NBA — Bam Goes for 83
Bam Adebayo exploded for 83 points Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards, passing the late Kobe Bryant for second-most points in a single game in NBA history.

CBB — Jaden Bradley Calls Game vs. Iowa State
Arizona continued its dominant season with a buzzer-beater win over Iowa State (82–80), thanks to Jaden Bradley’s game-winner in what may have been the game of the year. Arizona looks like a legitimate championship contender, but Iowa State proved it’s not a team to overlook.

📈 Rising

Hawks
#1 net rating + #1 defense over the last 10 games

Lakers
Top-4 net rating + #1 offense over the last 10

Clippers
Top-6 net rating + #2 offense over the last 10

📉 Falling

Nuggets
#15 net rating + 5–5 record over the last 10

Timberwolves
#19 net rating + bottom-10 offense

Bucks
Worst net rating in NBA + 2–8 record over the last 10

📈 Rising

Arkansas
SEC tournament champions + #6 offense nationally

Purdue
Big Ten tournament champions + #1 offense nationally

Gonzaga
WCC tournament champions + top-10 net rating

📉 Falling

Michigan State
Big Ten tournament loss vs UCLA + defense drops outside top-10

Alabama
SEC tournament loss vs Ole Miss + #67 defense nationally

North Carolina
ACC tournament loss vs Clemson + Caleb Wilson injury

The Rockets came into this season with a lot of hype after pushing the Warriors to seven games in last year’s playoffs and then acquiring Kevin Durant in the offseason. On paper, Houston looks like a legitimate threat in the West. But despite sitting 4th in the conference, the Rockets could be staring at a first-round exit for some very obvious reasons.

Houston is 41–25, but on the road they’re just 18–17 (basically .500). Over their last 10 games they’re 6–4 with the NBA’s #18 net rating (-0.9). While the Rockets rank top-10 in three-point percentage, they’re second-to-last in three-point attempts per game, meaning they simply don’t take many. Out of Houston’s top three scorers — Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson — only Durant is a reliable three-point shooter (40.6%). Thompson is shooting 22.3% from three, while Sengun is at 27.9%.

The problem shows up even more late in games. Houston is 18–18 in clutch situations this season, and they could really use Fred VanVleet’s shot creation right now. Obviously, having Durant gives you a closer, but in modern basketball shooting and spacing still drive playoff success. If the season ended today, the Rockets would likely face Denver in the first round, a matchup that favors the Nuggets. Even if Houston moves up to the 3-seed and draws Minnesota, that matchup leans toward the Wolves as well. Playing bully ball can win games in the regular season, but without consistent shot creation and perimeter shooting, that style can hit a ceiling once things get tight in the playoffs.

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Conference tournaments have wrapped up and the committee has made its selections. As the NCAA Tournament tips off tomorrow and fans start filling out their brackets, here are three teams I think can make a deep run and three that could be bounced early. March Madness has officially begun.

Starting with the sleeper teams: we talked about Wisconsin back in Vol. 12 — they arguably have the best backcourt in the country with Nick Boyd and John Blackwell. Their offense ranks top-10 nationally, and they’ve already beaten some of the best teams in the country. UCLA has also been extremely hot lately, with wins over Michigan State, Illinois, and Nebraska. The Bruins feature a top-25 offense and a solid defense, and while Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau have dealt with injuries, both are expected to return. My final sleeper is St. John’s, which has really put things together after dominating UConn in the Big East championship game. The Red Storm bring an elite defense, and their offense is powered by Zuby Ejiofor, who has been dominant all season.

Now for my top-3 fade teams in the tournament. Let’s start with Alabama. Even with a top-3 offense in the country, they play almost no defense. The Tide rank #67 in defensive rating on Kenpom, and their heavy reliance on the three-point shot can become a problem if those shots stop falling. Louisville is another fade candidate for similar reasons — their defense has struggled all season. They’re also dealing with injuries to star guard Mikel Brown Jr., which could play a major role in their tournament outlook. Lastly, Texas Tech was an early favorite of mine, but the injury to JT Toppin changes things. The Red Raiders still have a top-15 offense, but the defense can be inconsistent and the offense leans heavily on three-point shooting.

There are also a few other teams that could surprise people — Kansas, Tennessee, Arkansas, and others. The tournament officially begins tomorrow with the First Four, followed by the first round starting Thursday with TCU vs. Ohio State. As always, March Madness is unpredictable, but one thing is guaranteed: it’s going to be entertaining.

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🔁 Share yours for a mention!

Storyline
Two of the league’s brightest young stars collide as Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum lead two contenders with championship aspirations.

Numbers to Know
Timberwolves: won previous matchup + #19 net rating the last 10 games
Celtics: Top-10 defense + top-10 net rating the last 10

Matchup
Boston’s elite two-way wings vs. Minnesota’s size, defense, and shot-making.

🎯 Full Timeout Pick: Check Instagram @fulltimeout_

Storyline
A classic 8–9 NCAA Tournament matchup to kick off March Madness. TCU enters hot after a slow start, while Ohio State leans on star guard Bruce Thornton, who recently became the Buckeyes’ all-time leading scorer.

Numbers to Know
TCU: Top-25 defense + #43 net rating
Ohio State: Top-20 offense + #26 net rating

Matchup
Elite guard play vs. elite defense

🎯 Full Timeout Pick: Ohio State

NBA

CBB

March Madness Bracket Revealed ➜ The NCAA Tournament field is set. Duke, Arizona, Florida, and Michigan land the No. 1 seeds as March Madness officially tips off this week. (Full bracket available via ESPN / NCAA).

Tyrese Maxey Injury Watch ➜ The Sixers guard has been diagnosed with a tendon injury in his right pinkie and will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Duke Awaiting Injury Updates ➜ Caleb Foster (foot fracture) and Patrick Ngongba (foot soreness) both missed the ACC Tournament. Duke hopes to have them available for the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Monitoring Tournament Referees ➜ The NCAA will reportedly use new technology to track referee activity during the tournament in an effort to prevent potential betting improprieties.

Coaching Carousel Begins ➜ Several programs are already making moves: Boston College and Cincinnati have fired their head coaches, Oregon State is hiring Michigan assistant Justin Joyner, and Arizona State is expected to part ways with Bobby Hurley.

Which NBA team currently has the most player-games missed due to injuries this season?

A. Oklahoma City Thunder
B. Indiana Pacers
C. Dallas Mavericks
D. Memphis Grizzlies

Who would of guessed Bam was going to drop 83 on a Tuesday night:

🧩 FT Pop Quiz Answer: D. Memphis Grizzlies (387)


That’s Volume 13.
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