The READ
NBA Recap | March 10, 2026
Bam Adebayo drops 83 points on Washington — no, that's not a typo. Detroit stomps Brooklyn by 38 to announce itself. Wembanyama goes off for 39 on eight threes and San Antonio beats Boston at home. Matas Buzelis explodes for 41 in overtime as Chicago shocks Golden State. Luka posts a triple-double as the Lakers roll Minnesota. Eleven games, plenty to talk about. Let's run it.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
Miami Heat 150, Washington Wizards 129
The number is 83. Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against Washington — the second most points scored in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s memorable 81-point game back in 2006. He did it on 43 field goal attempts, including 22 from three, going 20-for-43 from the field with 36 free throw attempts and 36-for-43 from the line in a historic single-game outpouring that doubled his previous career high. He added 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals while drawing 26 fouls — a figure that rewired the entire geometry of the game. Miami led by 28 at one point and coasted to 150.
To the extent Washington showed up, Alex Sarr had 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting with 4 threes and 6 rebounds. Will Riley added 22. But the Wizards committed 24 turnovers — Miami converted them into 31 points — and were never in this game from the jump.
MIA 150 · WAS 129
PISTONS BOUNCE BACK
Detroit Pistons 138, Brooklyn Nets 100
Detroit came into Brooklyn and won by 38. The Pistons led by as many as 43, shot 56.5% from the field, made 16 of 32 from three, got 26 fast break points, and looked like a playoff team doing a light workout. Jalen Duren was a force — 26 points on a stunning 9-of-10 shooting, 80% from the free throw line, with 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks. Cade Cunningham ran the offense with 21 points and 15 assists on just 2 turnovers — one of the cleaner 21/15 lines you'll see. Marcus Sasser came off the bench and hit 4 of 5 from three for 14 points. Duncan Robinson went 6-of-6 from the field — 3-of-3 from three — for 15 immaculate points.
Brooklyn had no answers. Michael Porter Jr. led them with 19 but was -31. Nolan Traore shot 1-of-6 for 2 points. The Nets committed 19 turnovers. Detroit turned them into 29 points. Brooklyn's second quarter: 13 points.
DET 138 · BKN 100
HAWKS FEAST ON DALLAS
Atlanta Hawks 124, Dallas Mavericks 112
Atlanta jumped Dallas 40-26 in the first quarter and never really let them back in it. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the story — 29 points on 12-of-19 shooting, 5-of-8 from three, 15 fast break points in what turned into a complete dismantling of the Mavs' transition defense. Jalen Johnson added 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting with 8 assists and 2 blocks; Onyeka Okongwu gave them 18 and 9 rebounds with 4 blocks and shot 3-of-5 from three. Dyson Daniels put together a double-double: 14 points, 10 assists, 3 steals.
Dallas got 21 from Klay Thompson — 5-of-11 from three — and Cooper Flagg contributed 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists in a double-double. But Flagg was -13 and Dallas gave up 26 fast break points while turning it over 14 times. The Mavericks have now dropped another road game to a team they needed to beat.
ATL 124 · DAL 112
SIXERS TAKE ONE, GRIZZLIES CRUMBLE
Philadelphia 76ers 139, Memphis Grizzlies 129
Philadelphia won its second straight — remarkable context given that they were missing Maxey, Embiid, George, and Edgecombe just two nights earlier. Kelly Oubre Jr. stepped into the lead role and delivered: 30 points on 10-of-24 shooting with 12 rebounds and 9 free throw makes in a double-double performance that kept PHI ahead down the stretch. VJ Edgecombe returned and added 21 on 7-of-15 shooting with 3 steals. Quentin Grimes had 23 with a perfect 11-for-13 from the line. PHI scored 41 in the fourth quarter to close it out, converting 27 of Memphis's 20 turnovers into points.
Memphis got strong numbers from scattered contributors — Ty Jerome led with 26 on 10-of-20 shooting and 8 assists, Cedric Coward had 13 points and 16 rebounds, and GG Jackson chipped in 15. But Jackson committed 6 turnovers and ended -26. Memphis allowed 64 points in the paint and their defense remained a problem all night.
PHI 139 · MEM 129
HOUSTON HANDLES TORONTO
Houston Rockets 113, Toronto Raptors 99
Kevin Durant was efficient and decisive — 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting, going 4-of-5 from three with 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. He shot 75% from the field and was one of the cleanest performers on either side. Amen Thompson was a presence in his own right — 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting with 10 free throw attempts and 6 assists; Jabari Smith Jr. added 23 on 8-of-14 shooting. Houston's second-quarter defense held Toronto to 20 points and flipped the game after a tied opening quarter. The Rockets outrebounded Toronto 60-37 and generated 22 second-chance points.
For Toronto, RJ Barrett led with 25 on 10-of-18 shooting, and Scottie Barnes added 24 with 6-for-6 from the free throw line. But Brandon Ingram went 3-of-12 for 9 points and was -18 in a quiet night for the Raptors' second option. Toronto shot 25% from three.
HOU 113 · TOR 99
WEMBY RAINS THREES ON BOSTON
San Antonio Spurs 125, Boston Celtics 116
Victor Wembanyama had 39 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists — shooting 8-of-15 from three and 55% from the field — in a performance that staked San Antonio to a lead they never fully surrendered. De'Aaron Fox was a blur in transition: 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting, 78.6% from the field, with 9 assists and just 1 turnover. A clean, controlled Fox game. San Antonio led by as many as 13 in the fourth before Boston made it interesting.
Derrick White led Boston with 34 points on 11-of-22 shooting, drawing 8 free throws and adding 7 assists in a genuine effort. Jayson Tatum had 24 but shot 4-of-14 from three. Ron Harper Jr. came off the bench and went 8-of-11 for 22 points — 6 makes from three — in the best outing of his young career. But Boston committed 2 tech fouls, had an ejection, and could never close the gap for good against a Spurs team that shot 42.6% from deep.
SAS 125 · BOS 116
TRAIL BLAZERS BLOW 19-POINT LEAD
Charlotte Hornets 103, Portland Trail Blazers 101
Portland led by 19 after the first quarter and lost. Charlotte outscored the Blazers 83-67 over the final three quarters behind a collective effort that included Brandon Miller's 23 points and 9 rebounds, Kon Knueppel's 15 with 4-of-8 from three, and LaMelo Ball's 14 points and 4 assists — though LaMelo fouled out. Ryan Kalkbrenner controlled the paint with 13 points on 75% shooting and 2 blocks. Charlotte's 16 offensive rebounds and 18 second-chance points told the story of how they clawed back.
For Portland, Jerami Grant had 24 on a sterling 7-of-10 shooting with 7-of-7 from the free throw line — but Portland blew the lead late. Deni Avdija added 22 with 7 assists. The Blazers turned it over 18 times and allowed Charlotte to stay alive on the offensive glass all night.
CHA 103 · POR 101
KINGS RALLY FROM 20 DOWN
Sacramento Kings 114, Indiana Pacers 109
Indiana led by 20. Sacramento outscored them 42-27 in the fourth quarter. Devin Carter was the catalyst off the bench — 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting (3-of-4 from three) at 83.8% true shooting, attacking every possession in the fourth when Sacramento needed someone to take over. Russell Westbrook contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists with 1 turnover in a steady veteran performance. Sacramento held Indiana to 27 fourth-quarter points and turned the ball over just 11 times while generating 24 points off Indiana's turnovers.
Aaron Nesmith led Indiana with 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting with 7 made free throws. Obi Toppin added 17. But the Pacers shot just 30.2% from three — 13-of-43 — and couldn't get stops when it mattered. A 20-point lead evaporated.
SAC 114 · IND 109
PHOENIX SILENCES THE BUCKS
Phoenix Suns 129, Milwaukee Bucks 114
Phoenix shot 47.1% from three — making 24 of 51 — and dominated the second half after trailing by 11 in the first. Kyle Kuzma led the Bucks with 33 points on 12-of-21 shooting and 6-of-10 from three, but was -16 as Milwaukee fell apart in the fourth. Giannis Antetokounmpo was quiet by his standards — 22 points on 55.6% shooting with only 6 rebounds and 4 turnovers. Jalen Green led Phoenix with 25 on 10-of-20 shooting, and Royce O'Neale came off the bench and went 7-of-11 from three for 21 points. Collin Gillespie ran the offense with 12 points and 9 assists with just 2 turnovers. PHX had 26 fast break points and outscored Milwaukee's bench 36-11 in reserves production.
PHX 129 · MIL 114
BUZELIS ERUPTS IN OT
Chicago Bulls 130, Golden State Warriors 124 (OT)
Through four quarters the game was tied. Then Matas Buzelis took over. The second-year forward finished with 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting — 11-of-13 inside the arc — with 5 threes, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in a performance that carried Chicago through overtime and into the win column. Josh Giddey posted a triple-double: 21 points, 13 rebounds, 17 assists on 7-of-16 shooting. Tre Jones added 22 off the bench on 10-of-18 shooting. Chicago dominated the paint — 64 points — and won the second-chance battle 20-9.
Golden State played without Curry and showed it down the stretch. Kristaps Porzingis had 17 with 4 blocks. Gary Payton II contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds but couldn't get enough stops. Draymond Green went 4-of-5 from three for 12 but ended -19. The Warriors' bench gave them 65 points — more than the starters — and it still wasn't enough in five periods.
CHI 130 · GSW 124 (OT)
LUKA BEING LUKA
Los Angeles Lakers 120, Minnesota Timberwolves 106
Luka Doncic posted a triple-double in his latest strong performance — 31 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists on 11-of-24 shooting — as the Lakers pulled away in the third quarter with a dominant 39-23 frame. Austin Reaves was exceptional in support: 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting, 4-of-10 from three, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds with just 1 turnover. The two combined for 62 points and 19 assists in a coordinated dismantling of Minnesota's defense. Deandre Ayton (14/12) provided size and production inside.
Anthony Edwards struggled all night — 14 points on 2-of-15 shooting, going 1-of-10 from three, rescued only by 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Julius Randle added 14 and Rudy Gobert had 12 rebounds but the Wolves couldn't get anything going when it mattered. Minnesota led by 8 after one and were outscored 39-23 in the third. Game over.
LAL 120 · MIN 106
⭐ STAR OF THE NIGHT
Bam Adebayo — Miami Heat
83 points. 43 field goal attempts. 36-of-43 from the free throw line. 9 rebounds. 26 fouls drawn. There is no precedent for what Bam did on Tuesday night in Miami — not in the way it unfolded, not in the sustained dominance, not in the sheer volume. He was the story of the night, the week, and arguably the month. Heat win 150-129.
💀 DUD OF THE NIGHT
Anthony Edwards — Minnesota Timberwolves · 14 points · 2-of-15 FG · 1-of-10 from three
Edwards drew 10 free throws and finished with 14 points anyway — which tells you everything about how the field goal attempts went. One-of-ten from three. Two-of-fifteen overall. Minnesota trailed by 14 in a game where they needed their best player to show up, and he didn't. The Wolves lost by 14.
QUICK TAKES
Bam Adebayo scored 83 points. There's no context that makes that number ordinary. He drew 26 fouls — the entire structure of Miami's offense bent around getting him to the line — and went 36-for-43 there. The Heat scored 150 against a Wizards team that gave them every inch and still couldn't stop it.
Detroit beat Brooklyn by 38 and led by 43. Cade Cunningham had 15 assists with 2 turnovers. Jalen Duren went 9-of-10 from the field. The Pistons are a real team.
Wembanyama hit 8 threes on 15 attempts against the Celtics and San Antonio won. Fox shot 78.6% from the field. Boston ejected a player and still couldn't close on the road.
Charlotte came back from 19 down and Portland blew it. Blazers led 34-20 after one. Final: 103-101 Charlotte.
Sacramento trailed Indiana by 20 and won by 5. Devin Carter scored 24 off the bench in the fourth quarter. That's the kind of comeback that shifts a team's trajectory.
Matas Buzelis scored 41 in overtime against Golden State. He's 21. He went 11-of-13 inside the arc. File that performance away.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves combined for 62 points and 19 assists in a 14-point Lakers win. Anthony Edwards shot 2-of-15.
