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March 2026 Sports Events ft. T20 World Cup Final, IPL, AFC Women’s Asian Cup, All England Open, FIDE Candidates and more

March 2026 Sports Events ft. T20 World Cup Final, IPL, AFC Women’s Asian Cup, All England Open, FIDE Candidates and more

CRICKET

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup – India and Sri Lanka

March 1: Super 8s, Group 1 – Zimbabwe vs South Africa – Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi – 3 p.m.

March 1: Super 8s, Group 1 – India vs West Indies – Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 7 p.m.

March 4: Semifinal 1 – South Africa vs New Zealand – Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 7 p.m.

March 5: Semifinal 2 – India vs England – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – 7 p.m.

March 8: Final – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – 7 p.m.

India Women tour of Australia

March 1: 3rd ODI – Bellerive Oval, Hobart – 9:20 a.m.

March 6-10: One-off Test – W.A.C.A. Ground, Perth – 10:50 a.m.

Pakistan tour of Bangladesh

March 11: 1st ODI – Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka – 1:45 p.m.

March 13: 2nd ODI – Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka – 1:45 p.m.

March 15: 3rd ODI – Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka – 1:45 p.m.

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka tour of UAE

March 13: 1st T20I – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah – 8 p.m.

March 15: 2nd T20I – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah – 8 p.m.

March 17: 3rd T20I – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah – 8 p.m.

March 20: 1st ODI – Dubai International Stadium, Dubai – 11:30 a.m.

March 22: 2nd ODI – Dubai International Stadium, Dubai – 11:30 a.m.

March 25: 3rd ODI – Dubai International Stadium, Dubai – 11:30 a.m.

South Africa tour of New Zealand

March 15: 1st T20I – Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui – 7:15 a.m.

March 17: 2nd T20I – Seddon Park, Hamilton – 7:15 a.m.

March 20: 3rd T20I – Eden Park, Auckland – 7:15 a.m.

March 22: 4th T20I – Sky Stadium, Wellington – 7:15 a.m.

March 25: 5th T20I – Hagley Oval, Christchurch – 7:15 a.m.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

March 28 – May 31

HOCKEY

FIH Women’s World Cup Qualifiers – Hyderabad

March 8: Pool B – India vs Uruguay – 7:30 p.m.

March 9: Pool B – India vs Scotland – 7:30 p.m.

March 11: Pool B – India vs Wales – 7:30 p.m.

March 13: Semifinal 1 – 5:15 p.m.

March 13: Semifinal 2 – 7:30 p.m.

March 14: 3rd place play-off – 5:15 p.m.

March 14: Final – 7:30 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Indian Super League

February 14 – May 11

Indian Football League

February 27 – April 19

AFC Women’s Asian Cup – Australia

March 1-21

Premier League (select fixtures)

March 1: Fulham vs Tottenham Hotspur – 7:30 p.m.

March 1: Manchester United vs Crystal Palace – 7:30 p.m.

March 1: Arsenal vs Chelsea – 10 p.m.

March 4: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool – 1:45 a.m.

March 5: Aston Villa vs Chelsea – 1 a.m.

March 5: Brighton vs Arsenal – 1 a.m.

March 5: Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest – 1 a.m.

March 5: Newcastle United vs Manchester United – 1:45 a.m.

March 6: Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace – 1:30 a.m.

March 14: Arsenal vs Everton – 11 p.m.

March 14: Chelsea vs Newcastle United – 11 p.m.

March 15: West Ham United vs Manchester United – 1:30 a.m.

March 15: Manchester United vs Aston Villa – 7:30 p.m.

March 15: Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur – 10 p.m.

March 21: Bournemouth vs Manchester United – 1:30 a.m.

March 21: Brighton vs Liverpool – 6 p.m.

March 21: Manchester City vs Crystal Palace – 8:30 p.m.

March 21: Everton vs Chelsea – 11 p.m.

March 22: Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest – 7:45 p.m.

FA Cup – 5th Round (select fixtures)

March 7: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool – 1:30 a.m.

March 7: Mansfield vs Arsenal – 5:45 p.m.

March 7: Wrexham vs Chelsea – 11:15 p.m.

March 8: Newcastle United vs Manchester City – 1:30 a.m.

Carabao Cup

March 22: Final – Arsenal vs Manchester City – 10 p.m.

La Liga (select fixtures)

March 3: Real Madrid vs Getafe – 1:30 a.m.

March 7: Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid – 1:30 a.m.

March 8: Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona – 1:30 a.m.

March 15: Real Madrid vs Elche – 1:30 a.m.

March 15: Barcelona vs Sevilla – 8:45 p.m.

March 22: Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano – 6:30 p.m.

March 23: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid – 1:30 a.m.

Copa del Rey

March 4: Semifinal, 2nd leg – Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid – 1:30 a.m.

March 5: Semifinal, 2nd leg – Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao – 1:30 a.m.

Bundesliga (select fixtures)

March 7: Bayern Munich vs Borussia Moenchengladbach – 1 a.m.

March 14: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich – 8 p.m.

March 21: Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin – 8 p.m.

Serie A (select fixtures)

March 1: Inter Milan vs Genoa – 1:15 a.m.

March 1: Cremonese vs AC Milan – 5 p.m.

March 7: Napoli vs Torino – 1:15 a.m.

March 9: AC Milan vs Inter Milan – 1:15 a.m.

March 14: Inter Milan vs Atalanta – 7:30 p.m.

March 14: Napoli vs Lecce – 10:30 p.m.

March 16: Lazio vs AC Milan – 1:15 a.m.

March 20: Cagliari vs Napoli – 11 p.m.

March 21: AC Milan vs Torino – 10:30 p.m.

March 23: Fiorentina vs Inter Milan – 1:15 a.m.

Coppa Italia

March 4: Semifinal, 1st leg – Como vs Inter Milan – 1:30 a.m.

March 5: Semifinal, 1st leg – Lazio vs Atalanta – 1:30 a.m.

Ligue 1 (select fixtures)

March 7: PSG vs Monaco – 1:15 a.m.

March 22: Nice vs PSG – 9:30 p.m.

UEFA Champions League – Round of 16

March 10: Galatasaray vs Liverpool – 11:15 p.m.

March 11: Atalanta vs Bayern Munich – 1:30 a.m.

March 11: Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur – 1:30 a.m.

March 11: Newcastle United vs Barcelona – 1:30 a.m.

March 11: Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal – 11:15 p.m.

March 12: Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting CP – 1:30 a.m.

March 12: PSG vs Chelsea – 1:30 a.m.

March 12: Real Madrid vs Manchester City – 1:30 a.m.

March 17: Sporting CP vs Bodo/Glimt – 11:15 p.m.

March 18: Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen – 1:30 a.m.

March 18: Chelsea vs PSG – 1:30 a.m.

March 18: Manchester City vs Real Madrid – 1:30 a.m.

March 18: Barcelona vs Newcastle United – 11:15 p.m.

March 19: Bayern Munich vs Atalanta – 1:30 a.m.

March 19: Liverpool vs Galatasaray – 1:30 a.m.

March 19: Tottenham Hotspur vs Atletico Madrid – 1:30 a.m.

World Cup Qualifiers (UEFA)

March 26: Playoff Semifinals – Turkiye vs Romania – 10:30 p.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals – Czechia vs Ireland – 1:15 a.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals – Denmark vs North Macedonia – 1:15 a.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals – Italy vs Northern Ireland – 1:15 a.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals – Poland vs Albania – 1:15 a.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals – Slovakia vs Kosovo – 1:15 a.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals- Ukraine vs Sweden – 1:15 a.m.

March 27: Playoff Semifinals – Wales vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – 1:15 a.m.

April 1: Playoff Final – Czechia/Ireland vs Denmark/North Macedonia – 12:15 a.m.

April 1: Playoff Final – Slovakia/Kosova vs Turkiye/Romania – 12:15 a.m.

April 1: Playoff Final – Ukraine/Sweden vs Poland/Albania – 12:15 a.m.

April 1: Playoff Final – Wales/Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Italy/Northern Ireland – 12:15 a.m.

World Cup Qualifiers (Inter-confederation)

March 27: Semifinal – New Caledonia vs Jamaica – 12:30 a.m.

March 27: Semifinal – Bolivia vs Suriname – 4:30 a.m.

March 31: Final – DR Congo vs New Caledonia/Jamaica – 11:30 p.m.

March 31: Final – Iraq vs Bolivia/Suriname – 11:30 p.m.

AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers (Round 6)

March 31: India vs Hong Kong – 3:30 p.m.

TENNIS

February 23 – March 1: ATP 250 Santiago

February 23 – March 1: ATP Pune Challenger (CH 75)

February 23 – March 1: WTA 500 Merida

February 23 – March 1: WTA 250 Austin

March 4-15: Indian Wells Masters (ATP & WTA 1000)

March 17-29: Miami Open (WTA 1000)

March 18-29: Miami Open (ATP 1000)

March 30 – April 5: Charleston Open (WTA 500)

March 30 – April 5: ATP 250 Houston

March 30 – April 5: ATP 250 Marrakech

March 30 – April 5: ATP 500 Bucharest

March 30 – April 5: WTA 250 Bogota

SHOOTING

March 25 – April 3: ISSF World Cup Shotgun – Tangier, Morocco

BADMINTON

February 24 – March 1: German Open (BWF World Tour Super 300) – Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany

March 3-8: All England Open (BWF World Tour Super 1000) – Birmingham, England

March 10-15: Swiss Open (BWF World Tour Super 300) – Basel, Switzerland

March 10-15: China Masters (BWF Tour Super 100) – Ruichang, China

March 17-22: Orleans Masters (BWF World Tour Super 300) – Orleans, France

ATHLETICS

March 7-8: 5th Indian Open Throws Competition – Patiala

March 14-15: 5th Indian Open Jumps Competition – ABG Foundation, Bengaluru

March 15: Asian Race Walking Championships – Nomi, Japan

March 20-22: World Athletics Indoor Championships – Torun, Poland

March 21: 7th Indian Open 400m Meet (All categories) – LNCPE, Trivandrum

March 24-25: 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships – Bhubaneswar

March 28: 3rd National Open Relay Competitions – Chandigarh

CHESS

February 24 – March 6: Prague Masters

February 25 – March 1: Saint Louis Masters

March 28 – April 16: FIDE Candidates – Paphos, Cyprus

FORMULA ONE

March 6-8: Australian Grand Prix – Melbourne

March 13-15: Chinese Grand Prix – Shanghai

March 27-29: Japanese Grand Prix – Suzuka

MOTOGP

February 27-March 1: Thailand Grand Prix – Buriram

March 20-22: Brazilian Grand Prix – Goiânia

March 27-29: US Grand Prix – Austin

BOXING

March 28 – April 11: Asian Boxing Championships – Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

BASKETBALL

October 21, 2025 – April 12, 2026: NBA Regular Season

TABLE TENNIS

March 10-15: WTT Champions Chongqing

March 14-21: 87th Senior National & Inter-State Table Tennis Championships – Indore, Madhya Pradesh

March 24-29: WTT Contender Tunis

March 30 – April 5: ITTF Men’s & Women’s World Cups – Macao, China

SQUASH

March 18-22: JSW Indian Open – Mumbai

CYCLING

March 6-8: UCI Track World Cup – Perth, Australia

March 25-31: Asian Track Cycling Championships – Tagaytay, Philippines

Note: All timings are in IST (Indian Standard Time).

Published on Mar 02, 2026

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#March #Sports #Events #T20 #World #Cup #Final #IPL #AFC #Womens #Asian #Cup #England #Open #FIDE #Candidates

The New England Patriots probably overpaid in the blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown.

The Patriots gave up a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round selection for Brown, the 28-year-old Super Bowl champion that wanted a fresh start away from Philadelphia.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel never wanted to trade Brown to the Eagles when he was coaching the Tennessee Titans. Now, the defensive-minded Vrabel lands a wide receiver that he’s comfortable with to help the Patriots get one step closer to raising another Super Bowl banner following their loss against the Seattle Seahawks in February.

The 2028 first-round pick is a huge price to pay. That’s two drafts away, and there’s no guarantee that the Patriots, or any organization, will be able to replicate their successful 2025 season three years in a row. Even though Vrabel and Patriots young quarterback Drake Maye seem to be the next elite combination in Foxborough, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Trading a first round draft pick two years into the future is always a big gamble.

That gamble all depends on Brown’s ability to return to form with the Patriots.

After winning the Super Bowl with Philadelphia in 2024, Brown became increasingly fed up with his role in Kevin Patullo’s offense. Despite Brown’s frustration with Philadelphia, he still caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games during what would become his final season with the Eagles.

If Brown’s sour attitude follows him to New England, or reappears at any point before the 2029 NFL Draft, the Patriots might look back and wince at this trade.

The 28-year-old wasn’t an All-Pro last season for the first time since 2021 with the Titans, which was the only season of his career that Brown failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Brown turns 29 in June, so there will be natural questions about whether or not his best football is behind him. 

How the Patriots could win this trade

Considering that New England will send their 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia, the Patriots will need him to be dominant through the 2029 campaign.

He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2030, at age 33.

This is obviously a calculated gamble. If Brown could be Maye’s unquestioned wide receiver No. 1 over the next four seasons, this is a home run for the Patriots. Brown understands what it takes to win a Super Bowl and he joins a franchise in New England that rebounded quickly, but now expects another championship.

The joy of having Maye on a rookie quarterback contract allows the Patriots to take big swings like this. The risk comes in if they take an unexpected step back in 2027, which is still a full season away. A lot can happen between now and then. But as long as Brown is still catching touchdowns and eclipsing 1,000 yard seasons, this is a gamble that seems worth taking.

#Englands #A.J #Brown #Trade #Huge #Risk #Huge #Reward #Deadspin.com">New England’s A.J. Brown Trade Comes With Huge Risk and Huge Reward | Deadspin.com   The New England Patriots probably overpaid in the blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown.The Patriots gave up a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round selection for Brown, the 28-year-old Super Bowl champion that wanted a fresh start away from Philadelphia.According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel never wanted to trade Brown to the Eagles when he was coaching the Tennessee Titans. Now, the defensive-minded Vrabel lands a wide receiver that he’s comfortable with to help the Patriots get one step closer to raising another Super Bowl banner following their loss against the Seattle Seahawks in February.The 2028 first-round pick is a huge price to pay. That’s two drafts away, and there’s no guarantee that the Patriots, or any organization, will be able to replicate their successful 2025 season three years in a row. Even though Vrabel and Patriots young quarterback Drake Maye seem to be the next elite combination in Foxborough, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Trading a first round draft pick two years into the future is always a big gamble.That gamble all depends on Brown’s ability to return to form with the Patriots.After winning the Super Bowl with Philadelphia in 2024, Brown became increasingly fed up with his role in Kevin Patullo’s offense. Despite Brown’s frustration with Philadelphia, he still caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games during what would become his final season with the Eagles.If Brown’s sour attitude follows him to New England, or reappears at any point before the 2029 NFL Draft, the Patriots might look back and wince at this trade.The 28-year-old wasn’t an All-Pro last season for the first time since 2021 with the Titans, which was the only season of his career that Brown failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Brown turns 29 in June, so there will be natural questions about whether or not his best football is behind him. How the Patriots could win this tradeConsidering that New England will send their 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia, the Patriots will need him to be dominant through the 2029 campaign.He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2030, at age 33.This is obviously a calculated gamble. If Brown could be Maye’s unquestioned wide receiver No. 1 over the next four seasons, this is a home run for the Patriots. Brown understands what it takes to win a Super Bowl and he joins a franchise in New England that rebounded quickly, but now expects another championship.The joy of having Maye on a rookie quarterback contract allows the Patriots to take big swings like this. The risk comes in if they take an unexpected step back in 2027, which is still a full season away. A lot can happen between now and then. But as long as Brown is still catching touchdowns and eclipsing 1,000 yard seasons, this is a gamble that seems worth taking.   #Englands #A.J #Brown #Trade #Huge #Risk #Huge #Reward #Deadspin.com

never wanted to trade Brown to the Eagles when he was coaching the Tennessee Titans. Now, the defensive-minded Vrabel lands a wide receiver that he’s comfortable with to help the Patriots get one step closer to raising another Super Bowl banner following their loss against the Seattle Seahawks in February.

The 2028 first-round pick is a huge price to pay. That’s two drafts away, and there’s no guarantee that the Patriots, or any organization, will be able to replicate their successful 2025 season three years in a row. Even though Vrabel and Patriots young quarterback Drake Maye seem to be the next elite combination in Foxborough, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Trading a first round draft pick two years into the future is always a big gamble.

That gamble all depends on Brown’s ability to return to form with the Patriots.

After winning the Super Bowl with Philadelphia in 2024, Brown became increasingly fed up with his role in Kevin Patullo’s offense. Despite Brown’s frustration with Philadelphia, he still caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games during what would become his final season with the Eagles.

If Brown’s sour attitude follows him to New England, or reappears at any point before the 2029 NFL Draft, the Patriots might look back and wince at this trade.

The 28-year-old wasn’t an All-Pro last season for the first time since 2021 with the Titans, which was the only season of his career that Brown failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Brown turns 29 in June, so there will be natural questions about whether or not his best football is behind him. 

How the Patriots could win this trade

Considering that New England will send their 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia, the Patriots will need him to be dominant through the 2029 campaign.

He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2030, at age 33.

This is obviously a calculated gamble. If Brown could be Maye’s unquestioned wide receiver No. 1 over the next four seasons, this is a home run for the Patriots. Brown understands what it takes to win a Super Bowl and he joins a franchise in New England that rebounded quickly, but now expects another championship.

The joy of having Maye on a rookie quarterback contract allows the Patriots to take big swings like this. The risk comes in if they take an unexpected step back in 2027, which is still a full season away. A lot can happen between now and then. But as long as Brown is still catching touchdowns and eclipsing 1,000 yard seasons, this is a gamble that seems worth taking.

#Englands #A.J #Brown #Trade #Huge #Risk #Huge #Reward #Deadspin.com">New England’s A.J. Brown Trade Comes With Huge Risk and Huge Reward | Deadspin.com

The New England Patriots probably overpaid in the blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown.

The Patriots gave up a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round selection for Brown, the 28-year-old Super Bowl champion that wanted a fresh start away from Philadelphia.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel never wanted to trade Brown to the Eagles when he was coaching the Tennessee Titans. Now, the defensive-minded Vrabel lands a wide receiver that he’s comfortable with to help the Patriots get one step closer to raising another Super Bowl banner following their loss against the Seattle Seahawks in February.

The 2028 first-round pick is a huge price to pay. That’s two drafts away, and there’s no guarantee that the Patriots, or any organization, will be able to replicate their successful 2025 season three years in a row. Even though Vrabel and Patriots young quarterback Drake Maye seem to be the next elite combination in Foxborough, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Trading a first round draft pick two years into the future is always a big gamble.

That gamble all depends on Brown’s ability to return to form with the Patriots.

After winning the Super Bowl with Philadelphia in 2024, Brown became increasingly fed up with his role in Kevin Patullo’s offense. Despite Brown’s frustration with Philadelphia, he still caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games during what would become his final season with the Eagles.

If Brown’s sour attitude follows him to New England, or reappears at any point before the 2029 NFL Draft, the Patriots might look back and wince at this trade.

The 28-year-old wasn’t an All-Pro last season for the first time since 2021 with the Titans, which was the only season of his career that Brown failed to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Brown turns 29 in June, so there will be natural questions about whether or not his best football is behind him. 

How the Patriots could win this trade

Considering that New England will send their 2028 first-round pick to Philadelphia, the Patriots will need him to be dominant through the 2029 campaign.

He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2030, at age 33.

This is obviously a calculated gamble. If Brown could be Maye’s unquestioned wide receiver No. 1 over the next four seasons, this is a home run for the Patriots. Brown understands what it takes to win a Super Bowl and he joins a franchise in New England that rebounded quickly, but now expects another championship.

The joy of having Maye on a rookie quarterback contract allows the Patriots to take big swings like this. The risk comes in if they take an unexpected step back in 2027, which is still a full season away. A lot can happen between now and then. But as long as Brown is still catching touchdowns and eclipsing 1,000 yard seasons, this is a gamble that seems worth taking.

#Englands #A.J #Brown #Trade #Huge #Risk #Huge #Reward #Deadspin.com

Basketball players don’t usually peak in their thirties. But Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, who is 32 years old and in her 10th WNBA season, is playing some of the best basketball of her career.

Williams, who is in her third year playing for head coach Cheryl Reeve on the Lynx, is averaging a career-best 17.8 points, along with 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. She’s shooting 50% from the field and 44.4% from three — both career-highs — while turning the ball over just 1.8 times per game, her lowest figure since 2022.

She is coming off a season-high 30-point explosion against the Phoenix Mercury on Monday night. In that 34-point victory, Williams shot 13-of-20 from the field in 29 minutes — the fewest minutes played in a 30-point game in franchise history.

And, the Lynx are thriving. They are currently riding a 5-game win streak and have a league-best 7-2 record. They have outscored opponents by an average of 12 points per game, the highest point differential in the WNBA (for reference, the Dallas Wings and Golden State Valkyries are tied for the next-best differential at +6.2, so no one else is particularly close).

Olivia Miles, Natasha Howard have also been powering the Lynx’s early success

Williams has been the team’s leading scorer (and the 11th-leading scorer in the WNBA), but she’s far from the only reason why the Lynx find themselves on top of the standings.

Natasha Howard is also undergoing a revival; the 34-year-old is averaging 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while anchoring the team’s defense. Kayla McBride is averaging 13.2 points per game (while shooting an uncharacteristically low 28.6% from three), and Nia Coffey is averaging a career-high 9.9 points per game and playing some of the best basketball of her career.

But the most impactful player might be No. 2 overall pick Olivia Miles, who is averaging 15.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 49.5% from the field. Miles has taken the mantle at point guard, allowing Williams to be more of a primary scorer than a playmaker, which is her natural position.

The Olivia Miles / Courtney Williams fit in the backcourt has been seamless.

“Court, the second I stepped on the court was like ‘Go run the one, I’ll be your running mate,‘” Miles said last week, per Andrew Dukowitz. “It’s so easy with her — she’s in her natural position, she’s where she’s thriving. I think she’s playing some of her best basketball that I’ve seen. It’s so easy to play with her, it’s easy to play with everyone — when you have people who are willing to let you be you and trust you.”

Now, the Lynx, despite losing key rotation players like Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, Natisha Hiedeman, and Bridget Carleton in the offseason, find themselves at the top of the standings.

#32yearold #WNBA #guard #leagues #players">32-year-old WNBA guard has been one of the league’s best players  Basketball players don’t usually peak in their thirties. But Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, who is 32 years old and in her 10th WNBA season, is playing some of the best basketball of her career.Williams, who is in her third year playing for head coach Cheryl Reeve on the Lynx, is averaging a career-best 17.8 points, along with 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. She’s shooting 50% from the field and 44.4% from three — both career-highs — while turning the ball over just 1.8 times per game, her lowest figure since 2022.She is coming off a season-high 30-point explosion against the Phoenix Mercury on Monday night. In that 34-point victory, Williams shot 13-of-20 from the field in 29 minutes — the fewest minutes played in a 30-point game in franchise history.And, the Lynx are thriving. They are currently riding a 5-game win streak and have a league-best 7-2 record. They have outscored opponents by an average of 12 points per game, the highest point differential in the WNBA (for reference, the Dallas Wings and Golden State Valkyries are tied for the next-best differential at +6.2, so no one else is particularly close).Olivia Miles, Natasha Howard have also been powering the Lynx’s early success Williams has been the team’s leading scorer (and the 11th-leading scorer in the WNBA), but she’s far from the only reason why the Lynx find themselves on top of the standings.Natasha Howard is also undergoing a revival; the 34-year-old is averaging 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while anchoring the team’s defense. Kayla McBride is averaging 13.2 points per game (while shooting an uncharacteristically low 28.6% from three), and Nia Coffey is averaging a career-high 9.9 points per game and playing some of the best basketball of her career.But the most impactful player might be No. 2 overall pick Olivia Miles, who is averaging 15.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting 49.5% from the field. Miles has taken the mantle at point guard, allowing Williams to be more of a primary scorer than a playmaker, which is her natural position.The Olivia Miles / Courtney Williams fit in the backcourt has been seamless.“Court, the second I stepped on the court was like ‘Go run the one, I’ll be your running mate,‘” Miles said last week, per Andrew Dukowitz. “It’s so easy with her — she’s in her natural position, she’s where she’s thriving. I think she’s playing some of her best basketball that I’ve seen. It’s so easy to play with her, it’s easy to play with everyone — when you have people who are willing to let you be you and trust you.”Now, the Lynx, despite losing key rotation players like Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard, Natisha Hiedeman, and Bridget Carleton in the offseason, find themselves at the top of the standings.  #32yearold #WNBA #guard #leagues #players

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