Enjoy Basketball: Lowry returns to Toronto, Luka and Giannis duel

Welcome back to another edition of Enjoy Basketball!

Sunday gave us hoops fans a slate of 12 NBA games to choose from. Not all of them ended up being exhilarating (sorry, Wizards fans), but a few of them stood out amongst the rest. Despite the playoffs being right around the corner, there's still a ton of room for movement in the standings. Teams are battling for playoff positioning all around the league.

Before we get into yesterday's games, however, some congratulations are in order for Coach K. With Duke's loss to North Carolina on Friday night, Coach Mike Krzyzewski is calling it a career. Congrats to one of the GOATs.

Celtics clobber Wizards at TD Garden

After a two-game losing streak and a narrow win over the Indiana Pacers, the Boston Celtics are back to dominating opponents. Jaylen Brown's 32 points led the way for Boston, with Jayson Tatum not far behind at 22. Derrick White also put in a solid shift off the bench, going 6-of-7 from the field and dropping 17 points.

For the Wizards, no one could get anything to fall. Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points but only shot 5-of-15 from the field. Ish Smith did play well, however, scoring 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. He plays notoriously well against the C's.

Two superstars battle, Doncic leads Mavs past Bucks

Enjoy Luka Doncic while you can, people.

In what was one of the best games of the day, Doncic managed to lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Milwaukee Bucks. The two teams went back-and-forth all game long, but the Mavs snuck away with it late in the fourth. Doncic had 11 of his 32 in the fourth. Dwight Powell also chipped in with a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't go out quietly, though, dropping 28 points and 10 rebounds of his own. Khris Middleton struggled a bit, shooting 3-of-14. And in the end, that might have been the difference. The Bucks shot well from the field, but the Mavs were on fire.

Nuggets close out LeBron-less Lakers

With LeBron James out, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook were left to carry the load against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. But despite some solid performances on the side of the Lakers, Jokic was just too much to deal with. LA kept it close throughout, but a 34-point fourth quarter from Denver was enough to secure the win.

Jokic finished with another crazy statline (pictured above), while Davis and Westbrook combined for 55. But when it mattered most in the fourth, the two Lakers stars shot only 4-for-14 from the field, and LA got outscored 34-24. Their playoff hopes are getting slimmer by the day.

Bey drops 31, Pistons top Pacers

This was a surprisingly entertaining game.

Saddiq Bey looked like he was about to drop 50 again, scoring 20 of his 31 points in the first quarter alone. And while he didn't reach that pinnacle, he still led all Detroit Pistons in scoring, helping them take down the Indiana Pacers in a tightly contested game. Outside of Bey, Frank Jackson (19), Rodney McGruder (13), newly-signed Carsen Edwards (13), Braxton Key (12), Isaiah Livers (11), and Killian Hayes (10) all scored in double figures.

The Pacers got contributions across the board, with four players scoring 19 or more - Oshae Brissett (20), Buddy Hield (19), Tyrese Haliburton (19), and Isaiah Jackson (19). But it was Haliburton and his 19-point, 17-assist triple-double that jumped off the page. He was even one rebound away from a triple-double. Once again, the Pacers showed why they are the best tanking team in the NBA. Kept it close, but still lost. Elite tank job.

Embiid, 76ers squeak by Cavaliers

What a phenomenal game this turned out to be.

Joel Embiid put up an MVP-caliber performance, finishing with 44 points and 17 boards. James Harden helped out, too, notching a triple-double and helping Embiid lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers. The win snapped a three-game slide for the Sixers, as they are now in a virtual tie with the Milwaukee Bucks for third.

Meanwhile, the Cavs continue to slide in the wrong direction. They kept it super close all game, but Embiid, Harden (their 42 free throws), and the Sixers proved to be too much. Darius Garland put up another impressive performance, and Lamar Stevens played well off the bench, but again, it just wasn't enough.

Knicks stomp Magic on the road

Immanuel Quickely's first-ever triple-double helped the New York Knicks to a convincing win over the Orlando Magic. Even without Julius Randle, Quickley and company made quick work of the rebuilding Magic. RJ Barrett also chipped in with 27 points of his own.

On Orlando's side, five different players scored in double figures, but no one managed to crack 20 points. Moritz Wagner led the way with 18 points while Mo Bamba put up a 13-points, 12-rebound double-double.

Lowry returns to Toronto, takes down Raptors

Kyle Lowry, or as they call him in Toronto, the GROAT (Greatest Raptor of All-Time), returned home and walked out with a win. With Jimmy Butler and PJ Tucker sidelined, Lowry, Max Strus, and Victor Oladipo led the Miami Heat to a win over the Toronto Raptors.

This was a great game, as the Raptors kept it close until the very end. But a pair of clutch threes from Strus and Oladipo closed things out. Fred VanVleet had a chance to bring them within one with mere seconds left, but the shot just didn't fall. Both he and Pascal Siakam had 29 apiece, leading the Raptors in scoring.

Timberwolves hang on, stifle Rockets comeback

For the majority of the game, the Minnesota Timberwolves had full control. They were up by as much as 27 points. But a 40-23 fourth quarter in favor of the Houston Rockets made things interesting. But a huge night from Minnesota's Big 3 was enough to close them out. Anthony Edwards had 21, Karl-Anthony Towns had 28, and D'Angelo Russell had 22.

Houston was able to climb back into the game thanks to a 19-point fourth-quarter explosion from rookie Josh Christopher. He finished the game with a career-high 30 points to go along with a 31-point performance from fellow rookie Jalen Green. But the highlight of the game was Rockets head coach Stephen Silas getting ejected for arguing with the refs over a no-call. Green got hammered on a drive and he was not happy. Karl-Anthony Towns made sure to taunt the Houston crowd as Silas got escorted out. Spicy.

Thunder blowout, Suns... wait what?

You read that correctly. Sure, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, and Jae Crowder were out. But Chris Paul played. And the Phoenix Suns lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sorry, correction. The Suns got BLOWN OUT by the Thunder. Phoenix just couldn't get anything to go, as no one on the Suns could even crack 20 points.

Meanwhile, six different Thunder players ended the game in double digits, led by Oliver Sarr off the bench with 24. Oklahoma City started Theo Maledon, Vit Krejci, Aaron Wiggins, Aleksej Pokusevski, and Isaiah Roby. And they pummeled the best team in the NBA. No Shai Gilegous-Alexander, no Josh Giddey, no Lu Dort, no Darius Bazley, no Tre Mann, no problem.

Spurs topple Trail Blazers, improve Play-In chances

Go Spurs Go!

Oops. The Celtics fan in me came out for a second. Sorry, Lakers fans.

With All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray out, the San Antonio Spurs rode a 28-point night from Keldon Johnson all the way to victory. Zach Collins also pitched in with an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double, and Tre Jones had 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. With the win, the Spurs are now two games up on the Lakers for the final Play-In spot.

For the injury-plagued Portland Trail Blazers, it was more of the same. A bunch of their young guys have been playing well, and rookie Keon Johnson was that guy on Sunday. He had 19 points, while big man Drew Eubanks had a 13-point, 13-rebound, double-double of his own. Ben McLemore had 19 points, too.

Warriors bench dominates in win over Kings

With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson out, the Golden State Warriors' bench stepped up in a big way. Two starters  - Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole - combined for 47, but Golden State's top-three bench guys led the way. Rookie Jonathan Kuminga had 17 and Damion Lee had 11, but it was veteran Nemanja Bjelica who stole the show. He put up a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double. Golden State led by as many as 26 points.

On the flip side, the Sacramento Kings couldn't get much of anything going. Harrison Barnes had 18 points, Damian Jones had 17, and Donte DiVincenzo had 14, but no one else scored in double digits. Sacramento made things interesting late in the fourth, but the Warriors surged ahead to seal a convincing win.

Clippers shoot lights out, man-handle Pelicans

The LA Clippers absolutely dominated the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night. LA was up by as much as 26 at one point, using a well-rounded effort to earn the win. Marcus Morris Sr. dropped 22 to lead the Clippers in scoring, but six other players had at least 11. The Clippers shot a blistering 21-of-44 from deep (47.7 percent). They shot better from three-point land than from the field.

For the Pelicans, no one could seem to get anything going. CJ McCollum had 19 and Brandon Ingram had 15, but they both shot poorly from the field. As a team, New Orleans shot only 40.2 percent from the field. It just wasn't their night.

Ben Simmons files grievance with 76ers

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelbourne, and Bobby Marks of ESPN, Ben Simmons is filing a grievance with the Philadelphia 76ers in an attempt to recoup the money withheld from him this season. The sum is close to $20 million in lost salary. This grievance was shared with the team, NBA, and NBPA, and the NBPA is supporting Simmons through the process.

Simmons ramping up for playoffs

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Ben Simmons is beginning to ramp up his conditioning ahead of the NBA Playoffs. Simmons has reportedly been dealing with a herniated disk in his back that prevented him from returning in March, which was the original plan. But according to Charania, the former All-Star has "resumed light on-court workouts" in hopes of making a return by the postseason. (H/T Bleacher Report)

The Nets are struggling to keep their heads above water, most recently losing to the Atlanta Hawks despite Kevin Durant's 55-point Master Class. They are now 10th in the East and fighting for their spot in the playoffs.

NBA reveals new Social Justice Champion award

On Saturday, the NBA revealed the new Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy for annual Social Justice Champion award. Carmelo Anthony was announced as the inaugural recipient of the award this past offseason, but the actual trophy was unveiled for the first time ahead of the Lakers vs. Nuggets game. Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony worked with four artists to design the trophy - James Adams Jr., Jason Garrett, Vijay Singh, and Lacy Talley. 

Let's take a look at some of the most interesting articles around the league from the past few days. Here are some awesome articles to enjoy.

Marcus Smart discusses Celtics trade deadline uncertainty, his case for Defensive Player of the Year and the long wait for a chance at point guard - Brian Robb, MassLive 

San Antonio's Keldon Johnson developing as Spurs' 3-point specialist - Eric Fritts, My San Antonio

Isaiah Hartenstein is the Clippers' secret weapon - Ethan Fuller, Basketball News

The Epic of Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Just Getting Started - Riley Feldmann, Brew Hoop

March’s best NBA photos: 20 images you might have missed - Jeff Maillet, The Athletic

In a weird twist of fate, there are actually no NBA games scheduled for today. (Hence the quotation marks around "Today's." Instead, let's take a look at Tuesday's games and make our picks/predictions for those.

Philadelphia @ Indiana Pacers - 7:00 p.m.

The Pacers have actually been playing fairly well, but in true tanking fashion, they usually keep things close and end up losing. With how up-and-down the Sixers have been, expect them to win, but expect Indiana to keep things close.

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Orlando Magic - 7:00 p.m.

The Cavs have been struggling lately, but the Magic are one of the worst teams in the NBA this year (in terms of record). With how tight the standings are, the Cavaliers should be able to get hyped up and win this one.

Houston Rockets @ Brooklyn Nets - 7:30 p.m.

This might sound crazy, but this might not be a blowout. Houston has been putting up a ton of points lately and Brooklyn's defense has looked rough. The Nets should win this one, but the Rockets could hang around longer than most people expect.

Charlotte Hornets @ Miami Heat - 7:30 p.m.

Miami is currently trying to hold on to first place in the East while the Hornets are trying to get into the 7/8 game of the Play-In. Both teams want this game, but with how great Miami's defense is, the Heat should come out on top.

Washington Wizards @ Minnesota Timberwolves - 8:00 p.m.

Washington just got blown out by the Celtics, and the T-Wolves are coming off of a win over the Rockets. Similar to the Cavs game, with how close the standings are, Minnesota knows how important these games are. They should be able to take care of business.

Atlanta Hawks @ Toronto Raptors - 7:30 p.m.

Before their loss to the Heat on Sunday night, the Raptors were on fire. But the Hawks just pulled out a big-time win over Kevin Durant and the Nets. This one could be a battle, but defense usually prevails. Go with Toronto.

Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls - 8:00 p.m.

Both of these teams are fighting for playoff positioning in the East. Chicago is hoping to stay at five while the Bucks could climb as high as one. But with the Bucks losing to the Mavs on Sunday, they should be hungry going into this one. The Bucks should be favored heavily, especially with how inconsistent the Bulls have been.

Portland Trail Blazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 8:00 p.m.

Talk about a battle of the tanks. Let's hope for a good old-fashioned Vit Krejci vs. Brandon Williams showdown. With that being said, go with Portland here.

San Antonio Spurs @ Denver Nuggets - 9:00 p.m.

The Spurs are trying to out-duel the Lakers for the 10th spot in the West, while the Nuggets are trying to beat out the Jazz for the five seed. Expect San Antonio to put up a great fight, but Nikola Jokic should be able to take home the win in this one.

Memphis Grizzlies @ Utah Jazz - 9:00 p.m.

With how things have been going for the Jazz for the last week or so, the Grizzlies could be missing their entire eight-man rotation and still win this one. There's always a chance that Donovan Mitchell goes berserk and pulls one out, but Memphis should be able to handle Utah regardless of who is on the floor.

New Orleans Pelicans @ Sacramento Kings - 10:00 p.m.

After losing to the Clippers on Sunday, the Pelicans are going to come ready to play against the Kings. Sacramento also lost, but they're not really playing for anything anymore. The Pelicans are. Take New Orleans.

Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns - 10:30 p.m.

Suns.

And that does it for another edition of Enjoy Basketball. We hope you enjoyed and we appreciate all the support. Since launch, there's been nothing but love and excitement, and that's really what Enjoy Basketball is all about.

As mentioned, I'm a Celtics fan, so I'll be using this one tiny paragraph at the end of each of my newsletters to push my Boston-based agendas. Marcus Smart is the Defensive Player of the Year. Robert Williams will be back by the second round. Ime Udoka should get Coach of the Year consideration. Jayson Tatum is a top-five MVP candidate. That is all.

That'll be it for me. Thanks for reading. See y'all next time.

- Jack Simone

Quick Trivia Answer: The answer to the last newsletter's trivia question was Memphis! Pau Gasol scored 8,966 points with the Grizzlies in his career and 7,610 with the Lakers.

Quick Trivia Question: For next time, which player leads all rookies in total points scored this season? Not points per game, total points scored.