was a little bit like, ‘Okay, let’s see how this all goes. [with Harbaugh] Based on the appointment process and ‘He is coming, but we have to wait.’ What’s up [General Manager Joe] Schoen, but he’s on the board, and in that offensive room, you’ve got Matt Nagy, Greg Roman, Brian Callahan, three really talented play callers, and two of them are former head coaches.

“And then Harbaugh is the ultimate adult in the room. The way he handled the Malik Nabors podcast appearance during the draft, I thought, was a masterclass on leadership and dealing with this new generation… I don’t think double-digit wins are crazy for the New York Giants.’

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

everton FC Midtjylland are monitoring centre-back Ousmane Diao ahead of the summer transfer window.

Africa Foot reports that Everton have added the Senegalese defender to their list, and they are very interested in the 21-year-old.

Diao on Everton radar

The website reports that Ousmane Diao is now on Everton’s radar after impressing for the Danish side this season.

FC Midtjylland is willing to open the door to a transfer, but will not let him leave at any price. While the defender is valued at €8m, they are demanding €15-20m for their man.

Everton are not the only team to show interest. Eintracht Frankfurt, Port, Benfica, Fulham, Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth all have the player in their sights.

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig’s €12m bid has already been rejected according to Africa Foot’s exclusive source. There is no pressure on FC Midtjylland as Diao is tied down on a deal until 2029.

He is enjoying significant playing time at the Danish club and, despite his age, has already made 75 appearances in all competitions. This has seen him score 10 goals and provide five assists, which are good numbers for a defender.

Everton scout makes regular visits

He is a player who has been steadily improving over the last few years and is establishing himself as an exciting prospect. Now that Everton have him on their radar, it should come as no surprise.

Sport Witness covered a report in December This made it clear that the Toffees were watching FC Midtjylland very closely.

Their scouts made at least eight visits to the club during that time. The assumption at the time was that he was there to see Franculino, Ousmane Diao, Dario Osorio and Aral Simsir.

The current squad all features players who have been attracting major European attention over the past few seasons. It now appears that their focus is very much on Ousmane Diao, who has attracted the attention of a number of clubs this season.

A pair of absurd statistics highlighted the fact that the New York Mets season is already over after their 12-game losing streak on Tuesday.

There were high expectations for the Mets entering the 2026 season. Despite a disastrous finish last fall that saw them lose and miss the playoffs, the team’s offseason moves have given fans reason to believe they can contend for the National League East title this year.

However, after starting the year with a solid 7-4 record, things have descended into chaos. After a tough 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night, in which they led 3-0 at one point, the Mets’ losing streak is now 12 games. Following this latest setback, MLB.com Mets writer Anthony DiComo noted two interesting statistics that show the current campaign has already been a losing one for the Queens team.

New York Mets Record: 7-16

The first is the fact that the team’s ongoing slump puts them in a rare position for a franchise that has seen many terrible teams. Tuesday’s loss now takes them just five games away from tying the 1962 New York Mets’ record 17-game losing streak.

This was the franchise’s first season in existence. They finished the year with a 40–120 record and are viewed as the worst team in MLB history, along with the 2024 Chicago White Sox who finished 41–121. Not too far from one of the worst teams in history, there isn’t much hope for change.

Still, this was not the worst-case scenario described by DiComo. The Mets beat writer also mentioned a stat that will be heard all over New York sports radio on Wednesday. And the fact is that no team in MLB history has ever reached the playoffs after suffering 12 consecutive losses at any point during the season.

This means the 2026 Mets will now have to do something that has never happened in over 150 years of MLB games if they want to make the playoffs. This season feels pretty lost, and it’s only April.

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

Veteran play-by-play announcer Joe Buck has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to call MLB postseason games from ESPN last fall.

Longtime broadcaster, who joined the network in 2022 primarily as the voice of The decision was revealed during a recent appearance at Sports Media with Richard Dietsch podcast.

ESPN, which previously had a major rights package including playoff baseball before renegotiating a lighter slate of regular season games, approached Buck for season-opening duties.

However, the scheduling proved incompatible with his NFL commitments.

“As you and I sit here right now on April 10, I don’t even know who got to the postseason,” Buck said. “I assume ESPN has a game, maybe they don’t… Well, there you go – NBC has the wild card, so I’m not going to do that.”

He added, “It was on the discussion table last year if it was something I wanted to do.” “When ESPN played its games early on, it was poorly timed.”

Joe Buck reveals he’s stopped calling MLB postseason games for ESPN https://t.co/0Ldz8NT5Lg

– Awful Announcement (@awfulaannouncement) 13 April 2026

Joe Buck says he turned down ESPN’s offer to call MLB postseason games

The 56-year-old, who has won a record 24 World Series during his career, said he no longer feels the need to pursue that chapter of his broadcasting career.

Buck added, “And believe me, I’m the luckiest man in the world; I wrote a book about it, that I got to do any of it.” “But I feel like it’s really a chapter in my life, it’s an itch that doesn’t need to be scratched anymore. I’ve done all that.”

There was a mixed reaction from fans on this news on social media.

“I wish he had the same mentality for football,” one fan wrote, possibly hinting that he hopes that changes. He Bend down too.

“Thank God,” said another. “The man is unbearable.”

Still, others consider Buck’s contributions to MLB irreplaceable.

“This really hurts my soul. I understand where Joe is coming from, but still,” one person lamented.

Another reacted to the news: “Shame. He was loved by the fans in baseball.”

Over the years, Joe Buck has been the voice behind some of sports’ most memorable moments, from World Series games to Super Bowls.

However, this high-profile position also made him the target of criticism, which intensified with the advent of social media. Countless memes emerge every year about fans buying expensive playoff tickets so they can avoid hearing the Bucks.

And while she found the whole affair annoying, she also took it to heart. Although he suggests ignoring comments on social media to other people in his field, Joe admits he hasn’t always heeded his own advice. Mainly because he was a leading figure during the rise of internet trolls.

“Always, I was the only guy playing national baseball during the social media era, and I got my socks off. And it exhausted me,” Buck said in an interview. michael’s show. “I can sit here and say, ‘Oh, that thing didn’t bother me.’ It upset me.”

“If you’re a human being who cares about what other people think and do, and you try to be a good person and you try to do a good job, and then you read how worthless you are or ‘You’re lucky you had a famous dad’ and ‘You hate my team’ and all that other stuff,” he lamented.

Kylie Kelce, on her husband Jason Kelce’s late night flop, they call it late nightDiscussed the reasons behind Philadelphia fans’ dislike of Joe Buck.

“I was raised in a household where I was taught to dislike Joe Buck,” he said.

“My dad taught me this,” Kylie continued. “I recognized very well the pattern in which it always seemed [Buck] Was cheering for the other team.”

When the former Eagles center asked if he had any specific examples of the Bucks being biased, he replied, “Absolutely not.”

Buck is the son of famous sportscaster Jack Buck.

Rusty Weis is a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and Xavier Musketeers. He has been writing professionally… More about Rusty Weiss

The Washington Capitals (39-30-9) playoff chances took a big blow on Sunday night. They lost 8–1 completely against the last-place New York Rangers (33–36–9) at Madison Square Garden.

The Capitals looked to be in good shape after upsetting red-hot Buffalo on Saturday. However, a second period collapse and lack of coverage led to a significant loss on the road.

After the Rangers took an early 1–0 lead, Connor McMichael scored the only goal for the Capitals to tie the score at 1–1. The first period looked to be a more competitive contest.

Unfortunately, the second period is when the wheels completely came off for the Capitals. The defense broke down and Rangers surrendered five goals.

It was also a tough night for Charlie Lindgren, who had lost his last 10 games and was playing his second consecutive half. The 32-year-old netminder finished the night by stopping 24 of 32 shots.

With the loss, the Capitals are now three points behind the second wild card spot in the East and third place in the Metropolitan Division. Next, Washington will look to bounce back when they visit Toronto on Wednesday night.

capitals analysis

After Connor Sherry opened the scoring, Tom Wilson played a nice pass to McMichael for a breakaway goal to tie the score at 1–1. Unfortunately, that first period matchup was really the only highlight of Washington’s offense all night.

The middle structure is when the capitals became completely separate. First, the Rangers went on the power play as JT Miller deflected a rebound. Then, Will Cooley scored on an even play by going backdoor and redirecting the puck past Lindgren.

Quayle scored his second goal, beating Lindgren from the right circle and making the score 4–1 Rangers. Adam Sikora then capped the blowout with a one-timer and Adam Fox’s shot through traffic resulted in a power-play goal.

The Rangers led 6-1 at the second intermission as the Capitals had no answer. The defense looked shaky and Lindgren struggled in his first game since March 12.

Early in the third, Vincent Trocheck beat Lindgren in the five-hole to cut the Rangers’ lead to 7–1. Then, with 31.5 seconds remaining, Quayle fired away from the slot to finish the night with a hat trick.

The Capitals were so disappointed with the results that three players left the opposition. Jacob Chychrun, Brandon Duhaime and Hendricks Lapierre were all given five-minute majors.

While the Capitals had recently been successful based on individual gains, their struggles made a sudden return. The team went 0-3 on the power play, as they failed to create chances.

capitals report card

Team: F

The performance of the Capitals, who are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive, has been absolutely disappointing. That second period is further proof of this.

Charlie Lindgren 😀

It didn’t help that Lindgren sat out the last 10 games for Logan Thompson. The netminder looked lost in the net as he conceded eight goals.

Capitals Special Teams: F

Somehow, the Capitals’ special teams struggles returned in the worst way possible. The team went 0-3 on the power play and gave up two goals on the penalty kill.

Harry Lichtman is an award-winning journalist who covers the Washington Capitals for SportsNut. He also contributes to the sites… More about Harry Lichtman

At the worst time of the year, injuries have begun to pile up for the Los Angeles Lakers.

After being a good but inconsistent team for most of the season, the Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA since the beginning of March. After a loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 5, LA won 13 of their next 14, including decisive wins over the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets (twice).

Unfortunately, the good vibes and confidence were derailed this week when top star Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out of at least the last five games of the regular season. The news means LA will be without the player who averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per night for the team. Well, it looks like he’s not the only key player Lakers fans need to worry about.

Austin Reeves is also struggling with injury now?

LA Times Lakers reporter Brad Turner reported on Saturday afternoon, “Austin Reeves got imaging on his obliques on Saturday, and his status for the Lakers vs. Mavericks tomorrow is TBD. Marcus Smart is also TBD with an ankle injury.”

Obviously, both players are listed to be determined, which can still be seen as a positive. This is not a diagnosis to be ruled out for several days, weeks or months. But both of these are tough hits at bad times.

Smart has already missed one game this week due to a joint injury. This is an injury that can’t be rushed, and the team needs to make sure he’s ready for the playoffs starting in a couple of weeks. And must be 32 years old. However, Reeves is a bigger concern.

The forward’s obliques are the latest addition to the injury report, and are now worse than Smart’s ankle. Grade 1 strains may cause sidelining for up to three weeks. While a moderate strain or tear could mean up to two months of downtime.

Since Reaves is not listed as out for the Mavericks game, he appears to be in the light realm. However, this does not rule out a nightmare scenario where the Lakers could be without their top two scorers for the remainder of the season and possibly a game or two in the NBA playoffs.

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

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can check out Saturday’s games, upcoming events and other important details on March Madness, including how to watch.

What is the NCAA Tournament schedule for today?

What channel is the March Madness game on?

If you plan to watch the NCAA Tournament game tonight, both matchups are on TBS and TruTV.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games are also available on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Which teams are in the final four?

The schools going to the Final Four are Arizona, Illinois, Michigan and UConn.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament were Duke, Michigan and Arizona, a seed.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. The top prospects who were on the hardwood for this year’s tournament were Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

A major injury update from the New York Knicks means the team has no excuses anymore as they look to finish the regular season strong.

On the surface, this has been another good season for the NY Knicks. They have a 49–28 record and have a chance to record their most wins in a season since the 2012–13 team, which had 54 wins. Still, when you dig deeper, this has been a disappointing group.

Despite being on the verge of a third consecutive 50-win season for the first time since the early 1990s, they are just one game away from clinching the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. In a year where the East was poised to move forward in a way it hasn’t in years, the NY Knicks simply haven’t taken advantage.

They certainly have the talent to reach the NBA Finals, but they have been inconsistent when it comes to elite teams in the league. While defensive lapses and Karl-Anthony Towns fitting in on offense are frequent excuses for their up-and-down play, another major reason is that they have been without Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride for most of March. The guards are two key members of their bench.

Knicks fully healthy heading into Bulls game

Well, that may no longer be an excuse if the NY Knicks don’t potentially advance in the playoffs. On Thursday night, New York Post insider Stephen Bondy reported that “The Knicks have a clean injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Bulls. Not a single player is listed.”

McBride recently made his return, and now Shamet has been cleared to return as an immediate addition to the offense off the bench. A team wants to play at full strength before heading into the postseason. The NY Knicks have him now, which is great. But it also means that injuries will not be considered an excuse for moving forward. And if they can’t finish the regular season strongly, they’ll obviously have big problems starting the playoffs.

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

Tottenham Hotspur continue to explore attacking options for their transfer summer, and Marcos Leonardo is a name that is gaining relevance as the club assess young profiles with proven output in different leagues.

Roberto de Zerbi will have big talk on tottenham transferClub and manager are working together

Spurs have leaned towards this strategy in recent windows. They want forwards who can develop, adapt tactically and still contribute immediately. Of course this doesn’t always work out according to plan, given that players like Mathis Tell and Wilson Odobert still have limited output, but the strategy is clear.

Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo still fits that model, especially when looking at his progress in Brazil, Portugal and Saudi Arabia.

The 22-year-old striker first made his reputation at Santos. There, he scored 54 goals and provided 11 assists in 168 matches. That output, achieved at a young age, made him one of the most productive forwards in Brazil.

After this he moved to Benfica. His time in Portugal was short, but still useful, scoring eight goals and one assist in 24 matches. Although he was not completely satisfied, the numbers showed that he could transfer his game to Europe.

Now at Al-Hilal, Marcos Leonardo continues to perform. He has scored 44 goals and registered five assists in 72 matches. In this season alone he scored 15 goals in 29 matches. That consistency has reestablished his position in the market and brought him back into the focus of European clubs.

As the Brazilian outlet reports, this is where Tottenham comes in RTI game.

tottenham transfer position opens

Interest in Marcos Leonardo is no longer limited to Brazil. Previous approaches from Flamengo and São Paulo did not proceed. Financial demands played a role. However, several European clubs are now monitoring the situation.

Tottenham have been among those who have monitored him for months. His continued production at Al-Hilal has strengthened that interest.

From the Spurs’ point of view, the most important factor is availability. The story indicates that Al-Hilal are ready to sell Marcos Leonardo in the next window. Despite his output, they are not considered a central part of his long-term project.

The Saudi club is trying to recover its investment and potentially make a profit. The valuation is said to be around £55 million (€65 million), which puts him within reach of Premier League teams.

What does this mean for Tottenham

Marcos Leonardo represents a familiar market opportunity for Spurs. He’s young, productive in multiple leagues and potentially available at a set price. Furthermore, his profile suits a team that still needs depth and variety in the final third.

The situation is expected to evolve closer to the summer window. If Tottenham decide to move beyond monitoring, this could soon turn into a concerted effort.

🇮🇹 Roberto De Zerbi | Gazzetta explains Tottenham power

🔥 Preparations to establish Ferguson-like control over Spurs
➡️Transfer and Comprehensive Decision
✍️Part of the condition of signing #THFC
💵 There is a possibility of getting the players he wantshttps://t.co/ka2IedoTEK #joyce

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) April 1, 2026

Chelsea forward Joao Pedro is beginning to establish himself as part of Brazil’s attacking cycle, even if his role is still being carefully managed.

The 24-year-old recently featured for just 23 minutes in Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to France. He came on late and did not contribute to any goals. Nevertheless, his participation reflects Carlo Ancelotti’s growing confidence during the experimental period before the World Cup – and beyond. almost forgetting my name In the last call-up.

Brazil is trying to create cohesion in attack with players spanning different leagues and systems. As a result, minutes are often shared and roles remain fluid.

Within that setup, João Pedro has begun to speak with increasing authority. And this became clear when he addressed the comparisons between the current team and previous generations.

“Before, there were Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Romario. But if you look at football today, Brazil has such players.” He said espn.

Rather than distance himself from those names, the Chelsea player turned to the comparisons. He pointed to the level of talent in the team and how those players are performing week in and week out.

“There’s Vinny at Real Madrid, Raphinha at Barcelona, ​​me and Estevao at Chelsea, also Andre. Everyone plays for big clubs.”

After this he made his stand even more clear.

“We are the best team in the world. When you go a long time without winning a World Cup, the pressure comes.”

The Chelsea context is shaping his role

Joao Pedro’s confidence is closely linked his position at chelsea. Since his arrival, he has been utilized in the front line, gaining minutes in various tactical roles.

He’s not always the focal point, but he’s constantly involved. This balance reflects his current situation with Brazil, where he is part of the solution rather than the finished product.

At club level, his ability to operate as both a number 9 and a deep attacker has made him a useful option. That same versatility is now being tested at the international level.

However, lack of continuity remains a challenge. Joao Pedro himself highlighted how difficult it is to immediately replicate club chemistry on the international stage.

“I play in England, Vinny plays in Spain, Raphinha plays in another club. We are getting to know each other better.”

That adjustment period helps explain why Brazil’s attacking stars are not always able to replicate their club form.

“The question of whether it’s Vinny from Real Madrid, Joao Pedro from Chelsea or Raphinha from Barcelona – he will come.”

According to them, spending time together is the major factor.

“You need to train together like you do at your club. In the national team, you do something different, so you have to adapt quickly. With more time, things will get better.”

what happens next

For Chelsea, this is a familiar stage in a player’s development at international level.

Joao Pedro is not a guaranteed starter yet, but he is clearly part of the core group being prepared for the next major tournament. His minutes may have been limited against France, but his presence on the team – and his voice within it – is growing.

Brazil’s next matches will provide more opportunities to build momentum. For João Pedro, each appearance strengthens his case.

If this progress continues, Chelsea will move forward not only with experience but also with the confidence of someone who believes he is one of the best players ever.

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can check out Sunday’s Elite 8 games, the upcoming schedule and other important details on March Madness, including how to watch.

What is the NCAA Tournament schedule for today?

What channel is the March Madness game on?

If you plan to watch the NCAA Tournament game tonight, both matchups can be seen on CBS.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games are also available on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Which teams are in the Elite 8?

The schools headed to the 2026 Elite 8 are Purdue, Iowa, Arizona, Illinois, Duke, Michigan, UConn and Tennessee.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament were Duke, Michigan and Arizona, a seed.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. The top prospects who were on the hardwood for this year’s tournament were Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

With only 11 games remaining on the docket, the Montreal Canadiens are in a very good position when it comes to playoff chances.

Before we move on, I would like to address one small annoyance when discussing the process of qualifying for the playoffs. We will often see analysts saying that a team has not yet been ‘mathematically eliminated’, or something similar. However, it should be noted that mathematics is at the core of every playoff race.

Therefore, we can assume that every elimination is based on mathematics.

Every qualification, every win, every loss and most everything related to the game is like this.

Of course, this is absolutely the right thing to choose, and it fits in perfectly with my annoying habit of reminding everyone that there is no such thing as an ‘assistant captain’ in the NHL.

This is an alternate captain. They don’t bring their captain coffee or pick up his dry cleaning.

With that in mind, let’s get to the crux of the matter in Montreal mathematical The race to qualify for the playoffs.

Or, optionalPlayoff race.

Montreal Canadiens Playoff Odds

As it stands, the Canadiens’ playoff chances have increased to 93.8%.

They’re not a lock, but all things considered, the Habs should qualify for the playoffs in the tightly contested Eastern Conference.

This may seem a bit counterintuitive, as they are only four points ahead of the Ottawa Senators, but it’s important to remember that it is very, very difficult to make the final stretch of the year. The game featured three-point games, reducing the importance of the late-season push.

Eastern Conference Playoff Odds (via Money Puck)

Carolina Hurricanes – 100%

Buffalo Sabers – 99.98%

Tampa Bay Lightning 99.91%

Montreal Canadiens 93.8%

Pittsburgh Penguins – 79.4%

Columbus Blue Jackets – 77.9%

Boston Bruins – 72%

Ottawa Senators – 66.5%

New York Islanders – 54.1%

Detroit Red Wings – 39.2%

Philadelphia Flyers – 12.6%

Washington Capitals – 4.1%

New Jersey Devils – 0.5%

Florida Panthers – 0%

Toronto Maple Leafs – 0%

New York Rangers – 0%

Final Montreal Canadiens Regular Season Games

remaining rivals: Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning (x2), New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils (x2), Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers.

Of the 11 games remaining on the docket, the Canadiens will face teams in a playoff spot on only four occasions (Hurricanes, Lightning x2, Blue Jackets, Islanders).

To make matters more interesting, only two of those rivals are playing in the Atlantic Division.

The situation is reflected in Montreal’s strength of schedule (SOS), which is not the easiest in the league, but is the least worrisome in the Eastern Conference, as only four teams have an easier SOS.

Eastern Conference strength schedule (via Tankathon)

1 – Boston Bruins (.615)

2 – New York Islanders (.607)

3 – Columbus Blue Jackets (.603)

4 – Ottawa Senators (.598)

5 – Philadelphia Flyers (.596)

6 – Tampa Bay Lightning (.594)

7 – Detroit Red Wings (.584)

8 – New Jersey Devils (.582)

9 – New York Rangers (.581)

10 – Carolina Hurricanes (.579)

11 – Montreal Canadiens (.577)

12 – Buffalo Sabers (.572)

13 – Pittsburgh Penguins (.570)

14 – Florida Panthers (.569)

15 – Washington Capitals (.568)

16 – Toronto Maple Leafs (.563)

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 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can find Friday’s games, upcoming events and other important details on March Madness, including how to watch.

NCAA tournament schedule today

How to watch the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games are also available on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Which teams are in the Sweet 16?

The schools headed to the Sweet 16 are Michigan, Texas, Purdue, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Arizona, Illinois, Houston, St. John’s, Duke, Alabama, Michigan State, UConn, Tennessee and Iowa State.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. The top prospects who were on the hardwood for this year’s tournament were Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

The Detroit Red Wings need to start winning games. After losing in heartbreaking fashion to the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators, Detroit is one point out of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs with 11 games remaining in the regular season. Despite scoring 84 points through 71 games, the Red Wings need more.

Last season, the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference was earned by the Montreal Canadiens. The organization scored 91 points in 82 games, leading the Stanley Cup playoffs by double digits. The Eastern Conference is on fire during the 2025-26 NHL season, and Detroit has to join the party.

The Red Wings have a record of 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. If Detroit repeats this over the next 11 games, it will finish with around 92–94 points, which likely won’t be enough to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. So, what challenges do the Red Wings face over the next 11 games?

Honestly, the schedule is in Detroit’s favor, but they need to take advantage of the time ahead.

Detroit Red Wings playoff outlook, remaining schedule in 2026

The Red Wings have the 10th toughest remaining schedule in the NHL, with six of their 11 games against teams outside the playoffs. Detroit has not fared well in games against the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning; However, other bubble teams have much worse schedules.

As of Thursday, March 26, the New York Islanders, Columbus Blue Jackets, Bruins and Senators have the top-4 toughest remaining schedules in the NHL. Ironically, all four teams are battling the Red Wings for the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. This is a great situation for Detroit.

Despite the 10th-toughest schedule, the Red Wings have a favorable draw with other teams. Boston is scheduled to play the Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota, Columbus and Tampa Bay twice. Meanwhile, New York has to play Dallas, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa and Carolina twice.

Ottawa also has a tough schedule with Carolina, Buffalo, Minnesota, New York and Tampa Bay. Ultimately, Columbus was assigned to Buffalo, Detroit, Carolina twice, Boston twice, and Montreal twice. Needless to say, the Red Wings have a more realistic path to the Stanley Cup playoffs than other teams in the Eastern Conference.

If the Red Wings can win two of their remaining three games against the Philadelphia Flyers, they will be in a great position to advance. However, Detroit will have to take advantage of their games against the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils.

As of now, MoneyPak has the Red Wings having a 42.4% chance of making the Stanley Cup playoffs; However, their chances seem high. Detroit should be able to control its own destiny unless other teams end up on scorched earth to end the season.

If the Red Wings want to end a nine-year playoff drought, they will have to earn it in the next 11 games.

READ MORE: Detroit Red Wings almost got a different defenseman at the trade deadline

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

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can find Thursday’s games, upcoming events and other important details on March Madness, including how to watch.

NCAA tournament schedule today

How to watch the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games are also available on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Which teams are in the Sweet 16?

The schools headed to the Sweet 16 are Michigan, Texas, Purdue, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Arizona, Illinois, Houston, St. John’s, Duke, Alabama, Michigan State, UConn, Tennessee and Iowa State.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. Players you should keep an eye on are Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

A field of 64 has been cut early in the NCAA Tournament. However, there has been very little chaos in March Madness, as evidenced by the fact that 13 teams have been seeded fifth or higher.

That means the best college basketball teams this season largely avoided upsets, leading to a battle between the true giants this weekend. Let’s take a look at our Sweet Sixteen predictions.

Purdue Boilermakers 83, Texas Longhorns 74

Credit goes to the Texas Longhorns, who made it to the Sweet Sixteen when we predicted they would fall out of the First Four. The Longhorns fell to NC State (68–66), but then managed to defeat No. 6-seeded BYU and No. 3-seeded Gonzaga by 14 combined points. However, as much as Texas has improved defensively during the NCAA Tournament, we don’t think that will continue against the Purdue Boilermakers. Facing a team that had the ninth-highest field goal percentage (50.3 percent) and ranked first in KenPom’s offensive efficiency during the regular season, we think four Boilermakers will score in double figures, with Trey Coffman-Wren leading the team in scoring and sending Purdue to the Elite Eight.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 72, Iowa Hawkeyes 68

We’re only getting one regular season rematch in the Sweet Sixteen: a battle between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. The two Big Ten rivals will compete for both a spot in the Elite Eight and historic bragging rights. It’s also a shot at revenge against his former team for Nebraska star Pryce Sandfort as he faces off against another standout guard, Bennett Sturtz. Iowa won the first meeting 57–52 on February 17, but Nebraska won 84–75 in the regular season finale in overtime on March 8. ​​In the rubber match, we think the Cornhuskers’ defense will lead the way to a tough win.

Arizona Wildcats 85, Arkansas Razorbacks 72

Can freshman Darius Acuff Jr. lead the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Elite Eight? It is definitely possible. Projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Acuff has combined for 60 points and 13 assists in two March Madness games so far. However, the 6-foot-3 guard – as is the theme of this team – leaves a lot to be desired defensively. We fully expect Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, to take full advantage of this. Coach John Calipari may feel good about putting his program further ahead than Kentucky, but the race will likely end there.

Houston Cougars 79, Illinois Fighting Illini 77

It probably isn’t wise to pick against Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars in the Sweet Sixteen. What we have a lot of confidence in right now is the ease with which the Illinois Fighting Illini score, as they have demonstrated in their first two tournament wins. The standout for Illinois has clearly been freshman guard Keaton Wagler – the Big Ten Freshman of the Year – but it’s a deep group that includes high-impact transfers like Andrej Stojakovic. However, home-court advantage matters immensely here. Sampson’s ability to prepare his team for a high-risk environment, combined with the pro-Houston atmosphere at Toyota Center, should be enough to swing a very tight game in the Cougars’ favor.

Duke Blue Devils 84, St. John’s Red Storm 75

Even with injuries that are keeping the Duke Blue Devils from becoming a clear title favorite, freshman Cameron Boozer is proving he can lead this team to a deep March Madness run. He has had double-double performances in both tournament games so far, including a 19-point, 11-rebound performance against TCU, where he shot 70 percent from the field. It’s also hard not to be impressed with how Isaiah Evans has filled the void left by Caleb Foster’s foot injury; Evans has averaged 17.7 points over his last three contests, including a clutch 17-point showing to help sink the Horned Frogs. We think it’s this duo’s star power that propels the Blue Devils to a convincing win over Rick Pitino and St. John’s.

RELATED: Cameron Boozer could be the No. 1 pick for elite teams

Michigan Wolverines 88, Alabama Crimson Tide 74

We believe the biggest shock of the Sweet Sixteen comes when the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the court against the Michigan Wolverines. Even getting this far without Aidan Holloway – who is suspended following his arrest last week – is impressive. The program did this by crushing Hofstra and Texas Tech by more than 20 points. However, there’s a reason Michigan went 19-1 in the Big Ten this season. The quartet of Ade Mara, Elliot Cadeau, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. beats out Alabama’s offer. Michigan has a “core four” that can play different roles and take over the game at different moments. That’s what you need to reach the Elite Eight, and the Wolverines will likely make it easy on Friday.

Michigan State Spartans 72, UConn Huskies 69

Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies vs. Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans. Need we say more? The most exciting part of this matchup is the opportunity to see what guard Jeremy Fears Jr. can do in the biggest game of his life. While Fears is a high-level facilitator, what has stood out about Michigan State this season is how well-rounded the team is on both ends of the floor. The new-look Huskies have shown more cohesiveness recently, but we think Fiers is on his way to a double-double, which, combined with his teammates’ great defense, sends Izzo to the Elite Eight.

Tennessee Volunteers 68, Iowa State Cyclones 67

Rick Barnes is attempting to make three consecutive Elite Eight appearances with the Tennessee Volunteers. What complicates this is that freshman Nate Ament is playing through an injury. On paper, the Iowa State Cyclones lineup is better, but All-American forward Joshua Jefferson will either be out or playing in the Sweet Sixteen with an ankle injury. We believe that matters, especially against a physical Volunteers team that defends very well. In a nail-biter, guard Ja’Coby Gillespie rallied the Volunteers in the second half and hit a clutch shot that sends Tennessee back to the Elite Eight for the third consecutive year.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Many different players from different backgrounds have reached NBA stardom over the years, but historically, the best of the best players played in the McDonald’s All-American Game at the end of their high school careers before reaching the top level of basketball. However, the NBA has never before had so much foreign talent dominate the league.

Five of the consensus top six players currently in the NBA came from abroad or were not born in the United States. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Victor Vembanyama are all European, and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Canadian. In fact some of the greatest American NBA players were not recruited well enough to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game, including Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry and Donovan Mitchell. Even Cade Cunningham, an All-American selection, didn’t get a chance to play in the game when it was canceled due to COVID-19.

That means there isn’t the usual All-American turned All-NBA talent at the top of the league, but some of the NBA’s best players have their basketball roots tied to the McDonald’s All-American Game. So, how did the best NBA players who played in the McDonald’s All-American Game actually fare against the best high school basketball players in the country?

Note: All US statistics for McDonald’s found here.

The best American hooper in the world currently is Anthony Edwards. His basketball talent had been evident since his high school days, but he was not his usual dominant self in the McDonald’s All-American Game. That doesn’t mean he was bad. He was actually highly efficient (62.% from the field) on his way to scoring 12 points.

Fans have become used to the Minnesota Timberwolves star lighting up the scoreboard nightly. The 12 points he scored were tied for the eighth most in the 2019 game, and this was despite playing the most minutes (21) of all the participants. A poor performance by his standards did not prevent Edwards from becoming the number one overall pick. He put up big numbers at Georgia and is still getting better year after year.

LeBron James was the most hyped prospect in NBA history. He went straight into the league as the number one player after his high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary. So, it should be no surprise that the kid from Akron made it to the McDonald’s All-American Game. In fact, his performance at the 2003 event was rated the best performance in the history of the sport.

Already labeled the pick, James filled up the stat sheet with 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and six steals. That point total is tied for the seventh-best mark in the history of the game, and the six steals are tied for third-most all-time. James has long been an extremely versatile player who can do everything on the basketball court, which is why he is one of two McDonald’s All-American Game MVPs on this list.

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

With his running mate Jayson Tatum sidelined for almost all of this season, Jaylen Brown has a chance to remind fans what he can do as the top option. He was one of the top players in high school and was arguably the top scoring threat in the country during his high school days. Brown was the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Georgia.

However, Brown did not necessarily perform well in the 2015 McDonald’s All-American Game. He had only nine points in that contest. However, he added six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals, proving that he is a versatile player. The Browns’ defense really got Cal fans excited in this game. Brown thrives at the point of attack and can help on defense, and his steal/block totals showed that.

Another 2025 McDonald’s All-American named Jalen Brunson performed even better than Brown in the All-Star Showcase, at least in the scoring department. The Villanova-bound guard had only six points. He proved he can impact the game in other areas, even in sports where basketball isn’t a downer.

Brunson, just 6 feet 2 inches tall, had seven rebounds. He also added four assists. Brunson is a courageous player who dominates the field and plays bigger than himself. This became clear in 2015 itself.

Kevin Durant is also responsible for one of McDonald’s greatest All-American performances ever. Playing in the game in 2006, Durant had 25 points, five rebounds and four assists, resulting in co-MVP honors with Chase Budinger. Budinger only had 11 points, so it was controversial whether the MVP was split.

Still, this was just an example of Durant beating out the only recruit ranked higher than him, Greg Oden. Oden also went on to become the number one ranked player, although Durant was the first freshman to win Naismith Player of the Year honors. Oden became one of the greatest NBA draft picks of all time, while Durant still stands as one of the best players in NBA history.

Devin Booker was excelling on the basketball court at a young age. This was perhaps most evident when he became the youngest player to score more than 60 points in an NBA game. He scored 70 runs for Phoenix Suns at the age of just 20. Even before this, Booker had played in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

However, his scoring in that game was a far cry from what fans saw in his iconic 70-point performance. In the 2014 All-American Game, Booker had only eight points. He couldn’t find his stroke, as he only made 37.5% of his shots. Unfortunately, Booker didn’t do anything else. The only other statistic he recorded was a single assist.

James Harden has become one of the greatest scorers and greatest facilitators in NBA history. The guard who was recently traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers is ninth on the all-time scoring list with 29,160 points. The 36.1 points per game he scored in 2018–19 are the most in a season for any player not named Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan. In recent years, Harden has also developed his game to become a multi-time assist leader.

He did not necessarily showcase his offensive talents in the 2007 McDonald’s All-American Game. With only eight points, 19 players scored as many or more points than him. He made only one assist in total.

Bam Adebayo just scored 83 points, the second most ever in a single game. The Miami Heat center was far from the first player fans would have anticipated such a scoring explosion, but his ability to put the ball in the basket has long been underestimated. Adebayo can put the ball on the floor and create rebounds. He also has an ever-improving jump shot.

Adebayo’s scoring was underestimated since the 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game. He scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Josh and Frank Jackson took co-MVP honors, but Adebayo’s performance was commendable.

Tyrese Maxey had a solid game in the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game. He made half of his field goal attempts for a total of 13 points in just 19 minutes. This was better than his draft classmate Anthony Edwards, who ultimately went first overall in the NBA Draft.

The success of the Maxi comes as little surprise. After all, he was a Kentucky recruit, and John Calipari did nothing but get the best at the guard position at the time. Now, Maxi has become one of the best scorers in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Karl-Anthony-Towns, New York Knicks

The 2014 NCAA recruiting class was loaded with centers. Jahlil Okafor and Myles Turner were the top two big men in the class. Ultimately, Karl-Anthony Towns would prove to be the best pivot man from his class, as he became the number one pick and established himself as the best 3-point shooting center in NBA history.

Although he was highly recruited, he was not the top big man upon high school graduation, and his McDonald’s All-American performance did not do him much good. Towns had just six points in 19 minutes in that game.

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can take a look at Sunday’s games, the upcoming schedule and other important details on March Madness, including who will compete this month and future NBA Lottery selections.

We ranked the 32 teams remaining in the 2026 NCAA Tournament

NCAA tournament schedule today

How to watch the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games can also be found on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Which teams are in the Sweet 16?

As of Saturday night, the schools that have earned a trip to the Sweet 16 are Michigan, Duke, Arkansas, Houston, Michigan State, Texas, Illinois and Nebraska.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. Players you should keep an eye on are Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

Neither Jonathan Kuminga nor his former team, the Golden State Warriors, looked that good in their highly anticipated reunion performance.

The Warriors were defeated by the Atlanta Hawks 126–110, their eighth loss in nine games, while Kuminga went 1 of 9 from the field for just two points, four rebounds, two turnovers and a -6 plus/minus in 22 minutes of action.

Instead, the highlights of the game were Dyson Daniels and CJ McCollum as the duo scored 28 and 23 points to lead Golden State in the backcourt. While the Warriors outscored the Hawks for most of the first half, Atlanta outscored Golden State with a 48–16 run from 6:16 in the second quarter to 6:16 in the third quarter. From there, the Dubs were helpless, lacking enough firepower to get back into the game.

The loss dropped Golden State to 33–38 on the season, its lowest mark under .500 all season. After the game, Steve Kerr acknowledged where the Warriors are at the moment.

“This is the hardest thing to go through,” Kerr said. “Losing and getting destroyed by injuries. And feeling like you’re pushing, you’re trying, you’re competing, but things aren’t going your way. It’s definitely a tough, tough time for everybody. It’s human nature to get down, hang your head.”

With a storm of injuries sidelining not only their stars, Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry, but also key role players like Moses Moody and Al Horford, the Warriors have completely collapsed after the All-Star break. After taking a strong hold on the eighth seed in the West, they now find themselves in 10th place, a game and a half behind the Clippers.

Are reinforcements on the way for the Warriors?

The good news for the Warriors is that they should get some firepower soon in the coming days. Curry’s re-evaluation on Saturday gave him the all-clear to resume live-action work in team practice in the coming days.

It’s another step in the right direction after Curry resumed working non-contact shooting drills with the team on the road this week. Before traveling with the team to Dallas, Curry will participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages with available coaches and players in Atlanta on Sunday morning.

Kerr called this specific checkpoint a “big day” because the team will have a better understanding of when he can return after Rick Celebrini evaluates him. Curry has missed 21 consecutive games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome and a right kneecap injury. Golden State is 6-15 since Curry was sidelined.

As far as Moody’s is concerned, their recent reassessment has also brought positive results. According to the team he is making “good progress”, and they have stepped up his work on the court with shooting drills after not being able to shoot due to his sprained right wrist. He will also be cast in live-action work in the coming days.

Moody missed the last 10 games due to a wrist injury, derailing his productive season. He is averaging 11.9 points on 40.2 percent 3-point shooting in 59 games this year.

Can Golden State rally?

At the end of the day, it seems like it’s a season from hell for Golden State. A team can only do so much when it loses its best performance due to an ACL tear.

But it is not that they have lagged behind like other teams this season. To his credit, he has battled and competed in every game since Curry went out. Two-way players have given him as much as two players can give. Youngsters like Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski have shown how good they would look if they were next to the stars. It’s just that their efforts and patience have not been rewarded.

“I’m just trying to encourage guys to keep competing,” Kerr said after the game. “But to try to bring energy and stay positive because reinforcements will come, and we have to be ready for that. But in the meantime, I’m proud of the way they’re playing. They’re working hard, but they’re in a tough situation. We’re all in a tough situation.”

The Warriors will look to complete their 1-4 road trip with a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James added another major milestone to his already illustrious career when he passed former Boston Celtics star Robert Parish in terms of playing most regular season games. The historic feat came during the Lakers’ game against the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the fourth of the team’s six-game road trip.

James is going through an unprecedented 23rd season in the NBA, and he has already set several records in terms of being the oldest player to reach various statistics.

LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time leader in most games played with 1,612. This number will only increase as James shows no signs of his career slowing down or ending in the near future. Just one game earlier, in a win against the Miami Heat, James dropped a triple-double on the second night of a back-to-back, a game for which he was originally listed as questionable.

And then in the game before that, in the Lakers’ win against the Houston Rockets, James scored 30 points while missing only one shot (13 of 14). Amid James’ strong performance, the Lakers are in the midst of an eight-game winning streak and have moved into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings.

James recovered from an early nerve injury that kept him out of the first 14 games of the season. He has appeared in 49 games at a rate of just over 33 minutes per game. He averaged 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals on 51.6 percent shooting from the field, 31.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 73.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can check out Saturday’s games, upcoming events and other important details on March Madness, including who will compete this month and future NBA Lottery selections.

NCAA tournament schedule today

How to watch the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games can also be found on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

What time is the first game tomorrow?

The first game on Wednesday’s NCAA Tournament schedule begins at 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 p.m. PT and features

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. Players you should keep an eye on are Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can check out Friday’s games, upcoming events and other important details on March Madness, including who will compete this month and future NBA Lottery selections.

NCAA tournament schedule today

How to watch the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games can also be found on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

What time is the first game tomorrow?

The first game on Wednesday’s NCAA Tournament schedule begins at 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 p.m. PT and features Santa Clara vs. Kentucky.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. Players you should keep an eye on are Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

Luka Doncic has been on a crazy spree the past two games. The Los Angeles Lakers star has outpaced his team this season, and it was evident in LA’s latest games. Doncic nearly had a triple-double with 40 points before scoring a season-high 60 points against the Miami Heat. With LA on the verge of clinching a playoff berth, Doncic is doing everything he can to get LA into the postseason.

After his outstanding 60 points against the Heat, Doncic was asked about his performance. The Lakers star credited his hot streak to his shooting and his slashing to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

“Yeah, I feel like my three-ballers are going good, and then I’m attacking the paint a lot,” Doncic said in response to a question, according to Spectrum Sportsnet. “So just trying to read the game.”

Doncic’s stellar performance isn’t limited to his last two games. Over the past two weeks, Doncic has averaged an incredible 40.9 points per game in eight games. In those eight games, the Lakers star is shooting 42.2% from three-point range. He’s also adding 8.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. Against the Heat, Doncic also showed his defensive improvement by making five steals, increasing his average to 2.4 steals per game in eight games.

With the win over the Heat, the Lakers continued to tighten their grip on the third seed in the Western Conference. Chasing giants like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs is almost impossible now, but that’s OK. Now, the Lakers aim to retain home-court advantage at least in the first round. They have a two-game lead over the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves and a three-game lead over the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets.

As for Doncic, the Slovenian superstar is gunning for his first MVP award in his NBA career. He is averaging 33.4 points per game on 47.7% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from deep this season, while also adding 8.4 assists and 7.9 rebounds. The Lakers are just seven games away from meeting the required number of games played to qualify for the star awards.

LeBron James’ longevity is extraordinary. The Los Angeles Lakers star is already 41 years old and in his 23rd year in the league, and yet he is still playing at a high level. On Thursday night, James tied Robert Parish’s record for most games played in a career.

After starting in the Lakers’ game against the Miami Heat, LeBron has played a total of 1,611 games, tying Parish’s record. James will certainly break some records this season and beyond, provided he plays the rest of the year.

Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has played 23 seasons in his NBA career. Although the Lakers star missed a few games here and there, the sheer amount of years he played meant that sooner or later he was bound to break this record. Games played by James spanned Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles.

His longevity is the biggest reason why many fans consider him the greatest player in NBA history. Even at the age of 41, the Lakers star is still averaging 21.4 points per game on efficient shooting (shooting 51.4% from the field). He’s also adding 6.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. Although he is not the focal point of the Lakers’ offense as before, he has still been an integral part for them this season.

Due to his age, there is talk in the league about James’ possible retirement after this season. Although the Lakers star has not clearly stated that he will retire after the 2025-26 season, this decision is still lingering in every fan’s mind as the season progresses. However, for now he and the Lakers are focused on winning another championship. Los Angeles enters its game against Miami as the third seed in the highly competitive Western Conference, and is on track to make the postseason.

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch matchups from the biggest and best tournament in American sports today, below you can check out Thursday’s games, upcoming events and other important details on March Madness, including who will compete this month and future NBA Lottery selections.

NCAA tournament schedule today

How to watch March Madness 2026

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games can also be found on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

What time is the first game tomorrow?

The first game on Thursday’s NCAA Tournament schedule begins at 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 p.m. PT and pits Santa Clara against Kentucky.

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. Players you should keep an eye on are Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

The 2026 edition of the men’s NCAA Tournament, aka March Madness, is underway! If you’re planning to watch tournament matchups of the biggest and best in American sports today, below you can check out Wednesday’s games, the upcoming NCAA Tournament schedule and other important details on March Madness, including future NBA lottery picks and how to watch who competes this month.

march madness schedule today

How to watch the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament

If you plan to watch NCAA Tournament games on television today, they will be available on the CBS Sports family of networks. They are CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV. You can find the times, channels and matchups for today’s games above, or scroll down for tomorrow’s pairings.

Can I watch March Madness on my phone?

Yes, you can watch March Madness games on mobile devices with the March Madness Live app. (For iPhone users).

How to watch March Madness without cable?

All March Madness games can also be found on various streaming platforms. You can watch today’s matchup on YouTube TV, Paramount+, MAX, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV stream.

Upcoming NCAA Tournament Schedule

What time is the first game tomorrow?

The first game on Wednesday’s NCAA Tournament schedule begins at 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 p.m. PT and pits TCU against Ohio State.

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament?

The popular picks to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament this month are Duke, Michigan and Arizona.

Who are the top NBA prospects in March Madness 2026?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to be one of the best in recent times, and several players who could be taken as early as Round 1 will be competing during March Madness. Players you should keep an eye on are Duke’s Cam Boozer, BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Kansas’ Darrin Peterson and Houston’s Kingston Flemings.

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

There was a lot to like about the New York Knicks’ emphatic win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, and now superfan Ben Stiller is looking forward to 2026.

On March 17, the Knicks defeated the Pacers, who were battling injury problems during the 2025–26 season. This marked their third win of the year over Indiana, finishing the season 3–1 against them.

Stiller was enjoying the win, as evidenced by his live-posting during the entire game on Twitter, EX, but he also acknowledged that the Pacers were not at “full strength”.

In turn, he is looking forward to watching the Pacers vs. Knicks if both teams are healthy, writing, “Look forward to Indiana at full strength next year.”

When the teams meet during the 2026-27 season, the Pacers will likely have Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered an Achilles injury during the NBA Finals in 2025.

The Knicks’ resounding win over the Pacers.

Even without Jalen Brunson, the Knicks were able to shut out the Pacers. They were led by Josh Hart, who had one of the best games of his career.

Hart scored 33 points, making 12 of 13 shots, including five of five from behind the three-point line. He also had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Meanwhile, the Knicks got even bigger games from OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 26 and 22, respectively. Jose Alvarado scored 16 points and Jordan Clarkson contributed 10 points off the bench.

The Pacers got some of their injured stars back, such as TJ McConnell, Aaron Nesmith and Oba Toppin. They all came back without wasting any opportunity. McConnell scored 10 points and 10 assists, Nesmith scored 14 points while making five of his eight shots, and Toppin scored 15 points and made 75% of his shots.

As soon as the regular season ends, the Knicks and Pacers will go their separate ways until next year. Indiana is 15-54, the worst record in the entire NBA, and has no chance to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Knicks are in third place in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons (49-19) and Boston Celtics (45-23).

The Detroit Pistons will be without star point guard Cade Cunningham for the remainder of Tuesday night’s contest against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington.

The former Oklahoma State Cowboys star played just five minutes in the first half of the Wizards game before leaving the locker room due to an apparent upper body issue.

“Pistons star Cade Cunningham is battling back spasms and will not return for tonight’s game against the Wizards,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel shared via a social media post on Twitter.

The 24-year-old Cunningham totaled six points while shooting 2-for-3 from the field with two rebounds and one steal and one turnover before exiting the game.

This story is being updated.

As the Cleveland Cavaliers have players like Max Strus returning from injury, the latest news from the team has revealed a key star who will miss time. While Cavs star Jarrett Allen is absent due to a knee injury, the team has sketched out a tentative timetable for his return.

Continuing on his ex’s, formerly Twitter, page, Cleveland would say Allen would miss the next three games due to “right knee tendonitis.”

“Allen will be listed out for the Cavaliers’ upcoming three-game road trip due to right knee tendonitis,” the team said. “He suffered the injury during the second half of Cleveland’s March 3 game versus Detroit and has missed the last five games. He will continue treatment and rehabilitation, and will be updated on his return to play as appropriate.”

pic.twitter.com/LmxAtuTrLB

-Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) 16 March 2026

With Allen already missing time due to a knee injury, his last game was played on March 3, where Cleveland won 113–109 over the Detroit Pistons. The veteran center played 21 minutes in that game, recording eight points on four-of-seven shooting from the field with three rebounds.

With the news of missing the upcoming three-game road trip, Allen will miss his eighth consecutive game. So far this season, Allen is averaging 15.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game on 63.6 shooting from the field in his ninth year in the association.

At any rate, it remains to be seen when Allen is ready to return as the upcoming road trip begins on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, with a hoped-for return when the Cavs return home to take on the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, March 24. Cleveland currently holds a record of 41–27, placing them in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

The punchless Memphis Grizzlies have gotten to the point in one losing season where NBA Draft prospects matter more than pride. With a 23-43 record and no realistic path to the postseason, the focus has shifted entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. Fortunately for the front office, the remainder of the schedule assures about a dozen other odds-boosting losses, according to bookmakers. However, it is the battles against the Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, and Milwaukee Bucks that matter most.

Tuomas Isalo may be looking to pick up some positive culture-building wins over the next few weeks, but the stakes are huge in those games against other lottery-bound Even-Rans. Sitting eighth-worst in the league, Memphis currently has a 6% chance at the top spot and a 7.2% chance at a top-four spot. As things stand, falling to the 10th pick is a realistic possibility.

The Grizzlies have a path to reach the fifth-worst record, which would increase those odds significantly. EVP Zach Kleiman will go to the ping-pong party with a 10.5% shot at one of the top four spots. Finishing below the Jazz in the standings will ensure a top-8 selection. Sweeping the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans, two teams that are consistently trying to win games, gives Memphis a 9% chance of landing Cam Boozer, Darius Acuff, AJ DiBantsa, or Kingston Flemings.

Dealing for Caleb Wilson or Nate Ament is a far better outcome than giving up either Mikel Brown Jr. or Brayden Burries. Nothing against Brown Jr. or Burroughs, it’s just that the Grizzlies are hoping to acquire a franchise cornerstone in a one-year reset, not take a chance on another late-lottery role player.

Grizzlies are sour on jazz notes

Chicago is still looking for respect and has enough talent to consistently win competitive games. That trip to the Windy City on March 16 marks the beginning of the injury-plagued team’s last stretch. Isalo’s shorthanded team will take on the Bulls again on March 28 at FedEx Forum. This game will also be the sixth game in nine days for Memphis. Tired legs led to the defeat at the end of the season, so fans should not be too disappointed about the results.

Memphis will also have to spend Easter Sunday away from family. The Grizzlies will take on the Bucks on April 5 while everyone else will be talking about the Final Four. There will be some hiatus before flying back to Beale Street for one last home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers (April 6). Those last three games, starting on a high in Denver before facing the Jazz and Houston Rockets, will likely sap the last bit of energy from all the players still standing.

There is very little margin for error on the downs, and these four games will ultimately decide how high the Grizzlies can climb when lottery balls come out. In a season defined by heartbreaking defeats, the most important is still to come.

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently made history by breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s streak of scoring at least 20 points in consecutive games. In the next game after breaking the record, the incredible streak found itself in serious danger.

The reigning NBA MVP was well below the 20-point mark in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s contest with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, as they have done repeatedly during the streak, they turned it on in the final 12 minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander eventually drained a jumper after a foul on Anthony Edwards late in the fourth before sinking a free throw and scoring 20 points for his 128th consecutive game.

The Thunder already had the game in hand, and SGA gave a hearty applause after seeing their squad close in on a 116–103 victory over their Western Conference rivals.

Gilgeous-Alexander only had 10 points in the fourth quarter, so he really had to step things up to keep the historic streak going.

Although he still got 20 points, it was far from Gilgeous-Alexander’s best performance in Sunday’s win over Minnesota. The MVP favorite shot just 7 of 22 from the field to score his 20 points, but he added 10 assists in the process.

This is a big win in the standings for the Thunder, who are still trying to avoid the Spurs for the top seed in the Western Conference playoff picture. With the Pistons struggling a bit at the top of the Eastern Conference, the top seed in the West will likely mean home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the most consistent forces in basketball throughout the season and over the past few years, and this streak is a perfect example of that. Even on his worst days, he can keep it going and that’s what he showed on Sunday.

The 2025-26 season has not been great for Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green on the injury front. After missing a total of 21 games over the first four seasons of his career (including a total of zero for the last two campaigns), Green has missed 48 games this season due to hamstring problems. But it looks like Green is putting those injury troubles in the rearview mirror.

On Friday night, despite the Suns’ 122-115 loss to the Toronto Raptors in which he lost offensive fire in the clutch, Green made himself a peach of a ballgame. The fifth-year guard recorded a team-high 34 points on 13-25 shooting from the field (8-16 from beyond the arc) with five rebounds, four assists and one steal, and in doing so, he scored 30 points in two consecutive games for the first time this season.

Green scored 36 points in the win over the Indiana Pacers last night, and he’s looking healthy to the extent that he’s doing so despite being down two sets in a row to the Suns. This suggests that the team is not too concerned about the long-term stability of his hamstring.

His latest effort may end in defeat, but gaining a foothold late in the season helps Green at least cover for the absence of Dillon Brooks, who has been an offensive cornerstone for the Suns all season.

Suns are in the running for a spot in the Western Conference

As things stand, the Suns will be faced with the incredible task of becoming one of the best teams in the West by making it through the play-in tournament. Currently their record is 39-28, but that puts them in seventh place in the standings.

There will be no rest for these tired Suns, as their next three games will be against extremely tough opposition. On Monday, they face the Boston Celtics, followed by games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Golden State Warriors have been without Moses Moody for the last three games due to a sprained right wrist. On Tuesday, the organization shared an update regarding the timeline for his return.

Moody, who will turn 24 in May, was said to have made progress during his evaluation process on Tuesday. However, he is not ready to return yet and will be reevaluated at the end of the week, according to the Warriors PR.

“Warriors guard Moses Moody, who has missed the last three games after suffering a right wrist sprain on March 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers, was recently re-evaluated. The re-evaluation indicated that Moody is making good progress and has progressed in on-court work. He will be re-evaluated later this week.”

Based on the announcement, the fifth-year veteran will miss Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. However, it seems like there’s a chance he could be back as soon as Friday when the Warriors take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at home. But it really depends on when the next revaluation process takes place.

Moses Moody has played in 59 games for the Warriors this season, starting 48. He has been a solid contributor, averaging 11.9 points (career-high), 3.3 rebounds (career-high), and 1.6 assists (career-high) per game, while shooting 44.1% from the floor and 40.2% from beyond the three-point line (career-high).

The Warriors are currently struggling with many injuries. Since Moody is going to miss at least one more contest, we should expect Will Richard to play an extended role when the Warriors take on the Bulls. Pat Spencer, LC Cryer, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford could also see more playing time.

The Philadelphia 76ers suffered a loss in their latest game against the Atlanta Hawks, and their star player also suffered an injury at the end of the fourth quarter. Tyrese Maxey collided with his own teammate, causing him to fall to the floor, and it looked like his hand was injured as he walked off the court writhing in pain.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, many wanted to know how serious the injury was, and it seemed likely that he would miss a few games before returning.

“The 76ers say Tyrese Maxey has a right hamstring injury and will miss at least the next two games,” Siegel, formerly of the Ax, wrote on Twitter.

This is good news for the 76ers as it doesn’t look like he’ll miss much time, but it also isn’t the best news given his current situation. Joel Embiid will be out for at least another week with an injury, and VJ Edgecombe has recently been sidelined with an injury.

Needless to mention, the 76ers have been without Paul George as he is still serving his 25-game suspension.

This means that over the next few games, the 76ers will have to rely on their depth to help them win. The 76ers’ next game will be against the Cleveland Cavaliers, against whom they have not had much success. After this, things get easier in the game as they face the Memphis Grizzlies.

The hope is that Maxey won’t have to miss any more games after that as the 76ers fight to stay atop the Eastern Conference standings. With the loss to the Hawks, they dropped from sixth to eighth in the standings, and could continue to fall if they don’t pick up some wins soon.

Injuries were something that hurt the 76ers last season, and it looks like it’s affecting them once again.

Nikola Jokic continues to rewrite the NBA record books at a pace that truly feels illegal. During the Denver Nuggets’ stunning 128-125 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night, the Serbian center officially tied the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s mark, and he did it in almost halftime.

Entering the contest at the Delta Center, Jokic was just one game shy of breaking the record for most games with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in NBA history. After a hard-fought 36 minutes on the floor, he walked away with exactly 22 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists. This performance is the 322nd 20/10/5 game of his career, which brings him level with the captain.

The most astonishing part of this achievement is not just the output, but also the efficiency. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar needed 1,560 games to set that mark. Jokic has reached this peak in only 792 games. While Jamal Murray made headlines on the night with a big 45-point explosion, including eight triples and the go-ahead free throw, Jokic’s steady hand kept the Nuggets afloat as they held off a late Jazz rally.

Despite the depleted roster, Utah didn’t make it easy. Keyonte George exploded for 36 points and nearly forced overtime, but Jokic remained composed under pressure. Despite five fouls late in the fourth quarter, he managed to secure the board and hit two clutch free throws with six seconds remaining to seal the win.

Denver has relied heavily on its superstars this season and Jokic has not disappointed. He currently leads the league in rebounds and assists, looking like the favorite for another MVP trophy. Now with the record tied, all eyes are on Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. If history is any indication, Jokic won’t be tied down for long.

After some dynamic performances following the All-Star break, Joel Embiid is expected to miss several games due to a right oblique strain.

Taking to social media to highlight Embiid’s latest injury in a stop-and-start season, The Athletic’s Tony Jones revealed that “The Process” will miss the next three games due to a right oblique strain he suffered in the team’s Thursday night win over the Miami Heat.

“Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with a right oblique strain and will miss the next three games.”,” Jones wrote on social media.

Initially starting the season on the shelf as he recovered from offseason surgery, and moving forward, when Embiid actually took the court for the 76ers, he largely recaptured his MVP form. “The Process” is averaging 26.6 points in just 31.2 minutes of action per game, recording 3.9 assists to go with 7.5 rebounds each night, and allowing Tyrese Maxey to take over the offense at times, clearing the floor as a 31.8 percent 3-point shooter while power forwards like Dominic Barlow and Jabari Walker do the dirty work in the painted zone.

Can the 76ers keep things on hold against the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz until Embiid potentially returns on March 7 against the Atlanta Hawks? Considering that the team has a 12-14 record with Embiid off the court, that may be tough, but considering that this injury occurred during a game rather than being his knee or any other lower-body malfunction, it’s safe to assume that “The Process” won’t need too much of a ramp-up to return to his old form over the next month.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah has detailed his struggles following Manchester United as he goes almost three years without taking to the pitch.

Voetbal Primeur covered the defender’s comments today. He speaks to ESPN about his struggles after leaving Manchester United in 2021.

The 28-year-old currently has no club after becoming a free agent in July 2024. He was previously at Bayer Leverkusen, whom he joined from Manchester United on a €1.7m deal in January 2021.

He was a youth product at Old Trafford after joining Ajax’s U17 side in 2014 in a €380,000 deal.

manchester united story

Two years later he made his Premier League debut under Louis van Gaal in February. He also made his European debut in the Europa League later that year under José Mourinho.

A further 30 appearances for Manchester United followed, including a Champions League debut under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020.

He also spent time on loan at Crystal Palace and Fulham but could not settle at either club, Ultimately departing for Leverkusen in 2021. However, he managed only 30 appearances in Germany, totaling 942 minutes.

His career at each club was severely hampered by long-term knee and hamstring problems. Those problems mean he has not played a competitive match since April 2023.

10 year anniversary

It’s a sorry state of affairs for a man who, exactly a decade ago, was making his professional debut for Manchester United. Now he has revealed what his current situation looks like.

“I’m an added value for many teams,” he said.

“I train a lot with other players. I am in a specific position where you have to deal with others in the same situation. They understand the situation very well.

“I feel good, I stay fit and busy every day. Not a day goes by when I’m not busy. Of course, you ideally want to stay fit for your entire career, but that’s part of it.

“If a player has won as well as me and played at the same level, but has never been injured, it is logical that they should choose him. God willing, I will return to the field.”

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been very inspiring in terms of being legitimate title contenders this season, as their defense has been so bad for so long that it’s hard to believe they can field a defense that’s good enough to compete, especially in the loaded West. But they have been excellent in clutch games and they have been good at maintaining leads, which is why they remain in the top six in the West standings despite concerns about the underlying numbers.

However, on Tuesday night, the Lakers failed at the things they should have been good at. They were ahead after three quarters in their contest against the Orlando Magic (80–79 after three), and they were in the midst of a clutch game against a Mideastern Conference team. They somehow lost, as a combination of late-game hesitation and late-game defensive issues doomed the Lakers.

According to X user @dmai21, the Purple and Gold have now lost their first game this season after the Magic broke the Lakers’ hearts 110-109 courtesy of Wendell Carter Jr.’s game-winner after leading after three quarters. They won their first 25 such games this season, but now, the Magic have dealt them a devastating blow.

Lakers’ defensive issues come to the fore in tough times

Luka Doncic suffered a tough shooting night, but began to bounce back toward the end of the game. It looked like he was going to take over the game, but instead, he hesitated to take the last shot, which put LeBron James in such a difficult situation with the clock running out – leading to the Lakers’ loss.

But it is LA’s defense that is to blame for their latest defeat. They allowed the Magic to score 58 points in the paint, with Paolo Banchero repeatedly driving to the basket. The game-winner he allowed came due to his inability to control the defensive boards.

The Lakers are going to have to do some soul-searching if they want to figure it out this season.

MIAMI – Miami Heat star Tyler Herro returned to practice Thursday after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury, with his status for Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks likely to be revealed. With rumors swirling as to when the Heat guard will return to Herro, it looks like the answer has been resolved by the injury report.

Miami is listing Herro as “probable” for Friday’s game as the team travels to take on the Hawks, which is a significant point in time for a guard who has missed not only the last 15 games due to injury, but has been absent 45 games this year.

He would miss the first 17 games of the season due to an offseason ankle injury, then missed 13 games due to a toe injury, and an injury that was listed as “Right costochondral; rib injury”. In reference to his role with the team in his first game since January 15, he was asked on Thursday afternoon if he would come off the bench, thus he returned from a toe injury on January 6, but then started after that contest.

“I don’t know, we’ll see what happens if I’m able to play tomorrow. Whatever minutes I get, I’m just happy to be out here again, playing with my teammates and playing a game that I finally love,” Herro said.

Tyler Herro speaks after returning to practice (fully) after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury. Will travel with the team, but not sure whether he will play tomorrow or not.

Talked about recovery, their disappointing season, Norman Powell being an All-Star, etc. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/FX13kYtkCE

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

Herro told ClutchPoints that he suffered three broken ribs, and he played three games on Torodol shots to deal with the pain, but he would be unable to play the entire season that way due to his absence.

In the 11 games he has played, Herro has averaged 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra returning to rotation on Tyler Herro

While the Heat are coming off the All-Star break, the team is still looking for a level of consistency, as injuries have been a problem plaguing the team, such as Herro’s continued absence. When Herro returns, no matter what role he plays, his offensive impact cannot be denied and head coach Erik Spoelstra said how “exciting” it was to see the guard back at practice at full strength.

“But it was very exciting to have Tyler out here in practice. You know, he’s done everything he’s needed to do over the last few weeks to prepare for this. And it’s exciting to have him back in the mix. We’re all excited about it,” Spoelstra said.

Erik Spoelstra talks about Tyler Herro’s return to practice and how “exciting” it was to see him socializing with the team.

As Herro said earlier, I’m not committed to him playing tomorrow. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/3f1kwQ37we

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

With 26 games left in the season, Spoelstra will look to find ways to get the best out of Herro, especially with Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo, as the trio have only played in eight games together this season. While that means there will be less playing time for any player on the roster, Spoelstra says there are “levels of sacrifice” that need to be made.

“Let’s not forget, Tyler is a talent,” Spoelstra said. “We need to maximize our rotation, we need our talent; we need to put it together fast. We know what our identity is on both sides of the floor; our guys have a stake in what we’re trying to do. There’s going to be some level of sacrifice throughout the rotation. If all the guys are available then that’s how it should be.”

Erik Spoelstra speaks on using different lineups with Tyler Herro back: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/WJ3kkC7gWF

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

At any rate, Miami is 29-27, which puts them in eighth place in the Eastern Conference as Herro looks to officially return to action on Friday in Atlanta.

During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the NBA set a record with 46 players participating. One of them was DeMarcus Cousins, who was then with the Sacramento Kings.

Ultimately, the Americans won the gold medal in a landslide. But what happened outside the court came to light.

During a performance with Carmelo Anthony in Brooklyn at 7 p.m. Cousins ​​reminisced with his Olympic teammates about how the team partied throughout the game.

“We were on fire … we drank every day,” Cousins ​​said.

“We were drinking responsibly,” Anthony said.

“Oh no!…I’ve never drank so much in my life,” Cousins ​​replied.

DeMarcus Cousins: “We were on fire…we drank every day.”

Carmelo Anthony: “We were drinking responsibly.”

DC: “Oh no!… I’ve never drank so much in my life.”

Melo and Boogie on the 2016 USA team were partying hard throughout the Olympicspic.twitter.com/eYwCW6npZj

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 17 February 2026

It was during those Olympics that Cousins ​​and Anthony united for a clutch moment. In the final moments against France, Anthony converted a pair of 3-pointers, while Cousins ​​made some key putbacks for a 100–97 victory.

Additionally, Paul George and Drummond became an elite defensive force during the game against Serbia. It was his heroics that ensured the Americans came out on top 94-91.

Cousins ​​played in the NBA from 2010 to 2022. In total, he played for seven teams, including the Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Clippers.

His most recent professional stint came with the Guaynabo Mets of the Puerto Rican professional basketball league Baloncesto Superior Nacional. He also played in the T1 League in Taiwan and The League in Mongolia.

In addition to the Olympics, Cousins ​​represented Team USA at the 2014 FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup, where the Americans won the gold medal.

During his NBA career, he averaged 19.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.