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Victor Wembanyama returns as Spurs hold off Hornets

NBA: Charlotte Hornets at San Antonio SpursMar 14, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a shot in the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama racked up 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three blocked shots in his return to lead the host San Antonio Spurs to a 115-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday as two of the hottest teams in the NBA clashed.

De’Aaron Fox added 17 points for the Spurs, with Stephon Castle adding 15 points with 10 assists. Keldon Johnson scored 13 points and Luke Kornet contributed 10 for San Antonio.

Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 22 points while Kon Knueppel scored 20, Coby White had 18 off the bench and LaMelo Ball added 17 for the Hornets, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.

The Spurs are now 17-2 since the start of February, while the Hornets fell to 8-3 since Feb. 22.

The Spurs led by as many as 18 points in the second quarter and 13 at halftime before heading into the fourth quarter up 91-83. Bridges’ 3-pointer with 9:33 left brought Charlotte to within four points before San Antonio reeled off the next 12 points to expand its advantage to 104-88 with 6:05 remaining.

The Hornets were unable to chalenge down the stretch, with Wembanyama’s fifth 3-pointer of the game coming with 1:12 remaining to seal the victory and get San Antonio’s back on track after a loss on Thursday to Denver when Wembanyama was out with ankle soreness.

San Antonio used an 18-0 run, capped by two free throws by Barnes, in building an early 28-13 lead. The Hornets missed 13 consecutive shots during the Spurs’ surge before pulling within 31-24 after one quarter.

The Spurs were up 46-28 five minutes into the second quarter and finished the first half with an 8-0 run to take a 59-46 advantage into the break. Wembanyama had 18 points and eight rebounds before halftime for the Spurs while Fox added 10. Ball had 11 points for the Hornets in the first half.

Knueppel tried to shoot Charlotte back into the game in the third period, making three 3-pointers as part of his 17 points in the quarter as the Hornets cut San Antonio’s lead to 82-73.

–Field Level Media

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'Elite' Cade Cunningham, Pistons strive to extend win streak in clash vs. Raptors

NBA: Detroit Pistons at Toronto RaptorsFeb 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) controls the ball against Toronto Raptors guard Ja’Kobe Walter (14) during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Pistons have not lost to the Toronto Raptors in more than two years, and the visiting Pistons hope to keep it that way on Sunday afternoon .

The Pistons have won their seven past meetings with the Raptors, including 113-95 at Toronto on Feb. 11.

Toronto’s most recent victory over Detroit was 142-113 at home on Nov. 19, 2023.

Toronto can take inspiration from its comeback 122-115 home victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday after dropping six of its previous eight games.

“It was a big-time win for us,” said RJ Barrett, who scored 22 points. “We hit a little rough patch, and wins like that are what we have to have.”

The Pistons are on a three-game winning streak after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 126-110 at home on Friday. Before the winning streak, the Pistons had lost four straight.

“We were losing games in the stint, but coach (J.B. Bickerstaff) told us to stay together throughout all this,” said Ronald Holland II, who scored 12 points in 17 minutes. “We had a lot of success throughout the season, so far.

“I mean, we weren’t getting big-headed or anything, but every team goes through (losing streaks) in the NBA. So he was just telling us to stay together, to keep running the course and everything will be fine. We’re back on track now, so hopefully we can stay rolling.”

The victory over Memphis solidified the Pistons’ lead in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors are in seventh place.

The Pistons had a huge game Friday from Jalen Duren, who has been dealing with a sore right knee. He had 30 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks to help the Pistons to their 48th victory of the season, their most since winning 59 in the 2007-08 season.

“I think we celebrate the small wins,” Duren said. “The main focus is to keep succeeding, keep getting better as we move into the postseason. Staying healthy.”

Cade Cunningham had 17 points, 15 assists, eight rebounds, and three steals for Detroit, as he displayed his development as a playmaker.

“He’s elite at it,” Bickerstaff said.

Cunningham scored 28 points against the Raptors last month. Duren did not play in that game in Toronto because he was serving a suspension for an altercation against the Charlotte Hornets.

Caris LeVert returned to the Pistons lineup after missing three games with an injured left wrist. He scored four points in 22:57 as a reserve.

The Raptors rallied from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Suns, who had won four in a row. Brandon Ingram scored 36 points for Toronto.

The Raptors showed more resolve than in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. They avoided the late-game collapses that have plagued them and finished the win over the Suns on a 27-10 run.

“I think it was an urgency to compete and most of all stay together,” Ingram said. “We’ve been through some times where the other team was scoring offensively and we weren’t able to stop the bleeding or find a rhythm on the offensive end. At those times, we would put our heads down a little bit and sort of take it upon ourselves to try to fix it. I think tonight we just stayed connected.”

Scottie Barnes, playing through illness that made him a game-time decision, scored 14 points and blocked two shots, one in the final minute.

–Field Level Media

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Spring training roundup: Tarik Skubal, Max Scherzer excel for Tigers, Blue Jays

MLB: Spring Training-Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue JaysMar 14, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Tarik Skubal racked up seven strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings in his return to spring training as the Detroit Tigers rolled to a 6-1 victory over the host Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon in Dunedin, Fla.

Skubal allowed three hits and one run with no walks as he fired 61 pitches in his first outing since helping the United States defeat Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic on Monday. Matt Vierling delivered a pair of RBI doubles for the Tigers.

Max Scherzer matched zeroes against Skubal with four scoreless innings for the Blue Jays. He scattered two singles and two walks while fanning five. Daulton Varsho touched Skubal for a solo homer in the fifth. Riley Tirotta went 2-for-2 with a double.

Phillies 6, Yankees 4

Felix Reyes hit a two-run homer in the ninth to break a tie and give Philadelphia the victory over host New York in Tampa, Fla.

Leadoff man Justin Crawford went 1-for-4 with two runs and one RBI while Edmundo Sosa added two hits for the Phillies. Starter Bryse Wilson tossed three hitless innings as Philadelphia improved to 8-11-1 for the spring.

Yankees starter Max Fried stretched out to 5 1/3 innings and was responsible for five hits, three runs and four strikeouts. Braden Shewmake forged a 4-4 tie with a solo homer in the eighth while Jasson Dominguez went 2-for-2 with a walk, run, RBI and stolen base.

Pirates 8, Orioles 6

Marcell Ozuna erased a two-run deficit with a three-run homer in the seventh as host Pittsburgh collected the win over Baltimore in Bradenton, Fla.

Henry Davis and Billy Cook contributed homers to highlight the Pirates’ 12-hit attack while Ryan O’Hearn and Nick Yorke cracked two hits apiece. Starter Carmen Mlodzinski fanned five over five innings while allowing seven hits and two runs.

Adley Rutschman (2-for-4) and Dylan Beavers (2-for-3) each delivered a two-run homer for the Orioles, who had 13 hits. Starter Trevor Rogers gave up four hits and two runs over four innings with three strikeouts and one walk.

Marlins (ss) 4, Nationals 1

Rookie catcher Bennett Hostetler hit a two-run homer and stole two bases to pace Miami past host Washington in Palm Beach, Fla.

Cade Gibson opened for the Marlins and racked up four strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings as seven pitchers combined for a 4-hitter and 13 strikeouts.

Brady House poked an RBI double in the fifth to account for the Nationals’ lone run. Starter Alex Clemmey gave up no hits and one walk over three innings, but he allowed two unearned runs as the Nats committed three of their four errors during the third inning.

Cardinals 7, Marlins (ss) 7

Nolan Gorman cranked his third homer of the spring as St. Louis and host Miami played to a draw in Jupiter, Fla.

Starter Andre Pallante struck out four and walked three as he gave up one run over five innings for the Cardinals. Gorman, Jose Fermin and Nathan Church contributed two hits apiece.

Ryan Ignoffo (2-for-2) homered in the eighth while Ian Lewis and Yiddi Cappe drove in two runs apiece for the Marlins. Starter Ryan Gusto surrendered six hits and two runs over four innings.

–Field Level Media

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Hawks blow past Bucks, extend winning streak to nine

NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta HawksMar 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) in action against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

CJ McCollum scored 30 points and made seven 3-pointers to help the red-hot Atlanta Hawks extend their winning streak to nine games with a 122-99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Jalen Johnson added 23 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his ninth triple-double of the season as Atlanta won nine in a row for the first time since a 19-game stretch in the 2014-15 season.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 points, followed by Corey Kispert’s 13 and Jock Landale’s 10.

Ryan Rollins had 22 points and eight assists for the Bucks, who dropped their eighth game in nine tries. Kevin Porter Jr. contributed 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, while Bobby Portis finished with 14 points and Kyle Kuzma chipped in 11.

After holding an eight-point halftime lead, Atlanta stretched the margin to 14 on McCollum’s three straight 3-pointers to give the Hawks a 73-59 advantage with 8:04 left in the third.

Portis’ 3-pointer narrowed the gap to 82-70 with 3:55 remaining in the third, before Gabe Vincent’s 3-pointer and Alexander-Walker’s steal and layup helped the Hawks take a 95-78 lead heading into the final quarter.

Atlanta’s edge ballooned to 20 on McCollum’s 3-pointer to open the fourth. Porter scored the first eight points of the quarter for Milwaukee, cutting the visitors’ deficit to 16 with 7:32 remaining.

Rollins’ 3-pointer got the margin down to 13, but McCollum’s consecutive 3-pointers were part of Atlanta’s 14-1 game-sealing run to give the Hawks a 118-92 lead, forcing Milwaukee to unload its reserves with 3:33 left.

Atlanta jumped out to an early nine-point edge, before Rollins’ consecutive 3-pointers began an 11-0 run to give the Bucks a 19-17 lead. Porter’s layup in the final seconds of the first quarter pulled the visitors within a point.

The Hawks pushed the lead back to nine after Alexander-Walker’s triple gave the Hawks a 48-39 advantage with 6:06 left in the opening half.

Johnson’s mid-range jumper gave the Hawks their first double-digit lead at 54-43. Led by Johnson and Alexander-Walker’s 13 first-half points apiece, Atlanta held a 60-52 edge at halftime. Rollins’ 15 paced the Bucks.

–Field Level Media

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