The proper NCAA tournament begins Thursday at 12:15 p.m. ET with Oklahoma-Rhode Island. Shout out to risky future top-10 pick Trae Young! Our college basketball team has a slew of coverage for you as you quest to make your final bracket suggestions before the tip. Like, are you unsure about Virginia? Read Mike Rutherford on Virginia. You need a surprise Final Four team? Read Rutherford on potential surprise Final Four teams.
Allow the March Madness to wash over you
We have that and more in Thursday’s NBA newsletter.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
We also have brackets based on memes, based on mascot fights, based on what would happen if each team got its top NBA player to join. We’ve got our 1-on-1 NBA bracket, we’ve got Paul Flannery on the prospects to watch, we’ve got Ricky O’Donnell’s mock draft.
Lean into the Madness! May your brackets provide you glory.
Playoff Picture
The Bucks and Heat could have improved their seeds. Instead, they lost to the Magic and Kings. Welp.
Scores Galore ...
MIL 117, ORL 126
WAS 125, BOS 124 (2OT)
MIA 119, SAC 123 (OT)
LAL 106, GSW 117
... And So Much More
The Gnarly Nine (rebranding alert, congratulations Knicks!) took on some water Wednesday with both the Kings and Magic winning games against playoff teams. Memphis is still No. 1 with 18 wins, Phoenix is No. 2 with 19 wins, and Atlanta now has sole ownership of No. 3 with 20 wins. Orlando and Brooklyn are tied for No. 4 with 21 wins, Dallas and Sacramento are tied for No. 6 with 22 wins, Chicago is No. 8 with 23 wins, and New York is No. 9 with 24 wins. Do any of these squads have a surprise winning streak in them a la the 2017 Lakers? Let’s find out!
Tim Cato explains just what made Wizards-Celtics so weird.
The story of Julius Randle getting motivated by believing he’s going to be pushed aside for LeBron James and Paul George this summer is great. Luke Walton ... is a good coach.
Kristian Winfield talked to the Raptors, who aren’t satisfied with the No. 1 seed or winning 50 games before losing 20. They want more. Here’s Zach Lowe on why the Raptors are real.
I wrote about the glory of the rise of Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers, and how self-belief and (ahem) growth mindset can lead the way.
Devin Booker says that the young Suns have been “babied.” Huh.
Hey, uh ... De’Aaron Fox bleeds the most chilled moscato.
Be excellent to each other!
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