west ham united Star Crescencio Somerville’s inclusion in the Netherlands squad has been warmly welcomed by his former coach Alphonse Groenendijk.

Voetbal Primeur covered his comments today This was said in an interview with De Telegraaf after Somerville was included in the Netherlands squad by Ronald Koeman.

west ham star

The Dutch winger is in the squad for the World Cup this summer after an impressive campaign which saw the 24-year-old score five goals and four assists in 31 Premier League games this season.

He was undoubtedly the Hammers’ best player this season and was ultimately blameless for their relegation to the Championship.

Indeed, his performances towards the end of the year, when he scored in four consecutive games, gave West Ham hope in the fight against relegation.

It has been a real season of development for the 24-year-old, although Groenendijk are all aware of his talent.

He said, “As a coach, I had the privilege of giving him the chance to make his debut in the Eredivisie. You always follow people you have worked with or made your debut with with extra interest.”

“He already had something special in ADO. That kid has a crazy instinct in his game. He has courage and believes in his abilities. It’s fun to watch him.”

“Unexpected and dangerous”

The winger has managed to return to form at West Ham after a difficult first year since arriving from Leeds United. He had previously established himself as an outstanding performer for the Whites in the Championship.

And Groenendijk believes he now has the talent to make him a special player.

“And he’s kept those special qualities on the ball. He’s really got weapons. Scoring ability, he can go outside and inside.”

“He’s so incredibly fast. And with the ball at his feet, he’s almost faster than without the ball. Plus, he has a dribbling move that’s almost unstoppable. You rarely see that in football anymore.”

And he believes there is one particular talent that makes the West Ham winger unpredictable and dangerous, his versatility.

He concluded, “Crisencio can play in both positions, but I find him most dangerous when he comes in from the left.”

“At West Ham, he had the freedom to change sides during the match. It makes him even more unpredictable and dangerous.”

According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, WWE has gone back to the drawing board on parts of its SmackDown creative after negative reaction to Pat McAfee’s involvement in the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton storyline. The changes have been made in real time, with the company reevaluating its direction for the storyline, while McAfee is confirmed for this week’s SmackDown in San Jose.

The report states that additional outside partnerships were discussed as part of the original plans, including celebrity names like Jelly Roll, but those ideas are now part of a broader rethink currently underway. WWE is said to be actively assessing any possibilities for how the storyline progresses leading up to WrestleMania 42.

One of the more telling things about the report is how quickly the change happened. Sources told Fightful that CM Punk’s comments on Monday’s Raw reflected the new creative direction and were not part of the plan for Friday, when McAfee was revealed as Orton’s ally on SmackDown.

That timeline shows that WWE creative has been operating in reactive mode all week, adjusting to audience reaction and recalibrating on the fly rather than executing a lock-in plan.

With less than two weeks to go until WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18 and 19, the speed at which WWE is ready to move forward with its plans for one of the event’s premier matches is remarkable. Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton on the card, and how the storyline resolves between now and then will be significantly shaped by whatever direction SmackDown takes this week.

It has been reported that the idea of ​​bringing Pat McAfee back to the company and teaming up with Orton came from TKO, possibly also from TKO President Ari Emanuel. This was not part of what WWE creative had originally planned for the feud.

Yesterday was a dark day for the New Jersey Devils. After players learned of Tom Fitzgerald’s fate the first time they stepped on the ice, they reacted to the fate of the now former Devils general manager. No one was pleased, and everyone had nothing but good things to say about Fitzgerald.

As a person, he was a kind, genuine human being. However, as a GM he did not come without flaws.

And then, that night the devils were officially destroyed. Now, there are four games left on the schedule before the team breaks up for the offseason.

In the link, Fitzgerald’s cause of death in New Jersey, the Devils captain’s non-committal response, and Jack Hughes’ immediate reaction about the only GM he knows being fired were highlighted.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: The Devils are officially moving on from Tom Fitzgerald. Here are five reasons why the Devils fired the now former GM.

Following Monday night’s news, we asked Nico Hischier his thoughts on his future as he becomes eligible to sign an extension with New Jersey on July 1. His response was non-committal.

And after all that doom and gloom, the Devils were officially eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

📺 devil’s rink report: Here are Jack Hughes’ thoughts on the Devils officially firing Fitzgerald from the locker room on Tuesday, via Devils Rink Report.

Full episode here 👇🏼

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NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Forever Blueshirts: The New York Rangers have faced criticism for their 2025-26 season. Amidst all this, this is why Mika Zibanejad thinks JT Miller has done a commendable job in dealing with the criticism.

Pittsburgh hockey now: I’m really excited to see what this baby is made of. The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender Sergei Murashov.

San Jose Hockey Now: The power of belief is strong, and that’s why it’s back to the San Jose Sharks who may well make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Florida hockey now: Here are some of the Florida Panthers candidates that many NHL teams are looking at as their next potential GM.

Montreal hockey now: The Montreal Canadiens are fun to watch. Here are all the highlights you need to see from their young stars after last night’s 4-3 shootout win over the Cats.

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

Chelsea have been tracking Cruzeiro youngster Felipe Moraes for months, and his initial move now provides important context for the latest developments in Brazil.

As we covered at the timeThe Blues offered €10m (£8.6m) for the 17-year-old attacking midfielder to test the waters. The approach comes despite the player already having a release clause of €100m (£86m) for international clubs. This was a typical low-entry move for a high-level talent.

At the same time, interest has not been limited to Chelsea. Atletico Madrid are monitoring the situation, while Barcelona previously made inquiries. It’s a crowded race being built around one of Brazil’s most promising teenagers.

Rising profile after international exposure

The rise of Felipe Morris makes that focus clear. He impressed for Brazil at the U17 World Cup, appearing in seven of eight matches and scoring twice. His impact came from his ability to drop deep, control pace and connect attacks.

That profile has been consistent throughout his development. Since joining Cruzeiro in 2017, he has progressed through every youth level at the club. He has played 72 matches in the academy system and scored 13 goals, often wearing the captain’s armband.

His role has also evolved. Initially a central midfielder, he now plays in multiple attacking positions. That versatility increases his appeal to clubs like Chelsea, who prefer an adaptable profile.

Cruzeiro has been aware of the growing interest for some time. Internally, the player has already been monitored by the senior setup, with a view to integrating him more regularly.

Cruzeiro responded with contract move

Following that increased attention, Felipe Moraes’ situation has now taken a clear turn.

Cruzeiro have made a move to secure the teenager with a new contract running until 2029, as reported globo esporte In Brazil. The deal retains the €100m (£86m) international release clause, strengthening the club’s stance.

From Chelsea’s point of view, this changes the short-term outlook. The previous bid established interest, but Cruzeiro’s renewal shows they are not ready for quick negotiations.

Instead, the Brazilian side appears focused on growth and value growth. With hopes of more first-team appearances, they are preparing Moraes for a big step up in the future.

what happens next

The Blues have already taken their first steps, which puts them ahead of the curve in terms of laying the groundwork. However, any immediate deal now seems unlikely given Cruzeiro’s situation.

If his trajectory continues, the €100m (£86m) clause could be more than a symbolic figure. At that point, Chelsea and the others must decide how far they are willing to go.

For now, Cruzeiro has regained control of the situation – and Chelsea are watching the next phase unfold.

Victor Wembanyama’s parents should be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize or something for introducing the San Antonio Spurs star to the world.

It feels like everyone has come together to cheer for Vembanyama. How can you not support a 7 foot 4 inch tall man who does something every night that defies logic?

On Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, Wembanyama had another stellar performance. After faking a three-pointer in the third quarter, he attacked the lane before nailing GG Jackson with a vicious dunk.

When Jackson saw Wembanyama go up he probably saw his life flashing before him.

The players on the Spurs bench were unsure how to react, leading to a farcical scene.

Wemby caught a dead body 💯pic.twitter.com/JffoFIeMOr

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 26 March 2026

Fans were ecstatic after Vembanyama’s latest soul-snatcher.

“Victor Vembanyama, oh Lord, have mercy,” said @AGLR_23.

“How will you stop it?” @jebediah010 asked.

@PoobFC said, “This is better than this year’s dunk contest, oh my god.”

@ReichelRadio said, “GG Jackson really thought he could block Victor Wembanyama.”

“Oh my god. The fact he paid her back so soon after getting semi-dunked is ridiculous. Wembies are a different breed,” @jackholland22 commented.

As mentioned, Jackson had attacked Vembanyama in the previous occupation. Of course, the two-time All-Star had to bring him back. Revenge was as sweet as creme brulee.

The 22-year-old Wembanyama recently said that he deserves to win as MVP for his overall impact. His nasty dunk alone over Jackson should earn him an award.

At the time of writing, the Spurs are leading the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter. Vembanyama had 19 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, three steals and seven blocks.

MIAMI – As the Miami Heat make a push for the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the team is currently trending in a negative direction, tied with five consecutive losses following Monday’s 136-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. As the Heat and Bam Adebayo are unable to overcome Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the team captain will keep it real even after the loss.

Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, leading San Antonio to an impressive win on both sides of the ball, outclassing Miami from the start. There came a time when frustration grew for the Heat as Adebayo and head coach Erik Spoelstra were teasing each other after the star was out.

As Adebayo’s minutes seemed to mirror Wembanyama’s, as Spoelstra inserted Kel’El Ware into relief as the Spurs star was relieved, the Miami big man’s competitive edge came to the fore. Now in the midst of a five-game losing streak, Adebayo would chime in on the heated exchange with Spoelstra, including his NSFW reaction to not wanting to attend the play-in tournament for the fourth consecutive season.

“I mean, he’s been watching what I’ve been doing the last number of games,” Adebayo said while recording 18 points (5-17 FG, 2-10 from deep) with four assists and three rebounds. “I don’t want to be in the play-in. So some of it is, yes, he has to save me from myself, but at the same time, I don’t want to be in the play-in. So every game, I’m going to try to go out there and do my best to push this team and force us out of this.”

Bam Adebayo barked back and forth with Erik Spoelstra from the beginning:

“Some of it is that he has to protect me from myself, but at the same time, I don’t want to be in the f**king play-in…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/gxHj4gxPVh

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra ‘barking’ at him and Bam Adebayo at each other

While the Heat weren’t able to maintain their identity in the loss to the Spurs, it started with the defense, as the team struggled on the boards, getting out-rebounded 62-38 in addition to giving up 136 points. San Antonio also won the second-chance points battle 25–6, and excelled in the paint, scoring 60 in that area compared to Miami’s 40.

Adebayo played a stellar 45 minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, but that was unlikely to be the case on Monday, as Spoelstra said he liked Adebayo’s competitive nature.

“He and I were barking at each other. That’s why I love him. I think he loves me,” Spoelstra said, laughing. “But even if he doesn’t, I’ve still got to do what’s best for the team. You know, I don’t want to play him 24 minutes in a row every half. If I’m forced to do it like Houston did, I’ll do it. But it’s the first half. I didn’t think it was necessary, you know. So some minutes, yes, most of the minutes are matchup ones. But it shouldn’t be all the minutes for us.”

Erik Spoelstra talks about him and Bam Adebayo “barking” at each other.

“That’s why I love him, I think he loves me,” Spoelstra said, laughing. “But even if he doesn’t do that, I have to do what’s best for the team, I don’t want to play with him for 24 minutes straight…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/ZKS2cX4I2C

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

One of the words spoken in Spoelstra’s postgame press conference after the loss in Houston was that the Heat are going through “pain,” a feeling that continues to be “uncomfortable” during this skid.

“We’re being tested right now, we’re not the only team that’s being tested,” Spoelstra told ClutchPoints. “It feels uncomfortable, no doubt about that. We definitely got outplayed tonight, in basically every aspect of the game. It’s a game, I understand the other four, but there are some really good things in other games, even more so, and we just have to stay the course.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the “pain” the Heat are going through after their loss to the Rockets and speaking about his situation after the Spurs:

“We’re being tested right now… It feels uncomfortable, there’s no doubt about it…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/rXxRb08Dtj

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

What the Heat lacked in the Spurs defeat, and what a ‘good problem’ they have

As the Heat disappointed against the Spurs in almost every category, one area that can’t be seen in the statsheet is the “competitive spirit” that the team lacked, as Adebayo reiterated, shouting out Myron Gardner’s energy despite the result.

“We didn’t bring competitive spirit. That’s really what it was. Shout out to Myron Garner, man, I looked up to Myron because he plays so hard,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints after Gardner played 18 minutes and scored nine points. “We honestly need to match his energy, all of us, because we play like this, we’ll be a completely different team, but our energy has to transfer, and then basketball is going to be basketball. We missed shots, whatever, but you have to continue to play through the missed shots. I felt like we let those shots get to our heads, and it affected us on the other end.”

Asked Bam Adebayo what was the catalyst for Spurs’ disappointing defeat:

“We didn’t bring the competitive spirit, that’s really it, shout out to Myron Gardner… We just needed to match his energy honestly…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/9FoUc3vONX

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

Another challenge for Miami in the game was having the healthiest roster in a long time, with the return of Andrew Wiggins (toe), Jaime Jacquez Jr. (hip), and Norman Powell (calf) from injury. While Spoelstra is still looking for the right rotation to use with 10 games left, Herro would say it’s a “good problem to have.”

“I’m not sure, but we’ve got to figure it out. I’d rather be completely healthy than not go out there, so we have a good problem to have. It’s a good problem to have, and we’ve just got to get back on track,” Herro said after scoring 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field with five rebounds.

Tyler Herro speaks after the Heat’s fifth consecutive L, this time for the Spurs.

We talk about what needs to be fixed, including me asking him if being the healthiest he has been in a long time is part of the problems.

Says it’s a “good problem” for every healthy person. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/lYMQOZJRC0

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

Summer ‘keeps releasing the rope’

The Heat are trying to recover from the pain Spoelstra talks about, playing time is limited after the loss to the Spurs, making it a tough adjustment to have a fully healthy roster for the first time. Despite being an All-Star this season, mostly as a starter, Powell’s coming off the bench has been a step up.

After scoring 21 points on seven of 18 shooting from the field and four of 11 from deep, Powell talked about how the team continues to “let go of the rope” even in adversity.

“I think when things get tough, we let go of the rope,” Powell told ClutchPoints. “I think that’s what happens when we lose like this. We get hit, have some adversity, miss some shots and then everyone starts worrying about what happened on offense, and teams take advantage of that and keep punishing us. When we get hit, we keep going.”

Asked Norman Powell about the five consecutive defeats and what he saw in the defeat:

“I think when things get tough, we let go of the rope… have some adversity, miss some shots, then everyone starts worrying about what happened on offense and teams take advantage…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/V1KJahjCy2

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 24 March 2026

As previously stated, there are now 10 games left in the regular season as the Heat are now 38-34, leaving them in ninth place in the Eastern Conference heading into a two-game road trip on Wednesday and Friday, both of which they will face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault did not agree with the ejection of his players following a brawl in the first half of their 132–111 win against the Washington Wizards. Three Thunder players were ejected from the game, including Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams and Cason Wallace.

Daigneault addressed the ejection during his postgame media availability.

“After talking to him and seeing it at halftime, I disagreed with his decision,” Daigneault said. “But, I’ve worked with John Goble for a long time, and he’s worked with me on this. And we agreed to disagree, and both moved on. So, that’s all I can say about it.”

Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 40 points on 17-of-27 shooting and seven assists led the defending champions as they extended their win streak to 11. All-Star Chet Holmgren finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, and Jared McCain led the bench with 18 points, including four threes.

Thunder did not visit the White House due to ‘timing issues’

The defending champion Thunder did not go to meet President Donald Trump at the White House, a traditional meeting for NBA champions. According to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, the Thunder explained why it would not be visiting in the following statement before the match against the Wizards.

“We have been in contact with the White House, and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication they have had, but the timing was not right,” the Oklahoma City Thunder said in a statement.

Marc Daigneault and the Thunder will continue their five-game road trip when they face the 76ers on Monday.

March Madness is probably the highlight of every college basketball player’s career. Where else can you experience the atmosphere that the tournament brings? Very few sporting events match the intensity of March Madness. Unfortunately, there are a whole group of players who were not able to play in the tournament, like Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey.

With March Madness in full swing once again, Maxi took to X to express his thoughts about the tournament. The 76ers star lamented the fact that he was not able to play in the NCAA Tournament.

“Every year during March Madness I get sad that I don’t get a chance to play in the tournament…” Maxi wrote.

Maxey then went on to say that things worked out great anyway, as he was drafted by the 76ers in part because he missed the March Madness tournament.

“Then I remembered… I probably wouldn’t be a Sixer… so it worked out perfectly!” He said.

Maxi was drafted by the 76ers with the 21st overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. The Kentucky product fell down the draft board largely due to a lack of game film. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 March Madness was canceled entirely. Not wanting to stay in college another year, Maxi decided to declare for the draft and take his chance there.

This decision was very good for Maxi. Although it took some time for him to find his feet, the 76ers guard eventually became one of the best guards in the league. He was named to his second All-Star Game this season and has been a key player for the 76ers alongside Joel Embiid. This season, Maxi is averaging 29 points per game while making 37.1% of his three-point attempts, as well as 4.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.

Maxi, unfortunately, will be out for the next two weeks after suffering a finger injury last week. The Sixers currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference, are still in the play-in tournament, but have a long shot at making the playoffs outright.

The San Antonio Spurs are back in the playoffs after a six-season drought.

Of course, a big part of their comeback, literally and figuratively, is Victor Wembanyama. He drained the game-winning jumper against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday to beat the Spurs 101-100 at Frost Bank Center and secure their spot in the postseason.

With the shot clock expiring, Wembanyama took a few jab steps before pulling Oso Ighodaro up and burying the shot with 1.1 seconds remaining.

The Suns had a chance to steal the win, but Devin Booker’s half-court heave was too low.

As Spurs reporter Carolina Teague shared, the 22-year-old Wembanyama made no big deal of his clutch bucket when asked about it after the game.

“We ran the play, and De’Aaron had a good reaction, and said it was pretty straightforward,” the two-time All-Star shared.

Rasheer Fleming missed two free throws before Wembanyama’s game-winning shot.

The 7-foot-4 star finished with a game-high 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting, 12 rebounds and three steals.

De’Aaron Fox provided support with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

The Spurs, who improved to 52-18, including 27-7 at home, played without Stephen Castle, who exited in the last minute with a hip injury.

Vembanyama has fully accepted his responsibility as the man in charge of Spurs. It felt like he still had a little reluctance to take over during his first two years, but now, he has become more aggressive in becoming a cornerstone of the team.

Vembanyama has even admitted that he is one of them, which should bode well for the Silver and Black as they look to return to the playoffs.

The Memphis Grizzlies delivered one of their most remarkable performances of the season on Wednesday night, defeating the Denver Nuggets by a score of 125-118 at FedExForum. The win broke an eight-match losing streak and offered a glimpse of the team’s long-term potential.

The Grizzlies entered the matchup as the Western Conference’s 11th seed and clear underdogs at 23–44, while the Nuggets came in as the sixth seed at 42–27, and held a three-game lead over the seventh-place Phoenix Suns. However, Memphis turned the result around with its energy, timely shot-making and better execution in the final minutes. The result stood as one of the team’s most important wins of the season.

Cedric Coward played an important role in the performance. The rookie contributed to the stat sheet while continuing to develop within Memphis’ young core. His versatility helped the Grizzlies compete defensively while maintaining offensive differentials, allowing his impact to extend beyond traditional numbers.

Grind City Media shared the clip to X, formerly of Twitter, crediting Michael Wallace with capturing Coward’s postgame reaction, as the guard reflected on the importance of the win after a tough stretch.

“It’s really good to get back in the win column, especially against a playoff team.”

“It’s really good to get back in the win column, especially against a playoff team.”

Cowardly on what lessons a young and developing team can learn from a win over a proven team like the Nuggets.

🎥: @mymikecheck pic.twitter.com/NKDPuQGdFE

– Grind City Media (@grindcitymedia) 19 March 2026

The post emphasized that the moment represented more than one outcome. Instead, it reflects the continued progress of a developing roster that is still learning to consistently compete at the NBA level.

Coward expanded on that theme when discussing the team’s development after the win.

“It also proves that we are growing and moving upward, understanding what we need to do on both ends of the floor, especially with so many young guys still adjusting to the league.”

Those comments reinforce the direction of the Memphis Youth Center. Even during difficult seasons, the Grizzlies continue to build identity through experiences such as these.

Ultimately, the result may not dramatically affect the situation. However, it does provide a meaningful benchmark for a young roster seeking consistency and confidence moving forward.

On Tuesday night, the Orlando Magic had a golden opportunity to test themselves against the toughest imaginable opponent in today’s NBA – the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Paolo Banchero played his heart out, scoring 32 points on 12-21 shooting from the field, and the rest of the Magic’s starters did their part – Wendell Carter Jr. recorded a game-high plus-19 on the night.

However, Carter did not play 48 minutes. Unfortunately, the Magic had to play their bench that night, which did not perform well at all against the Thunder. Somehow, in just 13 minutes of play, Carter’s backup Mo Wagner was minus 28 in a five-point loss to the Thunder, 113-108.

To put it mildly, the Magic bench did not play well at all and a large portion of the blame for his team losing the game during his minutes should fall on his shoulders. And after the game, head coach Jamahl Mosley was not at all happy with his bench team, as evidenced by his answer when asked how tough their night was.

“You see it,” Mosley said, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

The advantage is that come playoff time, the bench doesn’t have to play as much. But Mosley losing confidence in some of his bench players is not promising for the team’s progress for the remainder of the season.

Magical confidence in Franz Wagner’s eventual return from injury

Young Wagner’s eventual return from an ankle injury will help the Magic. Additionally, the team is missing Anthony Black, forcing Tristan da Silva to start – further thinning the team’s bench core.

There is only less than a month until the playoffs start, so the Magic should have time to better configure their rotation after their bench hampered them in their loss to the Thunder.

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

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

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

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

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 17 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 15 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

Recently, the Oklahoma City Thunder continued their winning ways with an easy home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was a tough afternoon for star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but he still found a way to extend his streak of 20-plus point games with late scores and free throws.

One topic of conversation around the Thunder revolves around SGA’s ability to “foul bite”, a term that Reggie Miller recently took issue with during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show.

“I don’t understand what ‘fallbaiting’ is. We didn’t say that about [Michael Jordan]And MJ went to the line 10+ times… learn and adapt,” Miller said, according to X, formerly of The Dan Patrick Show on Twitter.

In fact, many historically great players like Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and others made a living at the free throw line and constantly found ways to manipulate the rule book to draw fouls.

While fans may take issue with rules overly punishing defensive players, Gilgeous-Alexander and other master foul drawers should not receive criticism for taking advantage of the rule book and using their skills to draw fouls. It’s fair to say that the reason Gilgeous-Alexander shoots more free throws than most other players is not because he is a more “ethical” player than them.

Meanwhile, the Thunder have resumed their dominance on the NBA scene after a brief hiatus in SGA’s absence, but they will need to continue winning to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, who have won 18 of their last 20 games.

The Thunder will next take the field against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday evening.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is making impossible looks a regular thing. Since arriving in Southern California, the Slovenian maestro has been in a statistical crisis that is leaving franchise icons in a state of disbelief.

After his latest masterclass, Doncic has officially tied Hall of Famer James Worthy for most 30-point games in a Lakers uniform with 52. While reaching that mark is an accomplishment for anyone, the speed at which Doncic did so stunned “Big Game James.” During a postgame segment on Spectrum SportsNet, Worthy couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the motion.

“It took me 14 years!” Worthy joked, apparently surprised by how quickly the 27-year-old erased the mark that took the veteran more than a decade to establish.

This milestone comes after one of the most impressive weeks in recent memory for the Purple and Gold. On March 12, Doncic led the Chicago Bulls to a season-high 51 points in a 142–130 win. He shot an impressive 17 of 31 from the field and added 10 rebounds and nine assists, falling just one assist short of a triple-double. He then dropped 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a 127–125 overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets on March 14, even hitting the go-ahead jumper in the closing seconds.

Currently leading the NBA in scoring with 32.8 points per game, Doncic has completely transformed the Lakers’ offense since the blockbuster trade that brought him from the Dallas Mavericks. While legends like Worthy and LeBron James have seen it all, Doncic continues to find new ways to surprise the veterans. For Worth, seeing his own record fall so quickly is part of the “Luka Magic” experience. As the Lakers push for the top seed in the Western Conference, Doncic is rewriting the history books in real time.

While Devin Booker sang his praises for Jayson Tatum’s Achilles recovery, Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott made jokes for the Boston Celtics forward.

“I wish he wasn’t playing,” Ott joked on Twitter (formerly Twitter), via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin.

Even with the jokes, Tatum’s recovery was almost unprecedented, as most people thought he would not play in the 2025–26 season. Nevertheless, he came back at a very promising time.

The Boston Celtics are in second place in the Eastern Conference and have done a great job without Tatum. Guys like Jaylen Brown have been in MVP conversations, as well as potential Sixth Man of the Year, Peyton Pritchard’s play has improved.

Those two, the rest of the team and head coach Joe Mazzulla have held down the fort since Tatum was out. Now, the latter is finding its groove on the floor.

Still, keeping the six-time All-Star on the field as a threat is an entirely different game plan. Obviously, the numbers aren’t there, as he continues to recover and get back to real game-speed. The efficiency is not there, but it is something that will come at the appropriate time.

For Ott, the game planning looks much different than it did for the first time when the Suns and Celtics faced off. The Duke basketball standout is a nightmare for both sides.

Very big for a guard, very fast for a forward, seems like a good fit. As Phoenix tries to even up the season series, Monday’s game could be history repeating itself or a potential upset.

Suffice it to say, New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns is not a fan of the way the Dominican Republic bowed out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

It appeared that the Dominican Republic had been betrayed by the home plate umpire, who proceeded to call two questionable third strikes on Juan Soto and Geraldo Perdomo – with Perdomo’s last at-bat of the game – giving Team USA a 2–1 victory, who are now advancing to the WBC Finals.

After the game, the Knicks star, who has represented the Dominican Republic in FIBA ​​competition, expressed his disagreement with the way his home country was eliminated from the WBC in animated fashion.

“Oh yeah, that was a ball, man! That was some bullshit. They should have got a chance. They had Tatis Jr. coming in. Come on, man,” Towns told reporters via Knicks video on SNY on X (formerly Twitter).

Pitch data on MLB GameDay says it all. ClutchPoints lead MLB reporter Joey Mistretta took note of this by showing how far below the strike zone the strike three call against Perdomo was.

I’m glad Team USA got the win, but this is a terrible way to end the game pic.twitter.com/YNDI8ITHCc

– Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) 16 March 2026

It’s hard for a neutral observer to say that the Knicks star’s thoughts about what happened to the Dominican Republic in the semifinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic aren’t justified.

Dominican Republic’s stacked lineup shut out by Team USA

While the questionable strike three call will be the lasting legacy of this semifinal encounter, the Dominican Republic had a few other opportunities to put runs on the board against Team USA, but were not able to do so. Team USA deserves credit for shutting down a stacked DR lineup and holding them to just one run.

However, it certainly would have been exciting if Perdomo had reached base and Tatis had a chance to tie or win the game. The top of the DR lineup was coming up, and the home plate umpire took that opportunity away from them.

Luka Doncic didn’t have much left in the tank after the Los Angeles Lakers survived a 127-125 overtime marathon against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. As he walked towards the locker room of the Crypto.com Arena, exhaustion was clearly visible across his face. When asked how he felt after his game-winning heroics, Doncic gave a candid, unfiltered answer that perfectly summed up that night.

“Feeling great, tired,” Doncic said in the tunnel. “Got to rest a bit. Great win though, great win.”

“Great victory.”

Luka Doncic in the tunnel after the Lakers’ escape from overtime.

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

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 15 March 2026

The Slovenian superstar earned every bit of that exhaustion. In a game that felt like a heavyweight title fight, Doncic finished with a huge triple-double with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds. But it was his activity in the final seconds that defined the game. After burying a clutch stepback jumper to give the Los Angeles Lakers a two-point lead, he switched to Tim Hardaway Jr. and drained a potentially game-winning three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

Auston Matthews’ condition is in the hands of doctors. Radko Gudas’ status is in the hands of the NHL’s Player Safety Department after a nasty knee strike on the Toronto Maple Leafs captain. But what’s not in the air is the reaction – or rather, the complete lack of it – that Matthews’ teammates had to seeing their best player lying on the ice in pain.

On a night when we saw Connor McDavid drop the gloves after seeing a questionable throw on his teammate, none of the Leafs on the ice at the time of their captain’s brutal Gudas take-down did anything. And the reaction from the hockey world is one of disbelief.

It was shocking to see…it was impossible not to pay attention. There were players on the ice who saw the hit and did nothing about it. It certainly seems that this year has broken the morale of that hockey team. ——Elliot Friedman, 32 thoughts

Disappointing for the group. This will be disappointing for many players. ‘What if it were me?… Who would step up for me?’ ——Former NHLer Cameron Guence, TSN analyst

You see your captain getting demolished on home ground by one of the most notorious players in Radko Gudas, and you do nothing… It says a lot about that team in that moment. There is no greater indictment than his behavior in not defending his captain on the ice. This said a lot about the sad state of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lack of care, lack of competition… ——Frank Seravalli, Frankly Hockey

Whether it’s pee-wee hockey or, in this case, the best players on the planet, the undercurrent of accountability and doing what’s right is always present. It is part of your DNA. it is comfortable. And I think that was the most disturbing thing about it. Whether you witnessed the incident or not… you can see your captain clutching his knees and writhing in pain. That, in itself, should have been an immediate reaction. And not just from one guy, but from all four guys on the ice. ——Darren Dreger, TSN First Up

A quick look at the QEW highway will give Leafs players an idea of ​​how it’s done. Just a few days ago the first place Buffalo Sabers showed what a real ‘team’ does when they see their captain go down by a terrible blow.

It was back to regular programming for the Miami Heat on Thursday night, as Bam Adebayo recorded just 21 points in their 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks after scoring the second-most points in a game (83 points) in association history. No one realistically expected Adebayo to reach such heights on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards, and the performance he delivered against the Bucks on this night far exceeds what is expected of him to perform on a nightly basis.

Undoubtedly, Adebayo is the talk of the town, because what he did against the Wizards was amazing and impossible to believe. And even though the Bucks lost, they poked a little fun at the fact that Adebayo scored 62 fewer points on Thursday than he did on Tuesday, which is a feat for a struggling Milwaukee team.

The official post on X after the Bucks’ loss read, “The Bombs did not score 83 points.”

What followed was a response from the Heat social media team, with the Bucks dropping the mic with a brutal response to Adebayo.

“Wasn’t needed…obviously…” the Heat’s response reads.

This was not needed… clearly… https://t.co/3zWswkYKjw

– Miami Heat (@MiamiHEAT) 13 March 2026

Heat still get win after Bam Adebayo comes back to earth

The true testament to the talent of the Heat culture is that there is a clear unselfishness that defines the team, especially with some of their key guys like Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell all battling injuries.

On Thursday, it was Pelle Larsson who had the time of his life; Although he didn’t drop anything close to 83 points, he did score 28 points for himself, the best number of his career. The Heat continue to produce quality players left and right, the ultimate effect of their renowned culture.

Throughout his NBA career, Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma has never had to see a shot he didn’t like, and during the team’s game against the Phoenix Suns he reached an important career milestone with 10,000 career points.

After the Bucks’ game, Kyle Kuzma gave a heartfelt reaction to reaching the 10,000 career point plateau.

Kuzma said, “As a kid, I said I had two dreams that I wanted to play in the NBA, and I wanted to score 10,000 points. Random, that’s just how random it happens.” “I knew I was getting close for the last month or so, and I feel like it was yesterday or the day before yesterday… I looked to see how close I was, and I was praying this morning.

“I told God, ‘It would be great if I could score 30 tonight,’ because I knew where I was. And I had 33. Honestly, you can’t beat that.”

Although the Bucks lost the game against the Suns 129–114, Kuzma etched his name in the history books as the latest NBA player to score 10,000 career points. He finished the game with 33 while shooting 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from the field, 6-of-10 (60 percent) from the 3-point line and 3-of-4 (75 percent) from the free-throw line.

Kuzma’s name came up in trade rumors as the deadline approached, but ultimately nothing materialized and the Bucks retained the veteran forward. Selected 27th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kuzma has been a solid double-digit scoring threat throughout his career, helping the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2020 NBA Championship.

This season, Kuzma has been benched, playing in 59 games at a rate of just over 26 minutes per game. He averaged 13.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists with splits of 49.2 percent shooting from the field, 36.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 72.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Tuesday night was a career-high scoring night. Of course, Bam Adebayo’s 83 points lead to the win. But for the Chicago Bulls, they got the best from Matas Buzelis against the Golden State Warriors.

Overall, Bouzelis finished the game with a career-high 41 points as the Bulls defeated the Warriors 130–124 in overtime.

Afterwards, according to Casey Johnson of Chicago Sports Network, Bouzelis talked about his approach to the game.

“Just trying to be aggressive every day, every game,” he said.

“Just trying to be aggressive every day, every game.”

with Matas Buzzelis @KCJHope He dropped a career-high 41 points in the win over Golden State pic.twitter.com/A3N1JMrlq4

– Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) 11 March 2026

With 2:32 left in overtime, Bouzelis hit a key 3-pointer to put the Bulls in good position to win. Additionally, Bouzelis finished the game 16 of 28 from the field, 5 of 15 at the 3-point line, 4 of 5 at the foul line and six rebounds.

Meanwhile, Tre Jones came up with 22 points and five assists. Additionally, Josh Giddy finished with another triple-double with 21 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds.

Additionally, three Bulls recorded double-doubles.

Leonard Miller had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Smith finished with 12 points as well as 12 rebounds. Nick Richards had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

With the win, the Bulls are now 27-38. On Thursday, they will travel to Los Angeles to complete their five-game road trip. First the match against the Lakers and then the match against the Clippers on Saturday.

On Monday, the Bulls return home to take on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Bouzelis was listed as probable on the NBA injury report due to a recent right ankle sprain.

Overall, Bouzelis played in 64 games and averaged 15.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

When the Miami Heat stepped into the Kasia Center for Tuesday night’s showdown against the Washington Wizards, little did they know that Bam Adebayo would make it a night no one would ever forget. While the game against the Wizards seems like an automatic win these days, if forgettable, Adebayo made sure it will be stored forever in everyone’s memory bank as he exploded for a historic 83 points in the Heat’s 150-129 victory.

Adebayo shot 20-43 from the field (7-22 from deep) and 36-43 from the free-throw line, as the Wizards couldn’t stop him from scoring points even when double- or triple-teamed. The rest of the Heat team wanted Adebayo to chase this record and he did just that.

While Adebayo knows it is his name that will be in the record books, he gave credit to all To help make history, both on the Heat squad as well as on a higher note.

“Man, I wish I could have experienced it twice. I credit God, my family, my teammates. This crowd. They kept feeding me the ball,” Adebayo told Kelly Sacco of FanDuel Sports Network.

Bam Adebayo on losing 83 points in a game:

“Man, I wish I could relive it twice, I give God credit.” pic.twitter.com/JNg9Vy6f6w

– SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) 11 March 2026

The entire Heat roster helped Bam Adebayo make history

It was especially clear in the fourth quarter that the Heat team had only one thing on its mind: getting Adebayo the basketball. They were force-feeding him rocks, even if he was double- or triple-teamed. They were deliberately annoying the wizards. They were setting screens to block the ball for him, and they were also letting him handle the ball out of the backcourt.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra should also be credited for making Adebayo’s historic scoring night possible. Some coaches would remove him from the game and the game would be out of reach for the opponents, but Adebayo remained in the game and the fans got what they paid good money to see.

When Bam Adebayo poured in a career-high 41 points in the first half of the Miami Heat’s Finals win over the Washington Wizards, fans had a pretty good idea they were going to see something special after halftime of an otherwise unimportant Tuesday night performance.

As each Bam bucket went in, the game became more exciting, with the all-time Heat records of franchise legends like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James weakening until only one, Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, remained.

While Adebayo wasn’t able to reach that seemingly impossible 100-point mark, he finished second behind Kobe Bryant with 83, leading one of the “Black Mamba’s” all-time rivals, Dirk Nowitzki, to celebrate the occasion with a special social media post.

83?????

-Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) 11 March 2026

A prolific scorer in his own right, going over 50 several times, including a career-high 53 against the Houston Rockets, Nowitzki was clearly excited to see another big man turn in such an impressive effort from across the court, with Adebayo finishing the contest by shooting 20-24 from the field, 7-22 from beyond the arc and 36-43 from the free throw line in 42 minutes of action.

Will Adebayo ever score this many points in an NBA game again? Given that there have only been two other 80-point scorers in the last 70 years, this seems unlikely. But then again, who expected a random Tuesday night to center around a player scoring 83? Adebayo now finds himself in NBA history, and considering the players he’s among, that’s a pretty good place to be.

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers earned their second consecutive win against one of the better teams in the NBA after a 120-106 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the talk of the night was Bam Adebayo’s 83-point masterclass during the Miami Heat’s win against the Washington Wizards. Lakers head coach JJ Redick tuned into the Heat game to watch the final minutes of Adebayo’s night.

After the Lakers’ win against the Timberwolves, JJ Redick admitted that he initially didn’t know what was going on, and once he realized, he described what he felt after watching Bam Adebayo drop 83 points.

“It’s incredible what he was able to do. I went in and I looked at the score, and he [Bam] Was on the free-throw line, and I looked at the score, and they’ve been playing great basketball lately,” Redick recalled. “I told my coaching staff, ‘Oh, they’re on a roll.’ They all looked at each other and said, ‘Are you kidding right now?’

“And I say, ‘No, what’s going on?’…They say, ‘Bam has 77.’ And then I watched the last three minutes, and it was a different type of basketball.

There’s no doubt Redick was referring to the final moments when it became clear the Heat were trying to bring in Adebayo to surpass former Lakers star Kobe Bryant’s 81-point performance. This included some intentional fouls by the Heat to gain extra possession to extend the game and get the ball back into Adebayo’s hands.

But at the end of the day, Adebayo’s name went down in NBA history with the second-highest individual scoring performance behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points.

Bam Adebayo made history Tuesday night. In the Miami Heat’s 150–129 win over the Washington Wizards, Adebayo scored 83 points – making an impression throughout the association. He now owns the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, and as a result, his accomplishment was being celebrated throughout the association.

Later in the night during the Indiana Pacers’ clash against the Sacramento Kings, the Kings’ PA announcer broke the news to the crowd at Golden1 Center that Adebayo had actually recorded 83 points. When Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, who is not on the active roster for tonight, heard the news, he was absolutely shocked Like the rest of the NBA world.

Via Tony East of Forbes Siakam was seen saying, “No way, brother.”

Awesome content: https://t.co/VlbSM4wliw pic.twitter.com/Q8hWujsg4n

– Tony East (@TonyREast) 11 March 2026

This is in no way a knock on Adebayo’s skill level. But he’s a career-high 16 points per game scorer, averaging nearly 19 points per night this campaign, and he’s only scored more than 40 points once in his career before tonight, which came in 2021 (a 41-point night against the Brooklyn Nets).

This makes him an unlikely player to score 60 or 70, let alone 83 points to surpass Kobe Bryant for the second-highest scoring game in league history. And the Pacers star is sharing the shock everyone felt after Adebayo’s crazy night.

Heat’s Bam Adebayo makes the most of perfect storm vs. Wizards

It helped a lot that the Heat faced a team that was deliberately trying to lose to tanking the Wizards. That team is looking to secure a top-eight finish, so they are being very cautious about their key players’ minutes.

Whatever the case, Adebayo still had to make all those buckets and free throws, and that’s exactly what he did. He deserves full credit for his achievement, which will be talked about for years to come, if not eternity.

The entire NBA world is stunned by Bam Adebayo’s historic scoring in the Miami Heat’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Adebayo, who entered the night averaging just under 19 points per game, made it his goal to destroy the Wizards’ defense. Buoyed by 31 points in the first quarter, the Heat star finished with 83 points on the night – surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 points, becoming the proud owner of the second-highest single-game scoring tally in NBA history.

Adebayo was brilliant from the start and the Wizards defense stood no chance. And by carving his name in the record books, he caught everyone’s attention — including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who reacted to Adebayo’s epic scoring night with a post on his official X account.

“Bam bam bam 💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥,” James wrote.

It’s the kind of scoring performance that leaves anyone speechless, and as for James, he can only celebrate Adebayo’s historic effort using the onomatopoeia of the Heat star’s nickname. And at this point, words can’t even explain how unlikeable this game was.

Heat star Bam Adebayo shocked the NBA

Adebayo can score the Rock, and he has stepped up his game so much that he has become a comfortable scorer at all three levels. But no one expected him to surpass Bryant and become second in the list of highest-scoring games in NBA history.

The Heat star’s previous career high was 41 points in a game – in one game, he doubled that number and then some. He is averaging 16 points per game in his career. The Wizards were triple-teaming him from the backcourt. But none of that mattered, because Adebayo just had a laser and was automatic for stretches.

Congratulations to Heat Star for this wonderful achievement.

It’s fair to say the Dane is keeping a close eye on Tottenham Hotspur following the departure of Thomas Frank in January.

The nation was thrilled when Frank was given the ‘big job’ last summer following his success at Brentford. They were certainly supportive of him and, often, one of his biggest champions.

Well, now that he’s been fired, he’s keeping an even closer eye on proceedings. And Francis Dickoh has spotted something that should leave Spurs fans very concerned. TipsBladet released its comments today.

He, like most of us, was watching the clash between Tottenham and Crystal Palace on Thursday evening. Igor Tudor’s team went into that game knowing that defeat could be devastating.

Crystal Palace disaster

And this proved to be true, as a 3–1 defeat and the departure of Micky van de Ven pushed them to the brink. Spurs are now one point outside the relegation zone, without a win in 11 and with no signs of improvement under Tudor.

What’s even more worrying is that people around them are picking points. West Ham won to close the gap this week, while Nottingham Forest picked up an unexpected point against Manchester City.

With five defeats in their last five, Spurs are unlikely to get similar results any time soon. Palace’s defeat certainly did not send any positive signals. And Dicko believes this is what should concern them most.

“The defeat to Crystal Palace was a low point for Tottenham,” He said.

“The team collapsed, and this is worrying when the club has already made changes to the coaching staff. One might fear that Tottenham have not yet reached rock bottom, with the threat of relegation looming.

“The clubs around Tottenham are looking confident. And in the game, it’s looking like other teams are dying with their boots on and are competitive. Tottenham are in a different place right now.”

tottenham needs to fight

The statistics certainly don’t look great for Tottenham. While they are bottom of the form table, West Ham have lost only one of their last five. Forest have two draws and three defeats from five.

However, his future will likely be determined by Tottenham’s clash with Nottingham Forest later this month. After this they will also face Leeds, who are two points ahead of 15.^thIn early May.

Considering his current form, this could prove to be a big decider. Of course, they are still in a fight at that time. Tudor must help them find that fight first.

The energy inside the TD Garden on Friday night was unlike anything the Boston Celtics had experienced all season. After a grueling 10-month absence due to an Achilles injury, Jayson Tatum finally made his long-awaited season debut, and it felt like the missing piece of the puzzle was back in place.

While fans were losing their minds, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla offered an especially profound perspective on this moment. Reflecting on his superstar comeback journey, Mazzulla said these are career-defining moments. “That’s why you coach,” Mazzulla said. “Being a part of someone else’s story and having someone be a part of your story.”

“This is why you train… to be a part of someone else’s story and for someone to be a part of your story” 🙌

Joe Mazzulla reflects on being part of Jayson Tatum’s journey as he works to return from injury. pic.twitter.com/O3dI4ZE5XJ

– NBA TV (@NBATV) 7 March 2026

Jayson Tatum really reminded the league what they’re missing. Tatum logged 27 minutes and looked remarkably sharp, scoring 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. He demonstrated his trademark versatility by adding 12 rebounds, seven assists and one steal, helping the Boston Celtics demolish the Dallas Mavericks in a 120–100 blowout. His rhythm appeared seamless, especially from the perimeter where he knocked down three triples.

The supporting cast ensured that Tatum’s return ended in a “W.” Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 24 points, while Neemias Queta
Reinforced the interior with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, on the other hand, finished with 16 points in his homecoming, but was no match for Boston’s new team.

The road back for Tatum was filled with tough rehabilitation and mental hurdles, but Friday night proved he hasn’t lost a step. With their cornerstone in place, the Celtics are not only looking toward a deep playoff run, but they’re also looking to the rafters.

The Washington Wizards finally saw Trae Young on the field against the Utah Jazz, as his debut offered the first real glimpse of the trade that brought the star guard to Washington earlier this season. Young arrived with high expectations for the Wizards’ rebuild. Fans waited months to see him in action again. That wait ended with a 122–112 loss to the Jazz. Still, the atmosphere inside the ground felt different.

Young stepped onto the court as the new face of the Wizards’ future. His presence changed the atmosphere immediately. The attack proceeded with greater speed. Whenever the ball touched his hand, there was noise in the crowd.

The moment was crucial for a rebuilding team searching for identity. The Trae Young trade has already changed the direction of the franchise. Now the Wizards are finally seeing what their move could look like on the court.

Trae Young shares first impressions after Wizards debut

After the game, Young reflected on that moment and the reception he received from the crowd. The point guard immediately connected the energy of the arena to the bigger vision he hopes to create with the Wizards.

Trey after his first game with the Wizards:

“I definitely felt the energy from all the fans… That’s what I want here like I want the fans to feel included, to feel involved and be a part of our winning in the future… It’s a special group and I really believe in it… pic.twitter.com/TOi7jlI0q8

– Oh no, he didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) 6 March 2026

“I definitely felt the energy from all the fans… That’s what I want here like I want the fans to feel included, to feel involved and be a part of our winning in the future… This is a special group and I really believe in the potential we’ve got with all the youth and the future we’ve got here.”

Young also talked about the adjustment period that comes with joining a new team in mid-season. Chemistry, timing and trust will take time. Yet he already sees the pieces being formed.

tray:

“I’m learning these guys and they’re learning me, too. I think there will be times where they’ll have some bullshit moments like I’m open and they get the ball when they’re not expecting it.” pic.twitter.com/KML59nR5A6

– Oh no, he didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) 6 March 2026

“I’m learning these guys and they’re learning me. I think there will be times where they’ll have some lame moments like I’m wide open and they get the ball when they’re not expecting it.”

The Wizards still lost the game. The scoreboard did not support him. But in the arena lights something else began: belief. And if Trae Young’s vision comes together, this start could be remembered as the start of something big in Washington.

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

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

“At the end of the day, just being added, and having my name mentioned with some of the greatest guys to ever play this game, it’s always humbling and pretty cool,” James told Spectrum SportsNet after the game. “I grew up watching, reading, analyzing a lot of great works.”

LeBron James makes the most field goals in NBA history 🗣️

“At the end of the day, just being added, and having my name mentioned with some of the greatest guys to ever play this game, it’s always been humbling and pretty cool. It’s a great thing. I grew up watching,… https://t.co/7XAXtJ1OV8 pic.twitter.com/1ZU3Qk3vur

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

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

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

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

The Denver Nuggets have had to deal with a never-ending avalanche of injury problems this season, and that has caused some difficulties throughout the 2025-26 season. On Monday night, the Nuggets found themselves in a surprisingly close game against a shorthanded Utah Jazz team that was without Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen, and they needed a tough effort from Jamal Murray in the end to earn a 128-125 victory on the road.

The Nuggets had some trouble handling Keyontae George, who scored 36 points on the night. But Murray would say that the Nuggets were never really in danger, because he was the “threat” himself. He went 13-19 from the field and 8-13 from beyond the arc to demolish Utah’s defense for 45 points as he clarify That the Jazz were not going to walk away from this tournament with anything other than participation points.

“Just more decisive. Pushing my range a little bit. They were a switching team, so when I was open, [I had to] shoot it. That’s all we’ve been doing,” Murray told Katie Wing of Altitude Sports after the Nuggets’ win over the Jazz. “I’ve been practicing my whole life. I love getting a chance to show the shots I can make.”

Postgame with Jamal Murray who scored an efficient 45 in the Nuggets’ win over Utah pic.twitter.com/ee8ImTPVbK

– Katy Winge (@katywinge) 3 March 2026

Nuggets to get reinforcements soon

The Nuggets have not been healthy all season, but still, they have a healthy record of 38-24 which puts them in fifth place in the Western Conference.

The goal for Denver will always be to stay healthy because games really matter in the postseason, and it looks like they’re going to be getting reinforcements soon. The injuries of both Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson will be reevaluated soon, and Cam Johnson should have ample time to recover between now and the end of the season.

But as long as Murray and Nikola Jokic are healthy, the Nuggets can win every game. Now it’s just a matter of finding that rhythm, especially once their key players have recovered.

Sunday night brought some relief for the inconsistent Los Angeles Lakers, as they faced a terrible Sacramento Kings team on their home turf. As expected, the Lakers won a very easy 128–104 victory, with no suspense whatsoever, as the Purple and Gold essentially blew the game away in the first quarter, and ended the period with an 18-point lead (36–18).

The Lakers’ dominance paved the way for head coach JJ Redick to limit the minutes of his best players, including LeBron James, who played only 27 minutes on the night. This also opened up some trash-time minutes for fan favorite Bronny James, who draws oohs and ahhs every time he enters the game.

But while millions of people around the world cheer whenever Bronny gets some playing time, the 21-year-old guard has no bigger fan than his father, LeBron. And Sunday night, LeBron was in dreamland Bronny scored on a three off a dribble handoff from Edou Thirou as he was celebrating his son’s shot on the bench.

Lebron was loving this brony threesome 🔥 pic.twitter.com/v9SW4LJufe

– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) 2 March 2026

These were Bronny’s only three points in six minutes of play of the night. He went 1-3 from the field and missed his only two-point field-goal attempt of the night for the Lakers.

The Lakers could take it a little easier right now…

The Lakers know every win matters, especially in the bloodshed of the Western Conference playoff picture. But they can at least take it a little easier the next few days, especially with the game coming up against the hapless New Orleans Pelicans.

Not a single Lakers player played 30 minutes or more on Sunday, and they’ll have to take more care of that kind of business, as their tendency to play high-leverage games increases the wear and tear on their star players.

Denver Nuggets head coach David Edelman has not defended All-Star Nikola Jokic for his reaction to Lou Dort’s headed 2 in Friday’s 127-121 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his postgame press conference, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault never criticized Dort for his hard-2. Instead, Daigneault hoped that the play would be called the same way if it was reversed, with no malicious intent.

Jokic retaliated by getting in Dort’s face. After this, a scuffle started between Thunder center Jaylin Williams and players of both the teams had to separate. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Edelman understands why Jokic reached his peak during the fourth quarter of the game, when tension was high between the Thunder and Nuggets.

“Yeah, I think that’s him,” Edelman said. “He’s a more measured guy throughout the season — I think most guys are. If they’re measured they’re more productive. But there’s a point where we play these games, and he tackles anybody on the night [would] React that way. For Dort to take that shot – and then I guess it was no big deal from his perspective, how he saw it – is ridiculous.

“He was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lou Dort is a great player, and I haven’t seen him do that before. But at some point, you’ve got to stand up for yourself, and so does the team. They’re a great team. That game itself was like that. But, yeah, Nicola, he’s who he is, man. You can’t have the success he’s had and you can’t be as competitive. He’s got emotions that he keeps in control, but he’s a guy emotionally. Very capable and very willing to provide feedback.”

For this, Lou Dort was thrown out. pic.twitter.com/6JO8h2odv8

– SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) 28 February 2026

Apparently, the Nuggets’ David Edelman is not happy with how the Thunder responded to Dort’s foul after the game. When Jokic was asked about it by a reporter during media availability after the game, he didn’t hold back.

“There’s no such thing – I think things like that shouldn’t happen on a basketball floor,” Jokic said after the game. “So, it was an unnecessary move by me and a necessary reaction.”

The Thunder will host the Nuggets again on March 9 at Paycom Center.

Mark Daigneault’s opinion on the ejection of Thunder’s Lou Dort

After Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault called Lou Dort’s flagrant 2 on Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic uncharacteristic of him, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he didn’t see the play that made Jokic angry. Nuggets head coach David Edelman would probably have a different opinion. Officials deemed Dort’s play beyond the reach of the Nuggets’ MVP candidate, ruling out the veteran guard after an extensive review.

After the game, Daigneault chalked up Dort’s play to the Thunder guard’s competitive nature amid the fourth quarter of a physical matchup against the Nuggets.

“That was a weird game. These are two teams that played each other in a seven-game series. We’re in the same division. We’ve played each other 100 times,” Daigneault said. “They know our playbook. We know their playbook. It is what it is. It’s going to be an imperfect game, and things escalate like that sometimes. I know Lu [Dort]. I know [Nikola] Jokic.

“I know J-Will. I don’t think anybody is trying to hurt anybody; they’re just great competitors. It just ended up being over. I think it was nothing more than that.”

The Thunder will face the Mavericks on the road on Sunday.

The New Orleans Pelicans continued their improved play as they earned their fourth straight win with a 115-105 win against the Utah Jazz on Saturday. However, one of the major concerns after the game was the status of Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who left the game due to injury. According to ESPN, Pelicans head coach James Borrego had no update on Williamson’s status moving forward.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious, and we’ll have him back very soon,” Borrego said.

James Borrego also said it was an ankle injury that occurred when Zion Williamson turned it slightly during the second quarter of the Pelicans’ win against the Jazz. Williamson exited the game and did not return. He finished with four points, one rebound and two assists in only 11 minutes of play. He was 1 of 2 from the field and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line.

Although Williamson has struggled with injuries throughout his NBA career so far, he has remained relatively healthy this season. Since he was forced to opt out of the 2021–22 season due to injury, Williamson has played more than 30 games in a season only once. It was in 2023–24 when he appeared in a career-high 70 games. This year, he had already played in 45 games before the latest injury.

The Pelicans are on the second night of a back-to-back against the LA Clippers on Sunday, and the final update on Williamson’s status likely won’t come until just before game tip-off.

Williamson was playing nearly 29 minutes per game, averaging 21.5 points. He never averaged less than 20 points per season. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals while splitting 58.5 percent shooting from the field, 25 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 71.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

MIAMI – As the Miami Heat try to shake off their disappointment of avoiding another year of play-in tournament purgatory, head coach Erik Spoelstra will work on building consistency over the final 2o or so games of the season. While Spoelstra looks to lead the Heat, he will also have an even bigger task of leading Team USA in future international play, particularly at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where a big star recently advocated for playing.

Although there was some speculation about Durant not attending alongside stars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, the Houston Rockets star shrugged off that conversation to ESPN, adding that his eagerness to play has increased.

“Yeah, I want to play,” Durant said. “I would love to, but I have to be on top of my game, I want to perform on the field and make Grant and whoever is making the decisions want to put me on the team. I don’t want to — not just for seniority. I still want to prove I can help the team win. Today, yes, I feel like I’m going to put my name in that hat.”

If there’s anyone who loved hearing Duran’s comments, it was Spoelstra, as he said before Miami’s game with Houston on Saturday afternoon that the star embodies “the culture of USA Basketball.”

“I mean, it’s incredible for him to say that and that’s the culture of USA Basketball,” Spoelstra said. “You just want the best American players to raise their hand and say, I want to do this. And you can feel his passion to represent the country and America on the jersey. He’s been unbelievable in those competitions. But as far as him, what he’s doing right now, his game is timeless, it really is.”

Erik Spoelstra reacts to Kevin Durant saying he wants to play for Team USA in LA as he approaches 40 years old:

“I mean, it’s incredible for him to say that…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/ES4HSVbXIn

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 28 February 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on his experience with Kevin Durant on Team USA

Durant’s impact on Team USA Basketball is immense, as he is the men’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic competition and a four-time gold medalist. Currently 37, the star will be approaching 40 by the time of the 2028 Olympics, but there’s no doubt that Durant is still an elite player, as evidenced by his current stint in Houston.

Currently with the Rockets, Durant is averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from deep. Spoelstra will highlight how timeless Durant’s game is and what he saw from the star when he was an assistant coach on the 2024 gold medal team.

“You look at what he does at this age, and you can book him for 26-plus, shooting 50 percent on jump shots,” Spoelstra said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re there or not. He’s a complete tactician in terms of his work ethic and practice. It’s a great lesson for all the young players coming into the league. Making shots is one thing, and really working on player development is another.”

“And I think it’s an accomplishment that we all had, you know, watching him work during the summer, six weeks after practice, before practice, the days in between, he’s going out there with intent,” Spoelstra continued. “You know, even at this age, trying to get better and improve, what a beautiful mentality to have, so he’s definitely added a lot to his team.”

At any rate, it remains to be seen what Spoelstra’s roster will be like for Team USA in 2028, with Durant having a good chance of being on the team.

OKLAHOMA CITY – With Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing in his first game since January, coach Mark Daigneault and his coaching staff came up with a plan to monitor the reigning MVP’s minutes. In a 127–121 win against the Denver Nuggets, the Thunder won in overtime without Gilgeous-Alexander. Still, the fact remains that Shai could only sit and watch from the bench after helping Oklahoma City erase a 16-point deficit.

However, Gilgeous-Alexander got closer to Daigneault’s 34-minute mark and the Thunder were set for the night. After scoring 36 points, nine assists, two blocks and two steals in his first game in 24 days, there was nothing else Gilgeous-Alexander could impact Friday’s overtime thriller.

“I hate it. Can’t wait for the minutes restriction to be over. But if I get this injury again, it won’t make a difference. So, that’s how I look at it.”

SGA on not playing in OT vs. Nuggets: “I hate it. Can’t wait for the minutes restriction to be over.

But if I repeat this injury it won’t make any difference. So, that’s how I see it.” pic.twitter.com/8RXYnlRfrM

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Thunder starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, returning from a calf injury, was on the same minutes restriction as Gilgeous-Alexander. Thunder All-Star Chet Holmgren, who finished with a career-high 21 rebounds, led the defending champions with Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams closing out the victory for Hartenstein. Alex Caruso also played in overtime.

Mark Daigneault on Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

In a game that featured a scuffle with Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic and resulted in the ejection of Thunder veteran Lou Dort, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault explained his decision to bench reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. He’s coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.

“We obviously did that. I understand it’s a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury.”

The Thunder will travel to face the Mavericks on Sunday.

With Cooper Flagg making rapid progress, it wasn’t too surprising that the Dallas Mavericks decided to part ways with Anthony Davis, as the team felt it could build around the rookie forward instead.

Davis played only 29 games in his brief and injury-filled tenure with the Mavericks. He was traded to the Washington Wizards in a three-team deal that also included the Charlotte Hornets. In return, Dallas received Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson and several draft picks.

Upon joining the Mavericks, Middleton was reunited with coach Jason Kidd. Kidd managed Middleton when he called the shots for the Milwaukee Bucks from 2014 to 2018, developing a strong bond.

When Kidd was asked about coaching Middleton again, he had a very funny answer, as shown in a video posted by Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.

“Awesome,” Kidd joked.

However, he turned serious and discussed the importance of 34-year-old Middleton to the team.

“Playing through him, he’s a vet. I’ve been with him at the beginning of his journey. He’s a champion, he’s professional, comes to work, does his job and understands that he can help us not just with his play, but with his voice,” said Kidd, who went 139-152 with the Bucks.

“I’ve been talking to him a lot about how he can help Coop. He feels like he can’t help Coop. Coop has already passed him. He has a good sense of humor (about it). But given his knowledge and understanding of the game, it’s been great to work with Khris.”

Jason Kidd on working with Khris Middleton again:

“Awful. Playing through him, he’s a vet. I’ve been with him at the beginning of his journey… He’s a champion, he’s a professional… I’ve been talking to him a lot about how he can help Coop. He feels like he can’t help Coop, Coop has already passed… pic.twitter.com/iizozXoYmj

– Noah Weber (@noahweber00) 27 February 2026

Middleton is still adjusting to his role, though, as he poured in 25 points in their win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, helping the Mavericks end a 10-game losing streak.

His familiarity with Kidd should serve him well throughout the season.

Earlier Thursday, the NBA announced it was fining Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves $25,000 for thrusting the ball into the stands during halftime of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The incident occurred during Tuesday’s 124-121 road win over Portland, when the ANT scored a game-high 34 points.

Almost immediately after the fine was announced, Adidas posted a hilarious response on Twitter in the form of a video promoting the 24-year-old’s latest sneaker, the Anthony Edwards 2.

Good thing we saved it for times like these…believe it. https://t.co/d0kL7pPdg3 pic.twitter.com/M1KDW8J2Ie

– Adidas Basketball (@adidasHoops) 26 February 2026

The clip begins with ANT’s accountant handing the player a bag full of money.

“Okay ANT, I’m setting aside 430 grand just in case you have any accidents, disagreements or slips of the tongue this season. Let’s take it easy this year,” he said.

But Edwards had a completely different idea.

“Do you really think I’m going to slow down now that I’ve got to 2s? Man look at them. You see that? That’s the difference between a floater and a poster set. They have things that will keep me steady, and they’re stronger too,” ANT explains, before being told he was talking to his accountant.

“I don’t think I’m going to slow down any time soon, so you might as well double down,” Edwards said in response, according to a post by Adidas on

And well, the fine proves exactly that. The incident occurred at the end of the second quarter; After getting the rebound on a Portland miss, Edwards faked a full-court shot and then launched the ball well after the buzzer.

The ball hit a spectator standing near the basket and now a penalty has been awarded. ANT’s 34 points were the result of a 17-35 shooting split, including five three-pointers.

Despite this, there is no doubt that Edwards will be focused on preparing for the Los Angeles Clippers, who the Timberwolves will play next. The fine is undoubtedly unfortunate, but it gave them the ideal opportunity to promote their new sneakers.

On Tuesday night, the Charlotte Hornets visited the Chicago Bulls and defeated them on their own homecourt by 32 points, 131-99. This marked Coby White’s return to the United Center for the first time as a member of the Hornets, after the Bulls dealt him away before the trade deadline for Collin Sexton and some second-round picks.

White made his debut for the Hornets on Tuesday night against a familiar foe and he scored 10 points on 4-9 shooting from the field against his former team. The Hornets were able to get him into action, which was important considering that the calf injury he was dealing with was serious enough to cost him a low second-round pick in a trade to the Bulls.

It was certainly an emotional night for White, considering he spent the first six and a half seasons of his career with the Bulls. Bulls fans also acknowledged his contributions to the team during his tenure in the Windy City and White appreciated the warm welcome He received.

“You really don’t know how much of an impact you have on people. And what an impact people have on me. I get a lot of applause and whatever, but so many people are here tonight, wearing my jersey, calling my name. For me, it’s just trying to stay in the moment and just trying to stay grounded. It’s very humbling to find out how many people you impact through this beautiful game,” White said, via CHSN.

“It’s so humbling to know how many people you impact through this beautiful game we play.”

The support Coby White felt upon returning to Chicago tonight pic.twitter.com/WqZPPQyYXi

– Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) 25 February 2026

Coby White joins nascent Hornets core

The Bulls had their work cut out for them, paving the way for White to join the upstart Hornets. Given LaMelo Ball’s injury history, White could play a big role for one of the hottest teams in the league.

White is only 26 years old and could be one of the most explosive scorers in the association. He also studied in Chapel Hill, which means he’s already beloved in Charlotte.

Oscar De La Hoya suggested over the weekend that he could be the next boxing legend to return to the ring. But Terence Crawford’s reaction perfectly explained why the 53-year-old should stay.

It has recently become common in the sport for great boxers to return to the ring after a decade or more away. Mike Tyson has fought two exhibition bouts since 2020, despite being in his 50s. Manny Pacquiao had one championship fight last year at the age of 46. And Floyd Mayweather last week announced plans to end his exhibition tour for an official fight in September.

After this weekend, boxing fans may have to add gold medalist De La Hoya to that list. Following his big win over Golden Boy fighter Ryan Garcia, De La Hoya posted a video on Instagram of himself shadowboxing in the backyard and said, “Inspired last night. My journey starts today.”

In the video, the six-division champion looked to be in great shape and moving quite well. On the surface, he seemed like a man ready for another fight. Then a comment on Terence Crawford’s post revealed why a return to the ring might be a bad idea.

Crawford wrote, “Shake your head, champ, and give me some upper body action.”

This is a smart and honest critique of the video. But it also explains why the returns may not be worth the risks. While Oscar De La Hoya’s arm movement looked great and his legs were solid, there was no movement in the head or shoulders. His chin will be an immovable target for potential opponents.

Considering the success De La Hoya has had as a promoter, it doesn’t seem fair to suffer some brain damage for another moment of glory.

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

Deandre Ayton will probably never take the next step in his career. He may just be an impressive center who falls short of true stardom. The Los Angeles Lakers and their fans understand what kind of player the 2018 No. 1 pick is, but they want him to play with obvious energy and happiness. He certainly did that during a thrilling third quarter sequence in Friday’s thrilling 125-122 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Austin Reaves made a great outlet pass to LeBron James, who immediately passed the ball to Ayton. The alley-oop extended the Lakers’ lead to 14 and electrified the home crowd at Crypto.com Arena, but it also demonstrated the impact the 27-year-old big man can have when his instincts are right. He ran the court beautifully and read James’ eyes perfectly, and the end result was a big play that gave LA tremendous momentum (at least for a while).

Ayton was incredibly grateful to be a part of such a rhythmic experience on the basketball court, and it will stay with him for a long time. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, he said of the fast break, “It was one of the highlights of my career.” “I needed that.”

LeBron James throws it for Deandre Ayton SLAM 🍿😤

pic.twitter.com/1WyeV5zYCL

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

Deandre Ayton could be the X-factor on this team. If he can be at full strength, the Lakers should be a legitimate championship contender. But which version of the Ayton will appear on the floor?

The former Arizona Wildcats star recorded a modest 13 points and seven rebounds against the Clippers. His scoring is naturally going to be down with offensive dynamos like Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reeves, but he can still make a noticeable difference on the glass.

Ayton is posting a career-low 8.4 rebounds per game (his minutes are down a bit, but on a per 36 minutes basis the statement is still true). The Lakers grabbed 40.9 boards per contest, which ranked 28th in the NBA. They need to be stronger in the paint.

He has averaged a double-double in his career. This is not a role player. Now is the time for him to remind everyone what he is capable of achieving. Perhaps Alley could be the harbinger of a Deandre Ayton renaissance.

Obviously this drama left an impact on him. Los Angeles (34-21) will look to build on that lead when they host the Boston Celtics (36-19) this Sunday night.

The LA Clippers picked up a win against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night thanks to big scoring from Benedict Mathurin and Kawhi Leonard. However, he also got assistance from Jamal Murray.

Down by three points, the Nuggets first-time NBA All-Star guard was fouled on a three-point shot attempt with 0.9 remaining on the game clock and no timeouts remaining for either team. Murray, historically a clutch free throw shooter, stepped to the free throw line in front of the Clippers’ wall with a chance to tie the game and possibly send it to overtime.

Jamal Murray missed the first free throw, hit the back of the rim on the second free throw, and then had to wait about 30 seconds due to a substitution before taking his third and final free throw to tie. That shot veered off the right side of the rim and rolled right to left, effectively giving the Clippers the win.

Jamal Murray vs. The Wall… missed the last of 3 free throws to tie and the Clippers won. pic.twitter.com/nFuWFgi1Gx

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

“What was going through my mind?” When Kawhi Leonard was asked this question after the game, he repeated it. “Uh, I was just hoping he’d miss one, seriously, sh-t,” Kawhi Leonard said. “I mean, we were up by three, he dropped the first two, so really expected he would miss.”

Kawhi Leonard explains what was going through his mind during Jamal Murray’s game-tying free throws:

“I was just hoping he’d miss one, really, bullshit. I mean, we were up by three, he dropped the first two, so I was really hoping he’d miss.” https://t.co/BYVzOwVuLO pic.twitter.com/0oG8ybH6oS

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

Shooting 88.7 percent on the season, Jamal Murray has missed 11 free throws in clutch situations (defined as a five-point game in the final five minutes) this season. Murray is just 11-of-18 from the free throw line in the final minutes of games with a margin of three or fewer points this season.

Kawhi Leonard finished Thursday night’s game with 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting, adding four rebounds and three assists. The Clippers forward was clearly battling some type of cold or illness after the game, which is why Benedict Mathurin’s big performance was much needed.

In his third game with the LA Clippers, Mathurin scored 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. The 38-point performance is the most by a Clippers player in his home debut as well as the highest individual career performance for the fourth-year guard out of Arizona.

Bournemouth’s Managing Director of Professional Football Tiago Pinto has revealed how Andoni Ierola has reacted to the huge sale at the club.

Rivista Andesi has today held an interview with the Bournemouth director. He has discussed all elements of life at Bournemouth, including working with Irola.

The Spanish coach has been nothing short of a revelation since arriving at the club, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most respected tactical managers.

His time at the club so far has seen him guide the club to its highest ever Premier League points tally in 2023/24, which they surpassed in 2024/25 with 56 points.

Special attention has also been paid to player development, with many stars improving rapidly under his guidance. However, this has led to major departures in the last few transfer windows.

Bournemouth develops stars

Last summer their entire defense as Ilya Zbarny, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez left for PSG, Real Madrid and Liverpool. Dango Ouattara also joined Brentford in a £36 million deal.

The story continued in the January transfer window as star man Antoine Semenyo joined Manchester City in a club-record £62.5m deal. Marcos Senesi is also likely to depart this summer.

Big departures like this are clearly a problem for Bournemouth. Indeed, one can see the impact such an exit had on Crystal Palace and their crumbling relationship with Oliver Glassner.

Pinto praised Irola

However, Irola has yet to complain publicly about the situation on the south coast. And Pinto insists it’s the same behind the scenes.

“I have worked with many coaches and have learned something from all of them,” he said.

“Today I can say that Andoni is different, he is special. He is a modern coach, someone who understands all the dynamics of football.

“A coach has tremendous communication power: he is the club’s main spokesperson; he is the person the fans listen to and respect. But behind that, there are many things that are not seen.

“Take the example of Bournemouth. We sold players not because we were happy to sell them, but because there are rules to follow. Any other coach other than Andoni could say, “They sold all my players.” He doesn’t.

“Not just because he’s a great coach and a good person. But because he has all the information and he understands the context.”

The allure of Los Angeles never wanes, but Phoenix Suns superstar guard Devin Booker has no interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers at this time.

That’s a lesson we can learn after watching a hilarious conversation between Booker and an apparent Lakers fan who asked the former Kentucky Wildcats star to join the Purple and Gold team.

“Book it, you can come to the lake show too, man!” In a video the fan can be heard saying this to Booker, who laughed at the encounter before walking away.

This Lakers fan tried to inspire Devin Booker to come to Los Angeles

Fans: Book, you too can come to Lakeshow!

Booker: “Come on, man! Come on, man!”

(via @ruthlesssrich/TikTok)pic.twitter.com/mXTcLNwNdt

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 19 February 2026

Most fans would want someone like Booker to play on their team. It’s easy to understand why the Lakers supporter took his shot at Booker, although there’s almost zero chance that he’ll have any influence on any future career decisions the five-time NBA All-Star makes.

Booker is still under contract with the Suns until at least the end of the 2028–29 NBA season. He signed a two-year, $133.25 maximum contract extension with Phoenix in 2025, which came with a player option worth $69.191 million for the 2029–30 campaign.

In other words, unless Booker is surprisingly traded to the Lakers by the Suns, the only way Lakers fans’ wish to see him in Los Angeles colors will be fulfilled would be if the shooting guard chooses not to pick up that player option and signs with LA in the summer of 2029. If he signs by exercising that option, Booker will be on the market in 2030.

Booker entered the All-Star break with season averages of 25.2 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds, while shooting 45.5 percent from the field.

The Brooklyn Nets looked like a team still on vacation during their first game after the All-Star break. Jordi Fernandez’s team sleepwalked through a 112-84 loss to the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday to start the second half of the season.

This game marked the Nets’ NBA-leading eighth wire-to-wire loss of the season. Brooklyn trails by 43 points.

“It was everything. The physicality, the intensity, all those things we weren’t matching up to,” Fernandez said. “Their physicality, their intensity was exactly what a winning team should be. We weren’t even close.”

With starting center Nick Claxton sidelined, the Nets had no answer for the Cavaliers on both ends during the lopsided loss. He shot 30 of 87 (34.5 percent) from the field and 14 of 49 (28.6 percent) from three.

Brooklyn offered little resistance defensively as the Cavs shot 44-of-86 (51.2 percent), with seven players reaching double figures.

Nets dominate Cavs during blowout loss, tipping off tank race

Brooklyn’s lack of engagement was evident from the opening tip. After some miscommunication on their first two possessions, Fernandez called a timeout 40 seconds into the game in an attempt to wake up his team. He had little success in doing so.

“It was two mistakes that were completely controllable, and it tells me about the readiness of our players. It was a lack of effort and readiness, and I’m not going to let it fly. And we didn’t wake up,” Fernandez said. “We know we are better, our standards are higher than this. Now we have to go to the next level, and hold everyone accountable, including me, and go and fight better [on Friday in Oklahoma City]”

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists on 5 of 13 shooting. Ochai Agbaji added 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting off the bench during his second game with Brooklyn. Danny Wolf scored 11 points and seven assists on 4-of-12 shooting, while Egor Demin had 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting for Cleveland, while James Harden added 16 points and nine assists on 6-of-8 shooting.

The loss brings a ray of hope for the Nets, who are tied with the Washington Wizards for fourth place in the draft lottery standings. Brooklyn is tied in the win column and twice behind the Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans in the loss column, who are in second place.

Fernandez’s team will be back in action on Friday during a road matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Charlotte Hornets missed a chance to get a big win over the Houston Rockets, losing 105-101 at the Spectrum Center on Thursday night, but LaMelo Ball is grateful he was even able to play. Following the loss, the star point guard spoke on the car accident he was involved in on Wednesday.

According to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Ball told the media, “Unfortunate, {but} everybody’s good, so good blessings.” “God is great.”

The 24-year-old, who was driving a custom-built Hummer through an intersection, collided with another vehicle in downtown Charlotte. Footage from the scene shows Ball drifting out of his lane and into another car. However, it is still not completely clear what exactly caused the accident. One wheel of the Hummer rolled off after the collision, but it is difficult to say when it started coming loose.

LaMelo’s postgame press conference: Reaction to the accident, his game tonight and more. pic.twitter.com/1CfT3J9jPh

– Rod Boon (@rodboon) 20 February 2026

Thankfully, as the former Rookie of the Year said, no one was seriously hurt. The other person involved in the accident exited his vehicle immediately after the accident. After police arrived at the scene, Ball drove away in a Lamborghini that had come to pick him up. A reporter asked him why he walked away from the wreck, but the 2022 All-Star did not answer the question. “No, you’ll have to check it out,” he replied.

LaMelo Ball was apparently unable to drive the Hummer, so it makes sense that he would call for a ride. One would assume that he had provided the necessary information to the police and the other driver before leaving the scene. However, because of his history on the road, people will be extra curious about the accident.

Video compilations can be found in which he is shown driving recklessly. In 2024, a woman filed a lawsuit against the Hornets playmaker for running over her son’s foot. The child and other people huddled around Ball’s vehicle before it was driven away from the field. He denied responsibility, claiming that the boy harmed himself.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft clearly wants to put this latest incident behind him immediately. A day after the accident, he posted 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting with seven assists and seven rebounds.