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🏀 Good morning to all, however particularly to …

THE NO. 3 DUKE BLUE DEVILS AND THE NO. 10 ST. JOHN’S RED STORM …

Madison Sq. Backyard is the place the celebrities come out, and with Choice Sunday slightly below three weeks away, No. 3 Duke and No. 10 St. John’s are shining vibrant. The Blue Devils and the Purple Storm delivered assertion performances over the weekend match for the Mecca of Basketball.

Let’s begin with the Blue Devils, who walloped Illinois, 110-67, Saturday night time, the worst loss in Illini program historical past. The Blue Devils acquired seven double-digit scorers, led by Isaiah Evans‘ 17. Cooper Flagg was proper behind him with 16. Duke shot 56% from the ground and 52% from 3.

The No. 3 rating is sweet, however it undersells the Blue Devils, Matt Norlander says.

• Norlander: “At its finest, Duke may very well be traditionally nice. It is pushing to be a top-three all time KenPom staff, which means its effectivity is nearing the very best of the very best within the trendy period. Saturday was the warning shot to the remainder of school basketball. It solely took till 12 months 3, however Duke is already again to that acquainted place. For the primary time underneath Jon Scheyer, the Blue Devils are a Goliath of school basketball once more.”

Sooner or later later, it was the Johnnies’ flip, beating UConn, 89-75. Zuby Ejiofor and Kadary Richmond had 18 factors apiece for the Purple Storm, which entered the day as one of many nation’s worst 3-point groups (30%) however drilled 8 of 19 makes an attempt (42%) from deep. The Purple Storm — and never the two-time reigning champ Huskies — run the Huge East, Matt says.

• Norlander: “When St. John’s pulled out a come-from-behind street victory at UConn 16 days in the past, it signaled a possible altering of the guard within the Huge East. Sunday was the formal transition for the Tenth-ranked Purple Storm, who acquired their twenty fifth win of the season. Rick Pitino wanted all of two seasons to flip a program that had floundered for many of its existence this century.”

As for different notable outcomes …

• Mark Sears (30 factors) continued his robust play of late as No. 4 Alabama beat No. 17 Kentucky, 96-83. It was an enormous bounce-back win for the Crimson Tide, who have been amongst our weekend winners.
• Chaz Lanier scored 30 factors (with eight 3s) to guide No. 6 Tennessee to a powerful 77-69 street win over No. 7 Texas A&M.
• No. 5 Houston beat shorthanded No. 8 Iowa State, 68-59, behind 28 factors from LJ Cryer. 
• No. 14 Michigan State beat No. 12 Michigan, 75-62, to take the Huge Ten lead, with Jase Richardson rising as a power.

This is extra:

… AND THE NO. 13 NC STATE WOLFPACK

To not be outdone, girls’s basketball produced its finest sport of the season … and top-of-the-line regular-season video games in latest reminiscence. No. 13 NC State upset No. 1 Notre Dame, 104-95, in an instant-classic double-overtime battle.

• It is NC State’s first win over a No. 1 staff since 2021, however this is not simply any No. 1 staff. Notre Dame entered on a 19-game successful streak and an ideal 15-0 report in ACC play.
• However the Wolfpack wouldn’t be denied. After a miraculous 3-pointer from Preventing Irish standout Sonia Citron pressured time beyond regulation, Aziaha James nailed a midrange jumper to power double time beyond regulation.
• From there, the hosts dominated, with the spotlight being a behind-the-back transfer from James that acquired everybody — together with Magic Johnson — out of their seats. All 5 Wolfpack starters scored in double digits, led by a career-high 33 factors from Zoe Brooks.

👍 Honorable mentions

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏀 Luka Dončić stars as Lakers blow out Nuggets

It might have taken just a little bit longer than anticipated — particularly contemplating his traditionally excessive requirements — however Luka Dončić delivered his first enormous sport for the Lakers, who blew out the Nuggets, 123-100, on Saturday.

Dončić had 32 factors, 10 rebounds and 7 assists within the win after averaging simply 14.7 factors in his first three video games with Los Angeles. However it wasn’t simply the numbers that have been totally different. It was the fireplace. JJ Redick challenged Dončić to “have a ‘blackout episode’ tonight the place he screams at nobody specifically,” and he did simply that with a barrage of signature stepback 3s and ensuing screams, simply as Redick prescribed.

LeBron James — the beneficiary of a number of stunning Dončić passes — described their rising relationship in soccer phrases.

The Lakers are as much as fourth within the Western Convention, and, having halted Denver’s nine-game successful streak, confirmed they could be a contender, Jack Maloney writes.

• Maloney: “The win … was maybe the perfect model of this new Lakers staff. They have been capable of maintain at the very least one in every of James or Dončić on the ground always to run the present, and acquired nice video games from each of them. … Issues will not all the time work this properly, however it’s clear the Lakers can play with anybody and will solely get higher within the coming weeks as Dončić will get again into basketball form after lacking practically two months and acclimates to his new environment.”

Jimmy Butler can be acclimating properly to his new staff, the Warriors, and in his house debut, Butler confirmed he has revitalized Golden State’s season, Colin Ward-Henninger writes.

🏈 Rams enable groups to speak with Matthew Stafford: The place might he land?

Matthew Stafford plans to play subsequent season. It is unsure the place. The Rams gave Stafford’s agent permission to debate contract phrases with different groups as Stafford seeks a brand new contract and Los Angeles is reticent to offer him one.

The Rams are in a little bit of an odd spot. After loading up for a Tremendous Bowl and successful it three seasons in the past, they struggled badly the next yr, the results of many win-now strikes. However after hitting on draft picks the previous couple of years, Los Angeles has been capable of each win now and domesticate a powerful younger core, led by Puka Nacua.

I might like to see them attempt to run it again another time — this was the one staff that hung with the Eagles within the playoffs, in any case — however earlier this month, Cooper Kupp introduced the staff intends to commerce him, information that saddened Stafford and confused Stafford’s spouse. And now we’re right here.

Jordan Dajani examined potential Stafford touchdown spots if he leaves Los Angeles.

🏀 Gregg Popovich not anticipated to return this season, future unsure

Gregg Popovich is not anticipated to return to the Spurs this season as he continues to get better from a gentle stroke suffered in November, and his longterm future is unsure, per reviews.

• Popovich, 76, had a stroke Nov. 2. He was initially dominated out with an unspecified sickness, and Mitch Johnson started serving as interim coach.
• Nov. 13, San Antonio confirmed Popovich had a gentle stroke.
• Dec. 16, Popovich launched an announcement thanking those that have been supporting him and expressed a want to return to teaching.

The Spurs’ coach since 1996, Popovich has 1,390 wins — most in NBA historical past — 5 NBA titles and three Coach of the 12 months awards. San Antonio, which not too long ago misplaced Victor Wembanyama for the season resulting from deep vein thrombosis, has missed the playoffs every of the final 5 seasons. The Twelfth-place Spurs are two spots away from the final place for the Western Convention Play-In Match.

📺 What we’re watching Monday

🏀 No. 19 Baylor at No. 12 Kansas State (W), 7 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Unmatched, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
🏀 Timberwolves at Thunder, 8 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 No. 5 Houston at No. 9 Texas Tech (M), 9 p.m. on ESPN