Category: Basketball

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Isaac Johnson scored 22 points to lead No. 2 seed Hawaii to a 71-64 victory over top-seeded UC Irvine on Saturday night for the Rainbow Warriors' first Big West Championship title and NCAA Tournament berth since 2016 — coach Eran Ganot's first with the program.

Hawaii (24-8) led for most of the game and took the lead for good on Johnson's layup with about 10 minutes to play. UC Irvine pulled to 66-64 with 38 seconds left but Harry Rouhliadeff answered with a layup and then Dre Bullock followed with a breakaway two-hand slam dunk to help seal it for the Warriors.

Rouhliadeff, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 78-63 win against Cal State Fullerton in the semifinal, finished with 15 points and a season-high 12 rebounds against the Anteaters for his second double-double of the season. Bullock also scored 15 points to go with seven rebounds for the Warriors.

Jurian Dixon scored 17 points for UC Irvine (23-11). Derin Saran and Kyle Evans added 13 points apiece and Andre Henry had 12.

Hawaii entered 0-3 in matchups against UC Irvine in the tournament (2013, 2018 quarterfinals and 2015 finals).

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

BOSTON — When Neemias Queta finally checked out of Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards, Luka Garza shot to his feet and slapped Queta’s chest in congratulatory fashion. Queta had just completed one of his best games of the season — tallying 24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal — and Garza was eager to celebrate.

Such has been a common sight on the sidelines. Whenever one Celtics big man has put together a strong performance this season, the other center celebrates the success as though it were their own.

“We definitely are great friends,” Garza told CelticsBlog before Saturday’s game.

So, in typical fashion, as Queta exploded for a career-best 22 points in the first half, Garza was the first to his feet after every basket, pumping his fist at every putback and crafty finish that Queta converted.

Then, in the second half, the roles had somewhat reversed, and Garza was the one hitting shot after shot, finishing the game with 15 points.

This time, it was Queta leaping to his feet every time Garza

“When I’m on the bench, I’m just trying to cheer him up as much as I can,” Queta said. “Maybe learn a little bit with the crashing, and be[ing] able to get offensive rebounds.”

Luka Garza hits the three and Neemias Queta loves it pic.twitter.com/7BMzrOXljA

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) February 25, 2026

The two big men — who rarely share the floor — together combined for 39 points on Saturday, their highest-scoring total as Celtics teammates. The two have very different cultural backgrounds — Queta grew up in Portugal, Garza in Virginia — but have become fast friends in Boston.

And, they’re bonded by a similar uphill journey to make it in the NBA. Both centers were drafted in 2021, in the second round; Queta was picked 33rd by the Sacramento Kings, and Garza was picked 52nd by the Detroit Pistons. Both have fought for two-way contracts, and in moments, felt their future in the NBA was in jeopardy.

“There’s just a level of respect there from both of our journeys of coming to the league and both being second-round draft picks, both being in and out of the G League, not really getting a chance,” Garza told CelticsBlog before Saturday’s game. “And then, obviously, this year being the year that both of us get the biggest opportunities of our careers. So, I think there’s a lot of support for each other through that.”

Luka Garza gave Neemias Queta a standing ovation as he checked out of the game

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) February 1, 2026

Now, both are playing their best basketball, having received their most extended opportunities yet.

After being the Celtics’ fourth-string center last year, Queta has started every game he’s appeared in this season. He’s averaging 10 points and 8.4 rebounds in 25 minutes a night, having established himself as one of the league’s elite big man defenders.

Garza is averaging a career-high 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game, having appeared in 56 of the Celtics’ 67 games. He’s shooting 42.1% from three — a stark improvement from his 27.8% clip last year. Compared to Queta, Garza’s role has been more inconsistent; he’s dealt with stretches of DNPs and more limited minutes, especially in the weeks after Nikola Vucevic’s arrival in Boston.

But Luka Garza has always stayed ready

Despite fluctuating opportunities, Garza’s mindset and preparation have never wavered. So, when Vucevic fractured his ring finger last Friday, Garza was ready to slot back into the rotation.

“If I’m not playing, I’m really focused on growth and development and working on what I can do to improve when the next chance comes,” Garza said. “That helps keep my mind right in shape and all those kinds of things. So when it does come, then I’m ready.”

Another key?

Garza’s game-day routine never changes, regardless of how things have gone of late.

“The last three years in Minnesota, more often than not, I wasn’t going to check in, but I still kept the same routine, just because you never know what can happen,” he said. “And I’ve seen guys who don’t do that, and then the opportunity comes, and they’re not ready. And those small opportunities that you take advantage of can change your life, can change your career.”

It’s that type of preparation that has allowed Garza to pour in 15 points on 5-6 shooting in 15 minutes on Saturday. And, during game action, when Garza is on the sidelines, he’s scouting Queta’s every step.

“During the game, I’m mostly watching him, because that’s my position, that’s what’s happening in the game – I’m locked in on him,” Garza said. “I’m locked in on how he’s setting screens, how they’re treating him. If they’re trying to go under, if they’re trying to go over.”

Neemias Queta was the first person up after this awesome putback by Luka Garza

Awesome Garza minutes so far pic.twitter.com/R9lVhph66N

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 3, 2026

If Queta’s positioning is at all off on either end of the floor, Garza tries to note that too. Anything he observes from the sideline is critical information he’ll use when he checks into the game. In particular, Garza looks to study Queta’s defensive positioning, which has become critical to the Celtics’ success.

“I’m always just kind of watching and seeing, and that leads to learning a lot from him, especially defensively, and just how he anchors the paint and his positioning, especially in deep situations when he’s playing kind of a deeper drop,” Garza said. “And, there are certain times that I’ll be in that [coverage] as well, and that’s something I’ve always looked to improve on and get better at.”

And, when roles are revesed and Queta is on the sidelines, he takes it as an opportunity to study Garza’s uncanny ability to offensive rebound.

“He’s such a workhorse,” Queta said. “And, he really gets his imprint on the game.”

For Joe Mazzulla, both players have been critical to the Celtics’ success this season.

“They’re both different in their versatility,” Mazzulla said. “They both can impact matchups. They both can impact coverages. You can play different coverages with them defensively. They both do a great job of playing off of each other, having an understanding that they need each other, and that our team needs both of them to be really good, and they both have an understanding of what each guy can do. When you have that, it’s just part of being a good team. It’s a credit to those guys for helping us be that.”

Off the court, the two have grabbed dinner and gotten to know each other in a more meaningful way.

“Neemi’s an awesome dude,” Garza said. “This team, in general, is really connected.”

Queta and Garza’s underlying friendship has been one of the many strong relationships key to the Celtics’ success. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman are in theory competing for minutes, but that hasn’t stopped them from being the best of friends.

“At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is to win,” Mazzulla said.

All season long, Queta and Garza have helped the Celtics do just that.

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Dejan Joveljić had a goal and an assist against his former team, Lasse Johnsen had a goal and an assist in his league debut and Sporting Kansas City beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday night.

Neither team found the net until Joveljić used assists from Manu García and Johnsen to score two minutes into stoppage time for a 1-0 lead at halftime. García earned his first assist after tallying nine as a rookie last season.

Joveljić, along with Stephen Afrifa, set up an insurance goal by Johnsen in the 74th minute for a 2-0 advantage. Afrifa's helper was first this season and his second in 39 appearances.

That proved necessary for the victory after Marco Reus used his head for an unassisted score in the 82nd minute to cut the Galaxy's deficit to a goal. Reus scored for the first time this season and the seventh time in 31 career matches.

John Pulskamp finished with four saves to help Sporting KC (1-2-1) earn its first victory of the season while putting an end to a seven-match losing streak on the road dating to last season.

Novak Micovic saved two shots for the Galaxy (1-2-1).

Joveljić totaled 34 goals and 11 assists in 106 starts with LA from 2021-24. He had 15 goals and six assists during the Galaxy's championship run in 2024 when he scored the second goal in a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bullls. His third goal this season gives him 21 along with three assists in 36 matches with Sporting KC.

Los Angeles played without Gabriel Pec, who was suspended for the match after receiving a red card in a 4-1 road loss to the Colorado Rapids last week. Joseph Paintsil was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The Galaxy have a slim lead in the all-time series 29-28-18, including a 19-9-9 record at home.

Both teams posted home victories in two matchups last season.

Up next

Sporting KC: Hosts Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

Los Angeles: At Portland Timbers on Sunday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Ereauna Hardaway and Cheyenne Rowe each scored 13 points and UTSA held Rice to a season-low score beating the Owls 54-40 on Saturday in the American Conference title game on Saturday.

Idara Udo added 11 points for No. 6 seed UTSA (18-15) which clinched its first championship — and NCAA Tournament berth —since joining the American.

Hailey Adams was the only player for top-seeded Rice (28-5) in double figures with 12 points.

UTSA led 20-13 at halftime as the two squads recorded the lowest scoring half in the history of American Conference tournament play. The Owls drew within 24-20 to start the third quarter, but UTSA went on a 10-0 run in which Udo scored half the points and the Roadrunners stayed up by double digits for the remainder. Damara Allen's basket with 5:04 left made it 48-30.

Rice's only regular season conference defeat occurred when it hosted UTSA in a 61-52 loss on March 7.

UTSA knocked off second-seeded East Carolina 54-44 on Friday night and also held the Pirates to their lowest scoring total of the season.

UTSA last reached the NCAA Tournament in the 2009 season as a member of the Southland Conference. It was the program’s sixth conference championship appearance overall, and the Roadrunners now have an even record in conference championship play.

UTSA won consecutive titles in the Southland in 2008 and 2009. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic made a fall-away jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 on Saturday night.

Austin Reaves forced overtime when he rebounded his intentionally missed free throw and made a floater with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation.

Doncic created enough distance from Spencer Jones to make the 17-foot shot, finishing with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as he continued his spectacular play during Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak. Doncic then blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s desperation heave following a Denver timeout.

Reaves finished with 32 points, making the first free throw and then perfectly executing his missed second attempt off the front of the rim after the Nuggets fouled him to prevent a tying 3-point attempt leading 118-115 with 5.2 seconds left.

Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 27 points and Hardaway finished with 20.

Jamal Murray fouled out 31 seconds into overtime, finishing with five points, six rebounds and six assists on a miserable 1-for-14 night.

76ERS 104, NETS 97

PHILADELHPIA (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored a season-high 28 points and Philadelphia held on for a victory over Brooklyn.

Grimes had eight rebounds for the short-handed 76ers, who were missing Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., among other players. Justin Edwards scored 19 points while adding three steals.

Danny Wolf had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who lost their third straight game. Josh Minott added 14 points.

The 76ers entered halftime up 53-31. Adem Bona’s free throw with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter gave Philadelphia the lead for good at 88-87.

HAWKS 122, BUCKS 99

ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 30 points, Jalen Johnson had his 12th triple-double of the season and Atlanta beat Milwaukee Bucks for its ninth straight victory.

Johnson finished with 23 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as Atlanta extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA. McCollum made seven 3-pointers and moved ahead of Paul Pierce into 16th place on the career list with 2,147.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points for the Hawks, who led 60-52 after a first half with six lead changes and four ties. The Hawks then broke it open in the third quarter by outscoring Milwaukee 35-26, with McCollum scoring 11.

Ryan Rollins scored 22 points for the Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo after he sprained his left ankle during Milwaukee’s 112-105 loss to Miami on Thursday. Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

SPURS 115, HORNETS 102

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in his return from a one-game absence, leading San Antonio to a victory over Charlotte.

Miles Bridges had 22 points and Kon Knueppel added 20 for Charlotte, which had won two straight and eight of 10.

The Spurs have won 17 of 19 to tighten their grip on second in the Western Conference. San Antonio (49-18) is 7 1/2 games ahead of No. 3 Houston (41-25) and three games behind Oklahoma City (52-15) for first.

The Spurs closed their longest homestand 5-1, with their only loss coming as Wembanyama watched from the bench because of a sore right calf in a 136-131 loss to Denver on Thursday that snapped a five-game winning streak.

Wembanyama had an immediate impact with 18 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the first half.

CELTICS 111, WIZARDS 100

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a season-high 32 minutes, Neemias Queta had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Boston withstood a late charge to beat Washington for its 11th straight loss.

Tatum had his second double-double since making his season debut earlier this month. Jaylen Brown added 16 points to help the Celtics snap a two-game skid.

Boston’s lead grew to 30 points in the third quarter, but Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla kept Tatum on the court to allow him to reach a high for minutes in the four games he’s played in since his return from Achilles tendon surgery. He had been capped at 27 minutes in his previous three games.

Washington, which was coming off erasing a 17-point deficit to force overtime in a loss at Orlando on Thursday, chopped Boston’s lead to 12 in the fourth quarter. But the Celtics got a layup from Tatum and 3-pointer by Sam Hauser to help them close it out.

Tristan Vukcevic had 22 points to lead the Wizards.

MAGIC 121, HEAT 117

MIAMI (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 27 points, Desmond Bane added 21 and Orlando beat Miami, becoming the second team in the last 30 years to beat the same opponent five times in one season.

Wendell Carter Jr. scored 15 for the Magic, who won their seventh straight and snapped Miami’s season-best, seven-game winning streak.

Orlando led by as many as 22, before Miami twice got within two in the final 18.5 seconds.

Orlando (38-28) moved a game clear of Miami (38-30) in the race for fifth in the Eastern Conference, plus is 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2023-24 season.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 22, while Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell each had 20 for Miami, which hadn’t gone 0-5 against one team since doing so against New York — then coached by now-Heat President Pat Riley — in 1992-93.

The only other instance in the last three decades: New Orleans went 5-0 against Sacramento in 2023-24.

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Stijn Spierings scored a goal in his MLS debut to help Real Salt Lake beat Austin FC 2-1 on Saturday night.

Spierings, a 30-year-old former Netherlands youth international, ran onto a ball played ahead by Justen Glad and blasted a first-touch shot from well outside the area to give Real Salt Lake (3-1-0) its first lead of the game at 2-1 in the 88th minute.

Jon Bell scored for Austin (1-2-1) in the 18th minute.

Noel Caliskan played an entry pass from the left edge of the penalty box that was redirected into the net by Austin defender Oleksandr Svatok for an own goal that made it 1-1 in the 24th.

RSL had 59% possession and outshot Austin 24-10, 8-3 on target.

Diego Luna (knee) made his season debut for Real Salt Lake when he subbed on for 18-year-old Aiden Hezarkhani in the 71st minute.

Brad Stuver stopped seven shots for Austin.

Rafael Cabral had two saves for RSL.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Lakers entered a critical six-game stretch Saturday that could very well determine their playoff position in the competitive Western Conference postseason race.

Behind the heroics of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers defeated Denver in a 127-125 overtime thriller at Crypto.com Arena that secured a playoff seeding tiebreaker over the Nuggets.

Doncic made an 18-foot jumper with less than a second left in overtime to secure the win. While he'll get a lot of the credit for the outcome, the play of Austin Reaves, Deande Ayton and Marcus Smart in overtime also played a critical role.

Read more:LeBron James' adaptability a key in victory over the Bulls

Ayton scored four of his nine points in the overtime and Smart drilled an important three-pointer late as the Lakers (42-25) won their fifth straight game and moved back into third place in the West with 15 games remaining.

It was dueling triple-doubles between two stars, with Doncic putting up 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds and Nikola Jokic finishing with 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists.

Reaves, who finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, six assists, forced overtime when he intentionally missed a free throw, got the rebound and scored on a floater to tie the score 118-118 with 1.9 seconds remaining. He made his first free throw with 5.2 seconds remaining.

Lakers win a thriller, 127-125. Luka Doncic hits the game-winner to finish with 30 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds. Austin Reaves 32 points, sevenr rebounds, six assists and the huge basket to force overtime. Marcus Smart 21 points, five made threes. Game of the Lakers season. pic.twitter.com/XKe6kV7KAn

— Thuc Nhi Nguyen (@thucnhi21) March 15, 2026

In the overtime, Smart, who finished with 21 points, made a three-pointer off an assist from Doncic for a 125-123 lead, but Jokic responded by scoring over Ayton with 15.1 seconds left to tie the score.

With the Nuggets (41-27) on the verge of winning the season series, Doncic then scored with half a second left to give the Lakers their eighth win in nine games.

LeBron James finished with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists and Ayton grabbed nine rebounds in addition to his nine points.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Lakers beat the Nuggets 127-125 in an overtime thriller. LA now owns the tiebreaker over Denver.

Clutch plays by LeBron and Reaves sent the game into OT. While both teams played the extra five minutes with tired legs, Deandre Ayton’s four points helped Los Angeles heavily in the period. Luka put the icing on the cake with a clutch game-winning fadeaway jumper.

LUKA. CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/slrRwgyZZy

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 15, 2026

The game began with Jamal Murray draining a 3-pointer, but soon after, the Lakers started heating up with Marcus Smart draining one himself. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves converted on two triples each, leading to an early seven-point lead for LA.

Yet another triple for the Lakers, Luka's 2nd, forces Denver's first time out at the 8:01 mark, with LA up 15-8.

Dončić has been dialed in from distance out of the All-Star break, shooting 44.6% on considerably high volume (6.3 makes on 14.0 attempts).

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 15, 2026

Denver called a timeout, and out of the break, Nikola Jokić turned the ball over, leading to Reaves scoring in the paint on the other end.

Los Angeles lead started to fade as the Nuggets scored five in a row, but LA’s hot shooting continued as they went on an 8-0 run. Rui Hachimura had a nice start with four points off the bench. 

Reaves and Luka combined for 20 of the 29 points the Lakers had on the board with 2:18 left in the quarter. Tim Hardaway Jr. drained a three and Smart responded with his second of the quarter. 

At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by eight. 

A strong start for the Lakers produced a 34-26 lead after 12 minutes of action.

Luka went for 12 points, 5 assists and 5 boards, and Jokic 9 points, 4 boards and 2 assists.

Reaves added 10 points.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 15, 2026

Smart opened the second period with another 3-pointer for Los Angeles. LeBron James then exploded for five points, further expanding a big lead for LA. After a wide-open bank shot in the paint for Reaves, Denver called a timeout. 

Out of the break, Bruce Brown scored on a layup.

The Lakers were shooting an impressive 47% from behind the arc and a total of 58% from the field. LeBron was up to seven points in the quarter. A quick 5-0 run from Denver made it a 14-point game with 4:53 left. 

Luka turned the ball over leading to Christian Braun scoring on a dunk, pushing their run to seven in a row. Smart responded with a floater in the paint to stop the run. The Lakers then went on their own 7-0 run to keep a big lead. 

At halftime, LA was up by 11.

The Lakers are leading the Nuggets 61-50 at the half. Luka Dončić leads all scorers with 16. Rui Hachimura is producing off the bench with six points and Marcus Smart has 11 points on 4-6 shooting.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 15, 2026

The third period began just as the second did, with Smart draining a three for the Lakers. Aaron Gordon responded on the other end with a midrange jumper. Gordon scored again on a jumper, giving him an early four points in the quarter. After they had gotten the deficit down to 10, LA took charge and extended their lead to 14.

Deandre Ayton finally looked more engaged, scoring four points.

Hardaway Jr. was up to 12 points off the bench. Cam Johnson knocked down his fourth 3-pointer of the night. Denver cut the deficit to nine. The Nuggets were shooting 61% in the third, while Los Angeles was shooting 47%. 

The Lakers suddenly found themselves up by just three, after six in a row from Jokić. 

LA had their response with Reaves and Luka combining for four, but Denver countered with six more to make it a three-point game again. Los Angeles had 1:31 left to build more cushion on their small lead. 

A surge of five points from Bruce Brown tied the game at the end of the third. 

The Lakers, in control for much of the night, led by 11 with 4:16 to play in the 3rd Q, but were outscored 17-6 to go into the 4th tied at 87.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 15, 2026

Hardaway Jr. put the Nuggets in the lead to start the final frame with a triple. Reaves responded with a runner down the paint. Hardaway Jr. scored again, pushing his total to 17 for the game. The Lakers went back up by two after scoring five in a row. 

Both teams kept taking turns with tying and taking the lead. 

Gordon, who also had 17, drained a 3-pointer to put the Nuggets back in the lead with 7:27 left in the game. Denver pushed their lead to eight, but Los Angeles cut it to four on the shoulders of Reaves and free throws from Jaxson Hayes. 

Another three from Gordon pushed the lead back to seven with 3:28 left. Hayes was sent to the line once more, converting on one of two free throws. Luka drained a much-needed 3-pointer to make it a three-point deficit. 

Luka was then fouled from behind the arc, converting on all three free throws to tie it at the 1:57 mark. Gordon then knocked down another three to put the Nuggets up by three. Reaves scored on a layup to make it a one-point game with 1:11 left.

Smart then put his incredible defensive presence on full display, stealing the ball and going straight to the basket for the layup. The Lakers were now in the lead by one with 46 seconds left.

Hardaway Jr. then drained another 3-pointer, putting Denver up two. LA had the opportunity to score, but the Nuggets stole the ball, and Gordon was fouled, converting on one free throw only. 

With 9.9 seconds left, Los Angeles would have a chance to either tie or put up a quick two to end up playing the foul game. Reaves was fouled and made both free throws.

Johnson was sent to the charity stripe and converted on both free throws with 6.4 left. Denver fouled Reaves, and he converted on one free throw and missed the second. He grabbed the rebound and swished a jumper, tying the game. The Nuggets had no time to score, so the game went into overtime. This is LA’s first overtime game of the year. 

Behold the Austin Reaves bucket that put the Lakers in their first overtime game of the year. pic.twitter.com/0JyLFA0jTl

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 15, 2026

The overtime began with Jamal Murray, who had an atrocious game, fouling out. Ayton scored the first points for LA with a jumper. Braun was fouled and converted on both free throws for Denver’s first points of OT with 2:36 left. There were lots of tired legs running back and forth for each team.

Ayton then scored on a hook shot in the paint to put the Lakers back up by two with 57 seconds left. Gordon knocked down a triple to put Denver back up by one. Smart responded with a 3-pointer on the other end to put LA back in the lead by two with 30 seconds left. 

Jokić tied the game with a layup with 15 seconds left in OT. Luka converted on a fadeaway jumper that gave the Lakers the win!

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with a triple-double of 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. Reaves notched 32 points with seven rebounds and six assists. Lebron had 17 points with six rebounds, five assists and two steals. 

Smart pitched in with 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and five steals. Hachimura scored six points off the bench. Ayton pitched in with nine points, nine rebounds and two assists.

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Houston Rockets on Monday at 6:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

CHICAGO (AP) — Tai Baribo scored on a penalty kick in the fifth of 18 minutes of second-half stoppage time to rally D.C. United to a 2-1 victory over Chicago on Saturday night after Hugo Cuypers drilled a late PK to give the Fire a brief lead.

Neither team scored until the 81st minute when Cuypers sent a PK into the net after a foul on DC United midfielder Jackson Hopkins.

The lead last three minutes until defender Matti Peltola sent shot from the middle of the box through traffic and into the net. It was his first career goal in his 61st appearance.

Baribo's PK winner came after a foul on Fire defender Johnny Dean. It was his third goal in his first four matches with the club after netting 25 goals in 55 appearances over three seasons with the Philadelphia Union.

Sean Johnson saved one shot for DC United (2-2-0) in his first season with the club. It was his 435th career start.

Chris Brady finished with one save for the Fire (1-2-1). He was coming off back-to-back clean sheets.

Baribo had a goal waived off in the 43rd minute after Hopkins was caught offside.

DC United leads the all-time series 28-24-22.

Up next

DC United: At Atlanta United on Saturday.

Chicago: At Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Petar Musa scored three goals — his second career hat trick and second multi-goal game this season — Saturday night for FC Dallas in a 3-3 tie with San Diego FC.

Musa capped the scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Bernard Kamungo intercepted a pass near midfield, raced down the left side and then tapped a pass to Musa for a first-touch finish from the left corner of the 6-yard box.

Onni Valakari scored two goals — his first multi-goal game in MLS — and Marcus Ingvartsen also scored a goal for San Diego (3-0-1).

Dallas (1-1-2) had just 40% possession but outshot San Diego 13-5, 8-4 on target.

Musa, who had two goals in a season-opening win over Toronto, put away the rebound of his own shot in the 41st minute — the first goal conceded by San Diego this season — and converted from the spot in the 54th.

Valakari and Ingvartsen made penalty kicks in the 21st and 31st minutes, respectively, to give San Diego a 2-0 lead.

Valakari made it 3-1 in the 51st minute. Alex Mighten, at the left edge of the penalty box, played a low entry to Valakari for a first-touch finish from a few yards in front of the penalty spot. It was the 23-year-old Mighten's first career assists.

Michael Collodi had one save for Dallas.

Pablo Sisniega made his first start this season and finished with five saves for San Diego.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Jaden Harris and Amir Taylor combined to score 35 points and No. 6 seed Kennesaw State defeated No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech to win their first Conference USA championship and clinch a berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Harris posted 18 on 4 of 6 from behind the arc. Taylor had 17, going 9 for 11 from the free-throw line, while tallying six rebounds and two steals. RJ Johnson added 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Owls (21-13) led 35-32 at the half, and used a 10-2 run starting with 8:42 left in the game to build up an 11-point lead inside the final four minutes.

This is the Owls’ second 20-win season in school history, and their first title game in the second year in the conference. They were the third-lowest seed to win the Conference USA tournament. It's their second trip ever to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs (20-14) were led by Avery Thomas II's 10-point, 10-rebound performance. Scooter Williams Jr. had 10 points. Kaden Cooper had 10 rebounds. AJ Bates had eight assists.

The Bulldogs were done in by 7% shooting from behind the arc (2 for 28). They shot 31% from the field (22 for 72). They entered Saturday's contest with a 35-year NCAA Tournament drought.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

HOUSTON (AP) — Mateusz Bogusz scored a short-handed goal in the 15th minute of second-half stoppage time and the Houston Dynamo rallied to beat the Portland Timbers 3-2 on Saturday night.

Houston (2-1-0) shook off a red card on Nicholas Markanich for his foul on Timbers goalkeeper James Pantemis in the fourth of 18 minutes of stoppage time. Jack McGlynn's second assist of the match set up the winner. It was the first goal for Bogusz in his first season with the Dynamo after scoring 18 times in two seasons with Los Angeles FC.

Portland (1-3-0) took a 1-0 lead into halftime when Gage Guerra scored his first career goal — unassisted in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Jonathan Bond got a hand on a penalty kick by Kristoffer Velde but couldn't corral it. Guerra sent the deflection off the inside of the right post and into the net.

Houston answered with the equalizer in the 62nd minute when Guilherme Santos used assists from Bogusz and McGlynn to score for the third time in his first three MLS matches. Bogusz's assist was his first with the Dynamo after notching seven in 60 appearances with LAFC. McGlynn has three assists this season. Half of his 22 career assists have come in 29 matches with Houston — all starts.

The Dynamo took a 2-1 lead in the 77th minute when Santos set up defender Felipe Andrade's first goal this season with his first assist. Andrade had four goals in 23 appearances with the Dynamo last season.

Velde scored his first career goal in his 12th appearance thanks to Finn Surman's first career assist to pull the Timbers even in the 80th minute. It was Surman's 36th appearance — all starts.

Bond saved six shots for the Dynamo.

Pantemis had three saves for the Timbers.

Up next

Houston: At FC Dallas on Saturday in first road match of season.

Portland: Hosts Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Duncan McGuire and Martín Ojeda each scored a goal on Saturday, Javier Otero had four saves, and Orlando City beat CF Montreal 2-1 to snap a three-game losing streak in interim coach Mark Perelman's debut.

Orlando City (1-3-0) and long-time coach Oscar Pareja mutually parted ways Wednesday.

Ojeda put away a first-touch shot from just beyond the penalty spot to make it 2-1 in the 31st minute. Iván Angulo ran onto a through ball played ahead by Marco Pasalic and tapped a pass backward to Ojeda for the finish.

McGuire's first goal of the season opened the scoring in the 19th minute. Angulo's shot from the left side of the area bounced off the near post and McGuire tapped the rebound into a wide-open net from the edge of the 6-yard box.

Prince Owusu went up high for a header off a corner kick played by Wikelman Carmona for Montreal (1-3-0) in the 24th minute.

Montreal's Thomas Gillier had four saves.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer