Orlando Magic

Brandon Roy&rsquo;s Hall of Fame case has always existed in a space shaped by both brilliance and absence. His peak was undeniable. His career length was not. For years, those two truths complicated his candidacy.
Now, with Roy nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame&rsquo;s 2026 class, the conversation returns with a different tone. Less hypothetical. More reflective.
During his prime in Portland, Roy was one of the league&rsquo;s most complete guards. He scored efficiently, controlled tempo, and closed games with calm authority. When possessions tightened late, the ball found him. Teammates trusted that instinct.
As shared with RG.org, when Roy was healthy, he was the kind of player who dictated outcomes rather than reacted to them. That distinction continues to resonate among peers and analysts alike.
Kevin Durant and Jamal Crawford have both voiced public support for Roy&rsquo;s candidacy. Their endorsements highlight something statistics cannot fully capture. Roy was studied. He was respected. His approach influenced how elite guards thought about control and pacing.
"I mean, nobody could speed up his game. He was always thinking on the court was always clutch, was always just a great player, and a great person, <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/durant-crawford-weigh-in-brandon-roy-hof-ballot">Said Crawford</a>.
"Knowing him since he was, 15 years old to present day, watching his growth and evolution, he's, obviously a Portland legend, a Seattle legend, and people give him his respect and his flowers, and they're so deserved. So to see him on the ballot was exciting. It's just, it's really, really cool.&rdquo; 
&ldquo;A player whose career was cut short by injuries, but every time I saw him on the court, he was one of the toughest players to stop of all time,&rdquo; said Durant.&nbsp;
Injuries ultimately robbed Roy of longevity. Knee issues forced him away from the game before his prime could fully unfold. But the Hall of Fame has long acknowledged that greatness is not measured solely by years played. Players whose careers were shortened by circumstances have been inducted before.
Roy&rsquo;s legacy extends beyond numbers. His moments remain vivid. His leadership shaped a franchise. Even after retirement, his return to basketball as a coach reflected his continued connection to the game.
The Hall of Fame conversation often centers on accumulation. Roy&rsquo;s candidacy challenges voters to consider the impact. Some careers burn briefly but brightly, leaving impressions that outlast seasons.
The question is no longer whether Brandon Roy mattered. The league remembers that clearly. The question is whether the Hall is prepared to honor a career defined by influence rather than duration.

Brandon Roy returns to the Hall of Fame ballot as conversations about his candidacy take on a more hopeful, different tone.

Brandon Roy, Former Three-Time All-Star, Nominated for 2026 Hall of Fame Class

The 2025 NBA Christmas Day delivered high-level hoops and dramatic finishes across a full slate of five games, with several teams making the holiday spotlight on the national stage.
<h3>Knicks rally to edge Cavaliers in MSG thriller</h3>
The day&rsquo;s action kicked off at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks completed a stunning comeback to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124. Trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter, New York rallied behind Jalen Brunson&rsquo;s 34 points and timely contributions from Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson &ndash; turning a huge deficit into a late lead and Christmas Day victory.
<h3>Spurs dominate Thunder again, go up 3-0 in season series</h3>
In yet another heated Western Conference rivalry, the San Antonio Spurs took down the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 in a rematch from just two days ago. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox led San Antonio with 29 points, while Victor Wembanyama added a strong all-around showing off the bench. The win marked another impressive Christmas Day performance for the Spurs and another blemish on the Thunder&rsquo;s otherwise elite season, as they have completely outclassed the defending champs. The Spurs have now won all three games against the Thunder this season, with one more play date to happen in January.
<h3>Warriors outlast Mavericks in Cooper Flagg&rsquo;s Christmas debut</h3>
The Golden State Warriors continued their holiday bliss with a 126-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Stephen Curry led the way with 23 points, including a clutch fourth-quarter three that helped separate the Warriors from Dallas. Jimmy Butler added 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Dubs, who are now on their first three-game win streak this season. Rookie Cooper Flagg starred for the Mavs with 27 points, but Golden State&rsquo;s depth ultimately made the difference. Nevertheless, Flagg showed out in his first-ever Christmas Day game and should be a fixture in the NBA&rsquo;s annual event for years to come if he keeps up his play.
<h3>Rockets roll past Lakers behind Amen, KD</h3>
Over in LA, the Houston Rockets pulled off a dominant 119-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Amen Thompson (26 points) and Kevin Durant (25 points) spearheaded Houston&rsquo;s balanced attack as the Rockets raced out to a big lead and never looked back. The defeat marked another frustrating Christmas Day outing for the Lakers despite Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James playing in the starting lineup.
<h3>Nuggets top Timberwolves in overtime shootout</h3>
In the nightcap, the Denver Nuggets survived a wild overtime battle against the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning 142-138. Nikola Jokić was sensational, recording a historic triple-double with 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists &ndash; one of the greatest individual performances in Christmas Day history. Minnesota&rsquo;s Anthony Edwards dropped 44 points to pace his team in the defeat, after hitting a wild left fading corner triple to tie the game and force overtime.
<h3>THE HIGHLIGHTS:</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York&rsquo;s comeback over Cleveland was one of the biggest fourth-quarter rallies of the season.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Spurs continued their strong trend vs. the Thunder with another decisive win, seemingly being their kryptonite. The Thunder are 26-2 against the entire league, but are 0-3 against the Spurs.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Curry and the Warriors remained a tough holiday matchup, a team that&rsquo;s a fixture in the NBA&rsquo;s annual premier play date.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Houston&rsquo;s balanced scoring showcased the Rockets&rsquo; roster depth, while it showed the Lakers&rsquo; flaws as a team.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jokic&rsquo;s historic triple-double capped off a memorable Christmas slate with one of the best games of the season thus far, including one of the best for Jokic&rsquo;s entire career. It spoiled an otherwise great game for Anthony Edwards, who scored 40 points after his interview with ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania where he said he will be scoring 40 points in Christmas &ndash; and he did.</li>
</ul>

The 2025 NBA Christmas Day delivered high-level hoops and dramatic finishes across a full slate of five games.

2025 NBA Christmas Day: Knicks, Spurs, Warriors, Rockets, Nuggets all take wins

MACAU, CHINA &mdash; The NBA officially returned to China for the first time in six years, and the moment didn&rsquo;t disappoint. In a thrilling overtime showdown at the Venetian Arena, the Phoenix Suns outlasted the Brooklyn Nets 132-127 here in the first game of the 2025 NBA China Games, capping off a night filled with history
The atmosphere inside the 14,000-seat arena was electric, with fans witnessing not just the return of NBA basketball to Chinese soil, but also a matchup that had all the flair of a midseason battle. After a six-year hiatus following strained relations between the league and the country, the NBA&rsquo;s return marked a new chapter &ndash; and Macau&rsquo;s vibrant crowd made sure it was one to remember.
Several NBA legends also were in attendance, including Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal, Yao Ming, Vince Carter, Vince Carter, Dwyane Wade, Jeremy Lin, Shawn Marion, Deron Williams, Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Stephon Marbury with special appearances from David Beckham and Jackie Chan.
Game report: Nets start hot before Suns find their rhythm, as Booker leads third-quarter surge and Goodwin seals it in overtime
Brooklyn came out blazing, storming to a 23-6 lead behind the hot hand of Cam Thomas, who poured in nine early points and looked unstoppable in isolation. The Nets were crisp and confident, converting tough looks while capitalizing on Phoenix&rsquo;s early turnovers and sluggish defense. The Suns struggled to find their footing initially, looking overwhelmed by Brooklyn&rsquo;s pace and pressure.
As the game wore on, though, the Suns began to settle in. They tightened their defense, slowed the tempo, and began finding their offensive groove. By halftime, Phoenix had clawed back into the game, their ball movement improving and their defensive rotations much sharper.
The third quarter belonged to Devin Booker, who caught fire after a quiet first half. The All-Star guard found his rhythm from midrange and from downtown and began orchestrating the Suns&rsquo; comeback. His leadership helped steady the team, and his ability to collapse the Nets&rsquo; defense opened the door for Phoenix&rsquo;s role players to step up.
In overtime, it was Jordan Goodwin who delivered the dagger &ndash; drilling a clutch three-pointer that sealed the Suns&rsquo; victory. Phoenix&rsquo;s bench outplayed Brooklyn&rsquo;s late, displaying poise and depth that underscored how balanced this Suns roster can be even in exhibition play.
Nets head coach Jordi Fern&aacute;ndez spoke about his young group after the loss, noting both positives and areas for growth.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy with them overall,&rdquo; Fernandez said, speaking about rookie PGs Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf. Traore finished the game with 6 points in 7 minutes, starting the game, while Saraf had 9 markers off the bench. &ldquo;I thought Nolan and Ben as point guards felt the real NBA pressure &ndash; and that&rsquo;s a good thing. That&rsquo;s a learning opportunity when you feel that pressure from a good defensive team. But 34 turnovers for 42 points? You&rsquo;re not going to win many games that way.&rdquo;
Fernandez also commended rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf for their energy and composure. &ldquo;Drake took advantage of his minutes &ndash; you can see his athleticism, how he pressures the ball, and plays on both ends. Danny had a good punch with that last group and made winning plays to help us take the lead.&rdquo;
For Cam Thomas, who finished with an impressive scoring and playmaking display with 22 points and 6 assists, the balance between aggression and facilitating remains a focus.
&ldquo;Me and Jordi always talk about it,&rdquo; Thomas said about him being a scorer and a facilitator. &ldquo;He knows I&rsquo;m a scorer, but it&rsquo;s about that fine line &ndash; being aggressive while creating for others. We&rsquo;re finding that balance this year, and it&rsquo;s trending up.&rdquo;
On the Suns&rsquo; side, head coach Jordan Ott highlighted the impact of rookie center Oso Ighodaro, who showcased his mobility and passing feel in the short roll.
&ldquo;The speed and aggressiveness early from the Nets did affect him,&rdquo; Ott said. &ldquo;But you saw how important Oso is to us. His third quarter really helped stabilize that group, especially against a team that pressures as much as Brooklyn. He&rsquo;s a pressure release for us &ndash; that short-roll decision making is big.&rdquo;
<h3>&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;</h3>
Beyond the box score, the night carried symbolic weight. The NBA&rsquo;s return to China &ndash; facilitated with lots of partnership including with Alibaba and Tencent &ndash; marks a rekindling of one of the league&rsquo;s most lucrative international relationships. The Macau crowd&rsquo;s energy underscored how much Chinese fans have missed live NBA action.

The Phoenix Suns defeated the Brooklyn Nets 132–127 in Macau as the NBA returned to China for the first time in six years.

Suns edge Nets in Macau as NBA returns to China after six years

The 2025 WNBA Finals is set: the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces will battle in a best-of-seven championship, after Phoenix edged the top-seeded Lynx 3-1 and Las Vegas survived the Fever in an unforgettable Game 5 overtime duel.&nbsp;
It marks a new Finals matchup and caps two dramatically different semifinal runs, along with the league&rsquo;s first-ever best-of-seven title series.
Phoenix rallies past top-seeded Minnesota, take series 3-1
The Mercury entered the postseason as underdogs and proved doubters wrong by dispatching Minnesota Lynx, the No. 1 seed, in four games to reach the Finals. After falling in Game 1, Phoenix won three straight &ndash; including a gritty Game 4 where they erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to close it out 86-81.
Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Kahleah Copper all played key roles in the comeback, while the Lynx &ndash; dealing with injuries to star Napheesa Collier and a suspension to head coach Cheryl Reeve &ndash; were unable to answer down the stretch. In Game 4, the Mercury&rsquo;s fourth-quarter surge was decisive and forced Minnesota into vulnerable holes.
Las Vegas outlast Indiana in Game 5 overtime showdown
Las Vegas&rsquo; path was every bit as dramatic. In the deciding Game 5, the Aces beat the Fever 107-98 in OT to clinch their Finals berth. A&rsquo;ja Wilson dropped 35 points, Jackie Young scored 32, and Chelsea Gray delivered clutch contributions en route to the win.
The Fever, already battered by injuries (notably missing Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham as well as dealing with the loss of Kelsey Mitchell mid-game), pushed Vegas hard. Indiana rallied late in regulation to tie it, but Las Vegas took control early in overtime and held on.
What&rsquo;s Next: Mercury-Aces Finals preview
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
See you Friday. WNBA Finals | <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YouTubeTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/BMWkd9TbuB">pic.twitter.com/BMWkd9TbuB</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1973281041323626588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2025</a></blockquote>

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

The 2025 Finals will be played as a best-of-seven series, marking the first time in WNBA history the championship round is extended to seven games.&nbsp;
What happened was a contrast of journeys, as Phoenix&rsquo;s path was more controlled and decisive, while Las Vegas had to fight through adversity and depth.
ANALYSIS: The series will likely spotlight battles between A&rsquo;ja Wilson/Jackie Young and Phoenix&rsquo;s core of Thomas, Sabally, and Copper &ndash; two high-stakes groups fighting for the ultimate prize in the WNBA.
The Mercury will have a noticeable amount of rest, as the Aces pushed through a grueling Game 5 in OT, while Phoenix had a slightly easier close in their semifinal. Which team handles fatigue better could be a factor.

The 2025 WNBA Finals is set: the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces will battle in a best-of-seven championship.

WNBA: Mercury, Aces set up 2025 Finals after dispatching Lynx, Fever

The Oklahoma City Thunder didn&rsquo;t just win a Game 7 &ndash; they passed a rite of passage.
It was gritty, and it was emotional. It was everything that defines a turning point. On Sunday afternoon, inside a frenzied arena where the air was thick with tension, the Thunder outlasted the Denver Nuggets in Game 7. The final buzzer didn&rsquo;t just signal the end of the series, but it marked the beginning of something bigger &ndash; something real.
For a team that&rsquo;s been slowly building in the shadows, amassing assets, developing talent, and waiting for its window, this series was more than just a playoff checkpoint. It was the moment where potential finally collided with performance under pressure. This win was necessary &ndash; an experience that fast-forwards a young team&rsquo;s growth in ways no regular-season run or early-round playoff series ever could.
Battle-tested by the one of the best
Oklahoma City didn&rsquo;t just beat anyone. They beat the team that has made it before and won it all. The Denver Nuggets came in with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic, the NBA&rsquo;s three-time MVP, and a team that knows exactly what it takes to climb the mountain and hoist the Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy. Jokic had carved up defenses all season and into the playoffs and Jamal Murray returned to his playoff form. This team was poised to win the deciding game with all their experience in their belt, and yet the Thunder were the ones left standing.
And they did it by growing up before our eyes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played like the NBA&rsquo;s MVP all season, but this series demanded more. In Game 7, he wasn&rsquo;t just a scorer &ndash; he was a leader, a closer, a composed floor general in a storm. Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace all played beyond their years, taking hits, absorbing the moment, and coming back with even more fire.
There&rsquo;s no manual for winning a Game 7. There&rsquo;s no shortcut for the intensity that builds in every possession. Even SGA admitted to being nervous after the game going into his first ever Game 7. To play in one is one thing. To perform in one is another. To win? That takes something different. It takes nerve. And Oklahoma City just proved they&rsquo;ve got it.
A crucible that creates champions
This wasn&rsquo;t just about the win. It was about the journey &ndash; about facing adversity and coming through on the other side with a new identity. For most of this roster, this was their first taste of a Game 7, and it was nothing short of a trial by fire.
There&rsquo;s a type of emotional resilience that only emerges in these moments. The game slows down and speeds up at the same time. Every cut, every rotation, every decision matters. One mistake can send you home. One stop can etch your name in franchise history.
It&rsquo;s in these crucibles that bonds are formed. These are the games players remember in the offseason, in practice, in the next series when the legs are tired and the confidence wavers. You learn who can be trusted in the foxhole. You learn how far you can push yourself &ndash; and each other.
OKC will carry this Game 7 win for years. This is a foundational building block for a future contender.
Timberwolves await: The next test
Of course, the road doesn&rsquo;t get any easier. Next up are the battle-hardened Minnesota Timberwolves &ndash; another team on the rise, but one that has already been to the Western Conference Finals and is hungry for more.
Anthony Edwards is a force of nature. His rise mirrors that of SGA in many ways &ndash; two young stars trying to grab the torch and never let go. The Wolves have size, depth, and defensive versatility that will challenge OKC in ways even Denver didn&rsquo;t. Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels form a frontcourt wall that will test Holmgren&rsquo;s poise and toughness.
But the Thunder come in with something new: belief forged in battle.
They now know what it takes to win under duress. They&rsquo;ve felt the pressure of the moment and responded with poise. That experience matters. It travels. And as much as Minnesota presents matchup capabilities, OKC presents a different kind of threat &ndash; a team that&rsquo;s fearless, well-coached, and now, proven under fire.
SGA vs Anthony Edwards is the kind of series that could define this generation of NBA stars. Two leaders, two teams, two destinies intersecting on the playoff stage.&nbsp;
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
For years, Oklahoma City was a patient rebuild. The Russell Westbrook-Paul George era to the Chris Paul chapters came and went, but through it all, Sam Presti stayed the course. He stockpiled picks, gambled on high-upside players, and trusted in internal growth. Many wondered when &ndash; or if &ndash; it would all come together.
Game 7 was the answer.
This isn&rsquo;t just a feel-good story anymore. This is real. This is sustainable. The Thunder are here, and they&rsquo;re not backing down from anyone &ndash; not even the moment.
So as the Western Conference Finals loom, one thing is clear: The Thunder have arrived. Not just as a team with promise, but as a team with proof.
And once you get that first taste of victory under playoff fire, it changes you. It elevates your standard. It fuels your hunger. And if you&rsquo;re Oklahoma City, it marks the start of something even bigger.
Because sometimes, the only way forward&hellip; is through the fire.

The Thunder defeat the Nuggets in Game 7, marking a defining moment in their rise. How OKC's gritty win fuels their playoff growth?

Thunder’s Game 7 triumph over Nuggets signals arrival of a contender

The Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious in the first quarterfinal matchups of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024, showcasing grit and tactical adjustments as they punched their tickets to the semifinals and onto Las Vegas.
Bucks Overcome Undermanned Magic
Milwaukee outlasted a depleted but determined Orlando Magic team, winning 114-109. The Magic, without their top stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, relied on a committee approach and defensive pressure to stay competitive. They even managed to cut the lead to a single possession late in the fourth quarter. However, the Bucks leaned on their dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard to seal the victory.
Antetokounmpo delivered a stellar 37-point performance, dominating in transition and on the boards, while Lillard contributed 28 points, including crucial buckets in crunch time. Milwaukee&rsquo;s ability to execute offensively and maintain composure under pressure underscored why they are the only team from last year&rsquo;s semifinals still in contention. For Orlando, the game highlighted their depth and resolve but also the limitations of competing without their two cornerstone players.
Thunder Exact Revenge on Mavericks
In a rematch of last season&rsquo;s Western Conference semifinals, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 117-108. The game marked a critical test for OKC, particularly after being out-rebounded and outmuscled in prior matchups. The addition of Isaiah Hartenstein, returning from injury, was a game-changer as he anchored the Thunder's efforts inside, helping offset Dallas&rsquo; size advantage.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder offensively, outpacing Luka Dončić with timely scoring and clutch playmaking. OKC also made strategic adjustments without Josh Giddey, whose struggles in last year&rsquo;s series had been a talking point. The Thunder exploited their defensive strengths, forcing turnovers and converting fast-break opportunities to keep Dallas off balance. Luka Dončić&rsquo;s brilliance wasn&rsquo;t enough to carry the Mavericks, who struggled to contain Oklahoma City&rsquo;s fluid ball movement and defensive intensity.
With these wins, both Milwaukee and Oklahoma City advance to the semifinals, showcasing why they remain strong contenders for the NBA Cup title.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder emerged victorious in the first quarterfinal matchups of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Emirates NBA Cup: Bucks and Thunder Advance

Like many young teams in the past, the Houston Rockets find themselves in a pivotal phase: the leap. After years of rebuilding and roster turnover, they&rsquo;ve finally found their stride. It&rsquo;s the fifth year since their rebuilding began, and with a 15-6 record, they&rsquo;re sitting second in the Western Conference. They could be closely mirroring the rise of the 2022 Memphis Grizzlies this early into the season. That Memphis squad, led by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., also finished second in the West with their youthful energy catching everyone&rsquo;s attention. Now, the Rockets are replicating that energy, but the question remains: how sustainable is this success and are they legit contenders or just pretenders?
One of the biggest factors behind their early-season success is the leadership of Ime Udoka, the former Celtics coach who took over Houston. Udoka has brought a clear identity to the team, one rooted in defense. The Rockets are currently ranked as one of the top defensive teams in the league, a shift from previous seasons when they were known for their lackluster defense. Known for his defensive prowess during his time with the Boston Celtics, Udoka has transformed the Rockets into one of the league&rsquo;s best defensive teams.&nbsp;
Through 18 games, the Rockets have posted the second-best defensive rating in the league, allowing just 103.7 points per 100 possessions. This defensive turnaround is due in large part to Udoka's philosophy, which emphasizes relentless defense, discipline, and accountability. The Rockets have become a nightmare for opposing offenses, ranking sixth in steals and allowing the second-fewest fast-break points.​
Key players signed a season ago Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks have been instrumental in this shift. VanVleet&rsquo;s playmaking and leadership at the PG position have helped stabilize the young team, while Brooks quickly became the team&rsquo;s primary defensive disruptor. Brooks is one of the main reasons Houston has been so effective defensively this season, and the emergence of key contributors, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson puts them above the notch.&nbsp;
Brooks, a well-established perimeter defender, has been at the forefront, with a defensive rating of 98.9, the second-best among all perimeter players. His toughness and leadership have rubbed off on the younger players. Eason is averaging 2.2 steals per game, while Thompson, has impressed with his defensive instincts, further solidifying the Rockets' defense. Together Eason and Thompson are nicknamed the &ldquo;Terror Twins&rdquo; and are widely regarded as one of the most versatile defenders in the league today.&nbsp;
Additionally, Şeng&uuml;n&rsquo;s development has provided the Rockets with an anchor in the paint. Sengun is averaging 21.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game on 53.7% shooting​ and his ability to control the paint has been crucial. Together with Jalen Green (18.9 points) and Fred VanVleet (16.3 points and 6.2 assists),​ they have been the driving force behind Houston&rsquo;s offensive production to create balance with their intense defense, and their ability to sustain this performance will be critical as the season progresses.
In terms of overall team performance, the Rockets have displayed a more balanced attack compared to previous seasons. They&rsquo;re averaging 114.3 points per game and shooting a solid 45.9% from the field. Although their 3-point shooting percentage (35.2%) isn&rsquo;t elite, their ability to score efficiently and disrupt opposing offenses has placed them among the league's top teams.
This blend of youth, defense, and an increasingly potent offense has allowed the Rockets to outlast tough teams in the West early into the season. Their ability to win close games, as seen in their recent 119-116 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, highlights a growing maturity in executing in crunch-time situations.
While the 2024-2025 season has shown plenty of promise, questions remain about the Rockets' consistency over the long haul. Can they maintain this level of defensive intensity throughout the season? Will the young players continue to develop and reach new levels during the season, or will they hit a plateau? The Rockets' path forward is still uncertain, but their early success under Udoka suggests they may have finally found the winning formula. A 15-6 record places them among the elite teams in the West, and their balanced approach on both ends of the floor makes them a serious contender. But can they sustain this success?
Ultimately, the Rockets are an exciting team to watch, with a blend of youthful energy and the structure needed to compete at a high level. With the second-best defensive rating in the league (as of the moment) and significant contributions from their young players, they&rsquo;ve shown they can be a threat in the Western Conference. The coaching of Ime Udoka, paired with the growth of their core players, makes this team one to watch for the rest of the season. But as with any young team, time will tell if they can sustain their momentum and prove that their early-season success is more than just a flash in the pan.
The true test will come in the second half of the season, where teams often face greater challenges in adjusting to new threats. If they can continue to build on their defensive identity and develop their offense, they may just be the next upstart team to take over the West.&nbsp;

The Rockets are making a strong push early this season with their defense. With their hot start, are they a real threat in the West?

The Houston Rockets are making the leap, but how legit are they?

After five previous tries, the New York Liberty have finally climbed the mountaintop of the WNBA.
New York outlasted the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 Sunday night at the Barclays Center to claim the 2024 WNBA championship &ndash; the first in franchise history.&nbsp;
The Liberty have made WNBA Finals appearances in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and most recently a season ago in 2023, but they have come up short each time around.
This was 28 years in the making as one of the WNBA&rsquo;s original franchises since its inception, finally winning a league title.
Minnesota struck first early in the 1st quarter, building a 10-point lead after the Liberty&rsquo;s cold shooting in the quarter. New York tried to make a run in the second quarter but was still down by 7 at the half.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair in the second half from there as both teams showed their grit and determination to win it all. The series was one of the best in WNBA Finals history with two overtime games over the 5 games played, and Game 5 was one of them.
Minnesota had a chance to win the game in regulation but Kayla McBride missed her game-winning three-point attempt at the buzzer with the score tied at 60.
New York capitalized on Minnesota&rsquo;s turnovers and their bench scoring in overtime to come away with the victory.
Sabrina Ionescu, who was the hero in Game 3 after that heart-stopping game winning three, struggled mightily from the field in the game with only 5 points on a brutal 1-19 shooting. Ionescu tried to affect the game in other ways though with 7 rebounds and 8 assists, making crucial passes and hustle plays in the 4th quarter and overtime.
To pick up her slack, Breanna Stewart had 13 points and 15 rebounds while rookie Leonie Fiebich had 13 including hitting a crucial three in OT.&nbsp;
Jonquel Jones was named Finals MVP for her incredible series and her 17 points (led the team) and 6 rebounds proved to be essential for the Liberty.
New York would not have won the game if it weren&rsquo;t for the efforts of Nyara Sabally, who scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Sabally was not playing that many minutes in the series but when her number was called in this game she delivered, providing energy off the bench and toughness on defense.
Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride led Minnesota&rsquo;s losing effort with 22 and 21 points respectively but it was not enough for Minnesota to break the tie for most championships in WNBA history.

After five previous tries, the New York Liberty have finally climbed the mountaintop of the WNBA.

CHAMPS AT LAST: Liberty outlast Lynx to win 2024 WNBA Finals

The New York Knicks survived the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA preseason games 115-110 Monday night at the Madison Square Garden in New York.&nbsp;
The game marked the first time the two teams faced each other following their blockbuster trade two weeks ago. Minnesota notably sent former franchise player and star Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a future 1st round pick.&nbsp;
The Knicks cruised to their third straight win in the preseason with Towns leading the way, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds in 29 minutes against his former team. Towns and close friend Anthony Edwards shared some cool and funny moments in the game, laughing and pointing at each other.&nbsp;
Edwards finished with 31 points with an impressive 8-13 shooting from three in Minnesota&rsquo;s loss. This was a strong effort for the young star following his productive summer playing for Team USA in the Olympics and he&rsquo;s off to a great start this season.
Randle was not yet able to make his debut for the Timberwolves in the preseason but he has been ramping up and will play in Minnesota&rsquo;s next game against the Chicago Bulls.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo on the other hand, continued his strong preseason play with 15 points and 7 assists. He has developed a nice chemistry with Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards and is one of the main reasons for Minnesota trading away their franchise cornerstone. DiVincenzo figures to be a rotation player for the Timberwolves from the get-go and should have some starter minutes in place of aging Mike Conley.&nbsp;

The New York Knicks survived the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA preseason games 115-110 Monday night.

Knicks outlast Timberwolves in first meeting since blockbuster trade

It is called the greatest dynasty in basketball for a reason.
The USA Women&rsquo;s National Basketball survived a major fightback by hosts France, outlasting them 67-66, to clinch the Olympics Women&rsquo;s Basketball gold medal and their 8th straight in the tournament overall.&nbsp;
Gabby Williams had a shot to send the game into overtime after Team USA took a 3-point lead with 4 seconds to go. Williams actually made the last-second shot however she was inside the three-point line, as the basket counted for just two points.&nbsp;
Williams led France with 19 points and 7 rebounds, as the hosts made history by making the Women&rsquo;s final on their home floor. Both the French Men&rsquo;s and Women&rsquo;s teams made the Basketball final, both bowing out against Team USA.&nbsp;&nbsp;
A&rsquo;Ja Wilson saved her best for last for Team USA, working out 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Wilson was named MVP of the FIBA Olympic Women&rsquo;s Basketball tournament for her splendid play all tournament long in the process. Kelsey Plum and Kahleah Copper added 12 points each for the Americans in the title-clinching moment.&nbsp;
France played well in the game, even erecting a 10-point lead in the 3rd quarter. However, Team USA&rsquo;s overall dominance eventually took back the lead en route to the gold medal.&nbsp;
According to FIBA, Team USA has won their 10th Women&rsquo;s tournament at the Olympics and won their 8th final in a row, a run that started in 1996. They have extended their current winning streak to 61 games in the competition.

The USA Women’s National Basketball survived a major fightback by hosts France, outlasting them 67-66 to clinch the Olympic gold.

Team USA Women’s outlast hosts France to win 8th straight Olympic gold

It&rsquo;s going to be the best player in the country vs. the best team in the country in the national championship game after all.
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes survived a thrilling game against Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies 71-69 in their NCAA Women&rsquo;s March Madness Final Four matchup Friday night at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
The National Player of the Year recipient put up 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead the Hawkeyes to their second straight national title game appearance and a meeting against the 36-0 South Carolina Gamecocks.
Clark, who scored 17 points in the second half after just 4 at halftime, was clutch in the 4th quarter. She tallied 8 points and dished 3 assists, making big plays after big plays.
But perhaps none bigger than the play with 1.1 seconds to go with Iowa inbounding from the baseline. In a display of high basketball IQ, Clark threw the ball off the back of an unsuspecting Bueckers with her back turned towards her and the baseline to waste time off the clock. With just 0.3 seconds on the timer, Iowa inbounded the ball again to essentially win the game.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I watch a lot of basketball and I understand basketball and she had her back turned to me. So the biggest point was &ndash; you know the biggest thing at that point in the game is like you just want the clock to go down,&rdquo; Clark said when asked about the play. &ldquo;I mean you don&rsquo;t want to give them the ball but she had her back completely turned so I just tried to waste some clock, and you know &ndash; it just came into my brain &ndash; so I just went for it and it worked.&rdquo;
However, Clark and Iowa&rsquo;s brilliance in the 4th quarter and the clutch were overshadowed by a crucial call late in the game. With Iowa just leading by one 70-69 with 9 seconds left and UConn having possession for the final shot, Aaliyah Edwards was called for a questionable moving screen call to give the ball back to the Hawkeyes &ndash; setting up for Clark&rsquo;s end-game brilliance.
Bueckers, who played all 40 minutes of the game, scored 17 points in UConn&rsquo;s losing effort while fellow All-American teammate Edwards and rookie KK Arnold had 17 and 14 respectively in a heartbreaking game for the Huskies.
Helping Clark survive the battle against Bueckers was Hannah Stuelke who played perhaps the best game of her life by contributing 23 points on 9/12 shooting. Kate Martin chipped in 11 points and 8 rebounds for the no.1 seeded Hawkeyes, who will now move on to face the formidable Gamecocks who have yet to lose a game for the season.
South Carolina took care of business earlier in the night against Cinderella team NC State 78-59 to keep their dream perfect season alive entering Sunday&rsquo;s title game.
As for Bueckers, she and UConn will end their season a game short of the title game &ndash; a feat she has accomplished twice now in her career. A symbol of resilience and togetherness all season long, Bueckers and UConn led by legendary coach Geno Auriemma lost 6 players during the season to injuries and came into the final four with just 7 available players.
Nevertheless, Bueckers will have one final shot at a national championship next year with hopefully a fully healthy and complete UConn squad with her best friend and 2021 HS no.1 recruit Azzi Fudd in the fold.

It’s going to be the best player in the country vs. the best team in the country in the national championship game after all.

Clark's Hawkeyes outlast Bueckers' Huskies, advance to national title game

On Wednesday night, Jayson Tatum delivered a signature performance to steer the Boston Celtics past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120, in a titanic clash between the No. 1 seeds in each conference.
Tatum was magnificent, pouring in 12 of the Celtics&rsquo; 16 points in overtime en route to a season-high 45 points. He shot 13-of-26 from the field, 6-of-11 from three and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line as Boston remained unbeaten at home (18-0)
Jaylen Brown added 35 points and 11 rebounds for Boston, who played without starting center Kristaps Porzingis due to a right knee contusion.
This was the second-straight ovetime game between these two teams, following a 114-109 Wolves win in Minnesota on Nov. 6.
Entering this game, the 28-win Celtics were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference while the 26-win Timberwolves were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.&nbsp;
Karl-Anthony Towns had a valiant effort for an undermanned Wolves team that was playing on the second night of a road back-to-back following yesterday&rsquo;s win at the Orlando Magic. They were without Rudy Gobert (left hip soreness) and Mike Conley (rest).
Towns registered 25 points and 13 rebounds as he started at the 5 with Gobert&rsquo;s absence, but star teammate Anthony Edwards committed two crucial turnovers in OT.
Edwards had a decent 29-point game, but this was overshadowed by his two costly mistakes that flipped the momentum to Boston&rsquo;s favor.
Boston is now 29-8, which is the best record in the NBA. Minnesota drops to 26-11, with only a half-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder (25-11) and Denver Nuggets (26-12).&nbsp;

The Boston Celtics defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120, in a titanic clash between the two No. 1 seeds in each conference.

Jayson Tatum shines as Celtics outlast Wolves in clash of No. 1 seeds

With Thursday's heartbreaking 122-128 overtime loss against the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons' losing streak reached&nbsp;28-consecutive games &mdash; tying the record for the longest losing spell in NBA history.
The Pistons are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost 28-straight games across two seasons (2014-15 to 2015-16). Detroit now holds the longest single-season losing streak of all-time.
The Pistons had their chances late in the game, even sending the game to overtime, but could not close out the Celtics. This was Boston's 22nd-straight win at home, where they are undefeated this season.
Cade Cunningham led another spirited effort for Detroit, putting up 31 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds, but he just could not will his team to victory. This comes after a herculean performance just two nights earlier against the Brooklyn Nets, when he had 41 points on 71% shooting.&nbsp;
Kristaps Porzingis helped the Celtics avoid disaster by tallying 35 points on 13-of-21 from the field and 8 boards, including a late dunk in transition to seal the game.&nbsp;
The Pistons will have another chance to put an end to this historic losing streak and try to evade NBA infamy when they face the Toronto Raptors at home on Saturday night.&nbsp;
Pelicans 112, Jazz 105
Zion Williamson had a near triple-double, while Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum each added 20-plus points as New Orleans snapped a two-game skid at the Smoothie King Center against Utah.&nbsp;
Williamson scored 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 8 assists for the Pelicans as they improved to 18-14. Collin Sexton had 26 points, while Lauri Markkanen added 24 for the Jazz.
Pacers 120, Bulls 104
 The Indiana Pacers defeated the Chicago Bulls on the road, and Tyrese Haliburton became just the second NBA player since 1985 to register 20 points and 20 assists with zero turnovers in a game (joining Chris Paul, who did it in 2016).
Haliburton was backstopped by Myles Turner, who contributed 24 points. Bennedict Mathurin added 19 points off the bench.
Patrick Williams had 22 for a recently streaking Chicago Bulls squad, who had won nine of their last 13 games entering this contest.&nbsp;
Timberwolves 118, Mavericks 110
Anthony Edwards dropped a season-high 44 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. Edwards shot 12-of-23 from the field, with 6 threes and 14 free throws, keeping the Wolves atop the West at 23-7.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way for the Mavs with 32 points off the bench on the second night of a back-to-back after a frustrating loss last night to the Cleveland Cavaliers.&nbsp;

Detroit's losing streak reached 28-consecutive games on Thursday — tying the record for the longest losing spell in NBA history.

Pistons drop 28th straight, tying NBA record for longest losing streak

The 2023 NBA Draft could go down as a special class, with talented prospects such as Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller and the Thompson twins as well as some interesting depth pieces.
But will it ever be considered one of the best draft classes in NBA history? That remains to be seen.
Today, we're going to identify the cr&egrave;me de la cr&egrave;me of NBA draft classes.
The 2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft featured multiple generational talents that would come to define the NBA for the next two decades. Led by LeBron James, this class also included household names such as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Not only did this draft have star power, it was also very deep. Twenty-seven players from the 2003 class played at least 10 seasons in the NBA: James, Wade, Anthony, Bosh, Kyle Korver, David West, Zaza Pachulia, Nick Collison, Boris Diaw, Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa, James Jones, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, Dahntay Jones, Steve Blake, Mo Williams, Luke Ridnour, Willie Green, Matt Bonner, Travis Outlaw, Keith Bogans, Darko Milicic, Mickael Pietrus, Sasha Pavlovic, Josh Howard and Luke Walton. This class featured nine All-Stars and plenty of quality role players.
The 1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft stands as a legendary class, and some might argue that it's the greatest draft of all-time. Two of the top three picks &mdash; Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon &mdash; would ultimately etch their names in the annals of basketball history and redefine greatness. In addition to Jordan and Olajuwon, players like Charles Barkley, John Stockton and Alvin Robertson showcased their immense talent as well. This class produced five Hall-of-Famers and seven All-Stars.
The 1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft changed the landscape of the league, heralding the arrival of future Hall-of-Famers and icons. Led by the legendary Kobe Bryant and the enigmatic Allen Iverson, this class boasted an array of talent that reinvigorated the game. This class also featured Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Stephon Marbury, Peja Stojakovic, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker, Marcus Camby, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Derek Fisher. The 1996 NBA Draft was deep, producing 10 All-Stars and five Hall-of-Famers. Jon Finkel recently revisited this star-studded class in his book "1996," and he <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/revisiting-the-starstudded-1996-nba-draft-kobe-bryant-ray-allen-steve-nash-allen-iverson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ran a terrific excerpt on Basketball News</a>.
The 1985 NBA Draft
The 1985 NBA Draft was certainly special. This class featured 10 All-Stars including Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Joe Dumars, Detlef Schrempf, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Oakley, &nbsp;AC Green, Terry Porter and Michael Adams. The class also featured Arvydas Sabonis, an overseas legend and terrific Portland Trail Blazer. Like the 1996 NBA Draft, this class has the star power and depth to be considered one of the best drafts in NBA history.
The 2009 NBA Draft
While not as immediately illustrious as some of the other classes on this list, the 2009 NBA Draft proved to be a treasure trove of talent. This class exemplified the importance of patience and player development, as Stephen Curry, James Harden, Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague would all go on to become All-Stars. Griffin missed his rookie year with an injury, but dominated as soon as he stepped on an NBA court. Curry battled injuries early in his career, but would become a four-time champion and two-time MVP. Harden went from being an elite sixth man to an MVP once he got the opportunity in Houston. This class also featured Brandon Jennings, Ricky Rubio, Tyreke Evans, Darren Collison, Ty Lawson, Patty Mills, Danny Green, Taj Gibson and Patrick Beverley among others.
Which class is the greatest in NBA history? <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tweet us your thoughts</a>!&nbsp;

Basketball News examines the crème de la crème of draft classes throughout NBA history.

Exploring the 5 best draft classes in NBA history

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Aliyah Boston had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Zia Cooke scored 18 points and top-seeded South Carolina used its smothering defense to take control in the second quarter, outlasting second-seeded Maryland 86-75 on Monday night to reach its third straight Final Four.
Coach Dawn Staley&rsquo;s team improved to 36-0 this season with its 42nd straight victory dating to last year&rsquo;s NCAA title run. The Gamecocks are now two games away from repeating as champions and completing the 10th undefeated season in the women&rsquo;s game.
South Carolina will play Iowa and do-it-all star Caitlin Clark in the national semifinals in Dallas on Friday night.
The Gamecocks hugged and jumped when it was over. It&rsquo;s the fifth Final Four since 2015, all under Staley. She&rsquo;ll try for her third national title next week.
Boston, the 6-foot-5 senior, made 10 of 14 shots. The three-time All-American added five assists and blocked two shots.
Maryland (28-7) was routed at home, 81-56, by the Gamecocks last Nov. 11, but played without injured All-American Diamond Miller.
With a healthy Miller and an offense averaging nearly 80 points a game, the Terrapins were ready to take on the big, imposing Gamecocks. Maryland pushed the pace early, disrupting South Carolina&rsquo;s No. 1 defense and was ahead 21-15 as an edgy, pro-Gamecock crowd wasn&rsquo;t sure what it was watching.&nbsp;
South Carolina didn&rsquo;t panic. Cooke shook off an 0-for-3 start to score nine points. Boston was her steady self with 12 points in the half as the Gamecocks outscored the Terps 23-9 in the second quarter to lead 38-30 at halftime.
Maryland got two quick baskets after the break to cut South Carolina&rsquo;s lead to 48-42. But the Gamecocks answered with a 14-3 burst to take control for good.
Miller led the Terps, looking for their first trip to the Final Four since 2015, with 24 points.
Maryland shot 50% for the game, yet couldn&rsquo;t hold up down low against the Gamecocks. South Carolina outrebounded the Terps 48-26 and 25-7 on the offensive glass.
BIG PICTURE
Maryland: Terps have seven seniors, including Miller and four other starters. But Shyanne Sellers is a rising sophomore and likely focal point for Maryland the next couple of seasons. Expect coach Brenda Frese to work hard in the offseason to scour the portal for additions who can augment Maryland&rsquo;s young roster.
South Carolina: These are certainly the glory days for Gamecocks women&rsquo;s basketball. Maryland gave Iowa a glimpse into what may rattle the Gamecocks, although they quickly adjusted to gain control. But tightening up to prevent easy layups the Terps got early will certainly be a focus at South Carolina&rsquo;s practices this week.&nbsp;

South Carolina will play Iowa and do-it-all star Caitlin Clark in the national semifinals in Dallas on Friday night.

March Madness: Boston, South Carolina women reach Final Four

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Johnell Davis scored 29 points, Alijah Martin added 14 and Florida Atlantic ended Fairleigh Dickinson&rsquo;s magical March by outlasting the No. 16 seed 78-70 on Sunday night in the NCAA Tournament.
The ninth-seeded Owls (33-3) needed everything they had to put away the Knights (21-16), who stunned top-seeded Purdue on Friday night in just the second 16-over-1 upset i n men&rsquo;s tournament history.
It will be FAU, not FDU, which will play Tennessee in the Sweet 16 on Thursday at Madison Square Garden in New York.
&ldquo;My team just believed in me,&rdquo; said Davis, a junior from Gary, Indiana. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a dream come true.&rdquo;
The Knights couldn&rsquo;t come up with an encore after eliminating Purdue, but not before putting up a fight to the finish. After the final horn, coach Tobin Anderson and FDU&rsquo;s players walked across the floor to thank their fans, most of whom never expected to spend five days in Ohio watching their team make history.
Demetre Roberts scored 20 points and Sean Moore had 14 for FDU, which didn&rsquo;t even win the Northeast Conference tournament before becoming an NCAA team that won&rsquo;t soon be forgotten.
FAU, which edged Memphis on Friday for the school&rsquo;s first NCAA tourney win, finally took control late in the second half of a game that was played at high speeds and at times looked more like a playground pickup game.
Davis made 10 of 16 shots. He also had 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals.
FDU was still within 67-64 when Davis fought for a rebound and made a putback. After Roberts missed a long 3, FAU&rsquo;s Bryan Greenlee knocked down a 3-pointer and the Owls pushed their lead to 10.
The Knights managed to get within 76-70, and still had a chance when Greenlee missed two free throws. But Roberts, FDU&rsquo;s lightning-quick 5-foot-8 guard, misfired on a layup, and the graduate student who followed Anderson to FDU from a Division II school began to untuck his jersey knowing his tournament was over.
Anderson, who turned around a program that went 4-22 a year ago, told his players not to foul and let the final seconds run off. But FAU&rsquo;s Martin tried and missed a 360-degree dunk, leading to an awkward exchange and tense postgame handshake between Anderson and Owls coach Dusty May.
&ldquo;I apologized to him for that but also reminded him we&rsquo;re the adults,&rdquo; May said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to fix that behavior. It&rsquo;s part of the game. I apologized to him.&rdquo;
FDU came up short in its bid to become the first No. 16 to win twice in the tournament. The same thing happened to UMBC five years ago, when it shocked defending champion Virginia and then lost to Kansas State in the second round.

Johnell Davis scored 29 points, Alijah Martin added 14 and Florida Atlantic ended Fairleigh Dickinson’s magical March.

Florida Atlantic tops Fairleigh Dickinson for Sweet 16 spot

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Tyson Walker scored 23 points and No. 7 seed Michigan State beat second-seeded Marquette 69-60 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, sending coach Tom Izzo&rsquo;s squad back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in four years.
Joey Hauser &mdash; a Marquette transfer &mdash; had 14 points and A.J. Hoggard had as 13 Michigan State (21-12) took over in the last three minutes. The Spartans advanced to play third-seeded Kansas State in the East Region semifinals on Thursday at New York&rsquo;s Madison Square Garden.
Izzo, the 68-year-old Hall of Fame coach, reached his 15th regional semifinal and won his record 16th March Madness game with a lower-seeded team &mdash; one more than Syracuse&rsquo;s Jim Boeheim, who retired after this season.
This one was particularly meaningful. Izzo became the face of a grieving school where three students were killed in a campus shooting on Feb. 13.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a long year,&rdquo; an emotional Izzo said in a courtside interview. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m just happy for our guys.&rdquo;
Olivier-Maxence Prosper led Marquette (29-7) with 16 points and Kam Jones had 14 points, including three 3-pointers, for the Big East champions.
Michigan State led by as many as 12 in the first half, but Ben Gold and Prosper made back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Golden Eagles close within 33-28 at halftime.
Prosper hit two more 3s in the first minute of the second half to give Marquette its first lead of the day. Michigan State grabbed back the lead with an 8-0 run and didn&rsquo;t relinquish it.
Back-to-back baskets in the paint by Hoggard and then Walker, both times as the shot clock expired, gave the Spartans a 60-55 lead with 2:20 left. Mady Sissoko then blocked shots on consecutive Marquette possessions, and Walker had a steal followed by a game-sealing dunk with 39 seconds left.
Marquette&rsquo;s nine-game winning streak ended, concluding a season in which the Golden Eagles exceeded expectations under coach Shaka Smart, who has referred to Izzo as a mentor.
UP NEXT
The Spartans&rsquo; next opponent, Kansas State, is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2018 and first under coach Jerome Tang.

Tyson Walker scored 23 points and No. 7 seed Michigan State beat second-seeded Marquette 69-60 in the second round.

Michigan State outlasts Marquette; Izzo back to Sweet 16

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Brook Lopez had 24 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high nine blocks and the Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the short-handed Brooklyn Nets 118-113 on Thursday night.
The&nbsp;nine blocks&nbsp;are most by an NBA player this season.
&ldquo;It was a close game, and he made the plays that made the difference down the stretch,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
Bobby Portis added a season-high 28 points to go along with 13 rebounds to
help the NBA-leading Bucks win for the 19th time in 20 games.
The Bucks were missing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for a second straight game. Antetokounmpo didn&rsquo;t play due to a sore right hand after sitting out a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/bucks-magic-72ccee8edeee63e7f642260a674a91b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">134-123 victory at Orlando</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night because of a non-COVID illness.
Brooklyn&rsquo;s injury situation was worse.
The Nets didn&rsquo;t have Nic Claxton (right thumb sprain/left Achilles tendinopathy), Spencer Dinwiddie (rest), Cam Johnson (right knee soreness), Royce O&rsquo;Neale (left knee soreness) and Ben Simmons (left back/knee soreness).
Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith were the only Nets available who started in their&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/mikal-bridges-spencer-dinwiddie-nets-rockets-c8bb43a13b7f594ce3042c6ccfc0e38e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">118-96 victory at Houston</a> two nights earlier. Neither of them played more than 12 minutes as Nets coach Jacque Vaughn opted to limit their workloads.
The Nets still made this one competitive, clawing back after the Bucks went 12 of 21 from 3-point range in the first 15 minutes to take a 46-24 lead.
&ldquo;We picked up the energy,&rdquo; said Cam Thomas, who scored 21 for Brooklyn. &ldquo;We started getting on the glass and getting stops. That was the main key - getting stops, getting down and running and playing faster.&rdquo;
Patty Mills led Brooklyn with 23 points. The Nets also got big contributions from Dru Smith and David Duke Jr., who are both on two-way contracts that shuttle them between Brooklyn and the NBA G League.
Smith had 17 points in his 10th career NBA game. His previous scoring high was five. Duke had a career-high 13 points.
Brooklyn trailed 99-97 and appeared to have a chance to tie it after officials ruled Lopez fouled Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe on a dunk attempt with 4:31 left.
But the Bucks challenged the call, and replays determined it was a clean block. Portis scored 15 seconds later to start an 8-2 run that extended the Bucks&rsquo; advantage to 107-99 with 2 1/2 minutes left.
&ldquo;Great job by the arena, the guys in house putting it up on the board, because our bench didn&rsquo;t have a great angle,&rdquo; Budenholzer said. &ldquo;It looked &mdash; obviously, it was successful so I feel fortunate &mdash; but it looked like it was clean up top. It looked like Brook went up and got all ball.&rdquo;
Brooklyn cut it to 112-110 on Thomas&rsquo; driving layup with 46.7 seconds left, but Lopez delivered a putback of Jrue Holiday&rsquo;s missed 3-point attempt with 30.6 seconds remaining.
Lopez then blocked Duke&rsquo;s driving layup attempt to set up Jevon Carter&rsquo;s basket with 16.1 seconds remaining.
&ldquo;Brooklyn was out there shooting the ball,&rdquo; Lopez said. &ldquo;They were doing a great job shooting the ball, and so just in that last possession or those last couple possessions, they were doing a great job of sending those guys downhill. When they kind of give them that one option, I&rsquo;m able to make the read and time it. If he&rsquo;s going downhill with a full head of steam, I can time that pretty simply to get there at the right time.&rdquo;
Mills made a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left before the Bucks sealed the victory with a pair of free throws from Grayson Allen, who had 19 points.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nerlens Noel was in the starting lineup in just his second game with the Nets. He signed a 10-day contract Monday. The Nets also started Bridges, Finney-Smith, Joe Harris and Seth Curry. ... They opened the second half with Duke, Mills, Sharpe, Smith and Thomas on the floor.
Bucks: Lopez spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Nets. ... Carter shot 2 of 12 and had just five points. He had scored at least 20 points in each of his last two games. ... Wesley Matthews missed an eighth straight game with a strained right calf.
UP NEXT
Nets: At Minnesota on Friday night.
Bucks: At Golden State on Saturday night.

Brook Lopez had 24 points, 10 boards and a career-high 9 blocks as the Bucks outlasted the short-handed Nets 118-113 on Thursday.

Brook Lopez comes up big, Bucks edge short-handed Nets 118-113

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 23 points, had a season-high 13 assists and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1632576321544138753?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebounded his intentionally missed shot</a>&nbsp;with a second left for his fourth-triple double of the season as the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Washington Wizards 117-111 on Sunday night.
Jevon Carter added 20 points while shooting 6 of 10 from beyond the arc, and Jrue Holiday scored 19 in Milwaukee&rsquo;s victory a night after a home loss to Philadelphia snapped a 16-game win streak.
It was just about over when Antetokounmpo dribbled to the basket and lightly tossed the ball off the backboard to himself for his 10th rebound.
&ldquo;I was thinking about scoring the ball, but I feel like in those situations it&rsquo;s best to kind of keep the ball,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;But yeah, I just try to play the game smart and kind of stole one.&rdquo;
The Bucks made 22 of their 49 attempts beyond the arc, the most allowed by the Wizards this season, while moving 1 1/2 games in front of Boston for first in the Eastern Conference.
&ldquo;We feel like we&rsquo;ve got a lot of depth,&rdquo; said Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer, who had six players hit multiple 3s. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a lot of guys that are good shooters that can get hot from the 3-point line. So that&rsquo;s part of a good team and being able to play on back-to-backs and make it through the season and be prepared for the playoffs.&rdquo;
Bradley Beal scored 33 points for the Wizards, who remain 10th in the East and in line for the final play-in tournament spot. Kristaps Porzingis added 24 points and 14 rebounds for Washington, which lost for the second time at home in two nights.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy with how hard we played and the product we&rsquo;re giving our fans,&rdquo; Porzingis said after Washington overcame an early 17-point deficit to make the game competitive. &ldquo;Even though we had these two tough losses, I think it&rsquo;s something positive we can take from these games.&rdquo;
The Wizards gradually whittled away at the Bucks&rsquo; 11-point halftime lead and finally went in front following a during a run that stretched across the late third and early fourth quarter.
The Bucks responded by making five consecutive baskets, including two 3s each from Carter and Grayson Allen to retake the lead. Then Allen and Joe Ingles hit from beyond the arc again during another 12-4, game-sealing stretch.
&ldquo;It was just taking the ones that was there,&rdquo; Carter said. &ldquo;It felt like when I was bringing it down, they just kept backing up, so I just was going to be aggressive in taking the shot.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Bucks: Rested forward Khris Middleton (right knee) after he played 27 minutes in Saturday&rsquo;s loss to Philadelphia. ... Had two baskets before halftime that were originally called 2-pointers upgraded to 3-pointers following video review.
Wizards: Sat F Kyle Kuzma after he injured his right knee in a collision in Saturday&rsquo;s overtime loss to Toronto. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to give it a day or two to calm down,&rdquo; said Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. ... Unseld challenged Porzingis&rsquo; foul on Antetokounmpo with 8:19 to play in the third quarter, but it was upheld.
GORAN PLACES
The Bucks signed 14-year veteran Goran Dragic on Saturday as their third point guard, and on Sunday Budenholzer weighed in.
&ldquo;To get someone of Goran&rsquo;s quality, we feel very, very fortunate,&rdquo; Budenholzer said. &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t have anything to do with the (regular season) schedule. It&rsquo;s the playoffs and having your best team, and your deepest team. And to have as much coverage as possible for every scenario.&rdquo;
The 36-year-old Dragic averaged 15.4 minutes, 6.7 points and 2.7 assists in 51 games before the Chicago Bulls waived him on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit Orlando on Tuesday
Wizards: Visit Detroit on Tuesday

The NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Washington Wizards 117-111 on Sunday night, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis triple-double helps Bucks outlast Wizards 117-111

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, playing 55 minutes in place of injured starter Jalen Brunson, and the New York Knicks outlasted the Boston Celtics 131-129 in two overtimes Sunday night for their season-high ninth straight victory.
Quickley had seven points in the second overtime and added eight rebounds and seven assists with Brunson sidelined because of soreness in his left foot.
&ldquo;It was a huge performance by him,&rdquo; Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. &ldquo;I was going to give him rest at the start of the fourth, but then he knocked down a couple of shots and I thought the game was in the balance right there.&rdquo;
Julius Randle had 31 points and nine rebounds, and RJ Barrett finished with 29 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who held on when Boston&rsquo;s Al Horford front-rimmed a 3-pointer from the right corner just before the final buzzer.
&ldquo;I just think I rushed it a little bit,&rdquo; Horford said. &ldquo;I felt like I didn&rsquo;t stay with my shot long enough.&rdquo;
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Horford finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Boston, which owned the NBA&rsquo;s best record for much of the season, has dropped three of four and is a 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top spot.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve just got to get our swagger back,&rdquo; Celtics guard Derrick White said. &ldquo;Find a way to play with each other, have fun out there. I&rsquo;m sure we&rsquo;ll get it back here soon.&rdquo;
Randle had 43 points in a victory at Miami on Friday that included an off-balance, game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
The Celtics were also missing a couple of key players in starting center Robert Williams III (left hamstring tightness) and reserve guard Malcolm Brogdon (right ankle soreness).
Quickley scored New York&rsquo;s first seven points of the second overtime on a 3-pointer and two driving baskets,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1632585752365211649?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">skipping in front of Boston&rsquo;s bench</a>&nbsp;celebrating after the last basket made it 128-123.
&ldquo;When I laid it up, it was still rolling around, so I kind of skipped it, willed it in,&rdquo; he said, smiling when explaining his last basket. &ldquo;I just kept skipping down the floor. I was having fun, though.&rdquo;
Horford nailed a 3-pointer from the right corner with 29.2 seconds left to push Boston ahead 121-119 in the first OT after Randle&rsquo;s two free throws had moved the Knicks in front.
But Quickley&rsquo;s driving one-handed flip in the lane tied it before Tatum missed on his baseline drive, sending it to double OT.
&ldquo;You celebrate the team and you celebrate winning,&rdquo; Thibodeau said of Quickley&rsquo;s dancing, at times, after key baskets. &ldquo;I want our team to have fun, I want them to have joy, but I don&rsquo;t want it to get lost and I don&rsquo;t want it to get twisted.&rdquo;
Brown&rsquo;s three-point play with 12.9 seconds left sent it to overtime.
Coming off an embarrassing home loss in their last game when they blew a 28-point lead against Brooklyn, the Celtics had opened a 14-point edge midway into the third quarter. The Knicks closed the quarter with a 9-0 surge and pushed their advantage to 100-89 on Obi Toppin&rsquo;s driving layup early in the final quarter.
BAD EXAMPLE
Randle was whistled for a technical by referee Brett Nansel when he was showing what happened after being called for an offensive foul. The problem was he used his left shoulder to bump into Nansel&rsquo;s chest as he was explaining it.
TIP-INS
Knicks: Quickley hit a 3 for the game&rsquo;s first basket, raising his fingers in celebration. &hellip; Brunson was the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s player of the month for February, averaging 27.3 points, six assists and shooting 52.9%.
Celtics: Coach Joe Mazzulla said Williams could be out &ldquo;seven to 10 days.&rdquo; &hellip; Tatum was ejected with two technical fouls in the teams&rsquo; last meeting, a 109-94 loss in New York.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday.
Celtics: At the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday

Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, and the Knicks outlasted the Celtics 131-129 in two overtimes on Sunday night.