March 3,2024 at 7:00 PM
3/19/2024 7:00 PM
Hornets visit Magic in Southeast division showdown
The Orlando Magic play the second of their eight-game homestand Tuesday when they host the Charlotte Hornets at the Kia Center.

It’s been a rough season for the Hornets (17-51), who are all but eliminated from playoff contention. They are 3-10 since the All-Star break and lost their last game, 109-98, to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday in a game that saw Tre Mann lead the way with 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. Mann has started in all 14 games he’s played since being traded to Charlotte by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the 2021 first-round pick is averaging 12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.8 steals over 31.4 minutes per game as a member of the Hornets.

LaMelo Ball will not play Tuesday and will miss his 26th-straight game due to right ankle tendonitis.

Meanwhile the Magic (40-28) are winners of three straight and have an 8-2 record over their last 10 games. They’re coming off a 2-0 sweep of a home-and-home series against the Toronto Raptors in which the Magic won by 10 and 15 points respectively. Orlando is fifth in the Eastern Conference and have created a three-game gap above the NBA Play-In Tournament cutoff. 2022 first-overall pick Paolo Banchero -- who was named to his first All-Star game this season -- has led this recent charge and has averaged 23.8 points on 51.7 percent shooting, 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists over 35.6 minutes per game over his last nine appearances.

Tuesday’s contest is the third of four games between the Hornets and Magic this season, with Orlando holding a 2-0 series lead.
March 3,2024 at 7:00 PM
3/19/2024 7:00 PM
Wizards, Rockets Collide In D.C.
The Washington Wizards will host the Houston Rockets at Capital One Arena on Tuesday.

The Wizards (11-57) have been one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. Right now, they have the worst record in The Association with only 11 wins. They own a disappointing 4-27 mark at home, easily one of the worst home records in the league as well. The team was supposed to contend for a Play-In berth with Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones and Jordan Poole as leading figures, but the experiment couldn’t have gone worse. The Wizards are stuck with Poole’s contract for the time being and are looking at another year or two of rebuilding before even thinking about a potential Play-In spot. The Wizards also enter this game on the heels of a four-game losing skid following their most recent defeat, a 130-104 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Kyle Kuzma (shoulder) is a game-time call for Tuesday. Marvin Bagley (back), Landry Shamet (calf), Deni Avdija (knee), Eugene Omoruyi (ankle) and Tyus Jones (back) are out. Bilal Coulibaly (wrist) and Isaiah Livers (hip) are out for the season.

The Rockets (32-35) are another rebuilding franchise, but they are further than Washington on their road back to contention. The Rockets are fighting for a Play-In Tournament spot in the Western Conference, and they’re not expected to go down without a fight. They’re one of the hottest teams in the league of late and arrived in DC on the heels of a five-winning streak. They’re coming off an impressive 117-103 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday in their most recent contest. The coaching of Ime Udoka, the progression of Alperen Sengun, and the contribution of veterans such as Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks have boosted the team enormously compared to last season. Houston need to improve on the road, though, as the team sports a 9-24 record away from home.

Cam Whitmore (knee) and Alperen Sengun (ankle) are out for Tuesday’s game. Meanwhile, Tari Eason (lower leg) and Steven Adams (knee) are out for the season.
March 3,2024 at 7:30 PM
3/19/2024 7:30 PM
Pelicans and Nets Set for Big Apple Interconference Battle
The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Tuesday night.

The Pelicans (41-26) are firmly on the path to the postseason, and they're getting hot at the right time with six wins in their last seven games. Their most recent time on the floor resulted in one of those victories, as they thumped the Portland Trail Blazers by a 126-107 score Saturday night. CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 30 points, supplementing them with eight assists, two rebounds and two steals. Zion Williamson generated a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double that included three assists, one steal and one block. Brandon Ingram delivered 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists, four blocks and one steal. Trey Murphy III supplied 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. Naji Marshall registered 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal.

The Pelicans will list Herbert Jones (hip/back) as probable for Tuesday's game. Dyson Daniels (knee) is likely to remain out.

The Nets (26-42), in contrast, have zero designs on the postseason, and they'll enter Tuesday with five losses in the last six games, including three straight. Their most recent stumble came Sunday night, when they fell to the San Antonio Spurs in overtime by a 122-115 score. Cam Thomas led the Nets with 31 points, supplementing them with five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Dennis Schroder furnished 19 points, seven assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Day'Ron Sharpe provided 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Mikal Bridges turned in 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and one steal. Cameron Johnson finished with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Nic Claxton generated an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double that included two assists, one steal and one block.

The Nets will list Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) as questionable for Tuesday's game.

Tuesday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Pelicans hold a 1-0 series lead.
March 3,2024 at 8:00 PM
3/19/2024 8:00 PM
Spurs Host High-Powered Mavericks
The San Antonio Spurs play host to the Dallas Mavericks at Moody Center on Tuesday evening.

The Spurs (15-53) are coming off a win in their last game and look to stay on track as they face the fifth game of an eight-game home stand with a chance to improve on their, 8-24, home record. Victor Wembanyama leads the squad, averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.5 blocks per game. Devin Vassell is averaging 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals, while Keldon Johnson averages 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. The Spurs average 112.4 points per game, but they give up an average of 119.8 points per game, which is sixth-most in the league.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks (39-29) have won five of their last six games and hope to keep the momentum going as they face an opportunity to add to their, 18-14, road record. Luka Doncic (hamstring) missed the game-before last but bounced back with 37 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in the last game, but he is listed as questionable for action heading into Tuesday's game. Kyrie Irving continues to thrive, averaging 25.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Tim Hardaway averages 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists, while Dereck Lively is averaging 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.
March 3,2024 at 9:00 PM
3/19/2024 9:00 PM
T'Wolves Host Nuggets on Tuesday
The Denver Nuggets travel to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Tuesday.

The Nuggets (47-21) suffered a devastating loss in their most recent game on Sunday. They lost at the buzzer against the Dallas Mavericks, relinquishing the top seed in the Western Conference. It's a blip on an otherwise clean radar, though, with the Nuggets winning 11 of their previous 12 games before that tough loss. That's what the defending champions should look like, and it's scary that this team is getting hot at the right time. It also looks like Nikola Jokic is going to win his third MVP in four years. Having a big man record 25-point triple-doubles on a nightly basis is truly ridiculous, and it has fans overlooking Jamal Murray's ability as a point guard. He's one of the most underrated players in the league, and he pairs beautifully with the two-time MVP.

The Timberwolves (47-21) have been trying to hold off the surging Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, tied with Denver after a win on Monday. All of those clubs sit within one game of one another, and this matchup will be a huge factor in who finishes first. Unfortunately for Minnesota, they'll have to figure things out without one of their All-Stars. Karl-Anthony Towns will miss the remainder of the regular season, while Rudy Gobert is dealing with a ribs issue. Missing two big men like that would kill any team and it has the T'Wolves looking at an uphill battle. The good news is that they have Anthony Edwards, who has looked like one of the best players in the NBA since KAT went down. They enter this matchup amid a three-game winning streak and will get some time off after this back-to-back.

These teams played back on November 1, with Minnesota prevailing, 110-89. The Timberwolves have won six of their last eight games over the Nuggets, which snapped a 12-game winning streak by Denver in this series.