PERTH, Australia (AP) — Defending champion China beat Taiwan 2-0 at the Women’s Asian Cup on Saturday to set up a semifinal against host Australia and clinch a place at the 2027 Women's World Cup.
After 90 minutes ended goalless in a match between opponents with geopolitical tensions, Shao Ziqin broke the deadlock three minutes into extra time before a late own goal sealed the win.
“I’m so happy we won the match today and that I was able to score a goal,” Shao said.
On Friday, Sam Kerr scored one goal and created another as Australia advanced and secured a World Cup spot with a 2-1 win over North Korea.
In Sydney on Saturday, South Korea moved into the last four with a 6-0 rout of Uzbekistan. Son Hwa-yeon opened the scoring for the 2022 finalist after just nine minutes and Ko Yoo-jin fired home from outside the area in the 20th. Four second-half goals completed the thrashing.
South Korea will face the winner of Sunday’s game between Japan and the Philippines. Japan has scored a tournament-leading 17 goals without conceding.
The semifinals are set for Tuesday and Wednesday with the final to be played next Saturday in Sydney.
World Cup spots
All four semifinalists at the Women's Asian Cup qualify automatically for next year's World Cup in Brazil.
The losing quarterfinalists will have another shot at qualifying for the World Cup in a playoff next Thursday in Australia — the fifth- and sixth-place teams in this continental tournament will also secure spots in Brazil.
The end of the group stage earlier in the week was overshadowed by Iran's departure from the tournament and the granting of asylum to members of the delegation.
Steve Borthwick must throw off the shackles in Paris to inject some attacking energy into his far-too predictable side
The inquest into England’s Six Nations campaign has already started and when that is the case before the championship has even finished it is never a good sign. Everyone has their own opinions on what is wrong and I’m sure that is the same within the squad too. When you are on runs like England are, different players come up with different reasons for their problems and different fixes – and that makes the situation all the more difficult.
If there is one thing holding England back it is their gameplan. I don’t say that as a reaction to these three defeats, I felt that they stagnated during the autumn and tightened things up despite chalking up four victories. The best illustration I can give is the 2024 tournament. England had lost to Scotland, went to York in the fallow week, contrived to throw off the shackles in attack and it paid immediate dividends.
Detroit Pistons (48-18, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (37-29, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Toronto; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit will attempt to prolong its three-game win streak with a victory over Toronto.
The Raptors are 27-16 in Eastern Conference games. Toronto is the top team in the Eastern Conference with 18.8 fast break points led by RJ Barrett averaging 3.8.
The Pistons are 32-10 in conference games. Detroit ranks third in the league allowing just 109.6 points while holding opponents to 44.1% shooting.
The Raptors make 47.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.2 percentage points higher than the Pistons have allowed to their opponents (44.1%). The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field, 1.6% higher than the 46.4% the Raptors' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pistons won 113-95 in the last matchup on Feb. 12.
TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 18.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. Brandon Ingram is averaging 20.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists over the past 10 games.
Cade Cunningham is scoring 24.7 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 10.1 assists for the Pistons. Jalen Duren is averaging 22.0 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 65.4% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 4-6, averaging 112.6 points, 39.1 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points per game.
Pistons: 6-4, averaging 117.7 points, 46.0 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 10.3 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).
Pistons: Ausar Thompson: day to day (ankle), Tobias Harris: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Golden State Warriors (32-34, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (43-25, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Golden State aims to end its four-game skid with a victory against New York.
The Knicks have gone 23-9 at home. New York ranks eighth in the league with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Karl-Anthony Towns averaging 8.8.
The Warriors are 13-19 in road games. Golden State has a 4-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Knicks score 117.0 points per game, 2.6 more points than the 114.4 the Warriors allow. The Warriors are shooting 45.8% from the field, 0.2% higher than the 45.6% the Knicks' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 16 the Warriors won 126-113 led by 32 points from Jimmy Butler III, while Miles McBride scored 25 points for the Knicks.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Brunson is scoring 26.3 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 18.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 53.3% over the last 10 games.
Quinten Post is averaging 7.6 points for the Warriors. Brandin Podziemski is averaging 17.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 43.9% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 113.8 points, 47.9 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 7.9 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.2 points per game.
Warriors: 3-7, averaging 114.1 points, 45.8 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.8 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Josh Hart: day to day (knee), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (knee), Miles McBride: out (ankle), Jeremy Sochan: day to day (illness).
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: day to day (calf), Quinten Post: day to day (ankle), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Moses Moody: out (wrist), Draymond Green: out (injury management).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Fresh off a loss to the Denver Nuggets, the San Antonio Spurs will look to get back on track against the red-hot Charlotte Hornets. The Spurs have added another key player to the injury report in what could be an all-hands-on-deck type of game.
Victor Wembanyama missed San Antonio’s last game due to an ankle injury. It’s not expected to be serious, and he’s cutting incredibly close to not hitting the 65 games played qualification for end-of-season awards. Bets are on the big man playing, but he’s officially questionable against Charlotte. Dylan Harper is also on the injury report with a calf contusion. We’ll see if the Spurs guard suits up before tomorrow’s matinee.
The Spurs dropped their previous meeting with Charlotte this season, 111-106. That game came on short rest and was a day game on the road. Both teams have been hot ever since the game. The Spurs have won 16 of their last 18, while the Hornets are 8-2 in their last 10.
San Antonio may have to rely on its depth to take down the plucky Hornets. A weekend win would be just what the team needs to remain confident after a tough loss to Denver early in the week.
Spurs Injuries: Dylan Harper – Questionable (calf), Victor Wembanyama – Questionable (ankle), Harrison Ingram – Questionable (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (G League), Emanuel Miller – Questionable (G League)
Hornets Injuries: PJ Hall – Out (G League), Ryan Kalkbrenner – Probable (illness), Liam McNeeley – Out (ankle), Antonio Reeves – Out (G League), Tidjane Salaun – Out (calf), Coby White – Probable (heel)
What to watch for:
Defending the three
The Hornets may be developing the new Splash Brothers. Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball are first and third in total three-pointers made this season. Brandon Miller is shooting threes at a 37.9% clip. Charlotte has a lot of players who can bury you from deep. The Spurs have struggled a bit against teams that can space them out. San Antonio will have to force Charlotte’s shooters into tough looks to keep pace on Saturday.
Castle keeps it going
Stephon Castle has been stellar since the All-Star break. He’s averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists while hitting 40.5% of his three-pointers. He’s coming off a 30-point triple-double against Denver on Thursday night. Castle should have the physical and athletic advantage against many of the Hornets’ perimeter defenders. If he continues to hit his threes, he should be able to punish Charlotte inside and out.
The big man rotation
If Wembanyama misses another game, it will be interesting to see how Mitch Johnson distributes minutes among his big men. Against Denver, he started Luke Kornet but played him only 25 minutes, while giving the newly acquired center Mason Plumlee 8 minutes. In the other 15 minutes, the Spurs went small, using Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Carter Bryant as small-ball centers. If they did that against Nikola Jokic with some success, they surely could do the same against Charlotte. Wembanyama seems likely to play, but if he doesn’t, a small-ball approach could help the Spurs keep up with the Hornets’ perimeter-oriented attack.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Magoon Gwath had 17 points and BJ Davis made a layup with two seconds left to rally San Diego State to a 64-62 victory over New Mexico on Friday night in a Mountain West Conference Tournament semifinal.
No. 2 seed San Diego State (22-10) will play top seed Utah State in Saturday's championship game with an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Gwath made 6 of 10 shots with two 3-pointers and 3 of 5 free throws for the Aztecs, adding six rebounds and two blocks. Davis totaled 12 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Deyton Albury scored 20 on 7-for-10 shooting to pace the third-seeded Lobos (23-10). Uriah Tenette had 11 points and Tomisla Buljan grabbed 10 rebounds to go with eight points.
Gwath had 10 points in the first half to help San Diego State take a 37-33 lead into intermission. Albury scored four straight points to pull New Mexico even at 62-all with 25 seconds remaining before Davis delivered the winner.
Minott turned in a career night, and flashed the kind of athleticism and force from the wing position that Brooklyn has so sorely lacked — and that fans have called for.
He had 24 points, shot 4-of-7 from deep and 8-of-10 from the foul line. And predictably, he was even better on the other end of the floor, with three blocks and three steals. The points, 3s, free throws and steals all set or tied career bests.
It was a statement for Minott, who has played sparingly since being acquired from Boston on Feb. 5.
“I’ve been waiting on it,” Minott, 23, said of a breakout night. “But at the end of the day, I’m not going to call it pointless — but it’s one goal. So overall, I don’t want to say satisfied, but I’m pretty happy with my performance. But at the end of the day, it’s about getting numbers in the right column.”
Wins will be few and far between for tanking Brooklyn. But they’ll use the stretch run to mine the back end of their roster. There are two-ways to evaluate. Ten-day contracts like newcomer Malachi Smith to assess. And team options to decide on.
Such as Minott.
Josh Minott shoots a free throw during his 24-point night in the Nets’ loss to the Hawks on March 12, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
His six stocks — combined blocks and steals — on Thursday tied Nic Claxton’s Dec. 29 effort as the most by a Net this season. Minott’s near 7-foot wingspan lets him disrupt passing lanes and his athleticism allows him to attack the rim.
“Yeah, he had (a dunk) against the Celtics that was very impressive, and he had one the other day (vs. Detroit). Obviously I didn’t teach him to do that,” joked Jordi Fernández. “What you see is how quick he gets there and you’re like, ‘Oh wow, he’s going to do it.’ And he does it. And everybody’s reaction is pretty cool.
“So, (I’m) excited for him. … The thing that stood out is we’re asking him to pressure the ball, to pick up full court, and he did an amazing job. He’s trying to do everything we ask him to. You see the size. He’s going to let it fly. Those things are positive. So I’m excited to watch him play.”
Josh Minott shoots a jumper during the Nets’ loss to the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
Minott began the season in the Celtics’ rotation only to see an ankle injury cost him five weeks and momentum in Boston.
After the Nets got him for cash at the trade deadline — $110,000, sources told the Post — and he spent time settling in, now injuries could open the door for Minott in Brooklyn. Day’Ron Sharpe is out for the season, Ziaire Williams has been sick, and there are minutes to be had. Minott made the most of his against the Hawks.
“(It was) just teammates finding me on my cuts when I was open. I owe basically everything to them. I didn’t really do anything that didn’t involve them finding me. So I’d say that’s kind of just what happened,” said Minott.
“Just trying to keep the same rhythm. I understand that they had a rhythm before me, and just not trying to ruin that. I’m just trying to come in, just find a way I can affect the game and just trying to uphold the team and lift the team and its values.”
Fernáandez added “Yeah, it was great. He was aggressive. … He is (a rebounder), he provides size, so good job.”
Grant Nelson, who saw his 10-day expire, returns to Long Island. But sources told The Post he’ll miss the rest of the G-League season with patellar tendinitis. It likely explains why he didn’t get another 10-day after acquitting himself well.
Brooklyn agreed to a 10-day with Smith, per Hoopshype. He averaged 14.4 points, 5.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds with Long Island, shooting 42 percent from 3.
Claxton (rest) and Drake Powell (left knee injury management) are out for the Nets Saturday, while Sharpe and Egor Dëmin are out for the season. Michael Porter Jr. is doubtful vs. the 76ers with a sprained right ankle and Ochai Agbaji (sore left ankle) is probable.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dominique Daniels Jr. scored 41 points to lead California Baptist to an 86-72 victory over Utah Tech on Friday night in a Western Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal.
No. 2 seed Cal Baptist (24-8) will play top seed Utah Valley in the championship game on Saturday with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament up for grabs.
Daniels sank 15 of 23 shots with four 3-pointers and 7 of 9 free throws for the Lancers. Jayden Jackson made five 3-pointers and scored 19.
Ethan Potter scored 25 on 11-for-15 shooting to lead the third-seeded Trailblazers (19-15). Jusaun Holt totaled 16 points and five assists, while Chance Trujillo scored 15 off the bench, sinking three 3-pointers.
Potter had 14 points at halftime to help Utah Tech take a slim 36-35 lead. Daniels scored 26 in the second half and Jackson added 11 points as the Lancers outscored the Trailblazers 51-36 to pull out the victory.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 13: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talks to the media after the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 13, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After three straight blowout losses, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally found a little relief Friday night in the Bay Area. And the timing couldn’t have been better.
Minnesota entered the third game of its four-game road trip reeling. The defense had vanished. The offense had turned into a bricklaying contest. The Clippers had just hung 153 points on them two nights earlier, which is the basketball equivalent of getting your lunch money taken and your backpack stolen.
So when the Wolves arrived in San Francisco and saw the Warriors’ injury report with Steph Curry out, Draymond Green out, Jimmy Butler still out for the season, it felt like the basketball gods had quietly slid a “get-right game” across the table.
To their credit, Minnesota mostly took advantage. Led by Anthony Edwards’ 42 points, the Wolves finally stopped the bleeding with a 127–117 win, snapping the three-game skid and giving themselves a much-needed reset after what had been an ugly week.
It wasn’t perfect. In fact, there were several stretches where the Wolves looked dangerously close to falling back into their bad habits, but compared to the previous three games, this was practically a therapy session.
First Quarter: Energy Returns, Old Habits Lurk
Right from the opening tip, you could tell Minnesota had a little more urgency.
Donte DiVincenzo opened the scoring with five quick points, setting the tone early. The Wolves were moving the ball and, most importantly, not committing turnovers like they had against the Clippers.
Meanwhile Rudy Gobert was doing what Rudy Gobert does best: owning the paint. Gobert grabbed rebounds, finished second-chance opportunities, and even knocked down four straight free throws to start the night. When Gobert is confidently hitting free throws early in a game, it’s an excellent omen.
Julius Randle also came out with some extra juice, attacking the rim and scoring six early points against a Warriors team he had bullied during last year’s playoff run. Five minutes into the game, Minnesota held a 15–12 lead and things felt… stable.
Then the Wolves briefly remembered they were the Wolves. Golden State began slipping into the paint, piling up points in the paint and second-chance points, eventually flipping the score to an 18–15 Warriors lead.
To this point, Anthony Edwards had been quiet early, but that silence didn’t last long. With four minutes remaining in the quarter, Ant drained a three to tie the game 21–21, then immediately went into takeover mode, scoring nine straight points and pushing Minnesota ahead 27–23.
By the end of the first quarter, the Wolves held a 31–28 lead. The encouraging signs? Minnesota had only one turnover, and they were 11-for-12 from the free throw line. Compared to the Clippers game, that first quarter alone felt like a different team.
Second Quarter: The Wolves Finally Blow the Door Open
The real turning point came in the second quarter when Minnesota’s bench delivered a surge of offense. Ayo Dosunmu, Bones Highland, and Naz Reid all contributed during a stretch where the Wolves slowly but decisively started pulling away. By the time the dust settled, Minnesota had pushed the lead to 44–37.
The main catalyst was Bones Highland. Highland caught fire offensively, scoring 11 points during that stretch, giving the Wolves the kind of secondary scoring they desperately needed after Edwards carried so much of the load in recent games.
As the offense started flowing, the defense followed. Minnesota began stacking stops, something that had been nearly impossible to find over the previous thirteen quarters of basketball. With Gobert and Randle punishing the Warriors inside, the Wolves opened up a 54–39 lead.
From there, the avalanche came quickly, and by halftime, Minnesota had outscored Golden State 38–20 in the second quarter and built a commanding 69–48 lead. Anthony Edwards already had 20 points at the break, and it was pretty clear he wasn’t done yet.
Third Quarter: Comfort Sets In… and the Wolves Get Sloppy
The second half began exactly the way Minnesota hoped. Edwards opened the third quarter with four quick points, pushing the lead to 73–48 and giving the Wolves their largest advantage of the night.
And then… the Wolves got comfortable. You know the feeling. When a team starts playing like they’ve already checked the final score on their phone.
Golden State seized the opportunity. Brandin Podziemski drilled two three-pointers, trimming the lead to 73–54. He kept pushing the pace alongside Kristaps Porzingis, shrinking the lead to 77–61.
To Minnesota’s credit, they responded again. During the middle portion of the third quarter, Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu powered the offense. Beyond his own scoring, Dosunmu repeatedly found Gobert for easy finishes near the rim, helping extend the lead back to 94–71.
But the complacency crept back in. Turnovers returned. Defensive rotations slowed. Golden State started finding easier looks. By the end of the quarter, the once-comfortable margin had shrunk to 100–87. Edwards had already piled up 32 points, but the Wolves had once again left the door open.
Fourth Quarter: McDaniels and Edwards Slam the Door
When the fourth quarter began, things got a little uncomfortable. Golden State quickly cut the lead to 100–90, and suddenly the Wolves’ earlier dominance felt a lot less secure.
Enter Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels opened the quarter with the first seven points for Minnesota, single-handedly stabilizing the game and pushing the lead back to 107–92.
But the Warriors weren’t finished. Podziemski continued attacking, scoring multiple buckets and helping cut Minnesota’s lead to nine points. Then a Wolves turnover led to a transition basket that brought Golden State within seven.
Just like that, what had once been a 25-point lead felt shaky again.
Minnesota eventually steadied itself, but halfway through the fourth quarter it remained a 10-point game. Edwards and Podziemski traded threes to push the score to 118–108, and then both offenses suddenly went ice cold, missing several open looks from deep.
Golden State got as close as 122–113 after a Podziemski layup, and that’s when Anthony Edwards decided he’d seen enough. Ant attacked again, scoring his 40th point of the night to push the lead to 124–113 and effectively close the door with the clock dwingling.
Edwards would finish with 42 as Minnesota notched their first victory in over a week, 127-117.
A Win… But Finch Isn’t Celebrating
After the game, Chris Finch didn’t exactly sound like a coach who had just watched his team rediscover greatness. Instead, he pointed out something Wolves fans have been noticing all year.
Minnesota still struggles to maintain urgency. Even with a 21-point halftime lead, the Wolves drifted into bad habits: sloppy turnovers, inconsistent defense, and stretches where the focus simply vanished.
Finch called that carelessness part of the team’s “DNA”, which is both honest and slightly terrifying if you’re thinking about playoff basketball.
Because championship teams don’t just win games.
They finish them.
A Step in the Right Direction
Still, context matters. After the week Minnesota just endured, any win would have been welcome.
The Wolves took advantage of a depleted Warriors roster, built a massive second-quarter lead, and leaned on Anthony Edwards’ brilliance when things tightened late. It wasn’t flawless, but it was progress. For a team searching for its identity again, sometimes the first step is simply stopping the slide.
For the Wolves, the next test arrives quickly. Oklahoma City awaits on Sunday, and if the Wolves want to take a third of four games from the defending champions, they’ll need a far sharper performance than what we saw Friday night.
Still, after the chaos of the past week, Minnesota finally has something it didn’t have a few days ago.
Momentum.
Even if it’s just the first small step on a long climb back.
Minnesota Timberwolves (40-26, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-15, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City comes into a matchup against Minnesota as winners of seven straight games.
The Thunder are 10-3 against the rest of their division. Oklahoma City averages 118.6 points and has outscored opponents by 10.8 points per game.
The Timberwolves are 8-5 in division games. Minnesota is fifth in the NBA scoring 118.6 points per game while shooting 48.4%.
The Thunder average 118.6 points per game, 3.5 more points than the 115.1 the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves average 13.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up.
The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 123-111 on Jan. 30. Anthony Edwards scored 26 points to help lead the Timberwolves to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Jaylin Williams is averaging 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Edwards is averaging 29.4 points and 3.7 assists for the Timberwolves. Julius Randle is averaging 14.1 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 113.6 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.5 points per game.
Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 112.3 points, 41.7 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Branden Carlson: day to day (back), Jalen Williams: day to day (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Isaiah Hartenstein: day to day (calf).
Timberwolves: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles hosts the Sacramento Kings after Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points in the Los Angeles Clippers' 153-128 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Clippers are 8-5 against Pacific Division opponents. Los Angeles is 6-8 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Kings are 10-34 in Western Conference play. Sacramento is eighth in the Western Conference with 11.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Domantas Sabonis averaging 3.4.
The Clippers average 113.4 points per game, 7.5 fewer points than the 120.9 the Kings give up. The Kings are shooting 46.3% from the field, 0.4% lower than the 46.7% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last meeting on Feb. 7 the Clippers won 114-111 led by 31 points from Leonard, while Malik Monk scored 18 points for the Kings.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bennedict Mathurin is scoring 18.3 points per game and averaging 5.6 rebounds for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 27.5 points and 5.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 18.4 points and 3.9 assists for the Kings. Russell Westbrook is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 6-4, averaging 121.4 points, 41.2 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 10.2 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points per game.
Kings: 4-6, averaging 115.1 points, 44.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.3 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Darius Garland: out (toe), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), John Collins: out (arm).
Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), Devin Carter: day to day (calf), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Isaac Johnson scored 19 points and Harry Rouhliadeff added a double-double to propel Hawaii to a 78-63 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Friday night in a Big West Conference Tournament semifinal.
No. 2 seed Hawaii (23-8) will play No. 1 seed UC Irvine in the championship game on Saturday with a berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Johnson made 6 of 15 shots with a 3-pointer and all six of his free throws for the Rainbow Warriors. Rouhliadeff totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds. Dre Bullock had 11 points and Hunter Erickson pitched in with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
Christian Williams made 6 of 10 from 3-point range and scored 21 to lead the third-seeded Titans (18-16). Bailey Nunn sank three 3-pointers and scored 11 off the bench.
Johnson had seven points in a balanced first-half attack to help Hawaii take a 29-21 lead into the break. Erickson hit a jumper to give the Rainbow Warriors a 46-44 lead with 12 minutes remaining and they pulled away from there.
ST.
LOUIS – And
so it continues. Haven't we seen this movie script before?
As
a matter of fact, we saw it last year when the St. Louis Blues made a
push to gain entry into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
It’s
still premature to say things will play out the same way, but the
Blues are giving a whole new meaning to ‘March Madness.’
They
continued their winning ways, this time rallying from a two-goal
deficit and earning their seventh win in nine games (7-1-1) since the
Olympic break and running their point streak to seven games (6-0-1)
when Robert Thomas found the net with nine seconds left in overtime
of a 3-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers at Enterprise Center on
Friday.
The
Blues (27-29-10) now sit five points out of a wild card in the
Western Conference with their second win in as many nights after
downing the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes, 3-1 on
Thursday in Raleigh, N.C.
Not
only did the Blues, who got a goal and an assist from Cam Fowler and
a goal from Pius Suter, rally from down two goals, they did it in the
third period after Connor McDavid put the Oilers (32-26-9) ahead
midway through.
“It
was fun. It wasn’t exactly the way that we drew it up, but I’m
proud of our guys,” Fowler
said.
“We continue to fight against a really good team that needed the
points and was desperate and we just hung in there, got a couple
goals and had a big shot by ‘Tommer’ there in overtime to seal
the deal. Just an overall good effort by everyone staying in the game
and staying in the fight.”
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery, whose Blues are 18-2-2 the past two seasons in
the month of March, noticed that it’s that time of year.
“It's
the month of March,” he said. “Either we've got a bunch of Irish
guys and they love the month of March, they love March Madness or
spring break. I don't know.
I
don't know what our combined winning percentage is combined the last
two Marches but it's pretty phenomenal.”
Joel
Hofer contined his sorcery with another stellar outing with 35 saves.
Here
are Friday’s takeaways:
*
First period had some pace to it – Each team played on Thursday, so
one could understand if the teams would perhaps go through the
motions a little bit and feel each other out.
But
that’s not the case.
There
was some pace to it, with each team having its share of odd-man
rushes.
Goaltending
was up to the challenge despite the shot clock only being 7-6 in
favor of the Oilers.
*
Oilers owned the second – For one, the Blues never got into an
offensive flow and going 19:46 without a shot on goal was evident
why.
When
Dylan Holloway put a shot on goal with 6:45 left in the opening
period, the Blues were stuck on six shots until Jordan Kyrou’s slot
shot with 6:59 to play.
Edmonton,
which was embarrassed on Friday in Dallas, losing 7-2, had the puck
on a string and finally cracked Hofer when former Blue Kasperi
Kapanen broke the barrier when he converted from the slot a gorgeous
Leon Draisaitl pass at 15:41:
The
Blues made a bit of a push there but the Oilers owned the period.
“We
didn’t touch the puck the whole second period, it felt like,”
Thomas said. “Maybe start with that, but we came out in the first,
they had a couple rush chances early and then we felt like we started
to get some good looks and some good time in the O-zone, so we just
had to get back to that. Even when they go up 2-0, that was our
focus, and that was the way we were able to climb back into it.”
*
Penalty kill continues to be key – The Oilers are the last team,
with the likes of McDavid and Draisaitl, you want to put on the power
play; it’s the top-ranked PP at 32.1 percent. And with the Blues’
PK ranked 29th at 75 percent, you’re asking for trouble.
But
the Blues were 3-for-3 in kills, marking the fifth time in six games
they were spotless killing penalties and are 16-for-18 in those
games, with the only blip being the two goals the New York Islanders
scored on Tuesday in the third period.
The
kills kept the Blues in the game, and in fact, they had two
shorthanded breakaway chances by Colton Parayko and Alexey
Toropchenko that they didn’t convert on – Parayko hit the cross
bar behind Connor Ingram – that could have produced momentum.
“Smart
sticks, running straight lines,” Montgomery said. “Our PK
forecheck up ice has been patient and steering people to the outside.
We’re never giving cross-ice passes or in the middle of the ice and
our goaltenders have been really good.”
*
Theo Lindstein helped fuel a spark, along with Jonatan Berggren –
Playing in his third NHL game, imagine being Theo Lindstein, looking
up and seeing arguably the greatest player in the world (Connor
McDavid) coming at you like a freight train.
What
was Lindstein going to do? I’d be shaking in my skates too, and
McDavid saw his prey and made Lindstein pay by backing him in, then
snapping off a shot from the high slot past Hofer at 9:56 of the
third period and making it 2-0:
The
Blues had a semblance of a push, but with the way things transpired
in the second period, that almost felt like a dagger goal.
But
Lindstein came right back, made a strong read by pinching in on a
chipped puck into the corner, got a stick on it that Berggren could
recover, get below the goal line and find Suter in the low slot to
get the Blues back within one at 2-1 at 12:22:
“What
a play by Berggren on the Suter goal,” Montgomery said. ‘I think
that really gave us the momentum that we could (win).
“(Lindstein’s)
come up and he’s played with a lot of purpose, and he’s been
aggressive. It’s been nice to see him play to his strengths and
we’re seeing the kind of player he can become. I know it’s just
three games in, but it’s been a good three games.”
*
Face-off win leads to tying goal – With Robert Thomas still not
able to take draws after taking a puck off his right pinkie finger
Tuesday, face-offs were a challenge against the Oilers, although you
wouldn’t have known it by seeing McDavid going 0-for-7.
But
it was late in the game and Montgomery needed to try something
different, so he had Oskar Sundqvist, who took only four draws
(2-for-4) for the game, won a big one from the right circle back to
Fowler, who grabbed it, and snapped a shot off the near post and past
Ingram’s left shoulder at 16:14 to tie the game 2-2:
“I
put ‘Sunny’ out for maybe a second face-off all night and he wins
it clean and we’ve got it tied up because we were struggling to win
(face-offs), so I just tried a different center to win face-offs,”
Montgomery said.
*
Blues needed their skating legs – Look, let’s face it, Thursday
was a hard game for the Blues, winning in Carolina.
And
playing their third game in four nights, with travel sandwiched in
between home games, was not an easy task.
The
Blues looked lifeless in the second period, and the Oilers were
skating them to death. Something had to change, and it did.
“The
second period wasn’t really good at all,” Fowler
said.
“They kind of dictated the pace of the play there and spent most of
the period in our own end, so we came in here just wanted to regroup
a little bit, just wanted to get back to what had given us some
success in previous games. It still took a little while in the third
and sometimes when you play desperate and you’re down a couple, you
play a little bit more aggressively and you’re able to gain some
more chances and I think that was the case tonight.”
*
Blues
goaltending leading the way – It’s been by committee, as Thomas
stated afterwards, but what the Blues are getting from Hofer and
Jordan Binnington, who was the No. 1 star against the Hurricanes, is
leading the way.
The
goaltending has been so good, the Blues are either winning games by
locking them down when they gain the lead, or they’re able to come
back like the last two nights when the goalies are giving them the
chance.
“They
give us a chance night in, night out, both of them to win hockey
games,” Fowler
said.
“’Binner’, he was unbelievable last night in Carolina and ‘Hof’
was amazing tonight. We need to take a look at things and make life
easier on them, but they’re a huge part of this and they’re
as big a part of the team as anybody else. When they’re playing
like that, it’s really difficult for other teams to gain momentum.
We have tremendous confidence in both of those guys any time that
they suit up for us.”
The
numbers since the break speak for themselves:
* Fresh legs helped fuel the fire – Montgomery made three changes to
the lineup anticipating that some fresher legs would be needed,
especially having to play an overtime game on Tuesday and a tough
order on Thursday.
He
inserted Berggren, Sundqvist and defenseman Justin Holl in for
Dalibor Dvorsky, Nathan Walker and Tyler Tucker.
It’s
part of the dynamic depth that’s on display at the moment.
Holl
played 16:33, Berggren was at 12:36 with the assist, and Sundqvist
was at 13:11, also with an assist.
“It’s
nice to have (depth), because we threw three bodies in because we
knew we were going to be tired and that they could give us juice,”
Montgomery said. ‘Berggren gave us juice, Sunny gave us juice. So
did Holl. Holl played a good game. He was smart back there, he was
skating, defended well. I’m really happy that we could roll in
three fresh bodies.”
*
Thomas calls game – The Oilers are no fun to go against 3-on-3, not
when they can throw McDavid, Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard on the ice
at any given moment.
And
it was Draisaitl that nearly ended it when McDavid fed him for a shot
off the post, and Holloway swatting the puck out of danger from the
crease, but gaining that extra point has been tough sledding for the
Blues most of the season.
But
with the clock winding down and possession, Kyrou takes the puck to
the net and gets his shot stopped for Thomas, who fed Fowler, and he
gave the puck back to Thomas curling back to the inner edge of the
left circle before beating Ingram with McDavid defending:
“We’re
obviously feeling good,” Thomas said. “We’re playing confident
and we’re really using our strengths. Our ‘D’ are really
skating, they’re joining the rush, they’re creating a lot.
They’re beating the first forechecker in and that’s opening up
all of us forwards. We’re just clicking right now and really
confident and coming in and winning every game.
“I
think the biggest thing is we’re playing to our strengths. That’s
what made us a good team, that’s what’s making us a good team
now. When we get that puck and we’re skating, our ‘D’ are
active, we’re a tough team to beat and to get the puck from. I feel
like we’re doing a good job of that.”
And
with the playoffs now in the line of vision, Thomas said, “We’re
right there.”
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LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers lost, 7-5, to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, March 13, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in spring training.
Detroit is 4-11 with four ties in Grapefruit League play.
What happened
The Tigers matched up against right-hander Mike Clevinger.
Once a mainstay in the Cleveland Guardians' rotation in the late 2010s, over the past couple of seasons, Clevinger has failed to stick in the big leagues – resulting in a minor-league contract with the Pirates in 2026.
Facing the Tigers, Clevinger allowed four walks and registered five strikeouts, but he surrendered just one hit across 4⅓ innings.
The only hit off Clevinger came from Wenceel Pérez on an infield single with one out in the fifth inning. After that, both Colt Keith and Jace Jung walked to load the bases.
The Pirates replaced Clevinger with right-handed reliever Joshua Loeschorn.
Parker Meadows took advantage of the pitching change by shooting a middle-middle cutter into center field for a two-run single with two outs in the fifth inning, trimming the Tigers' deficit to 6-2.
Right-hander Casey Mize made his fourth appearance this spring.
The 28-year-old allowed six runs on six hits and four walks with two strikeouts across three-plus innings, throwing 67 pitches. The Tigers used the spring training re-entry rule to remove him with two outs in the second inning, then send him back to the mound for the third.
Mize is still trying to lock in his mechanics.
"My mechanics are off. Something is out of whack," Mize said. "I look forward to chatting with Robin [Lund] and Fett [Chris Fetter] to figure out what's going on. I just feel like my timing is still off. I've got to figure that out."
Of his four walks, all of them occurred in the first two innings, including three walks in a stretch of five batters in the second inning. He walked both Alika Williams and Jake Mangum on eight total pitches.
The walk from Mangum happened with the bases loaded for a 1-0 Pirates lead.
In the third inning, Jhostynxon Garcia blasted Mize's middle-middle slider for a two-run home run to left field, producing a 108.5 mph exit velocity. In the fourth, Mize allowed back-to-back singles to Mangum and Tyler Callihan with one out, leading to his removal from a concerning start.
"It's important that I feel good going into Arizona [against the Diamondbacks]," Mize said, referencing the second series of the regular season, with two more spring starts before then. "But I'm not going to freak out, either. It's spring training, and I'm working through some things."
At the plate
The Tigers added three runs in the seventh inning.
But it was too little, too late.
In the seventh, Woody Hadeen (single), Seth Stephenson (walk) and Jack Penney (walk) loaded the bases with two outs. From there, the Tigers took advantage of defensive mistakes from the Pirates, scoring one run on a wild pitch and two runs on a fielding error.
The Pirates, though, retired the final seven batters.
First baseman Spencer Torkelson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .160 in 10 games; left fielder Riley Greene went 0-for-3, lowering his to .208 in 10 games; and top prospect Kevin McGonigle went 0-for-2 with one walk, bringing his average to .280 in 13 games.
On the mound
Right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee replaced Mize with runners on the corners and one out in the fourth inning.
Hanifee struck out Konnor Griffin – MLB's No. 1 prospect – on four pitches, with Griffin swinging through three consecutive middle-middle sinkers for the second out of the inning. He had a chance to escape the jam, only to fumble a dribbler from Joey Bart for a run-scoring infield single, making it 5-0 Pirates.
Even worse, the mistake meant Hanifee had to face left-handed hitter Endy Rodríguez.
Here's why that matters: In 2025, right-handed hitters (such as Griffin and Bart) hit .220 off Hanifee with a .549 OPS, while left-handed hitters (such as Rodríguez) hit .373 with a .995 OPS.
Rodríguez took advantage of the opportunity, dropping Hanifee's changeup into right field for an RBI single and extending the Pirates' lead to 6-0. On the play, Bart was thrown out at home plate on a relay started by right fielder Kerry Carpenter, with catcher Jake Rogers applying the tag.
After Hanifee, right-handed reliever Beau Brieske completed a scoreless fifth inning and left-handed reliever Tyler Holton tossed a scoreless sixth inning. The duo combined to retire six of seven batters, with Brieske issuing a two-out walk in the fifth.
Both runs with Hanifee on the mound were charged to Mize.
Three stars
1. Meadows, 2. Holton, 3. Brieske.
Next up
Saturday (1:07 p.m., Detroit SportsNet/MLB Network) vs. Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Pitcher Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Record: 9-12. Change on 2025: -1.5. 5-inning Record: 5-14-2.
The D-Backs responded to an ugly loss against the Rockies yesterday with some surprising power during an uneven – but victorious – performance in Surprise. Merrill Kelly made his Spring Training debut and looked all right. He threw 36 pitches with a slight emphasis on his fastball (36%) compared to his usual usage from last season (23%) with a mix of his offspeed stuff as well. Unsurprisingly, the velocity was a little down as he continues to ramp up from the back soreness that has been plaguing him since reporting to camp last month. There were definitely positives to take away from the outing including three whiffs on his changeup which was an absolute weapon last year with a 34% whiff rate that were balanced out by some negatives – like giving up six hits to a less-than-stellar lineup. After a scoreless first inning that included a single and error from Tommy Troy, Kelly returned for the second and got smacked around including a grand rule double and triple from Jonathan India and John Rave. He would exit the game after allowing two runs in 1.2 innings, but the bigger question will be how his back holds up over the coming days.
At the dish, Jorge Barrosa was the unquestioned sparkplug for the D-Backs, collecting a pair of walks and a hit out of the leadoff spot, but there were plenty of offensive highlights up and down the lineup. Jansel Luis hit his first homer of Spring Training as the 21-year old looks to start adding some pop to his average-ish batting skills while AJ Vukovich continues his offensive barrage this spring with his third roundtripper in the first two weeks. It was also nice to see some continued offensive contributions from Ben McLaughlin – a ninth-rounder back in 2024 who moved across three minor league levels last year while slashing .282/.396/.446 in 101 games. Those kinds of numbers will quickly turn some heads and he’s shown little signs of slowing down so far this spring as he owns a .375/.545/.438 slash line while walking as much as he strikes out.
Hopefully the D-Backs can continue the positive momentum as they take on the Giants tomorrow with Opening Day starter Zac Gallen on the bump opposite Adrian Houser.
