It’s hard to believe that nine years have passed since the New Jersey Devils selected Nico Hischier with the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft.

It’s even harder to believe that Hischier is already in the top 20 in games played in Devils history, despite the fact that he only has one Stanley Cup playoff series win to his name.

But the Devils captain crossed the 600-game threshold in New Jersey’s 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.

“Everyone here plays for each other,” Hischier said. “Obviously, I wanted to win, and I know everyone here wanted to win, too.”

Hischier is already 19th on the Devils’ all-time games played list, despite the fact that he is still only 10 months away from his 30th birthday. He’s quietly having another great year by leading the Devils in goals (26) and is third on the team in points (58) with nine games played.

Nico Hischier is already a Devils all-time great through 600 games

He can fly under the radar, league-wide, and even in New Jersey. But through 600 games, Hischier is on his way to hanging his number from the rafters at the Prudential Center — and any potential future building in which the Devils play.

Hischier is four points behind Scott Gomez for sixth on the Devils’ all-time points list and is already fifth on the Devils’ all-time goals list with 197. With a hot finish he can hope to take sole possession of third place, as Travis Zajac and Bobby Holik share that mark with 202 goals in a Devils uniform.

If Hischier finished ahead of Zajac and Holik, or even tied with them, it would mean he reached his third 30-goal season and second in a row under Devils coach Sheldon Keefe. Keefe understands what an accomplishment that will be, especially with the defensive load that Hischier carries every night.

“I don’t give Nico Hischier a very easy transition,” Keefe said Sunday. “He is very carefree in areas where we need him to take extra charge for our team.

“To have those numbers and still be aggressive, is tremendous.”

Hischier often plays second fiddle to superstar center Jack Hughes. But even the Devils’ record holder for single-season points can appreciate Hischier’s accomplishment.

“He’s headed for 1,000 [games]. I think 1,000 is a big number, right?” Hughes said of Hischier. “But he’s very young, and has already played 600 games, he just has to keep going and he’ll have a great career.”

The Devils would be wise to lock up Nico Hischier after this season

Hischier is eligible for a contract extension on July 1, and adding New Jersey’s captain should be priority No. 1 this offseason – on par with hiring a coach and/or general manager if the Harris/Blitzer ownership group decides to make a change.

The key to any future success for the Devils is Hischier, even more so than Hughes. Hughes has shown himself to be an integral player as the last two seasons have been prematurely ended by injury to No. 86, but the Devils won’t smell a Cup without Hischier’s two-way play.

Not re-signing Hischier would be one of the first signs of the roster falling apart, which some Devils fans might be able to stomach based on how attractive the potential of this core is. The group headlined by Hischier and Hughes will ultimately win nothing more than a first-round series over the New York Rangers in 2023, but management should keep giving it a chance.

But Hischier will have to stay, too. For what it’s worth, he’s talking like a player who wants to wear No. 13 in New Jersey for years to come.

“I am extremely grateful for [playing 600 games with the Devils],” Hischier said. “To be honest, it happens pretty fast. But I am grateful to have reached that milestone and hope there are more to come.”

Pat Pickens is an award-winning sports writer and author who has covered the NHL since 2013. He reveals more about Pat Pickens.

The Detroit Pistons have held down the fort well so far in the absence of star point guard Cade Cunningham due to a horrific lung condition. Although they haven’t exactly faced a killer line of opponents, the Pistons are now 3-0 after Cunningham left the lineup, and are firmly in first place in the Eastern Conference.

The biggest reason for this is the play of Aussie Thompson, who has been a terror for opponents on the defensive side of the ball.

In fact, he recently became the first player to achieve a major defensive milestone this season.

“Oser Thompson has been in his own lane this season, becoming the only forward in the NBA to rack up 100+ steals and 50+ blocks. It’s not just versatility, it’s straight-up defensive dominance from every angle of the floor,” X, formerly of ClutchPoints, reported on Twitter.

In fact, the statistical feat speaks volumes about Thompson’s switchability and skills on that end of the floor, and he has become an integral part of what makes Detroit such a strong unit on defense this season.

Similar to his twin brother Amen Thompson with the Houston Rockets, if Ourser ever finds a way to expand his offensive skills, he could immediately become one of the most impactful players in the league.

Meanwhile, as the season enters its home stretch, the Pistons look to lock up the number one seed in the East, and they’ve done a good job of showing off their versatility and depth over the past week in Cunningham’s absence, though they’ll certainly hope to get their star point guard back by the time the playoffs arrive.

The Pistons will take on the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers for their next home game on Monday night.

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

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

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

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

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

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

New-look Cavs going through tough first stretch together

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

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

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

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

In years past, facing the Charlotte Hornets meant only two things: 1. It’s an automatic win and 2. The Stars don’t have to play hard.

But fighting hornets is no longer an easy task these days. The Stars will have to bring their A-game to keep up with Charlotte’s high-octane offense led by LaMelo Ball.

Ball has always had talent, but due to injuries he has struggled to stay on the field. This season, he stayed healthy, reminding everyone that he is still one of the premier players in the league.

Ball accomplished another historic feat in their win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, as he became fastest player To reach 900 three-pointers in NBA history. Ball accomplished the feat in just 287 games, breaking Duncan Robinson’s previous record of 305 games.

LaMelo Ball just added another historic shooting mark to his resume!

The Hornets star is now the fastest player in NBA history to reach 900 career 3-pointers, doing so in just 287 games.

Melo’s deep range, fearless pull-ups and consistent green light from beyond the arc… pic.twitter.com/NjUGLnKXN7

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 12 March 2026

Just imagine how much faster Ball would have done it had he not missed so many games.

He finished with 30 points and six three-pointers, including one in front of the Kings’ bench. After this, he spent some quality time with Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk.

LaMelo blanks the corner 3 in front of the Kings bench, and Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk are laughing on the bench (with replay) pic.twitter.com/jvlkoLASlH

– MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) 12 March 2026

Any guesses on what Ball told them?

With Ball, who is averaging 19.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.1 steals, at the helm, the Hornets have become a threat in the Eastern Conference. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. At one point, they had a nine-game winning streak, their longest since the 1997–1998 season.

Of course, the 24-year-old Ball isn’t doing it alone. The arrival of Kon Knuppel has certainly boosted the Hornets, while Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate have provided steady support. Adding Coby White at the trade deadline was a smart move.

Barring any unexpected setbacks, the Hornets are finally on track to end their nine-year playoff drought.

The Charlotte Hornets’ 10-game winning streak ended after a 111–99 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Charlotte had not lost on the road since January 17 against the Golden State Warriors, but suffered losses at the hands of Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Collin Gillespie, who scored 30, 24 and 24 points, respectively.

For Charlotte, LaMelo Ball had 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists, going 9-19 from the field. That performance means Ball is now only the 8th player in the NBA to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in 100 games before the age of 25, which is the most in franchise history, according to a post on X by ESPN Insights.

LaMelo Ball has 100 games scoring at least 20 PTS, 5 REB and 5 AST, the most in Hornets history.

He is only the 8th player in NBA history to play 100 such games before the age of 25.

Others include LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Oscar Robertson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Magic… pic.twitter.com/T3KLyL8lJ2

– ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) 9 March 2026

Others to accomplish this feat include some current and future greats, including LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Oscar Robertson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Magic Johnson, meaning Ball finds himself in truly elite company. Despite this, the Hornets started the game fast, making 9 of their first 11 shots and shooting 36% from the field for the rest of the game.

Booker had a double-double, as well as adding 10 assists despite shooting only 1-6 from beyond the arc. He converted all 15 of his free throw attempts while the Hornets made 10 of their 15 free throw attempts on the night.

Rookie Rasheer Fleming added 16 points off the bench, including four three-pointers. Phoenix has now won four of its last five games, despite Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams and Grayson Allen being sidelined with injuries.

Kon Knueppel had a particularly poor game from the three-point zone, making only two of his eight attempts and finishing with 15 points and four assists. For Charlotte, the other leading scorers were Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller, who had 16 and 11 points, respectively.

The loss pushed the Hornets below the .500 mark with a 32–33 record, good for No. 10 in the Eastern Conference. Their next match will be against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Meanwhile, the Suns improved to 37-27 for the season and will next visit the Milwaukee Bucks.

MIAMI – The Miami Heat have an important week ahead as they aim to avoid the play-in tournament, with Sunday’s big 121-110 win over the Detroit Pistons one of many impressive stories. In the team’s win over the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, Heat captain Bam Adebayo earned a team-high scoring milestone held only by Dwyane Wade.

After Adebayo recorded 24 points on Sunday evening, it marked the big man reaching over 10,000 career points with Miami, only the second time a player from the franchise has accomplished such a feat, other than Wade. While Wade is firmly No. 1 in that category with 21,556 points, Adebayo’s 10,001 puts him in second place, already overtaken by Alonzo Mourning with 9,459 points.

Adebayo talked about the milestone after the win over Detroit, putting into perspective not only how he has improved and how long he has been with Miami, but also how he was drafted, which is known for its defense.

“Man, it means a lot to have us play defense somewhere, and everyone is thinking I was just a big threat, but it just shows the evolution of my game,” Adebayo said. “Obviously, this organization believes in me. I’ve been here so long that I can get to the 10k with the same team, and obviously getting into the history books with someone like D-Wade. So it’s a big accomplishment. I’m happy I even got to the W, and it’s a fun win for us.”

Bam Adebayo on scoring 10,000 career points:

“It means a lot. Coming from a guy who was drafted to play defense…to be in the history books behind a guy like D-Wade, that’s a huge accomplishment…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/0CphU4kDHS

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 9 March 2026

For his 24 points, Adebayo shot 7 of 17 from the field and four of 10 from three-point range.

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on Bam Adebayo’s milestone and its significance

As Adebayo is actually chasing Udonis Haslem’s Heat rebound record, which he is on pace to do, the main goal at this point is to lead the team to victory, with the team now on a five-game winning streak after the statement was released on Sunday. In addition to the 24 points, he would also record nine rebounds and six assists, while recording a +13 on the floor.

Along with Tyler Herro’s 25 points on Sunday, the Miami duo led the way to a collective win over the East-leading Pistons, but it can’t be said enough how important Adebayo is to the team, given his numbers on and off the floor. According to Screwball, Adebayo has a net rating of +12.1, which shows how well the team performs when he is on the court, which was mentioned by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra.

“He has such competitive will and you can see it,” Spoelstra said of Adebayo. “The staff told me today he’s second in the league in on/off, which is all that matters. Is that all? No, like, you can find a stat for everything, but it shows his impact on winning. When he’s on the court, our defense is excellent, and our play is great. Now, when he’s off the court, it’s improving, you know, our guys are really trying to be there for our team in those minutes. Have been.”

Erik Spoelstra on Bam Adebayo reaching 10,000 career points.

Talked about his continued “competitive will” and how much he means to this team, talking about statistics on and off the court: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/3tUZodkaa5

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 9 March 2026

“But I think it’s also a credit to his competitive will and work ethic. He wasn’t necessarily known as a scorer; he’s worked for this special team and has shown a willingness to invest himself in it, his scoring is really important, and playmaking,” Spoelstra continued.

Adebayo looks to continue leading Miami as the team tries to extend its five-game winning streak against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.

The Atlanta Hawks achieved a franchise milestone after a 125-116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.

Atlanta has been an active franchise for 77 seasons since its inaugural campaign in 1949. He has experienced many victories throughout his lifetime so far, making 49 playoff appearances and even winning a championship.

All those wins allowed him to reach the peak of 3,000 wins, needing one more win to reach this milestone. Only five other teams have accomplished this feat, making it even more significant when Atlanta defeated Philadelphia to clinch the home win and make history.

“Tonight’s win, Atlanta’s season-best sixth consecutive win, marks the Hawks’ 3,000th franchise win, becoming the sixth team in NBA history with 3,000 wins,” the post read.

How the Hawks played against the 76ers

The Hawks took care of business and continued their active winning streak after defeating the 76ers.

Atlanta got off to a slow start defensively and trailed 38–28 after the first quarter. Despite this, the hosts got back on track by taking control in the second half and outscoring Philadelphia 59–43 in the final 24 minutes of regulation.

Five players scored in double figures for Atlanta in the win. Jalen Johnson demolished Philadelphia’s defense with a stat line of 35 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals. He made 12 of 19 shots from the field, including 2 of 4 from beyond the arc and 9 of 9 from the free-throw line. Nickeil Alexander-Walker came next with 24 points and six assists, CJ McCollum had 17 points and seven assists, while Dyson Daniels put up 15 points and nine rebounds. Meanwhile, Onyeka Okongwu provided 10 points and six rebounds.

Atlanta improved to a 33–31 record on the season and finished ninth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks while trailing the 76ers and Miami Heat.

Riding a six-consecutive win streak, the Hawks will be looking forward to their next contest. They will be at home when they host the Dallas Mavericks on March 10 at 7:30 pm ET.

The Utah Jazz have had a tough season so far, currently sitting in 14th place in the Western Conference with an 18-44 record, with some major injuries derailing their campaign. However, it has undoubtedly allowed some of the Jazz’s younger players to play without pressure, something that seems to be paying off when it comes to the No. 5 pick of the 2025 draft, Ace Bailey.

Bailey had the best performance of his career against the Washington Wizards, and produced a spectacular dunk in the third quarter, leading him to 26 points on the night. The feat was immediately acknowledged by the official NBA X account, which posted a clip of the dunk. In it, Bailey can be seen receiving the ball at the edge of the three-point zone before delivering a dominant dunk after driving to the rim.

New career high for Ace Bailey! motiv

He’s up to 26 pts after this slam…and that’s only 3q’s 👀 pic.twitter.com/3rThHNVTRI

– NBA (@NBA) 6 March 2026

“A new career-high for Ace Bailey! 🔥 After this slam he’s up to 26 pts… and that’s only 3Qs 👀,” it read acknowledging the milestone performance.

The Jazz ultimately won 122–112, with Bailey scoring 32 points and two rebounds for the night. The Jazz came into this game after seven consecutive losses and needed their young star to perform against a Wizards team that had Trae Young in the starting lineup for the first time since moving to Atlanta.

They remained comfortable throughout, starting the game with a 37-23 quarter lead and never letting up. Utah extended its lead to 18 points by the end of the first half and then maintained a comfortable lead until the end of the third half, outscoring the Wizards 35–26.

The Jazz’s overall shooting efficiency was 51.1% compared to the Wizards’ 46.8%, and Isaiah Collier also contributed 27 points. Kyle Filipowski was the third player to score at least 20, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and three rebounds.

For the Wizards, Julian Reese top-scored with just 18 points, while Young finished with 12 points and six assists. They were two of seven players who scored in double figures on the night for the Wizards, who have now lost seven straight games.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Chet Holmgren topped his career night by helping lead his team to a 127-121 victory in overtime against All-Star Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. After Lou Dort’s ouster For a key 2 against Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t double check for overtime. Holmgren finished with 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting, a career-high 21 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal against the Nuggets.

After his first All-Star appearance, Chet Holmgren captures a title Career high 21 rebounds It’s a testament to the work he’s put in behind the scenes, as he heads into just his fourth season with the Thunder.

Holmgren said, “I try to put a lot into my body, making sure I get stronger each time. Continue to be as healthy as I can. Take care of yourself.” “I definitely think it’s benefited me, and I’ve gotten better in a lot of different areas, but I think I still have a long way to go with my body, with my game. I don’t want to let one night get too excited for me. I still have work to do.”

Chet Holmgren on his career-high 21 rebounds: “I try to put a lot into my body, making sure I get stronger every time out. Just continuing to stay as healthy as I can. Take care of yourself.”

I definitely think it has paid off for me and I have improved in many different areas… pic.twitter.com/hsvOB6tE12

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 36 points, nine assists, two blocks and two steals in his first appearance in nine games for the Thunder. Oklahoma City improved to 46–15.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s blunt comment on missing OT in Thunder’s win

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t hold back his emotions about missing overtime during Friday’s showdown against fellow MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. After leading the Thunder to erase a 16-point deficit in the second half, Gilgeous-Alexander was forced to miss the rest of the game. He reached his scheduled minutes for his first game back after suffering an abdominal strain.

Still, that didn’t make the process any easier, as Gilgeous-Alexander cheered the Thunder against the Nuggets from the bench during the final period of the game.

“I hate it. I can’t wait for the minutes restriction to go away,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But if I rehash this injury, it won’t make any difference. So, that’s the way I look at it.”

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will face the Mavericks on Sunday.

The recent clash between perennial rivals the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics ultimately proved unproductive. Before the matchup, a statue of Pat Riley was unveiled, who declared to his former team that it was time to kick the “Boston A**”.

However, the script was flipped when Jaylen Brown ran the show for the Lakers in a devastating 111–89 loss, even though the historical value of this rivalry was also evident from the number of people watching the game on the NBC stream. According to a post by ClutchPoints on

This may make the performance even more difficult for fans to digest. Before tip-off, the Lakers unveiled a nearly eight-foot bronze statue of legendary coach Pat Riley outside Crypto.com Arena, celebrating the architect of the “Showtime” era who brought four championships to the city as head coach.

The pre-game festivities were to set the tone for a heavyweight clash against their most bitter, historic rivals. Instead, the Lakers were a complete failure despite all three of their Big-3 being fit and firing.

Jaylen Brown was the tip of the spear, leading the offense with a masterclass 32-point, eight-rebound and seven-assist performance. However, it was Sixth Man of the Year Peyton Pritchard who served as the ultimate dagger.

Pritchard scored 30 points off the bench, knocking down six 3-pointers and dishing out eight assists. The duo combined for 38 points in the second half alone and thrashed the Lakers with a barrage of step-back jumpers and offensive drives.

Despite the dysfunction surrounding him, James officially became the first player in NBA history to reach 43,000 career regular season points, accomplishing the feat in the third quarter. Additionally, he made his 1,600th regular season appearance, tying Celtics legend Robert Parish for the second-most games played in league history.

Luka Doncic led the team with 25 points, but struggled with his mid-range efficiency, missing five of his six long two-point attempts, while Austin Reaves (15 points) disappeared completely in the second half, attempting only 10 total shots on the night, allowing 15 points.

The Chicago Bulls’ losing woes continued as they lost 105-99 to the New York Knicks on Sunday. This is their ninth consecutive defeat and they are now leading 24-34. Still, they had Isaac Okoro do as he has been doing lately.

Even in the loss, Okoro finished the game with 12 points and six rebounds. In the process, Okoro equaled his career achievementWith his sixth consecutive 10+ point game, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. This streak began on February 5 against the Toronto Raptors, when he scored 10 points in a 123–107 loss.

Additionally, Okoro’s latest series of 10+ points is dated May 2021. From 5/7 to 5/16, he scored in double figures. So far, Okoro has played 48 games and is averaging 9.1 points per game. Matas Buzelis led the way for Chicago with 15 points. Jalen Smith tied Okoro with 12 points. Guershon Yabusele came in with 11 points and Patrick Williams finished with 10 points.

On Saturday, he finished with 15 points in a 126–110 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Earlier, Okoro scored 16 points in a 110–101 loss to the Raptors, the Bulls’ first game since the All-Star break.

In 2025, Bulls acquired okoro From the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Lonzo Ball. A big reason for bringing in Okoro was to strengthen Chicago’s defense, as he is known for his irritating and disruptive presence in the passing lanes.

The loss marked the first time in seven years that the Bulls have lost nine consecutive games. On Tuesday they will play at home against the Charlotte Hornets.

Many people said that the NBA had an All-Star Weekend issue, and there may be some truth in that. Over the years, the All-Star Game has been criticized when it comes to the competitive nature of the competition. As far as All-Star Saturday Night goes, many people weren’t fans of how the dunk contest went.

According to NBA communications, there seems to be a big change this year and it is reflected in viewership.

“More than 46 million people in the US watched NBA All-Star weekend across NBC platforms and ESPN, the most in 24 years and more than triple the total from last season,” NBA Communications wrote on Twitter.

This is a huge deal for the NBA, and it shows that they are on the right track with the small changes they made this time. One of the things they did was change the format of the actual All-Star Game, because it was three different teams, and they played in a tournament-style game.

Players seemed to like this format, and with it performing so well, there’s a good chance Adam Silver will bring it back next year, and possibly for years to come.

As far as All-Star Saturday Night goes, the one thing that caught everyone’s attention this year was the three-point contest, as Damian Lillard won despite not playing this season for the Portland Trail Blazers.

The dunk may have been overwhelming for some people, but it is still a contest that everyone loves to watch.

The Rising Stars Challenge was also competitive this season and brought viewership throughout the weekend. There will likely be some changes for next year, but for the most part, it seems like the NBA may have done something right in the way it executed the week for fans.