Cooper Flagg Named NBA Rookie Of The Year
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has been named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for the 2025/26 season, the league announced today (Twitter link).
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft and the youngest player in the league, Flagg led all qualified rookies with 21.0 points per game while also contributing 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 33.5 minutes per night across 70 contests (all starts). According to the NBA (Twitter link), Flagg and Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan are the only rookies since 1973 to lead their respective teams in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Flagg is the third player in Mavericks history to be named Rookie of the Year, joining Luka Doncic (2019) and his current head coach Jason Kidd (1995), per the team (Twitter link). Flagg, Jordan, and Doncic are the only three players in the past 45 years to average at least 20 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game as rookies.
Flagg narrowly beat out his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after leading the NBA in total three-pointers (273). The Hornets swingman, drafted fourth overall last June, trailed Flagg in points (18.5), rebounds (5.3), and assists (3.4) per game, but scored his points more efficiently, shooting 47.5% from the floor, 42.5% on three-pointers, and 86.3% from the free throw line. Flagg’s shooting line was .468/.295/.827.
There was a sense that Knueppel’s historic shooting numbers and the Hornets’ relative team success might give him the edge. Charlotte finished 18 games ahead of Dallas in the NBA’s regular season standings, while Knueppel became the first rookie to ever lead the league in three-pointers.
However, Flagg was rewarded for his all-around contributions and the way he handled becoming the focal point of the Mavs’ offense with Anthony Davis traded and Kyrie Irving sidelined, gaining the upper hand with a strong finish to the season. From March 21 onward, Flagg averaged 25.5 PPG on 46.1% shooting and had separate games of 51 and 45 points, while Knueppel averaged 14.1 PPG on 39.1% shooting.
Flagg received 56 of 100 potential first-place votes and 412 total voting points, with Knueppel earning the other 44 first-place votes and 386 points (Twitter link). Since the current Rookie of the Year voting format was implemented in 2002/03, only the 15-point gap in ’21/22 – when Scottie Barnes edged out Evan Mobley – was smaller than this year’s 26-point margin.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe was nearly the unanimous third-place pick, receiving 93 third-place votes to go along with a single second-place vote. Spurs guard Dylan Harper (five third-place votes) and Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (one third-place vote) were the only other players to appear on at least one Rookie of the Year ballot.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, George, 22nd Pick
Joel Embiid has been upgraded to doubtful for the Sixers‘ Game 3 against the Celtics on Friday, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes (via Twitter).
As The Athletic’s Tony Jones writes, Embiid partially participated in Philadelphia’s practice on Thursday, though coach Nick Nurse described it as only slightly more than a walkthrough.
“I think we’re going to know a lot more probably by the end of today where he is,” Nurse said, per PHLY Sixers (Twitter video link). “It’s kind of like, the work increases a little bit and then we gotta see how he comes out of that stuff… He wants to play and we want him to play. I don’t know how close we are to that at this point, but I think there’s some progress being made.”
Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy during the last week of the regular season, hasn’t played since April 6. The Sixers and Celtics are tied 1-1 in their first-round series.
We have more Sixers notes:
- VJ Edgecombe made history in the Sixers’ Game 2 win over the Celtics, surpassing Magic Johnson to become the youngest player ever to have a 30-point, 10-rebound playoff game. He was also the first rookie to put up those numbers since Tim Duncan in 1998, notes ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I’m going to be honest, I think we all knew where the shots were going to come from,” Edgecombe said. “… Everyone can make a play on the court, so we kept trusting each other and I was in the spot and they wanted me to shoot the ball. It wouldn’t have been right if I didn’t shoot the ball, so I had to shoot the ball, hit wide-open shots and try to get my teammates assists.” The game was indicative of the mature, composed player Edgecombe has shown himself to be throughout his rookie season, Tony Jones writes for The Athletic.
- When the Sixers signed Paul George, it was to make him the team’s third star. That’s what happened in Game 2, though it wasn’t the pecking order Philadelphia had in mind when they made the deal, Gina Mizell of the Philly Inquirer writes, with Edgecombe starring in place of Embiid. “That’s kind of the role I’ve adjusted to,” George said, “Making sure [if] they go on a run or we need a good basket or a good look, I think I can get my shot off or I can still create and find people and put us at ease. It’s just kind of be the guy that can settle us down a little bit when we need it.”
- The Sixers own the 22nd pick in the 2026 draft, but with team president Daryl Morey at the helm, a trade is never out of the question, Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice. Aaronson looks through some of the potential options at that spot, focusing on frontcourt depth.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Backcourt, Oubre, Game 2 Tweaks
The Sixers were missing Joel Embiid in their Game 1 loss to the Celtics, but he is working to get back on the floor after being diagnosed with appendicitis that required surgery earlier in the month, Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice. According to the team, Embiid has begun a strength and conditioning program in an effort to return to play, but he remains without a definitive timeline.
While the former MVP dealt with a variety of ailments this year, his presence has been crucial for the Sixers, who went 24-14 with him this season and just 21-23 without him. Embiid holds career averages of 25.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 15 career playoff games against the Celtics.
While Philadelphia still hopes Embiid will suit up in the first round, it would likely take the team extending the series past four games to make that happen, Aaronson notes.
We have more news from the Sixers:
- Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have established a close-knit chemistry throughout their first season together, writes Gina Mizell of the Philly Inquirer. The duo has managed to form a playful bond while simultaneously holding each other accountable and pushing one another to improve. “We’re hard on each other, and then we also understand,” Edgecombe said about their occasional on-court spats. “Every time he has something to say, I know it’s always coming from a place of love.” Maxey called the rookie his “little brother,” while Edgecombe said he hopes the duo will go down in the history books together.
- It took a while for Kelly Oubre Jr. to find his ideal NBA path, but with the Sixers, he has blossomed into a more mature, well-rounded veteran, Mizell writes. Head coach Nick Nurse often praises the athletic wing for his ability to fill whatever role is needed, which Nurse said is crucial, especially given the lineup inconsistency the team has dealt with over the last couple of years.
- After losing Game 1 to Boston by 32 points in a game they never led, the Sixers will need to make some adjustments if they want a chance to steal a game on the road, Aaronson writes. Cutting down on unforced errors, especially communication breakdowns on defense that lead to open looks for Celtics shooters, will be paramount. The team also needs either Edgecombe or Paul George to step up and take the role of secondary scorer behind Maxey. George told Maxey after Game 1 that the Sixers hadn’t made the Celtics feel like it was a playoff game, allowing them to get into a rhythm early and not doing anything to make them uncomfortable, according to Tony Jones at The Athletic.
NBA Announces Finalists For 2025/26 Awards
The NBA has announced the finalists for this season’s major awards, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Clutch Player of the Year.
The MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year finalists were announced at halftime of the NBC broadcast of Game 1 between the Pistons and Magic, while the league’s official account tweeted the rest.
Most Valuable Player
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
The leaders of the three top teams in the Western Conference all have strong arguments for MVP. Jokic became the first player to lead the league in rebounds and assists per game while also averaging 27.7 points. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31.1 PPG and led the Thunder to the league’s best record despite the fact that multiple starters missed substantial time this season. Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a league-best 3.1 blocks per game while emerging as a lock for Defensive Player of the Year.
Rookie of the Year
- Cooper Flagg (Mavericks)
- Kon Knueppel (Hornets)
- VJ Edgecombe (Sixers)
This race is expected to come down to the former Duke teammates. Knueppel played a key role for a resurgent Hornets squad, becoming the first rookie to lead the league in made three-pointers while averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 81 appearances. Flagg’s Mavs finished well out of the postseason picture, but he showed massive star upside, averaging 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.5 APG while scoring at least 42 points in four separate games. Edgecombe averaged 35.0 minutes per game over 75 contests, posting a well-rounded 16.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 4.2 APG.
Coach of the Year
- Joe Mazzulla (Celtics)
- J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
- Mitch Johnson (Spurs)
Mazzulla and Bickerstaff each led massively overperforming teams that managed to dominate the Eastern Conference despite having players in and out of the lineup all year. Johnson helped navigate a tricky guard rotation and spacing issues as the Spurs posted the second-best record in the league.
Defensive Player of the Year
- Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
- Ausar Thompson (Pistons)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
Wembanyama is the overwhelming favorite to win this award, ranking first in total blocks, blocks per game, defensive rating, and defensive rebounding percentage this season. Holmgren was second in blocks per game for the league’s top defense, while Thompson proved himself to be arguably the best perimeter defender in the league with his combination of off-ball defensive play-making and point-of-attack dominance.
Most Improved Player
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Hawks)
- Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Jalen Duren (Pistons)
Both Avdija and Duren were first-time All-Stars this season, while Alexander-Walker earned a starting spot on his new team and raised his scoring from 9.4 points per game last season to 20.8 PPG this season on .459/.399/.902 shooting splits, all career high percentages.
Sixth Man of the Year
- Tim Hardaway Jr. (Nuggets)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Heat)
- Keldon Johnson (Spurs)
Hardaway cracked 40% from three this season for the first time in his career while shooting 6.9 attempts in his 26.6 minutes per game. Most importantly for the injury-plagued Nuggets, he played 80 games, including six starts, and was the team’s fifth-highest scorer. Jaquez had an impressively well-rounded contribution off the bench, posting career-highs of 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Johnson was a crucial scoring hub for the Spurs bench units while adding offensive pop when the starters struggled to score.
Clutch Player of the Year
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
Gilgeous-Alexander and Edwards ranked first and second, respectively, in clutch scoring per game, while Murray was second in total clutch points behind the Thunder star and shot the most efficiently from three of the guards.
Brett Siegel of Clutch Points notes (via Twitter) that the awards will be announced in the coming days and weeks, starting with Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, April 20.
Sixers Notes: George, Celtics Matchup, Maxey, Embiid
The Sixers and Celtics played four times during the regular season, but those meetings don’t offer much insight into the current version of both teams, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Three of those games were early in the season and the final one took place March 1, shortly before Jayson Tatum returned from his Achilles injury. Philadelphia’s Paul George also missed all four games, either because of injuries or suspension.
Coach Nick Nurse talked about the importance of having George to help slow down Tatum and Jaylen Brown when the first-round series starts Sunday afternoon. George, who has averaged 21 points per game and shot 41.5% from three-point range since returning from the suspension, sidestepped a question at Saturday’s practice about the Sixers’ underdog status.
“That sounds like a little bulletin board material right there,” he said. “We’ve given them their respect. But at the end of the day, man, it’s competition. We’ve got to go and compete. They’ve got to go and compete. That’s just what it boils down to. … We’re not going to back down. They’re not going to back down.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Boston has two obvious advantages heading into the series, Mizell adds in the same piece. One is three-point shooting, where the Celtics rank third in makes per game (15.5) and eighth in percentage (36.7%), while the Sixers are 22nd (12.3) and 23rd (34.9%) in those categories. The other is Boston’s huge advantage in offensive rebounding, which was on display in the March 1 game as the Celtics pulled down 19 offensive boards and scored 30 second-chance points. “The last game we played against them, we lost because we didn’t rebound,” Dominick Barlow said. “I think that’s going to be the game.”
- Philadelphia will need big scoring numbers from its backcourt combination of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe to have a chance in the series, notes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Maxey is looking forward to being back on the playoff stage in the wake of last year’s disastrous season. “Being in the playoffs means everything,” he said. “It means everything, man. The way last season went, I just didn’t want to have that feeling again. I challenged myself last summer, and I feel like I rose to that challenge. We’re here now, and we’re in the playoffs and that’s what matters the most.”
- Joel Embiid‘s status is uncertain as he recovers from an appendectomy, and Nurse refused to speculate on whether his star center will be available beyond the series opener (Twitter video link from PHLY Sports.) “I’m preparing for Sunday’s game, and I know he’s not playing in that one,” Nurse told reporters. “That’s all — we’re just zeroed in on trying to see, can we go in there and get ready to battle.”
Sixers Clinch Playoff Spot, Will Face Celtics In First Round
The Sixers got 31 points from Tyrese Maxey on Wednesday as they claimed the seventh seed in the East with a 109-97 win over the Magic. Maxey broke open a tight game by scoring seven straight points late in the fourth quarter to give Philadelphia a victory in front of its home fans. Orlando lost the opportunity to host the play-in matchup by falling to Boston on Sunday in the final game of the regular season.
Sixers players got a pregame surprise as Joel Embiid greeted them in locker room for the first time since undergoing an emergency appendectomy last week in Houston, according to Dan Gelston of The Associated Press. There’s still no timetable for Embiid to return, but he felt well enough to watch Wednesday’s game from the bench.
Adem Bona got the start at center in place of Embiid, but veteran Andre Drummond had the more effective night, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Drummond finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks in nearly 32 minutes and helped to offset Orlando’s natural advantage on the boards. Drummond also went 2-of-3 from three-point range, and Neubeck observes that he has become more comfortable knocking down corner threes.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds in his first postseason appearance and pushed the ball on the fast break several times in an otherwise slow game, Neubeck adds. He noted that Orlando’s vaunted defensive guards had trouble keeping up with Edgecombe when he reached full speed.
“I was tweaking a little bit tonight,” Edgecombe said (Twitter video link). “… I guess that happens when you let a kid play in such a high intensity game. I was out there having fun. If I gotta play wild for us to win, I’ll play wild.”
The Sixers’ victory sets up a first-round series against the Celtics, with Game 1 set for 1:00 pm ET on Sunday. The NBA announced that this will be the 23rd playoff meeting between the two teams, making it the most frequent matchup in the league’s postseason history.
The Magic will host the Hornets at 7:30 pm ET on Friday with the No. 8 seed in the East up for grabs. The winner will face the Pistons in the first round with the opening game set for 6:30 pm ET on Sunday.
Eastern Notes: Donovan, Okoro, Hornets, Whitmore, Sixers
As of Sunday night, Billy Donovan and the Bulls hadn’t scheduled their end-of-season meeting that will help determine whether he remains in his role as head coach, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required).
However, the expectation is that it will happen at some point this week and that Donovan won’t take long after the meeting to make a decision on his future, Poe adds. Bulls leaders, including CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf, have expressed strong interest in retaining Donovan after parting ways with top basketball operations executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, and multiple players have also said they hope the veteran coach returns.
“We’re at this pivot point right now,” Donovan said on Sunday. “Everything has changed. So for me to have to sit down and have a conversation — that’s really what I want to do, just to find out where we’re all at on this and how we’re going to move forward.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Bulls forward Isaac Okoro has another year left on his contract, but after being traded last summer, he knows there are no guarantees he’ll still be in Chicago for the start of the 2026/27 season, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Okoro said on Monday that he’ll “just control what I can control” and focus on improving as a player this offseason. “It’s the NBA, it’s the business, and I can be traded again somewhere,” he said. “I love being here and I love the culture we’re trying to build, so I just have to try and control what I can control. But I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve only been traded one time, but in Cleveland come every offseason I felt like I could have been traded.”
- In a pair of in-depth stories, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic take a closer look at the turnaround in Charlotte, where the Hornets have gone from being a perennial punching bag to an exciting young team on the rise. As Vorkunov details, besides bringing in new leaders – general manager Jeff Peterson and head coach Charles Lee – and compiling a promising young core of players, the Hornets have dramatically upgraded their organizational infrastructure under co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, hiring more than 60 new people, renovating their arena, and beginning construction on a new practice facility and team headquarters.
- Discussing the deep vein thrombosis that cut his third NBA season short, Wizards forward Cam Whitmore suggested on Monday that not being able to play basketball during the second half of 2025/26 was a secondary concern, given the serious nature of the issue. “That was a life-threatening (situation),” Whitmore said, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter link). “… I’m grateful just to be alive, to be honest. I’m grateful to talk to my family.”
- Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice and Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required) consider what the Sixers‘ rotation will look like during the play-in tournament this week, with Aaronson suggesting it won’t be a surprise if guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe both get to 40-plus minutes on Wednesday vs. Orlando.
Sixers Notes: Maxey, Edgecombe, Barlow, Terry
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey aggravated an injury to the little finger on his right hand in the third quarter of Friday’s win at Indiana, but he didn’t let it slow him down, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Maxey went to the locker room and asked trainers to numb the finger and rewrap it before returning to the game and leading his team to a much-needed victory in the Eastern Conference battle for playoff seeding.
Maxey has been wearing a splint on the finger during the past few games and admitted it has affected the way he’s played.
“I don’t have time to be timid right now,” he said. “My teammates need me. … I did it all year and had a high spirit and kept their spirits high. There’s just no way I’m going to let them down now.”
Joel Embiid‘s emergency appendectomy this week has increased the Sixers’ reliance on Maxey as they prepare for what’s likely to be a trip to the play-in tournament. They could still finish as high as sixth, but a lot would have to go right on Sunday, starting with a win over Milwaukee.
No matter where they finish, Paul George believes the players need to accept their underdog status with Embiid out of the lineup.
“Teams that make it further than their expectation, it’s because they’re playing together,” George said. “So that’s just the mentality and the mindset that we’ve got to have.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Rookie VJ Edgecombe is feeling the effects of his first full NBA season, telling Mizell, “I’ve never been so tired in my life.” However, he added, “I’m ready for the next game,” indicating that he won’t let the grind wear him down. Edgecombe stated that he feels like he’s been playing basketball since the pre-draft process began nearly a year ago. While his body might be aching, Edgecombe emphasized that there’s no mental fatigue. “I think I’m built for it,” he said. “I just want to continue to grow with my teammates. I just want us to continue growing our chemistry. … Obviously, I’m tired, but there’s always a ‘but.’ I’m ready to hoop. I’m ready to go out there and leave it on the floor any given night.”
- This week’s trip to San Antonio was meaningful for Dominick Barlow, who began his career with the Spurs in 2022, per Mizell. He said the organization put the “foundational blocks” in his game, and he’s happy to see them back among the top teams in the West. “They deserve to celebrate the success that they have now,” Barlow said.
- Dalen Terry thought he was about to receive bad news when he woke up after a late flight and saw five missed calls from his agent, Mizell adds. Instead, he learned that the Sixers were promoting him from a two-way contract to a standard deal. Coach Nick Nurse gave Terry an “A-plus” for his professionalism since joining the team in February. “I hold myself to a higher standard than I think I’m viewed as,” Terry said. “When I came to Philly, I was like, ‘This is finally a chance I get to show everything I can do.’”
And-Ones: NBA Awards Picks, G League Awards
Reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claims two awards on the unofficial ballot of Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports: MVP and Clutch Player of the Year.
To be clear, Devine does have an official vote for year-end awards, but those ballots aren’t sent out until the regular season concludes on April 12. Devine also notes that he may be forced to change some of his picks, depending on which players are eligible.
Victor Wembanyama, for example, needs to play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s remaining two games to be eligible for awards consideration. The French big man is Devine’s choice for Defensive Player of the Year and is his runner-up for MVP, ahead of Nikola Jokic.
Kon Knueppel (Rookie of the Year) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Most Improved Player) are a couple of Devine’s other awards picks.
Here are a few more awards-related stories and announcements:
- There’s quite a bit of overlap between Devine’s awards picks and the tentative selections of Zach Harper of The Athletic. Both writers have Joe Mazzulla, J.B. Bickerstaff and Mitch Johnson as the three finalists, in order of how they finish, for Coach of the Year, and Keldon Johnson, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. as their top three picks for Sixth Man of the Year.
- Michael Pina of The Ringer lists his three All-NBA, two All-Defensive, and two All-Rookie teams. Pina’s first-team All-NBA picks are Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown, Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Jokic; his All-Defensive First Team selections are Wembanyama, Derrick White, Scottie Barnes, Ausar Thompson and Chet Holmgren; and his top-five rookies are Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper and Derik Queen.
- The NBA G League has announced its All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams, which are each comprised of five players (Twitter links via the NBA). The All-Defensive selections are Jamarion Sharp (Texas Legends), Chris Manon (South Bay Lakers), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Andersson Garcia (Mexico City Capitanes) and Jalen Slawson (Noblesville Boom), while the All-Rookie team consists of Raptors 905 standout Martin, Norchad Omier and Sean Pedulla of the San Diego Clippers, Keshon Gilbert (College Park Skyhawks) and RJ Davis (South Bay Lakers). Martin, Manon, Slawson (Pacers), Omier and Pedulla are on two-way contracts with their respective NBA teams.
Sixers’ Edgecombe, Kings’ Raynaud Named Rookies Of The Month
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe has been named the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of the Month for March, while Kings big man Maxime Raynaud has won the award for the Western Conference, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).
Edgecombe’s win prevents Hornets wing Kon Knueppel from achieving a clean sweep of Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards this season. Knueppel earned the honor for October/November, December, January, and February. He was among this month’s nominees in the East, along with Wizards forward Will Riley, per the league (Twitter link).
But it’s Edgecombe that claimed the honor after an impressive March in which he averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 32.7 minutes per game across 13 outings. He posted a solid .454/.361/.895 shooting line for the month, strengthening his case for a spot on this season’s All-Rookie first team.
Over in the West, Raynaud is the third player to receive Rookie of the Month recognition this season, joining Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (Oct./Nov., Dec., and Jan.) and Spurs guard Dylan Harper (Feb.), both of whom were nominated for the March award along with Jazz forward Ace Bailey.
Injuries to Kings centers Domantas Sabonis and Drew Eubanks have cleared the way for Raynaud to play a significant role in Sacramento’s frontcourt since the All-Star break. In 15 March appearances (all starts), he put up 17.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .595/.444/.784 shooting. His most impressive individual stretch came when he had back-to-back 30-point games on March 17 vs. San Antonio and March 19 vs. Philadelphia.