Starting 5: Ant drops 41, Cavs clip Pistons, Spurs dominate NBC Throwback Night & more Tuesday triumphs

Cold like Minnesota. Ice like Ant-Man.

Forty-one points for Anthony Edwards ended in four straight wins for the Wolves.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

March 4, 2026

Tuesday Heaters: Cavs edge Pistons late, Ant takes over, Knicks & Hornets stay humming

Best Of West: Spurs dominate on NBC Throwback Night, Thunder & Lakers ride key runs

Roundup: Paolo pops off, Bam does it all, Jalen Green soars in Suns win

Tonight On ESPN: Evolving Knicks face Thunder at MSG, Giannis leads Bucks against streaking Hawks

Kia Rookie Ladder Spotlight: Fire meets fire as Knueppel leads Hornets against surging Celtics

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Tuesday’s scores, Wednesday’s slate…

Six games tip off tonight, headlined by a marquee doubleheader on ESPN as the Knicks host the Thunder (7 ET | Tap to Watch) before the Hawks visit the Bucks (9:30 ET | Tap to Watch).

February’s Best: The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham and Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama were named the Kia NBA East and West Players of the Month, respectively, for February. See the full monthly award list here.

1. CAVS STAY CLICKING, ANT ERUPTS, KNICKS & HORNETS ROLL 

Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images

A balanced effort. A Beard boost. And a signature win against the East-best Pistons.

Cavaliers 113, Pistons 109: James Harden (18 pts, 5 reb, 7 ast) orchestrated as all 10 Cavs who checked in scored 7+ points, and Cleveland never trailed in the 2nd half to stave off Jalen Duren (24 pts, 14 reb), Cade Cunningham (10 pts, 14 ast) and Detroit in a battle with Playoff-like intensity. | Recap

• The Depth: With Donovan Mitchell out (groin), Jaylon Tyson led Cleveland with 22 points on five 3s, while Evan Mobley scored 18 and Dennis Schröder came up big off the bench (15 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast)
• The Dagger: When Detroit cut an 11-point deficit to 3 with 1:46 left, Schröder pushed the lead back to 5 with a driving bucket, before Harden iced it with a clutch running floater
• The Dubs: The Cavs are now 8-1 with Harden in the lineup, jumping from a 117 OffRtg to 120.3 and picking up wins over Detroit, New York and Denver
• The Difference: That includes a 5-1 record in clutch games, with Harden scoring 16 points on 80% shooting in crunch time
• “He’s phenomenal,” said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson of Harden postgame. “That’s Playoff basketball .. You need to find things at the end of games that work, and usually it’s your best players.”

Harden wasn’t the only star who delivered down the stretch.

Wolves 117, Grizzlies 110: Western Conference Player of the Week Anthony Edwards (6 reb, 5 stl, 7 3s) brought the Wolves back from a slow start with 13 of his 41 points in the 4th quarter, fueling 4th-place Minnesota to a fourth straight win and seventh in the last eight games. | Recap

• Front Of The 40s: Ant scored 10 straight points in the 4th for his ninth 40+ game of the season, matching Luka Dončić for the league lead
• Edwards is the first player in Wolves history with a 40+ point, 5+ steal, 5+ made 3s statline. He’s the first since Corey Brewer in 2014 with 5 steals in a 40+ point game
• Applying Pressure: Gaining a half-game on idle Denver, Minnesota (39-23) is now just .004 win percentage points behind 3rd-place Houston (38-22)

While Ant played closer, the Knicks clamped down – again.

Knicks 111, Raptors 95: With New York clinging to a 2-point lead and 5:50 left, Jalen Brunson (26 pts, 10 ast) and Karl-Anthony Towns (21 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast) ignited a 16-2 closing run, as the Knicks stormed past the Raptors in another top-5 East duel. | Recap

• Winning: New York has won three straight games and is 15-4 in its last 19
• Formula: In that span, it’s earned 10 wins while holding its opponent under 100 points, including each of its last three victories
• West Test: Tonight, the Knicks seek their fourth straight win as they host the West-best Thunder at MSG (7 ET, ESPN)

On Jan. 21, the Hornets were 12 games below .500.

Exactly six weeks later, they’re 31-31 – and riding yet another win streak

Hornets 117, Mavericks 90: After a 1-3 blip following a nine-game heater, Charlotte is streaking again as it raced past Dallas for its fifth straight W.

Eight Hornets finished in double figures, led by its star trio of Brandon Miller (17 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk), LaMelo Ball (15 pts, 9 ast, 5 stl) and Kon Knueppel (13 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast). | Recap

• Scorching Squad: Charlotte is an NBA-best 15-3 since Jan. 22, moving to .500 or better 60+ games into a season for the first time in four years
• Sizzling Five: The win also moves Charlotte to 19-2 on the season with the starting lineup of Miller, Ball, Knueppel, Miles Bridges (11 pts, 5 ast) and Moussa Diabaté (7 pts, 8 reb)

2. BEST OF THE WEST: SPURS OWN THROWBACK NIGHT; OKC & LAKERS WIN

On NBC’s throwback Tuesday, the Spurs turned the page emphatically.

Spurs 131, 76ers 91: One game after suffering its largest loss of the season, ending an 11-game win streak end at the hands of New York, San Antonio jumped out to a 78-53 halftime lead and never looking back for a 40-point dub. | Recap

• Backcourt Buckets: Devin Vassell (7-10 FG) and rookie Dylan Harper (8-11 FG) each netted an efficient 22 points, while Stephon Castle turned in a double-double (15 pts, 10 ast)
• Alien Island: Victor Wembanyama was a menace inside (10 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl, 6 blk, 1 spinarama dunk), notching his NBA-best 24th game of 3+ blocks this season – five minutes into the game
• “When we’re locked in … I feel like we’re the best in the world,” said Wemby on the win

Vintage Viewing: While Wemby sent shots back, NBC’s throwback broadcast delivered an old-school feel to the modern game – from its iconic intro and ‘90s-style graphics to Bob Costas, Doug Collins, Mike Fratello and other classic voices on the call.

Thunder 116, Bulls 108: Using a 14-3 3rd-quarter run to pull away, OKC overpowered Collin Sexton (20 pts) and Chicago with five players scoring 17+ points, led by Jared McCain (20 pts) and Isaiah Joe (19 pts) without SGA (injury management). | Recap

• Rolling On: Winning for the sixth time in seven games, the Thunder maintained their 3-game edge over the Spurs atop the West
• Jaylin Williams helped OKC control the glass with a season-high 16 rebounds, while Guerschon Yabusele netted a season-high 18 points in his 11th Bulls game

Lakers 110, Pelicans 101: Luka Dončić (27 pts, 10 reb, 7 ast) led all scorers and capped L.A.’s deciding 24-7 closeout run with a dagger triple, while LeBron James stuffed the stat sheet (21 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast) to help outlast Zion Williamson (24 pts), Trey Murphy III (21 pts, 8 reb) and New Orleans. | Recap

• Winning Time: Los Angeles moved to an NBA-best 17-5 (.773%) in clutch games, in a battle featuring 18 lead changes, seven ties and no leads larger than 10
• Defense was key in crunch time for the Lakers, who blocked a season-high 12 shots and held the Pels scoreless for 4+ minutes down to 3:02 remaining
• Positioning Push: Sitting 6th in the West, the Lakers are now just a half-game behind 5th-place Denver

3. ROUNDUP: PAOLO SHINES, HEAT & SUNS WIN SECOND STRAIGHT 

Magic 126, Wizards 109: Paolo Banchero put on a show with 37 points on 15-of-21 shooting while adding 5 boards and 6 dimes, powering the Magic past the Wizards to end a two-game slide. | Recap

• Diesel Domination: It’s Banchero’s third career game of 35/5/5 on at least 70% shooting, passing Shaquille O’Neal for the most in Magic franchise history
• Heating Up, Closing In: Paolo is now averaging 26.9 points over his last seven outings, as Orlando (32-28) moves just a half-game back of Philly (33-28) for 6th in the East

Right behind 7th-place Orlando is 8th-place Miami, separated only by the tiebreaker.

Heat 124, Nets 98: Bam Adebayo was everywhere (23 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast, 6 stl), while Tyler Herro (22 pts) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (20 pts, 4 ast) combined for 42 as Miami beat Brooklyn for its second win in a row, improving to 33-29. | Recap

To wrap NBC’s Throwback Tuesday, Jalen Green threw it down as the Suns picked up a key dub.

Suns 114, Kings 103: Green elevated Phoenix on both ends (20 pts, 4 stl), Devin Booker (6 ast, 4 3s) and Collin Gillespie (6 reb, 9 ast) scored 17 apiece and the Suns used a 19-2 run in the 2nd quarter to pull away for their second straight win. | Recap

• Crowded West Race: Currently in 7th, Phoenix is just 2 games back of the 6th-place Lakers and 3.5 games back of 3rd-place Houston

4. TONIGHT ON ESPN: THUNDER, KNICKS FINDING NEW LAYERS, GIANNIS BACK TO BATTLE HAWKS

Mark Blinch + Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

ESPN’s Wednesday doubleheader opens with two of this season’s best models of consistency.

But staying near the top for a full 82 requires some occasional reinvention.

Thunder at Knicks (7 ET, ESPN): This matchup of top-5 records is also a show of resilience, as both the Knicks and Thunder have battled through adversity to emerge on fire.

• Consistently a top-ranked offense (118.3 OffRtg, 3rd), New York has redefined itself defensively, with the league’s best DefRtg since Jan. 20 (103.1)
• Snapping Back: The team is 15-4 since then, bouncing back from two separate four-game skids in the three weeks prior

“Even in some of the games that we haven’t scored a lot of points… our defense has gotten better,” head coach Mike Brown said this week.

• Tried & True: OG Anunoby has led New York’s defense during the stretch with the league’s best DefRtg (98.4) and 3rd-best DFG% (38.3)
• Brand New: Since arriving at the trade deadline, Jose Alvarado has matched Anunoby’s team lead in steals per contest (1.7)
• Thanks to the hustle of Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, opposing guards are shooting just 43.2% against the Knicks in the run — the NBA’s 2nd-best DFG%

Ishika Samant + Jason Miller/NBAE via Getty Images

New York’s recent defensive push culminated in holding the Spurs to a season-low 89 points on Sunday, providing a pivotal game of separation in the standings for tonight’s opposing Thunder.

Now 3 games up on San Antonio, OKC and its gold-standard defense were also tested during Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 15-game recovery (abdomen).

• After January and February brought 10 of OKC’s 15 losses, the reigning champs have won six of their last seven games, including a 2-0 mark in Shai’s two games back
• Despite the slowdown, OKC has maintained the league’s top DefRtg (106.1) and hung its identity on depth, with seven players averaging double-digit scoring in SGA’s absence
• “My teammates held it down,” said Shai, whose status tonight is questionable as he ramps up. “It’s only gonna sharpen our tools come Playoff time.”

Gary Dineen + Todd Kirkland/NBAE via Getty Images

Similar evolutions of identity drive a matchup with direct postseason implications in the second half of ESPN’s doubleheader.

Hawks at Bucks (9:30 ET): Riding a defense-driven four-game win streak, the Hawks soar into Milwaukee to face a Bucks team mixing Giannis back in for a Playoff push.

• Hawks’ deadline acquisition Jonathan Kuminga – 21.3 ppg, 1.7 stl in four straight wins – has helped boost both sides of the ball
• Atlanta has paired the league’s best assist numbers (31.8 ast) and 2nd-best scoring (123.8 ppg) with the best DefRtg (96.8) during its streak
• Bucks’ Boost: Giannis returned Monday (19 pts, 11 reb, 25 min) to a Milwaukee lineup that went 8-7 in his absence
• That’s thanks to the 3-pronged attack of Ryan Rollins (20.1 ppg in 15-game stretch), Kevin Porter Jr. (19.8 ppg), and new arrival Cam Thomas (14.1 ppg, 9 games)

Ninth-place Atlanta is trying to fend off the red-hot Hornets (0.5 GB), while Milwaukee fights for the final Play-In spot held by Charlotte, 3.5 games back.

Michael Hickey + Nic Antaya/NBAE via Getty Images

One team is seeking its 13th win in 15 games. The other is 15-3 in its last 18 – its best such stretch in 10 years.

The former is the Celtics. The latter, the Hornets.

Tonight on League Pass (7:30 ET), the two squads square off in a showdown between two of the league’s hottest teams – powered by two of the game’s most potent attacks.

• Boston Buckets: Sitting 2nd in the East, Boston has filled it up all season, owning a 120.3 OffRtg – tied for the best mark in the NBA
• Charlotte Spark: But since the New Year, the Hornets have been even hotter, posting a league-best 120.5 OffRtg, sitting right above Boston (119.3) for the top mark in that span
• Sustained Surge: That offense has translated to wins, as the Hornets and Celtics are two of five teams with 20+ victories since Jan. 1, joining the Spurs, Pistons and Cavs
• Collision Course: The two teams with the best NetRtg since Jan. 1? Charlotte (+11.2) and Boston (+10.7)

Jacob Kupferman/NBAE via Getty Images

Clamps Meet Kon: The Celtics have also buckled down defensively. Amid their 12-2 run, they lead the league in both points allowed (96.4 ppg) and opponent field goal percentage (41.5).

Tonight’s test? One of the game’s hottest young shooters in Kon Knueppel, who remains atop Steve Aschburner’s Kia Rookie Ladder in a race loaded with talent:

Knueppel has kept pace by leading the NBA in 3-pointers, already breaking the rookie record from deep, and flirting with shooting accuracy worthy of the vaunted 50/40/90 club. | Read More

Four more games tip off on League Pass, including Tyrese Maxey dueling with Keyonte George as the Sixers face the Jazz (7:30 ET).

Meanwhile, the 10th-place Blazers look to keep pace in the West Play-In race, visiting the Grizzlies (8 ET), before the 9th-place Clippers host the Pacers (10:30 ET).