NBA

• Nets 123, Pistons 108
  • The 76ers are probably going to end up getting pretty lucky. With this victory, the Nets are a near lock for the No. 6 seed in the East, putting them on a collision course with Philadelphia. The Nets, sans Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, aren’t sixth-seed caliber, creating a fairly easy matchup for the 76ers. Spencer Dinwiddie had an odd game yesterday, shooting 1-10 with 16 assists.
  • When out of playoff contention, it’s smart to experiment with certain off the wall lineups. That’s what Detroit is doing now, starting both James Wiseman and Jalen Duren. Both players could be important pieces for the Pistons’ future, so it’s wise to get a look at the two bigs playing together. Duren and Wiseman combined for 34 points last night.
• Knicks 138, Pacers 129
  • The Knicks didn’t have much to play for in this game, but that didn’t stop Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Obi Toppin combining for 107 points. New York is in good shape heading into the playoffs, having won five straight games. The health of Julius Randle is one of the only questions facing the Knicks.
• Hawks 134, Wizards 116
  • The Hawks are slowly pulling themselves together. Atlanta has won three straight games, and at this moment, seem like a good pick to advance past the play-in tournament. Trae Young shot 18 free throws in this contest, and I marvel at why referees give the small-statured point guard the amount of calls that they do.
  • Daniel Gafford might be something for the Wizards. Washington has plenty of minutes to hand out currently, and Gafford is taking advantage of his. The big man scored 25 points and secured 10 rebounds last night.
• Celtics 97, Raptors 93
  • The Celtics are now locked into the No. 2 seed, placing them on a path to a second round matchup with the 76ers. That would be a great series. Malcolm Brogdon had 29 points off the bench in this affair, and while the guard won’t win Sixth Man of the Year, he’s probably the NBA’s best bench player.
  • Some nights, it feels like Pascal Siakam is Toronto’s only consistent player. It’s probably a true statement, though, as the power forward is the best player on the team, and far too often receives minimal help from guys like Fred VanVleet. VanVleet shot just 2-14 yesterday, including 1-12 from deep.
• Pelicans 138, Grizzlies 131
  • The Grizzlies sport one of the league’s best defenses, but New Orleans sliced right through it in this tilt. Herbert Jones is an excellent young defender, but he also tallied 35 points yesterday — an impressive feat.
• Mavericks 123, Kings 119
  • The Mavericks needed this game badly. With two games to go, Dallas is tied with Oklahoma City for the West’s last play-in spot. The Mavericks face the Bulls and Spurs, both at home, in those two contests. I like Dallas’ chances. Christian Wood shot just 5-15 in this game, but he needs consistent minutes, so I liked how he was on the floor for 25 of them last night.
• Clippers 125, Lakers 118
  • This was a big game for the Clippers, so it was the right move, but I was shocked that Tyronn Lue played Kawhi Leonard 43 minutes yesterday. Leonard is still a great two-way force, making the Clippers a dangerous matchup in the playoffs.
  • The Lakers were let down by their bench in this loss — a costly one at that. Dennis Schroder was just 1-6 from the field and a -13 in 13 minutes of action. The Lakers seem headed for the play-in.

NCAAB

• Arizona transfer PG Kerr Kriisa commits to West Virginia
  • Kriisa is an interesting fit with the Mountaineers, given his struggles on defense with Arizona, but he’ll certainly make West Virginia a better team. Boosted by Kriisa’s prowess as a passer, Arizona secured a top-two seed in the past two NCAA Tournaments, . West Virginia will benefit by the point guard’s ability while competing in next season’s 14-team Big 12 gauntlet.

MLB

• Yankees 4, Phillies 2
  • Gleyber Torres is doing a nice job fighting off trade rumors. The 26-year-old went 3-4 yesterday with two RBIs, boosting his OPS to 1.349.
  • Not exactly the sharpest of starts for Phillies ace Aaron Nola. Nola was alright yesterday, but his ERA through two starts is 7.45.
• Rays 7, Nationals 2
  • It might already be Wander Franco’s time. The 22-year-old was fine in 2022, but probably didn’t play up to his lofty standards. He’s been more than fine thus far, as his OPS is up to 1.273 after homering and manning shortstop for the undefeated Rays yesterday.
  • The Nationals, as expected, are terrible. Jeimer Candelario is unsuited to hit third, and Patrick Corbin hasn’t been any better than he was a year ago. Corbin allowed six runs in 6.0 innings yesterday.
• Marlins 5, Twins 2
  • Jorge Soler’s power is undeniable. He may never repeat his 48 home run performance from 2019, but Soler smashed two big ones in this tilt.
  • It must have been strange for Pablo Lopez to start against his former team in this contest, but he clearly wasn’t phased by it. Lopez pitched 7.0 innings and gave up just one run.