Celtics star Jayson Tatum's status upgraded to available, clearing way for season debut after Achilles tendon surgery
BOSTON (AP) — Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s status upgraded to available, clearing way for season debut after Achilles tendon surgery.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum's status upgraded to available, clearing way for season debut vs. Dallas
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s status has been upgraded to available, clearing the way for him to make his season debut almost 10 months after having surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon.
Tatum’s status was updated Friday afternoon ahead of the Celtics’ home matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.
Tatum was listed as questionable for the game Thursday. It marked the first time this season he hadn’t been listed as sidelined and undergoing rehabilitation for the injury he suffered during Game 4 of Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the New York Knicks last May.
Tatum previously indicated his return to the court would be for a home game.
Boston (41-21) currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference standings.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Achilles healed: Celtics OK Tatum for Fri. return
Jayson Tatum is officially available for the Celtics’ Friday night home game against the Mavericks. Tatum suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in the playoffs less than 10 months ago.
North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson Out For Season With Surgery On Right Thumb
North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his right thumb while dunking during Thursday’s practice, the school announced Friday. Sources told ESPN he has already undergone surgery.
Wilson is expected to be cleared in time for the NBA pre-draft process, where he projects as a potential top-5 pick in June’s draft. While Wilson has not quite been considered at the level of the expected top-3 picks Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, he has emerged as the probable fourth best prospect in the draft.
The injury compounds an already difficult stretch for the 6-foot-10 forward. Wilson had missed the previous six games with a fractured left hand suffered February 10 at Miami and was considered close to returning before Thursday’s setback.
Wilson was averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season. North Carolina has gone 5-1 in his absence.
The Tar Heels enter the weekend at 24-6 overall and 12-5 in ACC play, locked into the No. 4 seed at next week’s conference tournament. They face No. 1 Duke on Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the regular-season finale.
Knicks’ Brown: SGA tops in convincing refs of fouls
“SGA, he’s a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anybody in the league — that he’s getting hit,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after his team’s 103-100 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday night.
Caruso, Hartenstein exit OKC win with injuries
Alex Caruso (left hip contusion) and Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf tightness) were ruled out during the team’s 103-100 victory over the Knicks on Wednesday night and will be reevaluated Thursday.
2026 NBA Draft Class On Track To Break 2017 Record For Most Freshmen In Lottery
The 2026 NBA Draft freshman class is historically deep, with the group on pace to challenge or surpass the record 11 freshmen selected among the 14 lottery picks in 2017. All nine prospects atop ESPN’s current rankings are first-year college players, with five additional freshmen inside the top 20 within striking distance of lottery consideration.
The 2017 draft class was headlined by freshmen Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson, De’Aaron Fox, Jonathan Isaac and Lauri Markkanen.
The 2026 class has been strong enough to drive deliberate losing across the NBA, with multiple franchises openly prioritizing improved lottery odds to position themselves for a top pick.
At the center of the conversation are Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, the two leading candidates for the No. 1 selection. Peterson entered the season as the consensus frontrunner, regarded as the draft’s most gifted shot creator and perimeter shooter. A difficult freshman year marked by injury and illness has complicated his standing, though NBA scouts have consistently urged patience pending a full medical review at the combine.
Dybantsa has steadily closed the gap as the 6-foot-8 forward leads the Big 12 in scoring at 26.2 points per game, has improved his three-point shooting to 34.7% and carries a 7-foot wingspan that scouts believe gives him the highest two-way ceiling in the class. Sources indicate NBA front offices are splitting hairs between the two prospects heading into March.
Duke forward Cameron Boozer ranks third, putting together arguably the best statistical season of any prospect in the class while leading the 28-2 Blue Devils. He is on pace to break Zion Williamson’s record for box plus-minus at Duke, per BartTorvik.com, and projects as the most NBA-ready player in the group. His lack of rim protection and lateral quickness have kept some evaluators from placing him higher.
North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson ranks fourth despite fracturing his hand in February and is working toward a return for the NCAA tournament. Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Tennessee’s Nate Ament, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. round out the nine consensus lottery prospects, all freshmen.
Beyond that group, Arizona’s Braydon Burries has generated the most momentum among secondary prospects after a strong second half of the season. Washington’s Hannes Steinbach, UConn’s Braylon Mullins, Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. and Arizona’s Koa Peat are also projected first-round freshmen with outside lottery potential.
The 2017 draft produced 16 freshmen in the first round overall. The 2026 class is positioned to challenge that benchmark as well.
Anthony Davis cleared to begin limited on-court activities, will be re-evaluated again in 2 weeks, Wizards say
Although Trae Young is poised to make his Washington Wizards debut on Thursday, the team’s other recently acquired star still has a ways to go in his recovery.
Anthony Davis, out with ligament damage in his left hand, will be re-evaluated again in two weeks, the Wizards announced Thursday, hours before their home game against the Utah Jazz.
Davis was re-evaluated Wednesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, per the team’s statement.
“He continues to progress as expected and has been cleared to begin limited individual on-court basketball activities,” the statement reads.
Davis hasn’t played since Jan. 8, when he injured his hand while defending Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen on a baseline drive.
At the time, the 10-time All-Star big man was playing for the Dallas Mavericks. But the Mavericks traded Davis to the Wizards as part of an eight-player deal ahead of the deadline last month.
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This story is being updated.
Hawks vs Bucks Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game
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The Milwaukee Bucks brought back Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it is fair to wonder to what end. The Atlanta Hawks are four games ahead in the standings for the final Play-In spot in the Eastern Conference, and that should become five games tonight.
My Hawks vs. Bucks predictions and NBA picks will not put faith in Atlanta, but they will also not put faith in Giannis aside from crashing the glass on Wednesday, March 4.
Hawks vs Bucks best bet: Giannis Antetokounmpo Over 10.5 rebounds (+110)
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the court on Monday, his first action since late January. The Milwaukee Bucks’ cornerstone struggled from the field, going 7-of-18 for 19 points, but he was still an asset.
Antetokounmpo’s 11 rebounds showed he’s still impacting the game despite being out of rhythm. That rhythm might take time to return, but those misses create more chances for him to crash the boards against the Atlanta Hawks.
Antetokounmpo’s rhythm will struggle as long as he is on a minutes restriction, playing just 25 in his return.
Milwaukee’s three-game losing streak will also plague some of his play, as the Bucks have little incentive to win or stress their superstar.
Milwaukee has not cracked 100 points in its last three games, a trend that underscores that this roster is more broken than Antetokounmpo deserves.
Milwaukee is 0-3 against the spread in its last three games, falling short of bookmakers’ expectations by at least 20 points in each of those games. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Bucks.
| Location | Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI |
| Date | Wednesday, March 4, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
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Pacers vs Clippers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn could be one of the most underappreciated players in the NBA.
He’s not only Los Angeles’ top perimeter defender, but the veteran guard has upped his offensive efforts over the past month, averaging almost 10 points per game in the Clippers’ last 10 outings.
Los Angeles is a sizable home favorite against the Indiana Pacers tonight, and my Pacers vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks like Dunn to keep contributing on both ends of the floor.
Pacers vs Clippers best bet: Kris Dunn Over 7.5 points (-105)
As mentioned, Kris Dunn has been doing more on the offensive side since early February.
He’s scored 8+ points in seven of the L.A. Clippers’ past 10 games, including 16 points in the recent win over Golden State.
Dunn, who went 7-for-10 in just 26 minutes Monday, faces an Indiana Pacers team riding out a lost season. Indiana has dropped six straight showings and sits 27th in defensive rating over its last 10 outings.
Wednesday’s game will have a quicker tempo, with Indiana involved, and Dunn’s player projections range from 7.9 to 8.8 points.
The Clippers are fighting to stay in the conversation for the play-in tournament while the Pacers are in full “tank mode”, sliding into L.A. on a six-game losing skid. Indiana is 1-9 SU and 4-6 ATS in non-conference road games.
Dunn is averaging almost 10 points over the last 10 games. His projections flirt with nine points versus a Pacers team trying to tank for a Top 3 pick.
Andrew Nembhard is seeing his playing time tick down with Indiana giving up on the season, and the guard is nursing a sore back. His projections are as low as 12.4 points tonight.
In La La Land, you need a strong supporting cast. With the Clippers running away from the Pacers, I like L.A. to spread the love around to Dunn, Brook Lopez, and Kobe Sanders — all of whom are projected to top their scoring totals tonight.
The Pacers have only covered twice in the past 11 games since February 3. Find more NBA betting trends for Pacers vs. Clippers.
| Location | Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA |
| Date | Wednesday, March 4, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | FDSN-Indiana, FDSN-SoCal |
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