Headline: Thunder Make History with 60 Wins, Matching Franchise Record as Playoff Race Heats Up

SGA is doing what he does best, guiding the Thunder to their 60th win—matching the highest total for the franchise during the OKC era.

**5 STORIES IN THIS ISSUE 🏀March 26, 2025**

**First to 60:** The Thunder equal the 2012-13 OKC team’s record with 60 victories, while the Cavaliers secure their second consecutive win to reach 58.

**Heat Hold Off the Warriors:** Miami celebrates Jimmy Butler’s return with a win, Paolo Banchero continues his impressive run, and New York’s duo records triple-doubles.

**Tuesday Highlights:** The Rockets notch their 10th win in 11 games, the Grizzlies snap their losing streak, and the Pistons achieve a decisive victory.

**Tonight on ESPN:** The Pacers and Suns are looking strong as the regular season winds down.

**League Pass:** Two matchups feature teams vying for home-court advantage in the First Round.

**BUT FIRST … ⏰ A busy Wednesday is on the horizon…**

Tonight’s ESPN doubleheader opens with the Pacers aiming for their sixth consecutive victory as they host Luka, LeBron, and the Lakers (7:30 ET). Following that, the Suns hope to keep their winning streak alive, chasing a fifth straight win and the 9th seed in the West against the Celtics (10 ET).

1. **THUNDER REACH 60 WINS, CAVS GET BACK ON TRACK**

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As the Thunder faced the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, they had the chance to join an elite group of teams that has accomplished 60 wins in 72 games.

**Chasing the Championship:** Historically, seven of the ten teams that reached 60 victories within 72 games went on to clinch the NBA title that season.

**Thunder 121, Kings 105:** Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, marking his league-high 45th game with 30 or more points this season. Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren contributed with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, leading the Thunder to their seventh consecutive win and the coveted 60th victory of the year, making them the first team to achieve this in 2024-25.

The Cavaliers bounced back from a four-game slide, winning their last two to come within two games of hitting the 60-win mark for the third time in franchise history.

**Cavaliers 122, Blazers 111:** Darius Garland, who had been struggling with his scoring, exploded for 27 points, helping the Cavs secure their 58th victory while Donovan Mitchell was sidelined.

2. **HEAT DEFEAT WARRIORS IN BUTLER’S RETURN, PAOLO’S HOT STREAK CONTINUES, NY’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE CONNECTION**

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**Heat 112, Warriors 86:** The Heat showcased their shooting prowess—55.8% (43-77) from the floor and an impressive 68.0% (17-25) from beyond the arc—to claim victory over the Warriors in Jimmy Butler’s first game back in Miami since the trade deadline.

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**Magic 111, Hornets 104:** Paolo Banchero recorded his fourth consecutive game scoring over 30 points (32 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast), leading the Magic to their third straight win, supported by Franz Wagner (26) and Anthony Black (20), who together added 46 points.

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**Knicks 128, Mavs 113:** OG Anunoby netted 35 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns (26 pts, 12 reb, 11 ast) and Josh Hart (16 pts, 12 reb, 11 ast) made history as the first Knicks teammates to achieve triple-doubles in the same game, helping the Knicks to secure their second consecutive victory.

3. **ROUNDUP: ROCKETS ASCEND, GRIZZLIES BREAK SLUMP, PISTONS DOMINATE**

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**Rockets 121, Hawks 114:** Led by Jalen Green’s 32 points and 11 rebounds, the Rockets edged the Hawks for their 10th victory in 11 outings. Atlanta mounted a 20-4 run to kick off the fourth quarter, tightening the score before Houston sealed the deal.

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**Grizzlies 140, Jazz 103:** Desmond Bane’s 21 points spearheaded a balanced scoring attack for Memphis, with seven other players contributing in double figures as they overwhelmed the Jazz in the second half (76-38) to halt a three-game losing streak.

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**Pistons 122, Spurs 96:** Marcus Sasser came off the bench to score a career-high 27 points (9-12 FG, 5-7 3P), leading six Pistons to double digits and ensuring Detroit’s first winning season since 2018-19, as they overcame Devin Vassell’s 26 points.

4. **ESPN DOUBLEHEADER: PACERS AND SUNS ARE IN FORM**

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Riding a five-game winning streak, the Pacers are hitting their stride at the perfect time as they wrap up a homestand against the Lakers tonight (7:30 ET).

The Pacers are in pursuit of an even larger goal, currently sitting 3.0 games back of the Knicks for the third seed in the East, a spot that New York has maintained since December 15.

Meanwhile, LeBron James and Luka Dončić will be a challenge, as the Lakers aim to rebound from a rough patch of 3-7 in their last 10 games and reclaim a top-four spot in the West.

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The Suns are also gaining traction with four consecutive victories, their first such streak since a seven-game winning run from October 26 to November 8, as they prepare to host the Celtics (10 ET) in hopes of advancing their position in the Play-In scenario.

Boston, having the best Eastern Conference record over its last 25 games at 21-4, will seek its seventh straight victory tonight to maintain pressure on the Cavs, who lead them by five games with ten games remaining.

5. **LEAGUE PASS HIGHLIGHT: TEAMS FIGHTING FOR HOME-COURT EDGE**

How crucial is home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs?

Two of tonight’s four matchups on League Pass showcase teams competing for favorable playoff positioning.

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(5) Bucks at (3) Nuggets (9 ET): Both teams are 4-6 over their last ten games and navigating injuries to key players—Denver’s Nikola Jokić has missed the past five games, while Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard is indefinitely sidelined due to deep vein thrombosis in his calf.

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(7) Clippers at (3) Knicks (7:30 ET)

The evening concludes with two additional games on League Pass: Wizards at Sixers (7 ET) and Raptors at Nets (7:30 ET).