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The ESPN fantasy and betting cheat sheet is your pregame destination for our best intel and data to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

Jump ahead: Game of the night | Picks and props | Analytics edge

By Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe

Stock Watch: The 76ers couldn’t get their offense going against Toronto last night, but Matisse Thybulle (6.4% available) certainly made his presence felt defensively, collecting three steals and four blocks. Thybulle leads the league in steal percentage and sits 13th in block percentage. He should prove busy against Miami’s collection of perimeter scorers.

Believe In Bruce: Bruce Brown (available in 80% of ESPN leagues) has been an impactful fantasy option and tonight the Nets a banged up Jazz team on the second night of a back-to-back. Brown should be a viable asset in all formats. He’s been good for basically 15 PPG, 10 rebounds + assists and two steals + blocks all month while playing 33 minutes a night. He’s very clearly a part of Brooklyn’s offense and in games with Kyrie Irving out, he deserves to be locked into lineups.

Bey Day: With Villanova shining in the NCAA tourney, it’s fitting to highlight a former Wildcat who just scored a career-high 51 points this past Thursday. Sharpshooter Saddiq Bey (24% available) should continue to see his usage and offensive production swell with Jerami Grant (knee) off the floor. Marvin Bagley III (49%) has produced nearly nine more DraftKings points per 36 minutes with Grant off the court, aiding his case to bounce back from a foul-riddled game over the weekend.

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Follow Your Hart: The Pistons’ porous defense has allowed 42.7 DraftKings PPG to shooting guards this season, the seventh-highest rate in the league. Josh Hart (39% available), meanwhile, has averaged 28.6 PPG to go with strong peripherals over his past five games.

Down With KCP: The Wizards don’t have much perimeter creation on the roster in the wake of Bradley Beal‘s injury and Spencer Dinwiddie‘s departure. This void has fueled some fantasy production for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (80% available), who has averaged 16.8 PPG with 2.6 3PM and 1.2 steals over his past nine games. KCP lands a choice matchup against a Rockets team that has yielded 43.2 DraftKings PPG to shooting guards, the fourth-highest allowance in the league

Game of the Night

Line: Heat (-1)
Moneyline: Heat (-120), 76ers (+100)
Total: 216.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 214 points
BPI Win%: Heat (50.4%)

Key players ruled out: Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo

Questionable: Caleb Martin (knee), Jimmy Butler (ankle)

Notable: The James Harden era in Philadelphia opened with three straight covers and all three of those games went over the total. In the eight games since, however, the 76ers are just 2-5-1 ATS and unders are 4-3-1.

Fantasy Streamer: Max Strus (98.7% available) has quietly put together a strong last 10 days. He has averaged 16.0 PPG (47.8 FG%, 100 FT%, 46.2 3P%), 4.5 3PG, 4.0 RPG and 1.8 APG in 24.3 MPG off the bench in his past four outings. He has the potential for a larger role on Monday, with Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin both questionable and Gabe Vincent and Victor Oladipo both out. — Andre Snellings

Best bet: Heat -1 over 76ers. This matchup is a toss-up. There are still a lot of unknowns for tonight, but some things work in the Heat’s favor. The Heat come in as the more rested team with only one game since last Tuesday. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid was a game-time decision yesterday and though he played, he had his worst scoring game in more than a month. I like the fresher Heat team to pull this one out. — Snellings

Breaking down the rest of the slate

Line: Hornets (-6)
Moneyline: Hornets (-250), Pelicans (+205)
Total: 234.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 228.5 points
BPI Win%: Hornets (60.5%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: The Hornets have covered each of their past four games and have lost just four of their past 15 ATS.

Best bet: Jonas Valanciunas over 31.5 points + rebounds. Valanciunas has recorded four consecutive double-doubles and eight consecutive games with 10 or more points. As a team, the Hornets are ranked 18th in points allowed per 100 possessions. Centers have also dominated them this season, averaging 25.5 points per game and 17.3 rebounds per game. — Eric Moody

Line: Cavaliers (-6)
Moneyline: Cavaliers (-250), Lakers (+205)
Total: 223.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 222.5 points
BPI Win%: Cavaliers (67/6%)

Key players ruled out: Rajon Rondo

Questionable: LeBron James (knee), Wayne Ellington (illness), Talen Horton-Tucker (ankle)

Notable: The Lakers have been tough to watch for a while now, but over bettors have cashed in five of their past seven games.

Best Bet: LeBron James over 44.5 points + assists + rebounds. The last eight games have seen James average 35.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 6.0 APG. James is questionable with left knee soreness for tonight’s game, but I would be surprised if he did not face his former team in Cleveland. In 17 career games against the Cavaliers, he has averaged 29 PPG, 7.2 APG, and 7.0 RPG. — Moody

Best bet: Darius Garland over 38.5 points + assists + rebounds. In the month of March, Garland has been outstanding. In 10 games, he has averaged 26 PPG, 11 APG, 3.6 RPG, and 39.6 MPG. With the Lakers allowing point guards to average 25 PPG, 9.0 APG, and 7.0 RPG this season, Garland has a favorable matchup. — Moody

Line: Pistons (-7)
Moneyline: Pistons (-300), Blazers (+240)
Total: 223 points
BPI Projected Total: 220.5 points
BPI Win%: Pistons (73.8%)

Key players ruled out: Jerami Grant, Hamidou Diallo, Frank Jackson

Notable: Valentine’s Day. That was the last time the Pistons lost ATS (12-0-2).

Best bet: Pistons +7. As alluded to, the Pistons are undefeated against the spread for more than a month. But, that just reflects their surprisingly strong play on the court of late, as a young team that seems to be putting it together. Cade Cunningham returned this weekend as well, giving them a boost. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers have lost 10 of their last 11 games with an average scoring margin of -23.6 PPG. — Snellings

Line: Nets (-1)
Moneyline: Nets (-120), Jazz (+100)
Total: 229.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 230.5 points
BPI Win%: Jazz (53.8%)

Key players ruled out: Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge, Ben Simmons

Donovan Mitchell is having a career year in Utah. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Notable: The Nets are just 1-6 ATS over their past seven played at home (five of those seven have gone over the total).

Line: Bulls (-4)
Moneyline: Bulls (-180), Raptors (+155)
Total: 225.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 222 points
BPI Win%: Raptors (50.7%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: Six of seven and nine of 11 Chicago games have gone under the total.

Best bet: Raptors +4. I got burned on Friday by picking the Raptors to beat the Lakers, but that game was in Toronto. The Raptors have been road warriors of late, winners of six straight on the road with an 8.3 point scoring margin. That stretch includes wins in Phoenix, Denver, and last night’s win in Philadelphia over the 76ers. The Bulls come in having lost eight of their past 10 games, including three in a row, with an average scoring margin of -8.1 PPG during that stretch. BPI also gives Raptors the small edge outright. — Snellings

Line: Wizards (-5)
Moneyline: Wizards (-200), Rockets (+170)
Total: 234.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 236 points
BPI Win%: Wizards (61.7%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: The Wizards have seen nine of their past 10 games go over the total (they’ve covered two-in-a-row after losing five straight against the spread).

Line: Celtics (-13.5)
Moneyline: Celtics (-1100), Thunder (+700)
Total: 216.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 220 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (90%)

Key players ruled out: none

Notable: Four straight Thunder games have gone over the total and they’ve managed to cover the number in three of those games.

Line: Mavericks (-3.5)
Moneyline: Mavericks (-160), Timberwolves (+140)
Total: 230 points
BPI Projected Total: 228 points
BPI Win%: Mavericks (52%)

Key players ruled out: none

Questionable: Karl-Anthony Towns

Notable: Think the total is low? Back the ‘Wolves. The Mavericks have failed to cover each of the past three games that have gone over.

Analytics Edge

BPI highest projected totals

1. Washington Wizards (119.7 points)
2. Boston Celtics (116.7 points)
3. Houston Rockets (116.2 points)

BPI lowest projected totals

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (102.9 points)
2. Philadelphia 76ers (106.9 points)
3. Miami Heat (107.0 points)

BPI top probability to win (straight up)

1. Boston Celtics (88.9%)
2. Detroit Pistons (73.1%)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (68.7%)

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Nebraska freshman Bryce McGowens will declare for the 2022 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Monday.

“I am planning on forgoing my college eligibility and hiring agent Drew Gross of Roc Nation Sports,” McGowens said.

McGowens, the No. 30 prospect in the ESPN 100, was named to the Big Ten’s all-rookie team and third-team all-conference after averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists for the Cornhuskers.

“Having a chance to play with my brother was amazing,” he said. “The season went well. It was great to connect with my teammates, learn from my coaches and get the college basketball experience. I felt like every game, every week I progressed in different ways. Whether on the defensive end, playing more efficient or being more of a leader. I was able to learn a lot on and off the court at Nebraska and how to handle myself as a professional.”

McGowens was named South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after graduating from Legacy Early high school. He was the highest-ranked recruit in program history, electing to play with his older brother, Trey, a senior, who transferred from Pitt, allowing the siblings to be on the same team for the first time since they were 5 and 8 years old. McGowens’ parents, now educators, were both Division I athletes. His father, Bobby, played basketball and football at South Carolina State, and his mother, Pam, played basketball at Western Carolina.

The 6-foot-6 McGowens is considered one of the most talented young wing players in this draft class. He played his best basketball late in the season, averaging 20 points per game over the final 12 Big Ten regular-season games. He’s a fluid, versatile scoring threat with deep range on his pull-up jumper and creativity finishing with either hand around the basket, breaking several freshman scoring records at Nebraska.

“NBA teams were able to see how versatile I can be. I can shoot the ball well, I can handle and pass and play all three backcourt positions and score at all three levels,” McGowens said. “And even though we didn’t win much, I hope teams were able to see that I have a competitive and winning spirit. I showed I can put on good weight. I came in at 160 pounds, and am now 182. I’m looking for the best team fit now, but would definitely like to squeeze into the lottery. I want to show teams that I’m one of the best players in the draft. “

The NBA draft will be conducted on June 23, preceded by the NBA draft combine in Chicago on May 16-22.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and international teams.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have traded Marc-Andre Fleury. Instead of it being the Toronto Maple Leafs or Edmonton Oilers like many thought throughout the season, they have decided to trade him to a team within the Central Division.

The Minnesota Wild are the winners of the Fleury sweepstakes as they have added him for the Stanley Cup run. They are in a good spot in the standings to make the postseason and would like to finally take that next step.

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The Chicago Blackhawks enter the NHL Trade Deadline at 22-32-9. Those 53 standings points are good for third to last in the NHL’s Western Conference. They have a significantly better chance at winning the 2022 Draft Lottery than they do making it to the postseason.

That means that they are sellers at the deadline as they try to prepare for the future. They should be all in on getting this thing right for the future because they have a long way to go. If they keep trying to add pieces to the current team in attempts to win, they will continue to be bad with no future.

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While the Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of a disappointing NBA season, LeBron James continues to be the lone bright spot. James passed Karl Malone on Saturday night, moving into the No. 2 spot on the all-time scoring list. Though James racked up another individual milestone, his team fell to the Eastern Conference’s 11th-ranked Washington Wizards. The Lakers are running out of time to climb the Western Conference standings. At No. 10, they are five games back of the No. 8 LA Clippers and seem destined for the play-in tournament.

Elsewhere in the West, the Golden State Warriors were supposed to be complete again with Draymond Green‘s return from a two-month absence, but they lost Stephen Curry for at least two weeks when he sprained a ligament in his foot on Wednesday in a loss to the Boston Celtics. The Phoenix Suns are nine games ahead of the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies, but the Warriors are trying to stay afloat at No. 3, just two games ahead of the Utah Jazz and a surging Donovan Mitchell.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, are making a late-season push out of the play-in tournament, led by Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns dropped 60 points last week against the San Antonio Spurs — the most in the NBA this season — with 32 coming in the third quarter.

And Kyrie Irving followed in Towns’ footsteps on Tuesday with 60 points of his own, a career high and a franchise record for the Brooklyn Nets. However, the Nets still find themselves headed for the play-in tournament at No. 8 in the East, just one game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets.

Our experts break down where all 30 teams stand as the playoffs loom large.

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

1. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 58-14
Previous ranking: 1

Suns coach Monty Williams had high praise for Mikal Bridges on Sunday night, comparing him to former NBA Defensive Player of the Year winners Michael Cooper and Ron Artest for his ability to guard top players on the perimeter and down low.

“He should be Defensive Player of the Year, No. 1,” Williams said. “He doesn’t duck a matchup. He plays every night. He guards everyone. He plays 50 minutes. He still produces on offense. I don’t get into the iron man thing, but he loves to play, he loves to work and he’s a winner.” — Lopez

2. Miami Heat
2021-22 record: 47-24
Previous ranking: 2

Miami has won three of its past four and has a showdown with the Sixers on Monday night. Tyler Herro had 26 points in 28 minutes in Saturday’s win as he continues his torrid pace. He is averaging 25.9 points a game over nine contests in March — shooting 51.3% for the month after shooting 52.8% from the field in February. — Friedell

3. Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 record: 49-23
Previous ranking: 3

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Desmond Bane has bounced back after slumping last month. He is averaging 20.4 points with a 62.5 true shooting percentage in March as compared to 14.7 points with a 48.9 true shooting percentage in February. Bane has emerged as the Grizzlies’ No. 2 scoring threat behind All-Star point guard Ja Morant, who missed a couple of games this past week due to back and knee soreness. — MacMahon

4. Milwaukee Bucks
2021-22 record: 44-27
Previous ranking: 5

The case for Giannis Antetokounmpo to win his third Most Valuable Player Award is growing. Milwaukee is tied for second in the conference, while Antetokounmpo is a contender for Defensive Player of the Year and competing for the scoring title (29.8 points per game) with Joel Embiid (30.0 PPG) and LeBron James (30.0 PPG). — Collier

5. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 44-28
Previous ranking: 7

Boston remains an absolute juggernaut after routing Denver on Sunday night. The Celtics are now 21-4 since Jan. 23, have the league’s best defense by nearly five points per 100 possessions and are outscoring teams by 16 points per 100 possessions over that stretch. — Bontemps

6. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 43-27
Previous ranking: 6

It was an up-and-down week for Philly, with wins over Dallas and Cleveland sandwiched between losses to Denver and Toronto. It is a make-or-miss league sometimes, but when Philly is making 3s, they look like world-beaters. When they don’t? Their offense grinds to a halt. — Bontemps

7. Golden State Warriors
2021-22 record: 47-24
Previous ranking: 4

Stephen Curry is out for at least the next two weeks with a foot injury. Draymond Green is just coming back from a disk issue, and Klay Thompson is still trying to find his rhythm after being out 2 1/2 years. James Wiseman is dealing with knee swelling in another setback during his rehab, and his return this season remains unclear. The only good news for the Warriors is that Jordan Poole is in the midst of one of his best stretches of the season; Sunday’s contest marked the ninth time in as many games he has scored at least 20 points. — Friedell

8. Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 record: 43-28
Previous ranking: 8

The Mavs ran out of gas at the end of a five-game road trip, suffering double-digit losses in a back-to-back against Philadelphia and Charlotte after winning the first three games. Spencer Dinwiddie hit game-winning 3s in Boston and Brooklyn. He joined Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan as the only players to hit last-minute winners in consecutive games this season. — MacMahon

9. Utah Jazz
2021-22 record: 45-26
Previous ranking: 9

Donovan Mitchell sat out Friday’s rout of the Clippers due to a calf contusion, but he managed to maintain his hot hand. Mitchell scored 37 points in Wednesday’s win over the Bulls and 36 in a victory over the Knicks on Sunday as the Madison Square Garden crowd greeted him with enthusiastic cheers. Mitchell made 16 3s in the two triumphs, the most in a two-game span in Jazz history. — MacMahon

10. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 42-30
Previous ranking: 11

As good as the Nuggets played last month and in early March, they now find themselves tied with Minnesota for No. 7 in the West, set for a play-in game with the Clippers with 10 games remaining. After Sunday’s 20-point loss to Boston, Bones Hyland told reporters that DeMarcus Cousins spoke to the team to let everyone know their play is unacceptable right now. Knowing how the Nuggets have been in the past under Michael Malone, expect them to respond. — Youngmisuk

11. Chicago Bulls
2021-22 record: 41-29
Previous ranking: 10

The good news for the backsliding Bulls — who were winless on a three-game road trip and have lost of eight of their past 10 games — is that more help is on the way. Forward Patrick Williams will return Monday after tearing ligaments in his wrist in the fifth game of the season. He’ll come off the bench, and the Bulls are likely to ease their second-year forward back into action, but Williams’ presence could help lift Chicago’s defense, which has fallen to 20th in the NBA in defensive rating. — Collier

12. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-22 record: 42-30
Previous ranking: 15

Minnesota is rolling, having won four in a row and 10 of their last 11 games. They are threatening to grab one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference and avoid the play-in tournament. The Timberwolves sit half a game behind the Nuggets for the No.6 seed and 1.5 games behind the Mavericks. They have a pair of crucial games this week against the Mavs in Dallas on Monday and at home on Friday. — Collier

13. Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 record: 37-34
Previous ranking: 12

Wednesday, March 23
Nets at Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m.
76ers at Lakers, 10 p.m.

Wednesday, March 30
Heat at Celticss, 7:30 p.m.
Suns at Warriors, 10 p.m.

All times Eastern

Brooklyn has no idea if or when Ben Simmons is going to play as he continues to rehab his back injury. The Nets have no idea when the New York City vaccination mandate will get rolled back, which would allow Kyrie Irving to play in home games. What they do know is that they have Kevin Durant — and with him on the floor they’ll always have a chance. Durant is averaging 30 points a game since returning from an MCL sprain on March 3. — Friedell

14. Cleveland Cavaliers
2021-22 record: 41-30
Previous ranking: 13

The Cavs are back on an upswing, winners of three of their past four, just in time for LeBron James and the Lakers to come to town on Monday. James’ career average of 29.1 points versus his former franchise is his highest against any team in the league. — McMenamin

15. Toronto Raptors
2021-22 record: 40-31
Previous ranking: 14

Friday’s last-second loss to the Lakers aside, Toronto is back to flying along again, winning six of seven with Fred VanVleet in and out of the lineup and OG Anunoby not playing at all. The Raptors have a team full of long, rangy players led by rookie Scottie Barnes, and they are looking like a tough first-round opponent in the East. — Bontemps

16. Charlotte Hornets
2021-22 record: 36-35
Previous ranking: 18

Charlotte’s season could come down to Gordon Hayward‘s availability down the stretch. The forward said last week that he will begin taking contact this week and that his status will be determined from there. Charlotte is 26-22 when Hayward plays and 10-13 when he doesn’t. — Bontemps

17. LA Clippers
2021-22 record: 36-37
Previous ranking: 16

The Clippers are pretty much locked into the eighth spot with the Timberwolves hot on Denver’s tail for the sixth spot and the Lakers continuing to falter beneath the Clippers. But Ty Lue’s team isn’t playing its best right now. In fact, far from it. The Clippers were blown out in Utah and have lost six of their past eight, their only wins coming over the Wizards and Pistons. The good news is the Clippers have the most practice time they’ve had all season, so Lue will try to get them back to playing scrappy ball heading into the play-in. — Youngmisuk

18. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 35-36
Previous ranking: 17

The Hawks are comfortably in the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference play-in race but continue to jockey for position with Brooklyn (two games ahead at No. 8) and Charlotte (one game ahead at No. 9). The Hawks lost to the Hornets last week to tie the season series. To continue to climb, Atlanta will lean on Trae Young, who had his 27th 20-point, 10-assist game Sunday night. That sets a team record for most in a single season, breaking the record he set himself in 2019-20. — Lopez

19. New Orleans Pelicans
2021-22 record: 30-41
Previous ranking: 20

The Pelicans, who slid into the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference standings on Sunday night, are 7-6 since inserting Jaxson Hayes into the starting lineup at power forward. Since Feb. 17, the Pelicans have a +10.2 net rating with Jonas Valanciunas and Hayes on the floor over 216 minutes. In his past five games, Hayes is averaging 15.6 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting 7-of-12 from deep. — Lopez

20. Los Angeles Lakers
2021-22 record: 30-41
Previous ranking: 19

The Lakers followed up perhaps their most inspiring team win in Toronto on Friday — featuring Russell Westbrook‘s miracle steal and game-tying 3 sequence forcing overtime, where they pulled away — with the most impressive individual accomplishment by any player on their roster this season on Saturday when LeBron James passed Karl Malone for No. 2 on the all-time scoring list in Washington. But the Wizards got the win and L.A. is currently in the final play-in spot at No. 10 in the West with 11 games left to play. — McMenamin

21. Washington Wizards
2021-22 record: 30-40
Previous ranking: 21

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The Wizards’ play-in hopes took a severe blow when they lost six straight games, four coming on a West Coast swing. But the Wizards managed to spoil LeBron James’ milestone night Saturday when he passed Karl Malone on the all-time scoring list, erasing a 16-point deficit to beat the Lakers. While the win ultimately might not matter much, the Wizards got an important glimpse at Kristaps Porzingis‘ potential, as he scored 16 of his 27 points in the fourth. He looked like The Unicorn they acquired at the trade deadline. — Youngmisuk

22. New York Knicks
2021-22 record: 30-41
Previous ranking: 22

While New York’s season has gone sideways, at least the play of RJ Barrett over the past couple of months is something to take forward into the offseason. Since Jan. 1, Barrett is averaging nearly 24 points per game and shooting 37.8% from 3-point range. If he can keep that up over a full season next year, the Knicks will be quite pleased. — Bontemps

23. San Antonio Spurs
2021-22 record: 28-44
Previous ranking: 23

Spurs forward Keldon Johnson has been playing the best basketball of his young career since the All-Star break. He has had his first three 30-point games since the Spurs returned to play — 32 points against the Wizards on Feb. 25, 33 points against the Hornets on March 5 and a career-high 34 points last Monday against the Timberwolves. And while he didn’t hit the 30-point plateau Sunday, he did get the game-winning putback to defeat the Warriors. — Lopez

24. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 26-44
Previous ranking: 24

The Blazers’ slide continues, as they lost for the 10th time in 11 games on Sunday to Indiana. Portland’s only win since the All-Star break was over Washington, but at least the Blazers are getting a good look at what Josh Hart can do. Hart is averaging 28.6 points in his past five games. — Youngmisuk

25. Indiana Pacers
2021-22 record: 25-47
Previous ranking: 26

The news that T.J. Warren will officially miss the rest of the 2021-22 season marked a disappointing end to another injury-riddled season. Following a breakout performance in the bubble in 2020, Warren was limited to four games in the 2020-21 season with stress fractures in his left foot. He has not played since Dec. 29, 2020. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. — Collier

26. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 25-48
Previous ranking: 25

Kings rookie Davion Mitchell had himself a game in Sunday’s 127-124 overtime loss to Phoenix. With De’Aaron Fox sidelined by a hand injury, Mitchell — known for his defense — went off offensively, notching career highs in both points (28) and assists (nine), and giving the Suns all they could handle. — McMenamin

27. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 19-52
Previous ranking: 27

In 12 games since joining the Pistons, Marvin Bagley III is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds on 53% shooting. He’s playing around the rim more frequently and made a few spot starts for Detroit last week with Jerami Grant out of the lineup. — Collier

28. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 20-51
Previous ranking: 28

Power forward Darius Bazley has shown intriguing signs of development as a scorer recently. Bazley has averaged 21.0 points on 53.5% shooting over the last six games, including a career-high 29-point night and a pair of 25-point performances. Bazley, 21, a long-armed, explosive player with versatile defensive potential, is eligible for an extension of his rookie contract this summer. — MacMahon

29. Orlando Magic
2021-22 record: 19-53
Previous ranking: 29

Wendell Carter Jr. had another big game in Sunday’s win over the Thunder, racking up 30 points and 16 rebounds. Over the last two months, he is averaging over 18 points and 11 rebounds a game. Jonathan Isaac, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the season as he continues to rehab a knee injury. He hasn’t played since August 2020. — Friedell

30. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 17-54
Previous ranking: 30

Houston has won only two of its past 20 games, giving the Rockets the league’s worst record, which would guarantee a top-five pick. The growth of Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in last summer’s draft, has been a silver lining, as he has averaged 18.2 points on .472/.375/.732 shooting splits during that span. But the Rockets’ defense (NBA-worst 116.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) is awful, even by tanking standards. — MacMahon

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Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams will return Monday night against the Toronto Raptors to play in his first game since having wrist surgery in October, the team said Sunday.

Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has not played since Oct. 28, when he tore ligaments in his left wrist during the fifth game of the season.

Although he began the season in the starting lineup, Williams is expected to return in a reserve role with a minutes restriction.

“He’s anxious to get back,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Friday. “Physically, he feels good. He knows the timing part is going to take a little bit of time. But I think just how he feels and where he’s at mentally, he wants to come back and play.”

Williams, 20, had a promising rookie season as one of the youngest players in his draft class, but his second season didn’t get off to much of a start. He averaged 6.6 points on 56.5% shooting and 2.2 rebounds in five games before he tore his wrist ligaments falling on a flagrant foul by the New York Knicks‘ Mitchell Robinson.

While the Bulls were on a three-game West Coast road trip this past week, Williams remained in Chicago to practice with the Windy City Bulls, the team’s G League affiliate. Donovan said reports have been encouraging about Williams’ conditioning but that his timing was off after being sidelined for five months.

The Bulls are on a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday, and Donovan said it was possible that Williams could play in both games.

Williams’ return comes as the Bulls are on a three-game losing streak and have dropped eight of their past 10 games. They began Sunday fifth in the Eastern Conference.

“He makes our team better,” Donovan told reporters. “There’ll probably be some growing pains of him finding a rhythm. With Patrick, the biggest thing is going to be how he fits into a rotation and what a realistic number of minutes look like for him.”

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WASHINGTON — With a cut to the basket and an uncontested driving layup, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time second-leading scorer Saturday night in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards.

James passed former Utah Jazz Hall of Famer Karl Malone on the all-time scoring list with 5 minutes, 20 seconds left in the quarter. He entered the night needing 20 points to move ahead of The Mailman, who had 36,928 points in his 19-year career.

James finished with 38 points in a 127-119 loss, leaving him with 36,947 career points. That puts him 1,440 points behind former Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose record stands at 38,387 points.

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“Just to be a part of this league as long as I have been a part of it and be linked to some of the greatest that have played the game, guys that I have either watched or studied or read about or aspired to be like is just something I am lost for words at,” James said. “It’s an honor for myself, for my hometown, my family, my friends, to be able to live these moments throughout this journey. That’s exactly who I do it for. I do it for my family, my friends, my hometown and anybody else that has been a part of this journey and this run so far.”

There was some uncertainty about whether James would play Saturday after he logged 45 minutes in an overtime win at the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. But James tested his knee before the game and was announced in the starting lineup not long before tipoff.

James was asked Friday night if he sees any similarities between himself and Malone in that they both are known for their longevity and fitness.

“Absolutely,” James said. “Guys that just took care of their bodies for the majority of their career and always wanted to be available to their teammates. The most important leadership for you is to try to be available as much as possible on the floor. I think myself and him, we always just tried to be in uniform and make plays and stay in condition and try to stay healthy, stay injury-free as much as you can and also be productive on the floor. So yeah, absolutely.”

At 37, James entered the game averaging 29.7 points this season, third in the NBA behind the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Joel Embiid (30.0) and the Milwaukee Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.8).

But James said he is focused on trying to win more games as the Lakers fight for a play-in spot.

“Winning is what’s most important to me and what’s always been most important to me,” James said. “But the one thing I’ve been able to do is keep the joy of the game. I understand that we’re taking a lot of losses this season and whatever the case may be. But the joy of the game and going out there and competing is so damn fun.

“And obviously, the frustration of losing and things of that nature, obviously, in the heat of the battle, you feel it that way; but it’s a joy to play the game, and it’s a joy to go out there and play at this level at this point in my career, so I’m still having a blast.”

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