Suns’ Gillespie sets club 3-pointer season mark
Phoenix guard Collin Gillespie set the Suns’ franchise record for 3-pointers in a season on Thursday night.
Knueppel sets Hornets mark for 3s in a season
Knueppel sets Hornets mark for 3s in a season
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel set the Hornets’ franchise record for 3-pointers in a season.
🏀 Scouts on draft: Is Peterson or Dybantsa No. 1?
🏀 Scouts on draft: Is Peterson or Dybantsa No. 1?
Fit over talent? Versatility over production? NBA scouts and execs break down the conversations happening at the top of the draft.
The latest on Kawhi Leonard, Steve Ballmer and the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers
The latest on Kawhi Leonard, Steve Ballmer and the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers
What was actually in Leonard’s contract? What do league insiders think of it? Here’s what we know about the allegations — and where the investigation stands.
Pistons’ Cunningham out at least another week
Pistons’ Cunningham out at least another week
Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham will be out at least another week as he continues to recover from a collapsed lung.
Michigan starter Elliot Cadeau joins teammates at Final Four after accidental exposure to nuts
Michigan starter Elliot Cadeau joins teammates at Final Four after accidental exposure to nuts
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michigan starting point guard Elliot Cadeau rejoined his teammates for the Final Four and said Thursday his allergic reaction that required hospitalization a day earlier was due to an accidental exposure to nuts.
“I just ate something I was allergic to,” the junior said as he sat at his locker at Lucas Oil Stadium, two days before the Wolverines meet fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the national semifinals.
Coach Dusty May said Cadeau, who averages 10.2 points and 5.8 assists, is “fine.”
Cadeau’s treatment came as his teammates were flying to the Final Four, though Cadeau said a Michigan staffer had driven him to Indianapolis to rejoin teammates ahead of Thursday’s locker-room interviews and other pregame promotional activities.
Cadeau described it as “just a minor inconvenience for me.”
“I just had a little bit of hives so that’s why I went to the hospital, just to prevent anything further from happening,” he said.
Detroit radio station WWJ 950 posted a video on X on Wednesday showing a covered individual sitting upright while being wheeled out of Michigan’s player development center on a gurney and loaded into an ambulance. Michigan later confirmed it was Cadeau, who had complained of a possible allergic reaction and received medical supervision “out of an abundance of caution.”
“If it’s the worst thing that happens to us, then we’re very blessed,” May said Thursday. “It also just shows him how much he means to his teammates. They were very concerned, obviously, like we all would be for a reaction like that.
“But just grateful that he’s fine. We have great medical care, and he’s back with us. Dude is a warrior. He’ll be fine.”
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
NBA playoff bracket, schedule: Where teams stand, who can clinch berths today
NBA playoff bracket, schedule: Where teams stand, who can clinch berths today
The NBA postseason is rapidly approaching, with less than two weeks remaining in the 2025-26 regular season.
While all postseason berths have been clinched, teams are furiously jockeying for playoff positioning, especially those seeking to remain above the fray of the Play-In Tournament. That’s especially true in the Eastern Conference, where only four games separate the current No. 5 seed, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Miami Heat, currently No. 10.
In the Western Conference, all three divisions have been clinched, with the Oklahoma City Thunder claiming the Northwest, the San Antonio Spurs the Southwest and the Los Angeles Lakers the Pacific. But perhaps the most intriguing story as the regular season winds down is whether the Spurs can catch the Thunder for the top seed in the West.
Heading into the slate of April 2 games, the Cleveland Cavaliers, currently the No. 4 team in the East, can clinch a playoff spot with a win, while the Houston Rockets, currently the No. 5 team in the West, can clinch a playoff berth if the Phoenix Suns lose.
Here are the current brackets for the playoffs and the Play-In Tournament, the NBA standings and the schedule for Thursday, April 2:
NBA schedule for Thursday, April 2
(All times Eastern)
- Phoenix Suns at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m.
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m.
- Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m.
- New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
- San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
NBA standings
All 20 teams – 10 in each conference – that will participate in the postseason have been determined. Here are their records through April 1, and what each of those teams have clinched so far (x-clinched playoff berth; d-clinched division):
Eastern Conference
- (1) d-Detroit Pistons: 55-21
- (2) x-Boston Celtics: 51-25 (4 GB)
- (3) x-New York Knicks: 49-28 (6.5 GB)
- (4) Cleveland Cavaliers: 47-29 (8 GB)
- (5) Atlanta Hawks: 44-33 (11.5 GB)
- (6) Philadelphia 76ers: 42-34 (13 GB)
- (7) Toronto Raptors: 42-34 (13 GB)
- (8) Charlotte Hornets: 40-36 (15 GB)
- (9) Orlando Magic: 40-36 (15 GB)
- (10) Miami Heat: 40-37(15.5 GB)
Western Conference
- (1) d-Oklahoma City Thunder: 60-16
- (2) d-San Antonio Spurs: 58-18 (2 GB)
- (3) d-Los Angeles Lakers: 50-26 (10 GB)
- (4) x-Denver Nuggets: 49-28 (11.5 GB)
- (5) Houston Rockets: 47-29 (13 GB)
- (6) Minnesota Timberwolves: 46-29 (13.5 GB)
- (7) Phoenix Suns: 42-34 (18 GB)
- (8) Los Angeles Clippers: 39-37 (21 GB)
- (9) Portland Trail Blazers: 39-38 (21.5 GB)
- (10) Golden State Warriors: 36-40 (24 GB)
NBA playoffs bracket
(After games played on April 1)
Eastern Conference
- (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
- (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
- (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers
- (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner
Western Conference
- (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
- (4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Houston Rockets
- (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
- (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner
NBA Play-In Tournament
(After games played on April 1)
Western Conference
- (7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) LA Clippers
- (9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
Eastern Conference
- (7) Toronto Raptors vs. (8) Charlotte Hornets
- (9) Orlando Magic vs. (10) Miami Heat
When do the NBA playoffs begin?
- The NBA Play-In Tournament begins on Tuesday, April 14 and runs through Friday, April 17.
- The NBA playoffs start Saturday, April 18 and feature eight teams in each conference after teams are eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.
- Game 1 of the NBA Finals scheduled for Wednesday, June 3.
Which NBA teams have been eliminated from the playoffs?
Eastern Conference
- Brooklyn Nets
- Chicago Bulls
- Indiana Pacers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Washington Wizards
Western Conference
- Dallas Mavericks
- Memphis Grizzlies
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- Utah Jazz
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoff bracket, standings, schedule, current postseason matchups
Just foolin’: Wizards sorry about $10K shot ‘skit’
Just foolin’: Wizards sorry about $10K shot ‘skit’
The Wizards have apologized for an April Fools’ “skit” in which a planted fan was seemingly tricked into believing he made a half-court shot for $10,000, saying the entire bit was scripted but that they “missed the mark.”
NBA’s Gap Between Playoff, Lottery Teams Reaches Historic Levels Exposing Two-League Problems
NBA’s Gap Between Playoff, Lottery Teams Reaches Historic Levels Exposing Two-League Problems
The divide between playoff contenders and lottery-bound teams has reached unprecedented levels this season, exposing a structural problem that is fundamentally altering the competitive landscape of the NBA, according to a report by Yahoo’s Tom Haberstroh. The combined gap between the No. 10 and No. 11 seeds in each conference has ballooned to 20.5 games, nearly double the previous record this century.
In the Eastern Conference, the No. 10-seeded Charlotte Hornets hold a 9.5-game cushion over the No. 11 Milwaukee Bucks. Out West, the Golden State Warriors lead the Memphis Grizzlies by 11 games for the final play-in spot.
The numbers are historical as the previous largest combined gap this century stood at 11 games in 2018-19. This season’s 20.5-game chasm represents by far the widest separation since the NBA adopted its 16-team playoff format in 1984.
The play-in tournament, introduced as an anti-tanking measure, appears to have accelerated the problem rather than solved it. In the first full 82-game season following its introduction, the combined gap between No. 10 and No. 11 seeds was seven games. It has climbed steadily since, reaching nine games in 2022-23, nine again in 2023-24 and ten in 2024-25, before this season’s dramatic surge. The average gap in the play-in era is 11 games, compared to just 4.8 games across the previous ten seasons.
Nine teams currently operate as de facto non-competitors, posting a combined 12-167 record against playoff-caliber opponents across recent stretches of play. In March alone, those nine teams have gone 12-98, a .109 winning percentage, against postseason contenders.
The Washington Wizards have lost 20 consecutive games against winning teams. The Brooklyn Nets are 1-29 in its last 30 such contests. Dallas stands at 2-23 in its last 25.
Two factors are widely cited as accelerants. The leaps by the Dallas Mavericks from the No. 11 lottery position to the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 and the Atlanta Hawks from 10th in consecutive recent drafts demonstrated that long-shot lottery odds can pay off spectacularly. Combined with a strong 2026 draft class, the cost-benefit calculation for struggling franchises increasingly favors chasing lottery balls over competing for a play-in berth. Only one of ten No. 10 seeds in the play-in era has successfully advanced to the full playoffs.
The NBA is proposing three potential lottery reforms in an attempt to disincentivize tanking.
SEC needs a new motto, because Big Ten rules college sports
SEC needs a new motto, because Big Ten rules college sports
It just means more agony.
The SEC used to be the best conference in college sports, and it lorded its superiority over its peers. It’s not the best anymore. At least, it’s not the best in football or men’s basketball. The Big Ten stole the crown, and the SEC cannot hide from reality.
The Big Ten won the past three college football national championships, but the problem goes deeper than that. The SEC hasn’t even reached the College Football Playoff national championship game since 2023 Georgia won it all.
Now, as insult to injury, the Big Ten sent two teams to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, while the SEC sits at home.
On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams address the SEC’s reality and how dire the situation is.
Is the SEC still the best conference? Or, does the Big Ten rule?
Adams: The Big Ten wears the crown in football. That’s a fact. You can’t argue trophies. You can’t argue the scoreboard, either.
Indiana 38, Alabama 3.
The SEC didn’t just lose its leg to stand on. Indiana devoured the leg.
Toppmeyer: Agreed, and the Big Ten’s claim of superiority is helped by the fact three teams produced the past three national championships. Michigan, Ohio State and now Indiana won titles since the last SEC crown. The Big Ten is no one-hit wonder.
What about the SEC’s depth?
Adams: That’s where the SEC’s problem worsens. For a while, even if the Big Ten was better at the top, the SEC was better in the middle. I’m not so sure about that anymore. The SEC looked pretty lousy in postseason games last season, illustrating the depth of the problem.
Toppmeyer: The Big Ten’s crème de la crème has been sweeter than the SEC’s for a few years. Now, it’s sweeter down ballot, too.
Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27.
Illinois 30, Tennessee 28.
Those were postseason scorelines.
Texas saved some face for the SEC by beating Michigan, 41-27, in the Citrus Bowl, but, on the whole, the SEC’s claim of superior depth eroded.
The SEC used to flex unmatched muscle in the boardroom, too, but even that ability is gone. The conference tried to grow the playoff to 16 teams for the 2026 season and beyond, but the Big Ten erected a road block and stopped the SEC’s CFP expansion plans in their tracks.
So, the Big Ten is better at the top, as good in the middle, and it’s a thorn in the side of the SEC’s boardroom operations.
Where does that leave the SEC? Well, maybe it can still say its last-place team is better than the Big Ten’s last-place team.
How’s that for a new conference motto? Our last-place team would beat your last-place team.
On second thought, I’m not sure that’s true. Notre Dame played the worst teams from the SEC and Big Ten in consecutive weeks last fall. The Irish beat Purdue 56-30, then trounced Arkansas 56-13.
Back to the drawing board for the SEC.
OK, but how strong is the Big Ten’s claim of basketball superiority?
Adams: The Big Ten’s basketball claim isn’t as entrenched. In 2025, the SEC delivered one of the best basketball performances by a conference ever, and Florida won the national title.
The Big Ten started to make its claim for the basketball throne around the time Iowa bounced the defending champion and No. 1-seeded Gators in the second round of this tournament. Then, Michigan waylaid the SEC’s last-team-standing, Tennessee.
This year, the SEC qualified 10 teams to the Big Ten’s nine bids, but the Big Ten produced a better tournament record, four Elite Eight teams and now two teams in the Final Four. At least for this season, the Big Ten rules basketball.
Toppmeyer: The Big Ten’s claim of basketball superiority would be strengthened if either Michigan or Illinois wins the national championship. The conference’s tournament performance has been strong, much stronger than the SEC’s this year, but the SEC finished the job in 2025 thanks to Florida. The Big Ten still has not produced a basketball national champion since 2000 Michigan State. For the Big Ten to fully assert in its basketball status, it needs a champ.
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Big Ten rules college football and basketball, so SEC needs a new motto