NBA Basketball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 5:37 PM ET
Western Conference Standings
The Lakers rallied to a 142-125 victory in LeBron James' return from a groin injury, with Luka Doncic exploding for 51 points and the starting five combining for 137 points — the most in a regulation game since the 1970-71 season. Anthony Davis added 28 points and 10 rebounds as Los Angeles moved to 3.5 games ahead of the Warriors for the No. 7 seed. Meanwhile, the Nuggets overcame a 23-point deficit to beat San Antonio 136-131, with Nikola Jokic posting 35 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists in a game the Spurs played without Victor Wembanyama due to right ankle soreness.
Draft and Prospect Buzz
League insiders are debating whether Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa will go No. 1 in the upcoming NBA draft, with Cameron Boozer building a strong case through his versatile scoring and rebounding. In college basketball, Tristan da Silva is rising up draft boards while analysts question whether players like Bennedict Mathurin and Cameron Johnson should remain in fantasy lineups given their inconsistent production. The debate intensified after Flagg struggled in recent playoff action, raising concerns about his pro readiness.
Eastern Conference Drama
Boston's Jaylen Brown criticized the league's foul-baiting trend, telling reporters, "I just don't think it's basketball" after a controversial call in Wednesday's win over Miami. The Celtics maintained their 2.5-game lead over the Knicks for the No. 2 seed despite Brown's frustration boiling over in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia, meanwhile, fell to the Heat 112-105 as Tyrese Maxey managed just 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting, dropping the Sixers to 4-6 in their last 10 games.