Flyers

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

The 2023 WNBA Playoffs tip off tonight, and every game will be televised on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
The Connecticut Sun and Las Vegas Aces will take the court on Wednesday night to open the best-of-three first-round series for their respective Game 1 matchups.
The league&rsquo;s all-time triple-double leader Alyssa Thomas and the Sun will host three-time All-Star Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx (the sixth seed) at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2.&nbsp;&nbsp;
At 10 p.m. ET, reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year A&rsquo;ja Wilson leads the top-seeded Aces on their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02, when they host 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper and the Chicago Sky (the eighth&nbsp;seed).&nbsp;&nbsp;
The action continues on Friday when five-time All-WNBA selection Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty (the second seed) begin their quest to win the franchise&rsquo;s first WNBA championship, hosting the Washington Mystics (the seventh seed) at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Liberty, one of the league&rsquo;s super-teams, will face a tough first-round opponent in the Mystics &ndash; a team that defeated New York on opening day and again on the final day of the regular season.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Arike Ogunbowale, a top-five scorer in the WNBA over the last five seasons, and the Dallas Wings (the fourth seed) will host 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard and the Atlanta Dream (the fifth&nbsp;seed) at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Game 2 matchups are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday, Sept. 19, across ESPN and ABC. If necessary, the series-deciding Game 3s will be played Wednesday, Sept. 20 and Friday, Sept. 22. The semifinal series begin Sunday, Sept. 24, and the 2023 WNBA Finals will tip&nbsp;off Sunday, Oct. 8 on ABC.&nbsp;&nbsp;
ESPN&rsquo;s commentator team for the WNBA Playoffs will be led by the main crew of Ryan Ruocco, Hall-of-Famers Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe, with analysts LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck and Andraya Carter among others to be featured.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In addition to airing every game of the WNBA Playoffs, the Disney platforms will feature WNBA Countdown studio shows, as well as&nbsp;Hoop Streams&nbsp;WNBA digital pregame shows. Hosted by Robinson, the first Countdown special is a 60-minute edition on Wednesday, Sept. 13, on ESPN2 leading into the Mystics-Liberty game. The Hoop Streams&nbsp;playoffs show will be hosted by&nbsp;Terrika Foster-Brasby&nbsp;and&nbsp;Christine Williamson and stream on the first day of each round.
Here's a complete schedule of the first-round games and where you can watch them:
<table style="font-weight: 400; width: 579px; height: 1628px;" width="871">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 72.2014px; height: 54px;">
Date
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2222px; height: 54px;">
Time (ET)
</td>
<td style="width: 234.417px; height: 54px;">
Matchup
</td>
<td style="width: 120.139px; height: 54px;">
Network
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 115px;">
<td style="width: 72.2569px; height: 313px;" rowspan="3">
Sept. 13
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2847px; height: 115px;">
7 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.542px; height: 115px;">
WNBA Countdown
LaChina Robinson, Carolyn Peck and Chiney Ogwumike
</td>
<td style="width: 120.194px; height: 115px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 99px;">
<td style="width: 96.2986px; height: 99px;">
8 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.59px; height: 99px;">
Minnesota&nbsp;Lynx at Connecticut Sun &ndash; Game 1 Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe
</td>
<td style="width: 120.215px; height: 99px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 99px;">
<td style="width: 96.2986px; height: 99px;">
10 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.604px; height: 99px;">
Chicago&nbsp;Sky at Las Vegas Aces &ndash; Game 1 Tiffany Greene, Monica McNutt, Ros Gold-Onwude
</td>
<td style="width: 120.229px; height: 99px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 72.25px; height: 251px;" rowspan="3">
Sept 15
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 76px;">
7 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.604px; height: 76px;">
WNBA Countdown&nbsp; Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike
</td>
<td style="width: 120.243px; height: 76px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 99px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 99px;">
7:30 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 99px;">
Washington Mystics at New York Liberty &ndash; Game 1 Ruocco, Lobo, Gold-Onwude
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 99px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 76px;">
9:30 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 76px;">
Atlanta Dream at Dallas&nbsp;Wings &ndash; Game 1 Pam Ward, Andraya Carter, Angel Gray
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 76px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="width: 72.25px; height: 267px;" rowspan="3">
Sept. 17
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 92px;">
12:30 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 92px;">
WNBA Countdown
Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 92px;">
ESPNEWS
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 99px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 99px;">
1 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 99px;">
Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut&nbsp;Sun &ndash; Game 2 Ward, McNutt, Gold-Onwude
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 99px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 76px;">
3 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 76px;">
Chicago Sky at Las Vegas&nbsp;Aces &ndash; Game 2 Ruocco, Lobo, Rowe
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 76px;">
ABC
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="width: 72.25px; height: 299px;" rowspan="3">
Sept. 19
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 92px;">
6:30 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 92px;">
WNBA Countdown&nbsp;
Robinson, Peck, Ogwumike
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 92px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 115px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 115px;">
7 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 115px;">
Washington Mystics at New York Liberty&nbsp;&ndash; Game 2
Ruocco, Lobo, Rowe
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 115px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 92px;">
9 p.m.
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 92px;">
Atlanta Dream at Dallas Wings &ndash; Game 2
Greene, Carter, Gray
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 92px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="width: 72.25px; height: 222px;" rowspan="3">
Sept 20
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 92px;">
TBD
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 92px;">
WNBA Countdown&nbsp;
Robinson
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 92px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 54px;">
TBD
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 54px;">
Las Vegas Aces at Chicago&nbsp;Sky&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;Game 3*
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 54px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 76px;">
TBD
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 76px;">
Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx &ndash; Game 3
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 76px;">
ESPN
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 92px;">
<td style="width: 72.25px; height: 222px;" rowspan="3">
Sept 22
&nbsp;
</td>
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 92px;">
TBD
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 92px;">
WNBA Countdown&nbsp;
Robinson
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 92px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 76px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 76px;">
TBD
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 76px;">
New York Aces at Washington&nbsp;Mystic &ndash; Game 3*
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 76px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 54px;">
<td style="width: 96.2917px; height: 54px;">
TBD
</td>
<td style="width: 234.597px; height: 54px;">
Dallas Wings at Atlanta Dream &ndash; Game 3*
</td>
<td style="width: 120.25px; height: 54px;">
ESPN2
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Game 3 (if necessary) *** WNBA Playoffs semifinal series begin Sep. 24; WNBA Finals begin Sun., Oct. 8 on ABC

The 2023 WNBA Playoffs begin today, and every game will be televised on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

2023 WNBA Playoffs guide: How to watch, game schedule, more

Bill Self hasn&rsquo;t had to go through many stretches like this in his 20 seasons at Kansas. Yet the coach hasn&rsquo;t seemed angry or even all that discouraged during a rare three-game losing streak.
Self knows this isn&rsquo;t the same Jayhawks team that won the national championship last season.
Kansas (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) has gone from having one of the nation&rsquo;s most experienced rosters to a much younger group without a proven presence in the post in a loaded Big 12 Conference that may be better than ever.
&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have as much margin for error as we&rsquo;ve had in years past and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Self said. &ldquo;But (when) you don&rsquo;t have quite as much margin for error, and the other teams in the league are a lot better, it makes it tough.&rdquo;
The ninth-ranked Jayhawks have lost three in a row for only the fourth time under Self. Each loss was to a ranked conference opponent, two on the road. The latest was 75-69 at Baylor on Monday night in a matchup of the last two national champions, the fifth win in a row for the 17th-ranked Bears.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be honest with you, I&rsquo;ve got to take a different approach and understand that it&rsquo;s a marathon,&rdquo; Self said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not an immediate reaction, because you can react immediately in this league, and you&rsquo;ll have nine other teams go through the exact same thing at some point.&rdquo;
Kansas is still loaded with talent.
Junior forward Jalen Wilson leads the Big 12 with in scoring at 21.4 points per game and is second in rebounds at 8.6. While streaky, freshman Gradey Dick (14.9 ppg) is the league&rsquo;s top 3-point shooter at 43.7%, and Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar Jr. averages 7.3 rebounds. Dajuan Harris Jr. is one of the top assist men at 6.5 per game despite his extended shooting struggles.
But these Jayhawks are different than most of Self&rsquo;s standout teams in the past that played through the post with big guys like David McCormack, Jeff Withey, Thomas Robinson or Udoka Azubuike.
McCormack was part of last year&rsquo;s title team, along with first-round NBA draft picks Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun. The Jayhawks also lost ballhandler Remy Martin and veteran sharpshooter Jalen Coleman-Lands.
Kansas plays its SEC/Big 12 Challenge game Saturday at Kentucky (14-6), which won 80-62 at Allen Fieldhouse last season. The Jayhawks will be trying to avoid their first four-game losing streak since 1988-89, their first season under coach Roy Williams.
After going to Rupp Arena to face coach John Calipari&rsquo;s struggling Wildcats, the Jayhawks return to conference play against fifth-ranked Kansas State. They then open the second half of their Big 12 schedule at No. 12 Iowa State before hosting No. 10 Texas.
Their current skid began with an 83-82 overtime loss last week at K-State, which had a 14-point lead midway through the first half. TCU, now ranked 11th, hit 13 of its first 15 shots and had an early 19-0 run in an 83-60 win Saturday, the second-worst home loss in the Self era.
&ldquo;Our league is that good,&rdquo; Self said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be a grind.&rdquo;
The Jayhawks trailed by as many as 13 midway through the first half at Baylor. They took their only lead when Wilson swished a 3-pointer with 15 1/2 minutes left, but the Bears responded with a 12-3 run.
&ldquo;The way that K-State played the first 10 minutes, the way TCU played the first 10 minutes, and the way Baylor played the first 10 minutes, if we had played really well, we would have still been behind,&rdquo; Self said, before using a wrestling analogy prompted by seeing two former Oklahoma State classmates in the postgame interview room at Baylor.
Brad Livingstone was a senior at Oklahoma State during the 1981-82 season, when Self was a freshman for the Cowboys. Livingstone&rsquo;s wife, Baylor president Linda Livingstone, also played basketball for the school in Stillwater where wrestling is big.
&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re on top and you can get riding time, it takes twice as much energy if you&rsquo;re the low man in wrestling. ... It&rsquo;s exactly the way basketball is too,&rdquo; Self said. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re behind, it takes more energy, everything&rsquo;s magnified, it takes more effort. And when you&rsquo;re playing with the lead, obviously you&rsquo;re looser, everything&rsquo;s not life or death.&rdquo;

Kansas has gone from having one of the nation’s most experienced rosters to a much younger group without a proven paint presence.

Self assessment: Skidding No. 9 Kansas has little margin

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

Over the next week, more than 200 high-school basketball teams and prep programs will travel to Las Vegas to compete in the 2022 Tarkanian Classic. The prep schools will compete from Dec. 16-18, while the high-school teams will play from Dec. 19-22.&nbsp;
Bishop Gorman High School will serve as the event's headquarters, but games will also be played at other local high-school gyms. Every game will be live-streamed on BallerTV.com.
The Tarkanian Classic is NBA-certified, meaning NBA executives and scouts can attend the games and evaluate players in-person. This is one of just three high-school-basketball events that the NBA certified this year, and most of the league has already requested credentials for their talent evaluators.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
23 NBA teams so far have requested credentials for 70+ team scouts for upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/TarkClassic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TarkClassic</a> This year's Tark is 1 of only 3 HS regular season events that are NBA certified this season - permitting NBA teams to send their scouts <a href="https://twitter.com/FrankieBur?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FrankieBur</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DraftExpress</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RonMFlores?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonMFlores</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/krystenpeek?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@krystenpeek</a>
&mdash; Dinos Trigonis (@Trigonis30) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trigonis30/status/1602528535872212992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

For over a decade, the Tarkanian Classic has featured top high-school teams and players. In recent years, top prospects such as Deandre Ayton, LaMelo Ball, Evan Mobley, Lonzo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga, Onyeka Okongwu, Marvin Bagley III and Jaden McDaniels have competed in the Las Vegas tournament.&nbsp;
This year, the event will feature 136 high-school teams from across the nation including host Bishop Gorman (NV), Liberty (NV), Mater Dei (Santa Ana CA), Oakridge (FL), Bishop O'Connell (VA), Rainier Beach (WA), Prestonwood Christian (TX), St. Augustine (CA), Calvary Christian (FL), St. Bernard (CA), Faith Family (TX), St. Raymond (NY), St. Ignatius (OH), West Ranch (CA), Douglass (TN), Durango (NV), Putnam City West (OK), St. Mary's (AZ), Rancho Christian (CA), JSerra (CA), Buchtel (OH), Coronado (NV), Bishop O'Dowd (CA), Crossroads (CA), Sheldon (CA), Kell (GA), Redondo Union (CA), Santa Margarita (CA), Coeur d'Alene (ID), Crean Lutheran (CA), Desert Pines (NV), Alta (UT), Mater Lakes (FL), Clovis West (CA), Monterey Trail (CA), Foothill (NV), Wilson (SC), Constitution (PA), Birmingham (CA), St.Paul (CA), Oakland (CA), Cypress Bay (FL), Bingham (UT), Miami Country Day (FL), Houston Christian (TX), Brentwoood (CA), Hillcrest (CA), Peninsula Catholic (VA), Sandra Day O'Connor (AZ), Valor Christian (CO), Arbor View (NV), San Gabriel Academy (CA), Valley (NV), Coral Glades (FL), Buckeye (AZ), Mother Teresa (Canada), Canyon Springs (NV), Jones (FL), Cheyenne (NV), Layton (UT), Spring Valley (NV), Roosevelt (CA) and Centennial (AZ).&nbsp;
There are also more than 60 prep programs participating including Prolific Prep (CA), SoCal Academy (CA), Dream City Christian National (AZ), Accelerated Prep (CO), Central Pointe Christian (FL), Dynamic Prep (TX), Bella Vista (AZ), NBA Academy I, II &amp; III, SCA Post-Grad (CA), Real Salt Lake (UT), Veritas Prep (CA),&nbsp; Skyline Prep (AZ) and Colorado Prep (CO).&nbsp;

Over the next week, more than 200 high-school teams and prep programs will travel to Vegas to compete in the Tarkanian Classic.

NBA-certified Tarkanian Classic set for this weekend in Las Vegas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Kansas had a reputation in some corners of college basketball as being a great regular-season team, one that would dominate the Big 12 and win high-profile non-conference games, only to struggle in the postseason.
The Jayhawks squelched all that talk in April.
Leaning on one of the most experienced lineups in the country, Bill Self guided the Jayhawks to the Final Four in New Orleans, where a historic comeback against North Carolina in the championship game allowed them to raise a banner in Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since 2008.
&ldquo;We talk about this all the time, you know, it&rsquo;s much easier to have a great team than a great program,&rdquo; Self said this week, &ldquo;because it&rsquo;s just a snippet of time and things could fall just right for one year, and you want to do it where there&rsquo;s a foundation of consistency that you can, you know, be in the game. And I think we&rsquo;ve done that. But still, though, in order to validate the first one you have to get a second one.&rdquo;
Self paused, smiled, then added: &ldquo;Then maybe to validate a second, you got to get a third one. I don&rsquo;t know.&rdquo;
Whether Self needs another on a resume that has already landed him in the Hall of Fame is up for debate. But regardless, that&rsquo;s exactly what the fifth-ranked Jayhawks are chasing when they open the season in a couple of weeks as defending champs.
&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t remember the first-round losses if you win titles,&rdquo; Self said, &ldquo;so we needed to do that to validate the success that we&rsquo;ve had throughout the course of many, many seasons. ... It certainly felt like a burden was lifted after we won.&rdquo;
The Jayhawks look a whole lot different, and younger, than they did a year ago.
Gone are veterans Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun, both of them first-round NBA draft picks, along with space-eating big man David McCormack, ballhandler Remy Martin and veteran sharpshooter Jalen Coleman-Lands.
In their place are a bunch of youngsters surrounding Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar Jr. and returning starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and Jalen Wilson, making the Jayhawks one of the youngest teams in the country.
As the saying goes at Kansas, though, names and faces may change but the expectations are always the same.
&ldquo;All I want to do is reach that moment again,&rdquo; Wilson said of the title game. &ldquo;Coach talked about how fun it will be, you know, but you don&rsquo;t really understand until you get there. But once you get there, it&rsquo;s like, man, it&rsquo;s the greatest moment of your life. And so I have an opportunity to do it again. Motivates me every single day.&rdquo;
MORE ON MCCULLAR
A handful of players transferred within the Big 12 this past offseason, but perhaps nobody&rsquo;s decision made a bigger impact on two programs than McCullar. The defensive dynamo left a big void at Texas Tech by filling one at Kansas.
&ldquo;This is just the best fit for me, you know? I knew it was time for me (to move on),&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;to grow as a player. The next step in my journey was to compete for Coach Self. It was the best decision for me.&rdquo;
FRESH FACES
The Jayhawks brought in two forwards and two posts in a four-man recruiting class, and Self said all of them will play. The highest profile belongs to Gradey Dick, a 6-foot-7 shooter, while MJ Rice will remind Kansas fans of Wayne Selden. Six-foot-10 center Ernest Udeh Jr. and 6-8 big man Zuby Ejiofor will provide size in the paint.
HEY, I KNOW YOU
Because of their experience last season, the Jayhawks didn&rsquo;t need to rely on their talented 2021 recruiting class. But all four are back after a year in the program. Point guard Bobby Pettiford Jr. and forwards Zach Clemence and K.J. Adams Jr. played sparingly last season while Kyle Cuffe Jr. spent the year as a redshirt.
HEADS UP
The Jayhawks often played through McCormack in the paint last season, but without an established post presence, there&rsquo;s a good chance they will be hoisting up a lot of 3s this season. Even forwards such as Dick and Clemence that have size to guard a center almost prefer to shoot from the outside, and they have the touch to do it consistently.
SCHEDULE SITUATION
Kansas opens Nov. 7 against Omaha and faces North Dakota State before an early showdown with No. 7 Duke in the Champions Classic. The Jayhawks also have nonconference games against No. 13 Indiana and Seton Hall, their first trip in more than a decade to bitter rival Missouri and a trip to No. 4 Kentucky for the Big 12-SEC Challenge.

The Jayhawks look a whole lot different, and younger, than they did a year ago.

No. 5 Kansas out to defend national title with new roster

Tre Mann had 15 points and seven assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 86-80 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in the NBA Summer League.
Oklahoma City's three first-round picks draft all contributed to the victory.
No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren had eight points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists before fouling out. No. 12 pick Jalen Williams added 12 points, while No. 11 pick Ousmane Dieng &mdash; acquired in a draft-day trade with the Knicks &mdash; had 12 points and seven rebounds.
Sacramento's Keegan Murray &mdash; the fourth overall choice &mdash; had 29 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Jared Rhoden added 16 points and eight rebounds. Keon Ellis had 14 points and five assists.
BUCKS 87, TIMBERWOLVES 75
Sandro Mamukelashvili had 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead Milwaukee Bucks past Minnesota.
Mamukelashvili, who was coming off a 28-point game Monday, also had four of Milwaukee's 25 assists on 30 field goals.
MarJon Beauchamp made four of Milwaukee's 15 3-pointers and finished with 15 points. Rayjon Tucker, Lindell Wigginton and Zylan Cheatham each scored 14 points.
Kevon Harris scored 16 points for Minnesota. Terrell Brown Jr. added 14 points, Wendell Moore Jr. had 13 and Marial Shayok 11.
HORNETS 91, CAVALIERS 80
Bryce McGowens made five 3-pointers and scored 24 points as Charlotte beat Cleveland.
Mark Williams, Brady Manek and LiAngelo Ball each scored 12 points, and Kai Jones added 11 for Charlotte (2-1).
Ochai Agbaji scored 24 points, with four 3-pointers, for Cleveland (1-2). Cameron Young added 11, Amauri Hardy had 10 and Isaiah Mobley grabbed 11 rebounds. The Cavaliers were 5 of 25 from distance.
PELICANS 106, WIZARDS 88
Deividas Sirvydis scored 25 points, going 6 of 10 from 3-point range, to help New Orleans beat Washington.
New Orleans trailed at halftime, but outscored Washington 28-15 in the third quarter to take the lead for good.
Jared Harper made 10 of 14 free throws and had 18 points and six assists for New Orleans (2-1). Daeqwon Plowden added 16 points and Dereon Seabron had 13.
Vernon Carey Jr. made his first five shots and scored 11 points for Washington (1-2). Tyler Hall also scored 11 points and Tahjere McCall added 10.
RAPTORS 80, JAZZ 74
D.J. Wilson had 22 points and nine rebounds, Jeff Dowtin added 19 points and Toronto handed Utah its first loss.
<a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1547380055629877248">Dowtin made a contested layup with 45.6 seconds left</a> for a four-point lead. Utah missed 3-pointers on its next two possessions and Dowtin sealed it with two free throws.
Jared Butler scored 12 points, Leandro Bolmaro added 11 and Darryl Morsell had 10 for Utah (2-1).
76ERS 75, HEAT 71
Trevelin Queen scored 16 points, Tyler Bey added 14 and Philadelphia held off Miami.
Malik Ellison had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia.
Javonte Smart topped Miami with 20 points, and Haywood Highsmith had 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
NUGGETS 80, CLIPPERS 75
Matt Mitchell had 17 points and six rebounds to help power Denver past Los Angeles.
Nuggets first-rounder Christian Braun &mdash; 21st overall &mdash; had eight points to go along with 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.
Jay Scrubb led the Clippers with 18 points.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Tre Mann had 15 points and seven assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 86-80 victory over the Kings on Wednesday night.

Mann leads Thunder past Kings 86-80 in Summer League play

Santi Aldama scored 31 points, David Roddy added 20 and the Memphis Grizzlies tied the Las Vegas Summer League record for points in a game in a 120-84 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
The Grizzlies (2-1), who never trailed and led by double figures for more than 33 minutes, hit 12 3-pointers, shot 59% from the field and had 31 assists. Their 120 points matched the record set by the Denver Nuggets in 2007.
Summer League games are 40 minutes, eight fewer than an NBA regular-season game.
The 6-foot-11 Aldama, a first-round draft pick in 2021, made 12 of 14 from the field, hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots. Ziaire Williams, the No. 10 pick in the 2021 draft, had 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Roddy, a 6-foot-5, 255-pound forward who was picked No. 23 overall in June&rsquo;s draft, was 7-of-11 shooting. Kenneth Lofton Jr. added 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Cam Thomas made 11 of 13 free throws and finished with 29 points for Brooklyn (1-2). The No. 27 pick overall in the 2021 draft, Thomas has scored at least 26 points in each of his three games in Las Vegas and is averaging 28.7 per game. Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe added 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, and David Duke Jr. scored 12 points.
BULLS 93, RAPTORS 83
Carlik Jones scored 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting with five assists, and Dalen Terry scored all of his 14 points in the first half to help Chicago beat Toronto.
Malcolm Hill added 11 points for Chicago (2-1). Ethan Thompson and Makur Maker scored 10 points apiece.
Toronto scored 12 fourth-quarter points, nine that came as Ryan Hawkins hit three 3-pointers in the final 64 seconds.
Dalano Banton scored 18 points for Toronto (1-1). Jeff Dowtin added 16 points and D.J. Wilson scored 10. Christian Koloko, a 7-foot center out of Arizona, finished with five points, four rebounds and three blocks. The Raptors' only pick (No. 33 overall) in June&rsquo;s draft, Koloko shot 2 of 8 from the field and 0 for 3 from the free throw line but made his lone 3-point attempt.
The Bulls, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, shot 55% (33 of 60) from the field, had 20 assists and scored 36 points off 18 Toronto turnovers.
HAWKS 95, HEAT 88
Tyrese Martin scored 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting, while Chaundee Brown Jr. was 8 of 11 from the field and finished with 18 points to help Atlanta beat Miami.
Chris Clemons, who averaged 30.1 points as a senior at Campbell in 2018-19, scored 15 for the Hawks.
Atlanta (1-2) made 37 of 69 (53.6%) from the field and shot 44.4% (8 of 18) from 3-point range.
Javonte Smart led Miami with 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Kyle Allman Jr. scored 14 points and Bryson Williams 11.
CELTICS 103, WARRIORS 92
Mfiondu Kabengele had 20 points and 13 rebounds, 19-year-old Juhann Begarin scored 21 points and Boston beat Golden State despite big games by Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Kuminga scored 22 points on 11-of-22 shooting. Moody added 21 but made just 6 of 19 from the field and 2 of 9 from 3-point range.
James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, had six points, seven rebounds and three blocks in his second game back from a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the last year-plus.
Justin Jackson scored 24 points, including five 3-pointers, for Boston. Brodric Thomas hit 4 of 7 from 3-point range and finished with 18 points.
PACERS 101, PISTONS 87
Bennedict Mathurin shot 5 of 9 from the field, 9 of 10 from the free throw line and finished with 20 points to help Indiana beat Jaden Ivey-less Detroit.
The No. 6 pick in last month's draft, Mathurin added five rebounds, three assists and three steals with no turnovers. Terry Taylor had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Isaiah Jackson also scored 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith added 12 points.
Ivey, taken by the Pistons with the No. 5 pick in the draft, as well as Saben Lee, Isaiah Stewart and Isaiah Livers did not play for Detroit.
Buddy Boeheim led the Pistons with 18 points. Stanley Umude scored 14, Charlie Moore added 13 and Jalen Duren &mdash; picked 13th overall in June's draft &mdash; had 12 points.
SUNS 105, MAVERICKS 78
Louis King and Olivier Sarr each had a double-double to lead Phoenix in its rout of Dallas.
King finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Sarr added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. also scored 12 points, McKinley Wright IV had 11 and Leonardo Meindl 10 for the Suns.
Jerrick Harding led the Mavericks with 20 points and A.J. Lawson scored 10. Jaden Hardy had 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Hardy, the No. 37 overall pick is last month&rsquo;s draft, was a consensus 5-star recruit out of high school in 2021 and spent last season with the NBA G League Unite.
LAKERS 83, CLIPPERS 72
Mason Jones had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Javante McCoy scored 14 points to help the Lakers beat the Clippers.
Sacha Killeya-Jones added 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for the Lakers. Nate Pierre-Louis scored 10 points.
Jay Scrubb and Brandon Boston Jr. scored 15 points apiece for the Clippers. Boston made just 3 of 12 from the field but hit 9-of-12 free throws and grabbed nine rebounds.

Santi Aldama scored 31 points, David Roddy added 20 and the Grizzlies tied the NBA Summer League record for points in a game.

Grizzlies tie NBA Summer League scoring record, beat Nets 120-84

Instant. Classic.
In a game of runs, and with huge swings of momentum, the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks pulled off the largest comeback in NCAA Championship history, beating the eighth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels, 72-69. The Jayhawks trailed by 16 points in the first half and fought back to enter the record books.
Jalen Wilson and David McCormack led them in scoring with 15 points each. Arizona State transfer Remy Martin scored his 2,000th point in this one and provided 14 huge points for Kansas off the bench, including multiple threes in the second half.
Armando Bacot and RJ Davis each posted 15 points for the Tar Heels, while Caleb Love and Brady Manek each scored 13 points.
Kansas' Ochai Agbaji opened this one the same way he started the win against Villanova &mdash; with a three. He took the dribble handoff and drained a deep three from the wing as the Jayhawks jumped out to a 7-0 lead.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ochai for THREEE 🎯 Agbaji picks up where he left off<a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KUHoops</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalChampionship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalChampionship</a> <a href="https://t.co/u2K3lKN86U">pic.twitter.com/u2K3lKN86U</a>
&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1511152456771768324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
Manek answered with a triple of his own to get the Tar Heels on the board. Carolina battled back to take a 12-11 lead and would extend it to 29-22, which was Kansas&rsquo; largest deficit of the entire tournament at 7 points. After a 14-0 run late in the first half, the Tar Heels led 40-25 at the break, leaving Kansas with its lowest first-half point total in the tourney.&nbsp;
Kansas was 6 of 21 in the paint in the first half, as the team simply could not convert at the rim. McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot were both in foul trouble early as well, which forced Kansas to go with smaller lineups and allowed the Tar Heels' Armando Bacot to impose his will inside.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_18021555_lg.jpg" alt="" width="555" height="369" />
Bacot posted 12 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, giving him 31 double-doubles on the season. That extended his own ACC record and tied the NCAA record set by Navy&rsquo;s David Robinson in 1985-86. Going into halftime, Davis had 11 points for Carolina, while Agbaji had 8 points for Kansas.
McCormack got the second half started with a powerful alley-oop in hopes of setting the tone for the Jayhawks. Christian Braun would follow with a bucket of his own, but Love had an answer. Wilson connected on a transition and-one to make it 45-38, and you could start to feel the momentum shift.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_18021882_lg.jpg" alt="" width="555" height="370" />&nbsp;
Tar Heels forward Leaky Black picked up his fourth foul with 13:52 to play in the second, which was big, as he&rsquo;s one of the team&rsquo;s best defenders with his size and length. Braun immediately followed with a transition layup to make it 46-45 to make it a whole new ballgame. Agbaji then converted an and-one of his own to tie things up at 50.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
OCHAI AND-ONE WE ARE ALL TIED UP 😱<a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KUHoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/gtjx8p7Vbp">pic.twitter.com/gtjx8p7Vbp</a>
&mdash; NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1511178765463810051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
Carolina's Puff Johnson hit a big corner three with just over eight minutes to play to knot things up at 57, providing huge minutes off the bench. After some more back-and-forth action, Manek &mdash; the Oklahoma transfer &mdash; knocked down two free throws for the Tar Heels to tie it up again at 65 with three minutes to play.&nbsp;
The Jayhawks led 70-69 with a minute left in regulation, when McCormack was simply not going to be denied in the paint for another basket. Bacot then rolled his right ankle again after injuring it in the Final Four game against Duke, and your stomach just sank for the young man, who provided an amazing, gutsy performance on the big stage.
With 4.2 seconds to play, Carolina turned the ball over after a couple of game-tying attempts from deep, but Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. stepped out of bounds on the ensuing pass, giving the ball back to the Tar Heels. Love was unable to hit the pull-up three as time expired, leading the Rock Chalk Nation to a celebration.&nbsp;&nbsp;
McCormack said postgame, "Coach lost his father so we played for him. This was about more than just us, it's about Coach and all that Kansas stands for."
Bill Self and the Jayhawks hoist the trophy in New Orleans.&nbsp;
What a night.&nbsp;
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In a game of runs and with huge swings of momentum, Kansas pulled off the largest comeback in NCAA Championship history.

Kansas wins NCAA Championship, defeats North Carolina 72-69

The NCAA Championship tickets have been punched. Here's a look into how Saturday night's Final Four matchups played out:
North Carolina defeats Duke 81-77
In an instant classic that will live in the hearts and minds of college basketball fans forever, Coach K&rsquo;s career comes to an end. This one was tied 67-67 with 3:32 to play in regulation and had everyone on the edge of their seats. Caleb Love connected on a big layup to take the lead late, but Trevor Keels answered with a triple to take a one-point lead with 2:00 left.
After multiple lead changes and a massive Love three-pointer that may be one of the biggest shots in Tar Heel history, North Carolina was able to hold on down the stretch and advance to the NCAA Championship. Paolo Banchero had a strong outing for the Duke Blue Devils, but Love and Armando Bacot were too much to handle. Bacot had an incredible 21 rebounds and overcame a late-game injury before fouling out. It was quite a game &mdash; one that lived up to all the hype one would expect from the first-ever Final Four matchup between two of the greatest college basketball programs in history.&nbsp;
Notable Stats: Caleb Love - 28 points, 9 rebounds Paolo Banchero - 20 points, 10 rebounds Armando Bacot - 11 points, 21 rebounds RJ Davis - 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists Trevor Keels - 19 points Brady Manek - 14 points
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<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_18009507_lg.jpg" alt="" width="626" height="418" />
Kansas defeats Villanova 81-65
The Jayhawks opened the game with a barrage of three-pointers and jumped out to a 16-5 lead. At one point, Kansas led 36-18, but the Villanova Wildcats cut into the deficit a bit and trailed 40-29 at the half. Nevertheless, this game was a wire-to-wire victory for Kansas, who never trailed. The story of the game was Ochai Agbaji&rsquo;s shooting, as he hit six of his seven attempts from behind the arc. As a team, Kansas connected on 13-of-24 from deep, which allowed them to keep their breathing room for the entirety of the contest. Christian Braun hit a dagger three late in the contest to make it 75-59. After the game, Bruan said, "I had hit one before that, so I had nothing to lose. Honestly, just threw one up there, and it went in."
The Wildcats <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-villanova-will-have-to-survive-without-justin-moore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">missed Justin Moore badly</a> after he suffered an injury in the Elite Eight, but Saturday's loss doesn&rsquo;t take away from the tremendous performance by Bill Self and Co. The Jayhawks will move onto the NCAA Championship.&nbsp;
Notable stats: David McCormack - 25 points, 9 rebounds Ochai Agbaji - 21 points Jalen Wilson - 11 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists Collin Gillespie - 17 points Brandon Slater - 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists Caleb Daniels - 13 points, 5 rebounds
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North Carolina and Kansas advanced to the NCAA Championship with Final Four wins Saturday night.

Tar Heels and Jayhawks punch NCAA Championship tickets

With the 2022 NCAA Tournament right around the corner, it's time for conference tournaments to begin so teams can begin punching their ticket to The Big Dance in March.
Mid-major tournaments have already gotten underway, on Wednesday, five Power Five tournaments will have begun theirs to join the club.
(Editor's note: Check out our breakdowns of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-acc-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACC</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-big-ten-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Ten</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-pac12-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pac-12</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-sec-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC</a>.)
Since everyone will have their eyes on the best players in these conferences over the next few weeks, BasketballNews.com has highlighted each Power Five and its top 2022 NBA Draft prospects.
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Here are the names to look out for in the Big 12.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown</a>
Forward | Baylor
Height: 6-8 Weight: 205 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.1 Nationality: USA
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/51cdjbbE-4I" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
A big, strong and explosive wing with a high motor, Kendall Brown has provided an impact as a freshman at Baylor this season. Brown can finish with both athleticism and finesse as a slasher despite lacking elite self-creation. He is also a terrific defender, using his length and quickness to disrupt the opposition. Brown is a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/ochai-agbaji" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ochai Agbaji</a>
Guard-Forward | Kansas
Height: 6-5 Weight: 215 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 22.2 Nationality: USA
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Ochai Agbaji is a versatile wing who has shown promise as a defender, slasher and shooter. Early in his career, he was known for his athleticism and defense. However, this season, he has emerged as one of the best shooters in America, making giant leaps as a scorer in both volume and efficiency. Agbaji has solidified himself as a viable 3-and-D option at the NBA level, and is a candidate for National Player of the Year.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jeremy-sochan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan</a>
Forward | Baylor
Height: 6-9 Weight: 230 Wingspan: 7-0
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.1 Nationality: Poland, UK
Jeremy Sochan is an energetic, athletic forward with positional size at 6-foot-9. He has a tremendous motor and excels as a defender and rebounder due to his footwork and length. Although still 18 years old, Sochan has shown flashes of self-creation, but is primarily scoring off of cuts at the rim and catch-and-shoot threes at the moment. He will still only be 19 on Draft Day, but he is already showing why he has big-time potential at the NBA level. Sochan's combination of size, athleticism, instincts and skill is unique.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/christian-braun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Braun</a>
Guard-Forward | Kansas
Height: 6-6 Weight: 205 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 21.2 Nationality: USA
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BnOiG2qCS38" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
At 6-foot-6, Christian Braun has positional size, showing the ability to score from anywhere on the floor. He has a smooth release from three and can pick his spots off the dribble. He is reliable on and off the ball on offense, while providing intelligent defense on the other end. Braun is a well-rounded player and makes a strong case for the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/matthew-mayer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Mayer</a>
Forward | Baylor
Height: 6-9 Weight: 225 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Senior Draft Day Age: 22.6 Nationality: USA
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RK9PgO1j-g8" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
At 6-foot-9, Matthew Mayer is a fluid ball-handler and scorer who has been an essential piece of Baylor's success the last two seasons. Although his role and usage have never been overly significant, his impact is often felt on both ends of the floor. He projects as a scoring wing at the NBA level who plays strongly on and off-ball defense, providing true versatility. In addition, Mayer has positional size, making him worth monitoring down the stretch as he makes a case for himself in 2022.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/terrence-shannon-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terrence Shannon Jr.</a>
Guard-Forward | Texas Tech
Height: 6-6 Weight: 215 Wingspan: 6-8
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 22.1 Nationality: USA
Terrence Shannon Jr. is an energetic, athletic wing who hangs his hat on defense. He possesses an impressive frame and mobility, and is a solid on-ball defender who provides versatility. He missed many games due to injury to start this season, and will need to show more consistency as a shooter and rim-finisher. However, Shannon&rsquo;s physical tools alone make him a viable option in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Others worth noting:
James Akinjo | Baylor
Izaiah Brockington | Iowa State
Mike Miles | TCU
Taz Sherman | West Virginia
Jalen Wilson | Kansas
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Matt Babcock highlights the top 2022 NBA Draft prospects in the Big 12 Tournament.

2022 NBA Draft: Top prospects in the Big 12 Tournament

As we near the end of the NCAA regular season, let's take a dive into college basketball's Power Five conference standings, remaining matchups, and teams to watch as we come down the stretch.
Earlier this week we addressed the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/state-of-the-conference-evaluating-the-sec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC</a>. For this article, we'll dive into the Big 12.
Here are the current Big 12 standings, with conference wins and losses to the left and overall record to the right (table via <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-12/2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBB Sports-Reference</a>):
<table dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 112.547%; height: 264px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><colgroup><col width="50" /><col width="120" /><col width="61" /><col width="61" /><col width="81" /><col width="61" /><col width="61" /><col width="64" /><col width="65" /></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Rk&quot;}">Rk</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;School&quot;}">School</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W&quot;}">W</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;L&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">L</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W-L%&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:4,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;[$$]#,##0.00&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">W-L%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W&quot;}">W</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;L&quot;}">L</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;W-L%&quot;}">W-L%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:1}">1</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas&quot;}">Kansas (6)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;2&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">2</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.833}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">83.3%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:21}">21</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.84}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">84%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:2}">2</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Baylor&quot;}">Baylor (7)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;3&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.75}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">75.0%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:21}">21</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.84}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">84%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas Tech&quot;}">Texas Tech (11)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;4&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.667}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">66.7%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:19}">19</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.76}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">76%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Texas&quot;}">Texas (20)</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;5&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.615}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">61.5%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:19}">19</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.731}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">73%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Kansas State&quot;}">Kansas State</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;7&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.462}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">46.2%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.56}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">56%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:6}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;TCU&quot;}">TCU</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;6&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">6</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.455}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">45.5%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:16}">16</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.696}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">70%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 44px;">
<td style="height: 44px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:7}">7</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oklahoma State&quot;}">Oklahoma State</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:5}">5</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;8&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">8</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.385}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">38.5%</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:13}">13</td>
<td style="height: 44px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.48}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">48%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Iowa State&quot;}">Iowa State</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.308}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">30.8%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:17}">17</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:9}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.654}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">65%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:8}">8</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Oklahoma&quot;}">Oklahoma</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:4}">4</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.308}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">30.8%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:12}">12</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.538}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">54%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.51974%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:10}">10</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 23.651%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;West Virginia&quot;}">West Virginia</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.71057%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:3}">3</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 6.619%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;9&quot;}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:1}">9</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 12.1915%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.25}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0.0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">25.0%</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 8.3984%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:14}">14</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 7.09351%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:11}">11</td>
<td style="height: 22px; width: 14.519%;" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;3&quot;:0.56}" data-sheets-numberformat="{&quot;1&quot;:3,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;0%&quot;,&quot;3&quot;:1}">56%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
FRONTRUNNERS: KANSAS, BAYLOR
Other than their embarrassing loss at home to Kentucky, the Kansas Jayhawks have looked the part of a No. 1 seed with an offense ranked third in the country and Adjusted Efficiency that ranks sixth. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun are incredibly difficult to contain, while role players such as Jalen Wilson and Remy Martin are reliable in their own right. Kansas has a primetime matchup against Baylor coming up, but other than that, the team should be able to finish the season on a strong note.
The Baylor Bears are only one game back from the Jayhawks, but recently lost Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua for the year with a devastating knee injury. While this will certainly impact them down the stretch, potential first-round picks Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan have the potential to win game when it matters, leading the No. 14 defense in the nation. Baylor is led offensively by a three-headed monster at guard: James Akinjo, LJ Cryer, and Adam Flagler. They are effective as floor generals, scorers and facilitators, and will look to power the Bears through the final few weeks of the regular season with an eye on the top spot if they can defeat Kansas on Feb. 26.
Notable games remaining:&nbsp;
Kansas: Baylor (Feb. 26), Texas (Mar. 5)
Baylor: Kansas (Feb. 26), Texas (Feb. 28)
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ON THE HEELS: TEXAS TECH, TEXAS
Sporting the third-best defense in the country, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are ranked 11th nationally and have a chance to move even higher up with a win against Baylor on Wednesday. Sitting only two games back from the top spot, Bryson Williams, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Co. are nearly unbeatable at home, so Tech will push for a top-two seed over the next few weeks. Oral Roberts transfer Kevin Obanor is the swing factor for me. He&rsquo;s been inconsistent as a scorer, but when he&rsquo;s clicking and stretching the floor, the Red Raiders are incredibly difficult to compete with. Look for him to have a strong finish to the year.&nbsp;
The Texas Longhorns entered this season ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, but are only 8-5 in conference play. While they have underperformed, I still wouldn&rsquo;t want any part of them come Big 12 or NCAA Tournament time. They are senior-laden, experienced and skilled across the board. Currently projected as as No. 5 seed in March, Timmy Allen, Marcus Carr and Co. have a very difficult schedule the next couple weeks, but have an opportunity to turn the tables in their favor.
Notable games remaining:&nbsp;
Texas Tech: Texas (Feb. 19)
Texas: Texas Tech (Feb. 19), Baylor (Feb. 28). Kansas (Mar. 5)
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SLEEPERS: TCU
The TCU Horned Frogs are 5-6 in conference play, but we are going to find out what they&rsquo;re made of down the stretch. Five of the final seven games are against ranked opponents, a gauntlet that has not been friendly to others in the Big 12. Mike Miles is leading the team in scoring, but will need to play at an elite level to carry the team to the end.&nbsp;
Notable games remaining: Texas (Feb. 23), Texas Tech (Feb. 26), Kansas (Mar. 1, Mar. 3)
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THE REST: 
Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Iowa State
2022 NBA DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/kendall-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kendall Brown, Baylor</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/ochai-agbaji" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ochai Agbaji, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jeremy-sochan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan, Baylor</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/christian-braun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Braun, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/matthew-mayer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Mayer, Baylor</a>
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Terrence Shannon Jr., Texas Tech
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Nearing the end of the NCAA regular season, Derek Murray takes a dive into the state of the Big 12.

State of the Conference: Evaluating the Big 12

In a battle for the top spot in the Big 12, Kansas sent a message and took the life out of the Baylor Bears, winning 83-59. Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji led all players in scoring with 18 points each, with Braun also adding 10 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.&nbsp;
Baylor (19-4, 7-3 Big 12) is currently slotted as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament thanks to a phenomenal season thus far. They are third in the country in Adjusted Efficiency, led by a three-headed monster backcourt of L.J. Cryer, James Akinjo and Adam Flagler who combine for 40.2 points per game.&nbsp;
The Jayhawks (19-3, 8-1 Big 12) are 10th nationally in Adjusted Efficiency, but are third in offense. Agbaji continues to make his case for Player of the Year with 20.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 46.4% shooting from behind the arc.&nbsp;
Kansas and that No. 3 rated offense got started early and jumped out to a 12-2 lead, electrifying the home crowd. By the 10:00 mark, they led 25-9 and none of the Baylor guards had scored a single point. Agbaji, Braun, and Jalen Wilson scored 20 of the team&rsquo;s first 27 points.&nbsp;
The Jayhawks extended the lead to 37-17 after an and-one and transition alley-oop from Agbaji to Braun, and would lead 39-21 at the half. Braun led all players with 14 points on 6 of 11 from the field. Potential lottery pick Kendall Brown led Baylor with 7 points and 6 rebounds. Tchamwa Tchatchoua had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block off the bench. The Baylor guards were 0 for 14 from the field.&nbsp;
At the 17:10 mark in the second half, Matthew Mayer was called for a charge and head coach Scott Drew went crazy. He was assessed a technical foul and Kansas connected on the free throws to make it 46-26. At 11:33, Agbaji connected on a triple to make it 63-36 and the rest is history.&nbsp;
With 2:48 in the game, the walk-ons entered and the student section loved it. Kansas held on to win 83-59 and took a two game lead in the conference standings.
Wilson had a solid game with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. Brown posted 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Matthew Mayer scored 7 points on 2 of 9 from the field.&nbsp;
The first half today was Baylor&rsquo;s lowest scoring half this season.&nbsp;
Remy Martin is still out with injury and did not play in this one.
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UPCOMING
Baylor visits Kansas State on Wednesday night.
Kansas visits No. 23 Texas on Monday.&nbsp;

Kansas sent a message and took the life out of the Baylor Bears in a Big 12 battle, winning 83-59.

No. 10 Kansas dominates No. 8 Baylor 83-59, Braun and Agbaji score 18

Lubbock, TX&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; In Chris Beard&rsquo;s return to Lubbock, the Red Raiders make a statement with a 77-64 win, defeating the Longhorns. Kevin McCullar led all players with 19 points, and Marcus Carr scored 16 for the visitors.
The&nbsp; Red Raiders (17-5, 6-3 Big 12) entered ranked No. 3 in the conference behind the strong season of Bryson Williams. The senior UTEP transfer is averaging 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.&nbsp;
The Longhorns (16-6, 5-4 Big 12) are also led by a transfer in scoring. Timmy Allen (Utah) is averaging 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game alongside the experienced backcourt of Marcus Carr (Minnesota), Courtney Ramey and Andrew Jones.
The students camped out for days for a chance to heckle former Red Raider head coach and now Longhorn head coach, Beard. The environment was unlike the building had seen in years as they entered this contest 13-0 at home on the season.&nbsp;
The Red Raiders jumped out to a 19-7 lead and the place was going bonkers. Kevin Obanor and Kevin McCullar would lead the way in the first half with 11 points and 10 points respectively, as the home team took a 43-29 lead into the break. Williams added 9 points while Ramey was trying to shoulder the load for the visitors by scoring 12 points.&nbsp;
Allen and Carr would get going early in the second period as Texas cut the lead to 49-42. Obanor would soon respond with a pair of triples to re-extend the lead to 62-50. With the power of the crowd behind them, Tech continued to get the necessary stops to seal the deal.&nbsp;
Mylik Wilson threw down a ferocious dunk with 0:54 to play to send a message, and Mark Adams and company sealed the 77-64 win for the Red Raiders to stay undefeated at home.&nbsp;
Kevin Obanor had a great game with 17 points of 5 of 7 from deep. Bryson Williams scored 16 points on 7 of 11 from the field. Ramey ends with 12 points. Christian Bishop provided 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal for the Longhorns.
UPCOMING
Texas hosts No. 20 Iowa State on Saturday afternoon.
Texas Tech visits West Virginia on Saturday.
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In Chris Beard’s return to Lubbock, the Red Raiders made a statement with a 77-64 win, defeating the Longhorns.

No. 14 Texas Tech beats No. 23 Texas 77-64 in statement win

Lawrence, KS&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; The Kansas Jayhawks squeaked out a victory at home, winning 94-91 against Texas Tech. Ochai Agbaji led the team in scoring with 37 points on seven makes from deep, both career-highs. Bryson Williams kept the Red Raiders in it all night with his 33 points on 14 of 19 shooting.&nbsp;
In a pivotal Big 12 matchup between the top two teams in the conference, the Jayhawks (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) hosted the Red Raiders. Kansas came into the day having won 12 of its last 13 games, averaging 77.9 points over their last 10, with the only loss coming to Texas Tech in Lubbock.
The Red Raiders (15-5, 5-3 Big 12) have put together a strong resume thus far and have held opponents to 59.2 points per game over the last 10. Despite losing some tough games to great opponents, they&rsquo;ve also managed to defeat multiple high-profile teams including Baylor and Tennessee. They are led by Terrence Shannon Jr., who has played nine games this year due to injury and is averaging 12.8 points per game.
Kansas has been led all season by its two standout upperclassmen wings in Agbaji and Christian Braun. Agbaji is a candidate for Player of the Year and is making a strong case as a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, averaging 20.4 points per game on 45.8% from deep. Braun is scoring 15.3 points along with 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.&nbsp;
Both teams traded buckets in the first half until roughly the 8-minute mark when Kansas started to pull away. The Jayhawks held a 36-30 lead at the break behind 13 points from Agbaji. He was feeling it early from deep, hitting 3 of his first 6 attempts. Williams, Tech's senior transfer from UTEP, poured in 12 early points for Texas Tech, which kept the Red Raiders close.&nbsp;
Three minutes into the second half, Texas Tech cut the lead back to two points, but Kansas got hot. Everyone got involved for the Jayhawks with Agbaji, McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot responding with makes of their own. They would stretch the lead to 12 points, and then it got interesting.
Texas Tech went to a defensive scheme in which the team totally took away Agbaji by faceguarding him. Things got dicy at 2:52, when Warren hit a huge triple to cut the lead to four points, capping a 10-2 run. Agbaji responded with a clean, pull-up jumper; Kevin Obanor then hit back-to-back tough shots on the interior to make it 74-72 Jayhawks. Texas Tech was able to get a big stop and Terrence Shannon Jr. hit 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to cut it to 74-73.
Tech had an opportunity to tie or take the lead but missed a tough shot; although on the rebound, Agbaji&rsquo;s foot hit the baseline, which gave the ball back to the visiting Red Raiders with 19.2 seconds left. Shannon got the isolation call and drove right, but was fouled on the floor at the elbow and sent to the line for a 1-and-1. He nailed them both to tie it up at 75-75.
Kansas had the ball on the side with 11.5 seconds and had time for one play, and Agbaji missed a three at the buzzer to send it to overtime.&nbsp;
He did not, however, miss his opportunity at the end of overtime to connect on a massive catch-and-shoot triple to send it to double overtime. Pandemonium ensued in Allen Fieldhouse, and Kansas capitalized.
McCormack had a strong showing was impactful on the interior all game by posting 13 points and 5 rebounds. The Jayhawks' Jalen Wilson went for 9 points and 11 boards; Braun posted 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in what started out as a quiet night.
Davion Warren scored 15 points for the Red Raiders. Oral Roberts transfer Kevin Obanor hustled on the glass and provided great effort all night, ending with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Kansas keeps its place on top of the Big 12 with the victory.
UPCOMING
Texas Tech will host Mississippi State on Saturday.
Kansas hosts Kentucky in a primetime matchup Saturday evening.
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The Jayhawks squeaked out a victory at home, winning 94-91 against Texas Tech. Ochai Agbaji led the team in scoring with 37.

Kansas beats Texas Tech in double overtime behind Agbaji, 94-91

On Tuesday night, Steph Curry became the NBA&rsquo;s all-time leader in career three-pointers with 2,974 at the Mecca &mdash; Madison Square Garden. It was a time of jubilation, and emotions ran high as they paused the game for an embrace with his father Dell Curry, Reggie Miller and Ray Allen, who were on hand to pass the torch. It was certainly a magical NBA moment.&nbsp;
Steph has not only cemented himself in the NBA history books as the greatest shooter ever in the game, but he has changed the way the entire game is played. With that said, he is deserving of the utmost respect for reasons that far exceed his amazing accomplishments on the basketball court.&nbsp;
I had the honor of interviewing Steph Curry for my <a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/police-brutality-and-white-supremacy-the-fight-against-american-traditions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">upcoming book</a>, "Police Brutality and White Supremacy: The Fight Against American Traditions."
When I sat down with Steph after the Golden State Warriors' game against the Washington Wizards in the visiting locker room, the first thing I told him was that I didn&rsquo;t want to talk about anything really having to do with basketball, but that I wanted to interview him for a book I was putting together about police brutality, racism and how it&rsquo;s going to take a collective effort to dismantle it.
And without hesitation, he said sure. He looked at the line of other reporters who wanted to ask him about the game, asked them to wait a minute and sat down and talked with me for about 15 minutes. Some of the other reporters were giving me the stank eye, but ESPN's Michael Wilbon stood close by and ear hustled, and told me after that he couldn&rsquo;t wait for my new book to come out.&nbsp;
I asked Steph about the stance he took of choosing to not visit the White House and his willingness to speak out against police brutality and call out racism, and I told him how much respect the athlete activists of the past had for him &mdash; namely Oscar Robertson. He looked at me with a big smile and replied, &ldquo;Really? I didn&rsquo;t know that.&rdquo;
I explained to him that I interviewed The Big O for <a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/we-matter-athletes-and-activism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my book</a>, "We Matter: Athletes And Activism,&rdquo; and that Oscar spoke for quite some time about how much he respected the way Steph handled the situation at Under Armour in particular, and how he uses his voice and his platform. Oscar said a lot of the guys like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell have discussed that on many occasions.&nbsp;
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I asked Steph to break down for me how he used his position, platform and power to influence the CEO of Under Armour, Kevin Plank, and to explain what exactly happened:
Curry: "Now as far as Under Armour, Kevin Plank was invited to this council that [Donald] Trump had put together with other major business CEOs, and the smokescreen was that they were trying to figure out how to bring jobs back to America. But, a lot of people saw through it in terms of it being more of a PR stunt, but others didn&rsquo;t. Our CEO made some glowing comments about Trump being an asset to American businesses and as a person.
"I chimed in because I had a very different opinion and position on Trump. He&rsquo;s shown exactly who he was on multiple occasions, and I didn't think it was anything worthy of praise in any way, shape or form, and I stood up for what I believed in. The ideals that Trump promotes and the way it permeates throughout our culture, we as athletes with the microphones in front of us and people caring what we have to say, we have an opportunity to be true to who we are and stand up for what is right and against what is wrong. And as a Christian and as a Black man, it really wasn&rsquo;t a hard position for me personally to take."
Etan: And your CEO, Kevin Plank, backtracked on his statement after that? Because that was the part that Oscar Robertson loved the most.
Curry: I called Kevin before I talked to the media, and I had a lot of questions around what his intentions were and where his mind was in regards to promoting and endorsing Trump &mdash; and his plans for working with Trump moving forward. I explained how Trump&rsquo;s ideals didn&rsquo;t align with mine. When you&rsquo;re connected to people from a business perspective the way that I am, I&rsquo;m in a position to hold their feet to the fire, and that&rsquo;s what I did. He respected my position and understood where I was coming from."
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And that&rsquo;s what drew high praise from Oscar Robertson, who <a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/we-matter-athletes-and-activism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told me this</a> in "We Matter: Athletes And Activism."
&ldquo;I get a big smile on my face every time I see one of the current players using their voice," Robertson said. "Like a proud dad watching his son playing ball and making the moves he used to make. I think back to Muhammad Ali, and when he didn&rsquo;t go into the army... they just didn&rsquo;t want him to influence other Black kids into not going into the army, because they knew the level of influence he had. Well, the same goes for today. They don&rsquo;t want these athletes to influence Black kids. They want you to be peaceful, sedated, grateful to them...
"I was so glad to see Curry get upset when the Under Armour guy said he was a big Trump supporter, and you know why? Because they need Curry, and this is why it&rsquo;s great to take advantage and know who you are.&rdquo;
Steph Curry has remained unafraid to stand up for what he believes in, whether it&rsquo;s a popular or an unpopular position. He has publicly denounced Donald Trump, racism and police brutality, and refused to visit the White House after the Warriors won the championship, all while simultaneously speaking about his dedication and committment to his faith. Not just in name of calling himself a &ldquo;Christian,&rdquo; but by actively trying to follow the actual teachings of Jesus Christ (and yes, there is a big difference). His courage is unique and important in this day and age.
So while we celebrate the accomplishments of Steph Curry on the court, let&rsquo;s not forget his bravery and courage off the court as well.&nbsp;

Etan Thomas shares a story of why Oscar Robertson is happy with Steph Curry's accomplishments and values off the court.

Oscar Robertson has high praise for Steph Curry — off the court

Wednesday was one of the wildest NBA news days in recent memory. The BasketballNews.com staff reacts to every story.

Reacting to a wild NBA news day: Kawhi, CP3, firings, LaMelo

Georges Niang tied a career high with 24 points and the NBA-leading Utah Jazz beat the short-handed Houston Rockets 124-116 on Saturday night to reach 50 victories.
Jordan Clarkson scored 21 points, and Bojan Bogdanovic added 20 &mdash; his seventh straight 20-point performance &mdash; for the Jazz.
Utah finished 5-0 on its homestand despite missing All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley again.
&ldquo;We just had to really fight through mentally. And just keep pushing ... that&rsquo;s how we stuck out this win, but I ain&rsquo;t going to lie to you: This season has been grueling and tiring, but it is what it is and we came here to work,&rdquo; Clarkson said.
Niang took advantage of some post-ups in the paint and was a sharpshooter from beyond the arc. Starting just his eighth game, Niang scored 10 points in the third quarter and his 3-pointer with 2:50 left in the period gave Utah its largest lead, 96-75.
&ldquo;I know he&rsquo;s gonna be at the right spot at the right time,&rdquo; Utah's Joe Ingles said of Niang. &ldquo;If I get in the lane and I key to the corner, he&rsquo;s going to be somewhere in that area and he will definitely shoot it so it&rsquo;s a good look for us, when he&rsquo;s out there playing like that with confidence.&rdquo;
The usually mild-mannered Niang was so fired up, he drew a technical for taunting after draining a 3 that tied his career high of 24 early in the final period. He was 6 of 8 on 3-pointers.
&ldquo;I usually hold my emotions, and I just happened to lose my cool. That&rsquo;s not who I am or aspire to be,&rdquo; Niang said. &ldquo;I thought he had brushed me in the face on purpose. So I told him that he was too late, like, he wasn&rsquo;t going to get to my shot anyway.&rdquo;
Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz.
The Rockets have lost five straight and 20 of their past 23 games.
&ldquo;They fought hard and they battled. Another hard-fought game just like last night. Again, I was super proud of this group,&rdquo; coach Stephen Silas said.
Khyri Thomas and KJ Martin each had career highs of 27 for Houston. Thomas has scored 47 in two games with the Rockets, and Martin marked his third straight 20-point game and fourth of his career.
&ldquo;I just look at it as an opportunity to go out and play basketball. I love to do it, so I just come out every night and compete as hard as I can,&rdquo; Martin said.
Both teams were playing the second night of back-to-back, which led to some sloppy play. The Jazz improved to 12-2 on zero days rest.
The undermanned Rockets used a starting lineup with Martin at 6-foot-7 as the tallest player to face the 7-foot-1 Gobert. Danuel House Jr. and D.J. Augustin moved off the injury report and onto the court for first time in weeks to give Houston eight available players.
TIP-INS
Rockets: Injury list was voluminous: Avery Bradley (personal), Sterling Brown (knee), Dant&eacute; Exum (calf), Eric Gordon (groin); David Nwaba (wrist), Kelly Olynyk (ankle), Kevin Porter Jr (ankle), John Wall (hamstring); D.J. Wilson (health protocols), and Christian Wood (ankle). ... Houston used its 40th different starting lineup in 68 games. ... Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate was assessed a flagrant-1 for hitting Gobert in the face in the third quarter.
Jazz: Clarkson has made a 3 in 90 straight games. ... Utah outscored Houston in the paint, 56-46. &hellip; The Jazz swept the season series with the Rockets, 3-0. ... Ingles got a technical foul with 2:10 remaining and then left the game.
UP NEXT
Rockets: At Portland on Monday night.
Jazz: At Golden State on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Utah finished 5-0 on its homestand despite missing All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley again.

NBA-leading Jazz are first team to 50 wins with 124-116 victory over Rockets

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 50 points, and the NBA-worst Houston Rockets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 143-136 on Thursday night after Giannis Antetokounmpo left less than a minute into the game with an apparent ankle injury.
Houston snapped a five-game losing streak on the back of a dazzling performance from Porter, who scored 32 points in the second half and 17 in the fourth quarter. The 20-year-old's previous career best was 30 points as a rookie with Cleveland last season.
“After I saw the third 3 go down, I knew it was going to be a special night,” Porter said. “It was all up to me. I just stayed aggressive, and it was a good night.”
Antetokounmpo played just 46 seconds. On a driving layup, he appeared to step on the foot of Kelly Olynyk, rolling what was already an injured ankle. He limped to the locker room and spent a few minutes there before returning to the bench, where he sat for the rest of the game.
Antetokounmpo entered the game listed as probable with a right ankle sprain.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the injury was a sprain and that the team is hopeful it’s not serious. Budenholzer said the team would see how the ankle responds to treatment and go from there.
Houston trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half but surged in the second half on hot shooting from 3-point range. Houston made 25 of 46 3-pointers, good for a season-high 54.3%.
Porter also had 11 assists. Christian Wood had 31 points and nine rebounds, and Kelly Olynyk added 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Porter said it was his first 50-point game since he was in fourth grade. He went 9 of 15 from 3-point range.
“For him to be successful, he’s going to have to be someone who can make those shots,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “Just seeing the hard work that he puts in was great.”
Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton had 33 points and eight assists, and Jrue Holiday had 29 points and 10 assists. Bryn Forbes scored a career-high 30 points off the bench, including 18 in the first half.
“At the end of the day, it’s us five guys on the court,” Holiday said. “Once you step on that court, you all need to be on the same page. Tonight, in the fourth quarter, yeah, we tried to step up and play defense a lot harder, but you have to do that the whole game.”
Milwaukee led 73-65 at halftime after Houston closed out the half on a 20-4 run.
The Rockets opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run to take their first lead. They entered the fourth quarter ahead 104-98.
“I think our execution can be a lot better, but they played at a high level and made shots at a really high level,” Budenholzer said. “There’s a point where you have to give credit to them, and they were very good offensively tonight.”
TIP-INS
Bucks: Along with Antetokounmpo, Donte DiVincenzo (sore left Achilles tendon) was also listed in the pregame report as probable. DiVincenzo played 21 minutes, scoring three points. ... Milwaukee’s reserves outscored Houston’s 55-20.
Rockets: Avery Bradley (sore right leg) and Danuel House Jr. (sore right ankle) joined Houston’s long list of injuries, which is now up to eight players. D.J. Augustin (left ankle sprain) said Wednesday he hopes to return in the coming days.
PORTER’S RESILIENCE
Silas said he was most impressed by Porter’s ability to bounce back from an off night on Tuesday, when he went 2 for 12 for 10 points. Silas said the first thing Porter said in the locker room after that loss was, “I’ve got to play better. And I will.”
“I was just so proud of him,” Silas said. “We haven’t had very many moments that have been super positive. I was so proud of that kid tonight.”
MILWAUKEE’S PATH FORWARD
Budenholzer said his team has a few areas where it needs to improve in the final few weeks of the regular season before the playoffs begin. Milwaukee currently holds the third seed in the East. 
“I don’t think it’s one specific area,” Budenholzer said. “Defensively, we need to get better. We just need to get better. I’m not happy with how we played tonight, but it’s a good group, and they’ll respond appropriately.”
HONORING TUCKER
The Rockets played a video tribute to P.J. Tucker in the first quarter, showing highlights of his time in Houston. Tucker spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Rockets before he was traded to Milwaukee in March in exchange for D.J. Wilson, D.J. Augustin and draft considerations. 
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit Chicago on Friday night.
Rockets: Host Golden State on Saturday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 50 points, and the NBA-worst Rockets beat the Bucks 143-136 on Thursday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scores 50, Rockets stun Bucks after Giannis exits

Michael Porter Jr. scored a career-high 39 points, Nikola Jokic had 24 points and the Denver Nuggets beat the undermanned Houston Rockets 129-116 on Saturday night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
A CAREER-HIGH 39 PTS for Michael Porter Jr!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MileHighBasketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MileHighBasketball</a> 39 PTS 6 REB 2 AST 3 BLK 57.2 FPTS <a href="https://t.co/gj6BtQkJEm">pic.twitter.com/gj6BtQkJEm</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1386175073564889088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2021</a></blockquote>

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P.J. Dozier started at guard in place of the injured Will Barton and added a career-high 23 points for the Nuggets. They are 13-3 in their last 16 games while dealing with a wave of backcourt injuries.
&ldquo;I was really pleased offensively,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;We came from a game last night where the ball wasn&rsquo;t moving a whole lot (118-97 loss at Golden State). It was kind of being held and we didn&rsquo;t make the defense work for us. Tonight, we had 36 assists &mdash; that&rsquo;s a great number for us. Getting one win in this league is hard. I&rsquo;ve said that before and I&rsquo;m happy we got it.&rdquo;
The Rockets, too, have been besieged by injuries and roster upheaval and only seven players logged playing time against the Nuggets. D.J. Wilson led Houston with 25 points, Kelly Olynyk had 21 and Kenyon Martin Jr. 18.
Denver swept the three-game season series. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s definitely tough when you&rsquo;ve got nobody coming in to save you,&rdquo; Olynyk said of the Rockets' seven-man rotation. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re basically rotating one guy in the second half there. It&rsquo;s nice because you can get in a rhythm and for a young guy you don&rsquo;t have to look over your shoulder at all. But you&rsquo;re going to have to figure it out and make plays and all that. It&rsquo;s definitely good experience for these young guys.&rdquo;
The Nuggets asserted themselves from the outset with Dozier and Porter setting the tone early by hitting 3-pointers in the opening minutes. Porter finished with eight.
A length-of-the-court pass from Jokic to Dozier resulted in a running dunk in the last second of the second quarter that gave the Nuggets a 72-50 halftime lead.
Houston played the Nuggets evenly through the third quarter, but still trailed 102-82 heading into the final period. The Rockets could make little headway into the deficit the rest of the way as the Nuggets began substituting freely midway through the final quarter.
BIG CATCH
Dozier was asked in a postgame zoom call what came into his mind after catching Jokic&rsquo;s length-of-court pass and finishing the play with a running dunk just before the first-half buzzer. &ldquo;Touchdown!&rdquo; Dozier said, putting both of his arms up. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s one of the best quarterbacks I&rsquo;ve seen thus far and that&rsquo;s in the NBA and NFL.&rdquo; Jokic finished with 12 assists. Facundo Campazzo had a career high 13.
TIP-INS
Rockets: G John Wall had the night off &mdash; the second of a back to back set for Houston &mdash; as part of the management of a left Achilles tendon injury that he initially suffered in early 2019. ... F Christian Wood was ruled out because of right ankle soreness.
Nuggets: Barton suffered &ldquo;a pretty serious&rdquo; right hamstring strain in the opening minutes of Friday night&rsquo;s game at Golden State and there&rsquo;s no definitive timetable for his return. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t expect Will will be back in uniform in the foreseeable future,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone said in a pregame zoom call. The Nuggets have been hit hard by injuries at the guard position. Jamal Murray was lost in late March to a season-ending knee injury and Monte Morris remains sidelined by a right hamstring injury.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night.
Nuggets: Host Memphis on Monday night.
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Michael Porter Jr. scored a career-high 39 points, Nikola Jokic had 24 points and the Nuggets beat the undermanned Rockets 129-116.