Sports
Amen Thompson's tip-in at buzzer lifts Rockets over Heat
Mar 21, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) catches a pass against Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) in the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Amen Thompson tipped in a Kevin Durant missed jumper at the buzzer, and the Houston Rockets escaped with a wild 123-122 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Durant had passed Michael Jordan’s career 32,292 points for fifth on the scoring list with a corner 3-pointer at the 3:35 mark of the fourth quarter. The Heat (38-33) moved ahead on a goaltending call against Jabari Smith Jr. when he attempted to block Simone Fontecchio’s layup after the Rockets committed a turnover on an inbounds pass by Tari Eason.
Thompson saved the Rockets (43-27) with his career-best 18th rebound, redirecting the Durant miss just before the buzzer sounded. Thompson finished with 24 points and was one of three Rockets to record double-doubles along with Reed Sheppard (23 points, 14 assists) and Alperen Sengun (19 points, 12 rebounds). Durant finished with 27 points to lead the Rockets and has 32,294 for his career.
Bam Adebayo paired 32 points with a career-high-tying 21 rebounds to pace the Heat. Tyler Herro scored 25 points but shot 0-for-5 in the fourth quarter. Fontecchio had 21 points and five 3-pointers. Pelle Larsson tallied 19 points, while Davion Mitchell had 15 points and nine assists.
Fontecchio drilled a 3 that gave the Heat an 83-80 lead at the 7:11 mark of the third quarter, the seventh lead change by that point in the period. Miami extended that margin, boosted by two Myron Gardner 3s late in the third, and the Heat extended to an 11-point cushion in the fourth.
But Smith nailed back-to-back 3s to spark the Houston comeback in the final period, and when Thompson scored on a transition dunk, the Rockets led 103-102. Sheppard made a floater with 12.7 seconds left for a 121-118 lead, only for Miami to reclaim the lead before Thompson won it.
The Heat answered the Rockets’ 8-0 start to the game with a 23-3 run that yielded a 12-point cushion. Houston responded quickly, boosted by three Sheppard 3-pointers, and when Smith made two free throws with 45 seconds left in the first quarter, Houston reclaimed a 30-29 lead.
The Rockets led 55-48 late in the second quarter before Mitchell nailed two 3s that helped Miami shave the deficit to 64-63 at the half.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Luke Kennard's last-second shot beats Magic; Lakers' win streak at 9
Mar 21, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) reacts after hitting a game winning basket at the buzzer against the Orlando Magic in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Luke Kennard drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining on Saturday to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 105-104 victory over the host Orlando Magic.
Trailing by two with 2.6 seconds left, Marcus Smart inbounded a pass to a wide-open Kennard, with the Lakers’ sharpshooter hitting his third 3-pointer of the game and clinching the team’s ninth straight win.
Los Angeles (46-25) was led by Luka Doncic’s 33 points and eight assists, while Austin Reaves had 26 points and Kennard had 13. LeBron James scored 12 points and passed Robert Parish for most games played in NBA history with 1,612.
Orlando (38-32) was paced by Paolo Banchero’s 16 points and Jalen Suggs’ 14. Wendell Carter Jr. and Jevon Carter added 13 apiece for the Magic, who lost their fourth straight.
Trailing by four in the third quarter, Los Angeles’ 12-0 run was capped with James’ layup to give the visitors a 78-70 edge.
From there, Orlando finished the third on a 17-4 run, holding the Lakers to just one made field goal across the final six minutes of the quarter.
After falling behind by seven to start the fourth, Los Angeles went on a 10-2 run — which included Reaves’ six points — to take a 92-91 advantage with 6:31 left.
James’ layup cut the Lakers’ deficit to a point at the 2:02 mark, before Banchero’s basket gave Orlando a 100-97 lead. Doncic and Carter then traded jumpers on the team’s subsequent possessions.
Banchero then hit two free throws to push the Magic’s lead to five with 50 seconds remaining.
After Reaves’ layup, the Lakers forced an Orlando miss on the other end. Reaves then missed a game-tying 3-pointer with 10 seconds left. Deandre Ayton got the offensive rebound and was fouled, splitting the free throws to leave the Lakers’ deficit at two.
Suggs then threw the ball away for an Orlando turnover with 4.1 seconds left, leading to Kennard’s game-winner.
After setting the new record, James’ fast-break dunk helped Los Angeles grab an early 6-0 lead.
Doncic’s fadeaway jumper gave the Lakers their first double-digit lead at 30-20. The margin grew to 14 on Reaves’ dunk, before Orlando finished the opening quarter on a 7-0 run to cut its deficit in half.
The run continued into the second quarter as the Magic answered Reaves’ floater with a 13-0 run, stamped with Tristan da Silva’s floater to put Orlando ahead by six.
After Suggs’ stepback trey, Reaves beat the first-half buzzer with a mid-range jumper, trimming the Lakers’ halftime deficit to 65-62.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Senators continue playoff push with resilient win over Maple Leafs
Mar 21, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Jordan Spence (10) lines up a shot past Toronto Maple Leafs center Bo Groulx (29) in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images The Ottawa Senators did themselves a world of good in the playoff picture, withstanding a late push to top the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday night.
Defensemen Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence led the way for the Senators (36-24-9, 81 points) with two assists each. Linus Ullmark turned away 12 of 14 shots for Ottawa, which has won four of its last five.
Rookie Easton Cowan tallied a goal and an assist for the floundering Maple Leafs (29-29-13, 71 points). Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll finished with 38 saves when he was forced to man the posts for the second night in a row after Anthony Stolarz was hit in the throat by a puck during pregame warmups.
Tim Stutzle opened the scoring late in the first period on the man advantage, walking the puck into the right faceoff circle and sniping it under the arm of Woll. It was his first power-play marker since the return from the Olympic break.
Claude Giroux extended Ottawa’s lead at 9:09 of the second period, pouncing on Kleven’s low shot from the point to flip the puck up and over the pad of Woll. The goal snapped the 38-year-old’s 13-game scoring slump.
Deadline acquisition Warren Foegele made it 3-0 when he pounced on an ill-advised pass by Toronto in its defensive zone. Foegele’s soft shot deflected off Simon Benoit and into the net for his fourth tally in eight games with the Senators.
John Tavares responded with one of the Leafs’ few creative sequences on the night, trading puck possession with linemate Cowan and beating Ullmark blocker side for his 25th goal of the season.
The Senators outshot the Leafs 19-5 in a dominant middle-frame showing. Toronto has now been outshot in eight consecutive games.
The Leafs made it interesting early in the third. Cowan scored 4:52 into the period when he scored on a rebound of a Benoit shot.
But Michael Amadio quickly quashed any hope of a comeback with a goal less than five minutes later. Ridly Greig extended Ottawa’s lead back to three with 6:49 left, putting the game to rest.
The Senators sustained another injury to their defense when Dennis Gilbert left the game after taking a hard hit from Oliver Ekman-Larsson late in the third.
The Leafs were without defenseman Morgan Rielly, who aggravated a lower-body injury Friday against Carolina.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Achol Akot stars as Oklahoma State beats Princeton (Sacramento 2)
Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Achol Akot (11) defends Princeton Tigers guard Fadima Tall (5) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Achol Akot poured in a season-high 28 points on 12-for-15 shooting and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds as eighth-seeded Oklahoma State rolled past ninth-seeded Princeton, 82-68, at Los Angeles.
Oklahoma State (24-9) will face the California Baptist-UCLA winner in Monday’s second round after shooting 52.5% from the field in the opening round.
Jaydn Wooten came off the bench for 18 points, Micah Gray posted 16 points and Haleigh Timmer added 10 points for the Cowgirls, who led 48-33 at halftime.
Madison St. Rose had 17 points and Ashley Chea and Skye Belker both had 14 points for ninth-seeded Princeton (26-4). Olivia Hutcherson added 10 points, but the Tigers didn’t have enough strength in the lane to contend with the Cowgirls.
Princeton got within 61-53 by the end of the third quarter and Belker’s 3-pointer supplied the first points of the fourth quarter. Wooten responded with two baskets to ignite a 9-0 run that helped Oklahoma State take its edge to 72-58.
A 35-26 rebounding edge for Oklahoma State included 11 offensive boards.
Akot entered the game averaging less than 12 points per game.
–Field Level Media
