Category: Basketball

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr.  is expected to go in the first round after declaring on Tuesday. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Guard's draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Labaron Philon Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 11 overall, Golden State Warriors

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

The Warriors could still use more reliable players in the backcourt and could find a fairly compelling player in Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon. Even though the All-SEC guard was not playing at 100 percent during March Madness due to injury issues, he played well in the tournament, recording 35 points during a loss against Michigan. He also notched 29 points in his first game and 12 assists in his second. The guard averaged 22.0 points per game and he improved his 3-point shooting from 31.5 percent as a freshman to 39.9 percent as a sophomore, also managing 5.0 assists per game in the process.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Labaron Philon Jr. player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard
• Current Team: Alabama
• 21.9 points per game
• 3.2 rebounds per game
• 4.7 assists per game
• 50.9 field goal percentage
• 40.2 three-point field goal percentage

Golden State Warriors 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 12 and No. 54 (via LAL)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Labaron Philon Jr. NBA mock draft projection: Where Alabama star is expected to land after March Madness

The men's college basketball transfer portal window opened April 7, the day after the 2026 national championship game and the deadline to enter was April 21.

Here's a running list of player movement in the Big Ten this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).

Top 50 available players: College basketball transfer portal rankings

More conferences: ACC | SEC | Big 12 | Big East

The men's college basketball transfer portal window opened April 7, the day after the 2026 national championship game and the deadline to enter was April 21.

Here's a running list of player movement in the SEC this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).

More conferences: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Big East

The men's college basketball transfer portal window opened April 7, the day after the 2026 national championship game and the deadline to enter was April 21.

Here's a running list of player movement in the ACC this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).

Top 50 available players: College basketball transfer portal rankings

More conferences: SEC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Big East

The men's college basketball transfer portal window opened April 7, the day after the 2026 national championship game and the deadline to enter was April 21.

Here's a running list of player movement in the Big 12 this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).

Top 50 available players: College basketball transfer portal rankings

More conferences: ACC | SEC | Big Ten | Big East

The men's college basketball transfer portal window opened April 7, the day after the 2026 national championship game and the deadline to enter was April 21.

Here's a running list of player movement in the Big East this offseason (players USA TODAY Sports has confirmed are in the portal, have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they are in portal).

Top 50 available players: College basketball transfer portal rankings

More conferences: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC

In the wake of a sensational season on the Forty Acres that concluded with a trip to the Elite Eight, Texas Longhorns junior forward Dailyn Swain is declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft, according to his agents.

Because Swain’s agents are NCAA certified, the 6’8, 220-pounder could still opt to withdraw from the draft after participating in the NBA Draft combine next month, an invitation he’s certain to receive.

The Xavier transfer was the breakout star for Texas, averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, three of the five major statistical categories in which Swain led the Longhorns. Excellent off the bounce, Swain showed the ability to get into the paint and finish around the rim, make plays for his teammates, and improved his three-point shooting from 25 percent to 34.4 percent while shooting over 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Swain’s improved shooting stroke from distance is a major catalyst in his rise up NBA Draft boards, although he’s still considered a polarizing prospect — some mock drafts have him as a lottery pick, but others don’t believe that he’s a first-round selection.

NIL and revenue sharing have changed the calculus for productive college players with questionable NBA Draft upside, but there remains plenty of upside for Swain if he chooses to enter the NBA Draft with the No. 14 pick, the last in the lottery, guaranteed $10 million over two years in the 2025 NBA Draft.

However, it’s still early in the pre-draft process, which will be influenced by how many players declare and how well players in the same range as Swain test and perform at the NBA Combine.

Swain signed with Texas head coach Sean Miller at Xavier as an under-recruited member of the 2023 recruiting class over offers from Arizona State, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Ohio, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech because of an undeveloped frame and undeveloped shooting ability.

A Big East All-Freshman team selection in 2023-24, Swain played in 29 games (three starts) and averaged 4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest before showing improvement as a sophomore by leading the team in steals (53, 1.56 spg) and ranking second in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and assists (89, 2.6 apg), third in scoring (11.0 ppg), and fourth in minutes (28.5 mpg).

One of the most coveted players in the NCAA transfer portal, Swain followed Miller to the Forty Acres and continued a positive trajectory that could help him become a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

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Two of the worst teams in the NBA clash on Tuesday night as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Utah Jazz.

My Jazz vs. Pelicans predictions are backing Utah forward Kyle Filipowski to put up big numbers in a game that should have little defense.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this showdown on April 7.

Jazz vs Pelicans prediction

Jazz vs Pelicans best bet: Kyle Filipowksi Over 19.5 points (+100)

It's that time of the year when teams eliminated from the playoffs shut down starters and put embarrassingly little effort into defense.

That puts the betting value on props for marginal players getting increased opportunities. That includes Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski, who has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games. 

Filipowski is coming off a 20-point performance against OKC's elite defense, where he took a season-high 25 field goal attempts in 38 minutes. He'll have another productive night against the New Orleans Pelicans, who rank 23rd in the league in ppg allowed (119.4).

Jazz vs Pelicans same-game parlay

Cody Williams is another Jazz player who has seen his playing time and usage rate surge down the stretch. Williams is logging 35.0 minutes and 4.6 assists per game over the last month. He should drop 5+ dimes in what's expected to be a shootout tonight. 

Pelicans wing Saddiq Bey is averaging 20.5 ppg over the last 34 games. He's been taking even more shots than usual with Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray sidelined.

Jazz vs Pelicans SGP

• Kyle Filipowski Over 19.5 points
• Cody Williams Over 4.5 assists
• Saddiq Bet Over 19.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Youth movement

With the total sitting at a whopping 242.5 between two teams that don't care about playing defense, let's back another hungry young player in Pels point guard Jeremiah Fears. The seventh pick in the 2025 draft has racked up 13 assists over the last two games. 

Jazz vs Pelicans SGP

• Kyle Filipowski Over 19.5 points
• Cody Williams Over 4.5 assists
• Saddiq Bet Over 19.5 points
• Jeremiah Fears Over 6.5 assists

Jazz vs Pelicans odds

• Spread: Jazz +10.5 | Pelicans -10.5
• Moneyline: Jazz +400 | Pelicans -550
• Over/Under: Over 242.5 | Under 242.5

Jazz vs Pelicans betting trend to know

The Jazz have gone Over their Team Total in 12 of their last 15 games (+8.60 Units / 50% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Pelicans.

How to watch Jazz vs Pelicans

Jazz vs Pelicans latest injuries

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NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Texas's Dailyn Swain  is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects his draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Dailyn Swain 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 29 overall, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

After transferring from Xavier to Texas during the offseason and then leading his team to the Sweet 16, Dailyn Swain became one of the more intriguing breakout players in college basketball. The All-SEC forward is versatile and contributed a little bit of everything for the Longhorns on both sides of the ball, scoring well both in the paint and on fastbreaks. Another element that is notably compelling is that Swain is efficient one-on-one in isolation against his defenders.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Dailyn Swain player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard-Forward
• Current Team: Texas
• 17.7 points per game
• 7.6 rebounds per game
• 3.4 assists per game
• 54.3 field goal percentage
• 34.5 three-point field goal percentage

Cleveland Cavaliers 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 29 (via SA)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dailyn Swain NBA mock draft projection: Where Texas star is expected to land after March Madness

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Texas Tech's Christian Anderson is expected to go in the first round after his agent announced the guard's intention to declare. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Guard's draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Christian Anderson 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 21 overall, Detroit Pistons

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

While they are one of the best teams in the league this season, the Pistons are still struggling from the perimeter and could use more talented 3-point shooters on their roster. A simple fix would be drafting Texas Tech sophomore Christian Anderson, who had the most unassisted 3-pointers (61) among high-major players, per CBB Analytics. After moving from the two-guard to point guard, the All-Big 12 Most Improved Player recorded more than twice as many assists per 100 possessions as a sophomore compared to when he was a freshman.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Christian Anderson player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard
• Current Team: Texas Tech
• 18.9 points per game
• 3.6 rebounds per game
• 7.6 assists per game
• 47.9 field goal percentage
• 42.5 three-point field goal percentage

Detroit Pistons 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 21 (via MIN)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christian Anderson NBA mock draft projection: Where Texas Tech star is expected to land after March Madness

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Our NBA player prop projections are set for tonight’s Western Conference showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers, with the model pinpointing several standout opportunities.

By analyzing the data and comparing it to current market lines, we’ve uncovered the bets with the highest value.

These Thunder vs. Lakers predictions aren’t guesswork — they’re driven by the numbers.

For those building their cards, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, April 7.

Thunder vs Lakers computer picks for April 7

Thunder	Lakers
Holmgren o7.5 rebounds  -105	James o6.5 rebounds  -130
Gilgeous-Alexander u30.5 points  -120	Kennard u5.5 assists -125
Hartenstein u3.5 assists -140	James o22.5 points -110

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Thunder computer picks

Chet Holmgren Over 7.5 rebounds (-105)

Projection: 7.8 rebounds

Chet Holmgren has cleared the 7.5-rebound line in six of his last 10 games, and the matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers gives him a strong path to do it again.

Against the Lakers, there should be plenty of opportunities as their offense often funnels shots into the paint and mid-range, creating rebound chances around the rim.

Holmgren’s versatility also keeps him on the floor for extended minutes, which only boosts his chances of hitting the Over once again.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 30.5 points (-120)

Projection: 29.5 points

The Oklahoma City Thunder could see fewer scoring opportunities in this matchup against the Lakers, who’ve played at the 10th-slowest pace in the league over the last 15 games.

That slower tempo may continue to impact Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has hit the Under on 30.5 points in six of his last 10 outings.

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Isaiah Hartenstein Under 3.5 assists (-140)

Projection: 3.1 assists

Isaiah Hartenstein hitting the Under on 3.5 assists in seven of his last 10 games points to a reduced playmaking role within the Thunder offense.

This trend is likely to continue tonight. The Lakers’ defensive scheme often prioritizes protecting the paint and staying attached to shooters, which limits easy passing lanes for big men.

Combine that with Hartenstein’s usage profile, and the Under on 3.5 assists remains a strong play.

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Lakers computer picks

LeBron James Over 6.5 rebounds (-130)

Projection: 7.0 rebounds

LeBron James has hit the Over on 6.5 rebounds in five of his last 10 games, and tonight’s matchup against the Thunder gives him a prime opportunity to do it again.

James is tasked with shouldering a larger share of both the scoring and rebounding responsibilities for the Lakers. 

The Thunder’s frontcourt has struggled to control the paint consistently, giving James additional opportunities for offensive boards and second-chance points.

Add that to his extended minutes and high usage, and the Over on 6.5 rebounds looks well within reach tonight.

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Luke Kennard Under 5.5 assists (-125)

Projection: 4.3 assists

The Lakers have played at the 10th-slowest pace in the league over their last 15 games, which could limit opportunities for Luke Kennard as a facilitator while he looks to step up in the absence of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

Kennard is projected to fall over a full assist shy of this line, good for a 22.2% EV edge.

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LeBron James Over 22.5 points (-110)

Projection: 24.6 points

The Lakers have been rolling offensively at home, averaging 122.8 points per game — the fourth-highest mark in the league over their last 10 games.

With Dončić sidelined for the rest of the regular season, King James will need to elevate his scoring and carry an even heavier offensive load.

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How to watch Thunder vs Lakers tonight

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Date	Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Tip-off	10:30 p.m. ET
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The NBA invented the 65-game limit rule to address what it perceived to be a major problem (that, fairly or not, will always get tied back to Gregg Popovich and the Spurs): load management. The idea was simple: star players were being rested in situations such as the second night of back-to-backs or late in the regular season to protect them from injury and save them for the playoffs. (Think back to 2011, when Manu Ginobili broke his elbow in the opening minute of the Spurs’ regular season finale: a game whose only meaning to the Spurs was securing home court advantage in the Finals if the Bulls made it. News flash, MVP Derrick Rose got hurt, and they didn’t. Neither did the Spurs, who couldn’t get past the Grizzlies in round one with a hobbled Manu. No one wants a repeat of that.)

The NBA didn’t like the load management, especially when those games were on national television, so they created an incentive to keep stars on the court: if a player doesn’t appear in at least 65 games, he is not eligible for regular season awards and All-NBA/Defensive Teams, which can directly impact a player’s contract extension or built in bonuses. Thus the rule was born, but here’s the problem: it addresses the wrong issue.

The NBA can point to load management as the leading problem towards stars missing games since that releases them from blame, but it’s not; it’s more injuries. As we stand, several MVP candidates are at risk of or will miss the 65-game minimum due to injury in the last couple of weeks. Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung, Luka Doncic a strained hamstring, and Victor Wembanyama a bruised rib just last night. Nikola Jokic is also toing the line after a knee injury earlier in the season sidelined him for 16 straight games.

But here’s the thing: these players aren’t on the brink of missing out because they were “load managing” for 18 or more games, it was injury. For example, of Wemby’s 16 missed games so far, only two of them could be identified as “load management”. The other 14 were 12 for the dreaded calf strain and two from a strained oblique, and the same can be said for the other players mentioned above. As a result, instead of punishing load management, the league is punishing injury, possibly even forcing players back sooner than needed so they can earn the right to be recognized. In a way, they are also putting more emphasis on the regular season than playoffs, which seems counter intuitive.

Not coincidently, YouTube channel Thinking Basketballjust published a video today about why the NBA has this rule wrong. They look at the leading cause of increased injury in the modern NBA — namely the quicker pace, more movement and hard planting, and players pushing off (which was how Jokic got hurt) — and what the NBA can do to address the REAL problem (including, the two things they don’t want to acknowledge: the long schedule and back-to-backs, especially on the road). It’s a good 15-minute watch, so be sure to check it out below or with the link above.

The NBA’s heart may in the right place in trying to put the best possible product on the floor for the fans each and every night, but as they are wont to do, they created a solution for the wrong problem, thus creating an entirely new one.

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The Los Angeles Clippers’ turnaround is not yet complete. If they want a spot in the playoffs proper, holding onto their current standing will be crucial. That focus should come at the Dallas Mavericks’ expense on Tuesday, April 7.

But my Mavericks vs. Clippers predictions and these NBA picks also look ahead at what Los Angeles should already prioritize.

Mavericks vs Clippers prediction

Mavericks vs Clippers best bet: Kawhi Leonard Under 28.5 points (-112)

The Los Angeles Clippers cannot let off the gas. They are only half a game ahead of the Blazers for the No. 8 spot in the West, a vital difference in the Play-In Tournament, and those two match up once more this week. But that is also exactly why the Clippers should ease up tonight if given the opportunity against the Dallas Mavericks.

Los Angeles plays again tomorrow, and then Friday’s trip to Portland looms as a third game in four days.

Sometimes, not letting off the gas shows up by looking ahead. An endurance athlete might call that pacing.

Once the Clippers find a healthy lead tonight, expect them to limit Kawhi Leonard’s minutes. It will be the savvy choice to make when considering what is at stake the rest of the week. Beyond that, it should be noted, Leonard has not cleared this prop in any of his last seven games.

Mavericks vs Clippers same-game parlay

Every thought here aligns: An early Clippers lead should prompt fewer minutes from Leonard, who has already fallen short of this modest rebounding prop in his last two games and in five of his last eight.

Mavericks vs Clippers SGP

• Kawhi Leonard Under 28.5 points
• Kawhi Leonard Under 6.5 rebounds
• Clippers -7 — 1H

Our "from downtown" SGP: Less Leonard Is More

While this is a counterintuitive same-game parlay, it has actually cashed in the last two games. Leonard’s lessened scoring of late has not included lessened shooting.

Mavericks vs Clippers SGP

• Kawhi Leonard Under 28.5 points
• Kawhi Leonard Over 2.5 threes
• Kawhi Leonard Under 6.5 rebounds

Mavericks vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Mavericks +11.5 | Clippers -11.5
• Moneyline: Mavericks +450 | Clippers -600
• Over/Under: Over 238.5 | Under 238.5

Mavericks vs Clippers betting trend to know

All the season-ending praise of Cooper Flagg and his likely Rookie of the Year award hides the fact that Dallas has gone 1-3 against the spread in its last four games despite facing four teams all a bit distressed as the season’s end nears. Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Clippers.

How to watch Mavericks vs Clippers

Mavericks vs Clippers latest injuries

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As the Detroit Pistons prepare not just for what they hope is a deep playoff run, but also for next season, the team is shuffling its roster with a new signing and releasing a little-used member. Center Tolu Smith is signing a two-year contract that will make him available for the playoffs and potentially ensure he’s on board next season as well. To make room for Smith on the roster, the Pistons waived second-year forward Bobi Klintman.

The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and later confirmed by Omari Sankofa with the added detail that the second year of the deal is non-guaranteed.

Smith has been a two-way player for the Pistons over the past two seasons and adds depth with the anticipated return of backup center Isaiah Stewart. Smith has played in 13 games for the Pistons this season. He’ll be behind starter Jalen Duren, Stewart, and Paul Reed. But Smith is a big body at 254 pounds that the Pistons can turn to if they feel like Reed, who weighs just 210 pounds, can’t bang down low against a specific opponent, and either Duren or Stewart is unavailable. The added depth at center might also allow JB Bickerstaff to play a two-big lineup with Duren and Stewart on the floor without worrying about how to allocate the minutes.

Smith is averaging 10 minutes per game, hitting 51% of his shots, and 3.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks a night.

Klintman, meanwhile, didn’t seem to be in the plans for the Pistons. He represents Trajan Langdon’s first draft miss as a relatively high second-round pick (37th overall). Of course, very few second-round picks do much of anything in the NBA, but there are nine players selected after Klintman who have logged more than 2,000 minutes, while Bobi has played just 113. That includes Ajay Mitchell and Jaylen Wells, selected with the two picks immediately after Klintman, as well as Oso Ighodaro (40th overall), Pelle Larsson (44th), Jamal Shead (45th), and Cam Spencer (53rd).

There is a chance Klintman stays in the fold by signing a new two-way contract with the Pistons, using the slot vacated by Smith, but Detroit never seemed to prioritize or reward Klintman with playing time. Getting 113 minutes in two seasons is a drop in the bucket. Detroit has had its fair share of blowout wins, and Klintman has played less than 18 minutes since November.

If this is the end of his tenure, he walks away averaging 1.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in just under six minutes per game while shooting 33% from the floor.

Already without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers ruled out LeBron James out for Tuesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James was questionable as he manages a chronic left foot injury. The Lakers are fighting for playoff seeding with four games left before the postseason, but with two consecutive losses and major injuries mounting, they have slipped to fourth in the West, a half-game behind Denver. The lowest they can fall is into fifth place, ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Doncic is out with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves is sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain. The Lakers (50-28) are also without starting guard Marcus Smart, who will miss his eighth consecutive game with because of a right ankle contusion. Now with James out, the Lakers will be down four of their five regular starters.

The 41-year-old James had played in 13 consecutive games with the Lakers going 10-3 during that span. Adjusting to a reduced ball-handling role to let Doncic and Reaves control the offense, James was shooting 54.4% from the field, averaging 17.6 points per game on only 12.3 shot attempts in the first 12 games before Doncic and Reaves were injured.

With both guards out in the Lakers' last game against Dallas, James shot 12 for 22 from the field, scoring 30 points with 15 assists. It was the most shot attempts for James in a game since Dec. 20, 2025, when Reaves was out because of a calf strain and Doncic suffered a a leg contusion that limited him to just the first half.

The Thunder (62-16) have won five consecutive games. The defending NBA champions are 3-0 against the Lakers this season, including a 43-point drubbing last week. The Lakers finish the regular season at Golden State on Thursday, at home against Phoenix on Friday and against Utah on Sunday. The playoffs begin April 18.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.