Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Americans are only getting one World Baseball Classic start from one Cy Young Award winner, but could get multiple from another.
Paul Skenes told MLB insider Ken Rosenthal that he expects to make one start for Team USA in pool play and possibly another if the team advances in the international tournament.
“We win, we go as far as we should, I’ll pitch again in the tournament,” Skenes said.
Paul Skenes reacts during the Pirates’ win over the Reds on Sept. 24, 2025 in Cincinnati. Getty Images
The 2025 National League Cy Young winner’s decision stands in contrast to left-handed Tarik Skubal, who said Monday he will make one outing against Great Britain on March 7 before returning to spring training with the Tigers.
“I’m trying to do both things, trying to pitch for Team USA but I understand the need to be here with these guys and get ready for the season,” Skubal said. “I think it’s kind of the best of both worlds in that aspect, and I’m grateful they took me in that capacity.”
Skubal, the two-time reigning Cy Young winner in the American League, said he would like to return to the team to watch — if the Americans reach the final round.
Giants ace Logan Webb said Tuesday that he plans to stick it out throughout the WBC, and while he will be there for the entirety of the tournament, said he understands why Skubal, an impending free agent, is deciding to pitch just once.
“I’m not in his shoes,” Webb said, according to MLB.com. “I’ve got three years left on my contract. He doesn’t. He has one year and then he’s a free agent. I get the thought of it.”
Pirates starter Paul Skenes watches workouts during a spring training practice on Feb. 14, 2026, in Bradenton, Fla. AP
In Skenes, Team USA will have arguably the best right-hander in baseball, who led MLB in ERA (1.97) and FIP (2.36) with an NL-best 0.948 WHIP last season.
The Americans also will have, on a star-studded roster, retired Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw, who announced he’ll make an appearance in what will likely be his final chapter as a pitcher.
There will also be a New York contingent on the staff, with Mets starters Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean and Yankees reliever David Bednar all on the roster.
Team USA has exhibitions against the Giants and Rockies next week before kicking off pool play against Brazil on March 6 at Daikin Park in Houston.
CLEVELAND — Brick by brick, the Knicks were dismantled by the Cavs.
An atrocious shooting night ended Tuesday with a 109-94 loss for the Knicks, who folded easily to their fellow Finals contender and left Rocket Arena tied for third in the East.
The third quarter was the breaking point. Or better yet, the bricking point. It was horrendous.
The Knicks managed just 11 points in those 12 nasty minutes, shooting a combined (shield your eyes, children) 3-for-24 overall, 1-for-12 from beyond the arc and 4-for-8 from the foul line.
It was their lowest-scoring quarter of the season and looked the part.
“No matter what we did, we either turned the ball over or we had a tough shot,” coach Mike Brown said after arriving late to his postgame news conference. “So we made some play calls tonight. But we didn’t generate anything from the calls that we made.”
So they entered the fourth quarter down 18 and couldn’t recover, not against a stout Cavaliers defense and without the help of competent shooting. Brown finally waved the white flag with 2:42 remaining, emptying his bench and sending the starters on a walk of shame.
Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, Landry Shamet and OG Anunoby combined to miss 42 of their 61 attempts. Bridges was aggressively misfiring at 6-for-17 on the evening. Brunson was worse at 6-for-19.
Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell reacts after dunking in the first half of the Knicks’ 109-94 blowout road loss to the Cavaliers on Feb. 24, 2026. AP
Karl-Anthony Towns was perfect but only took five shots, with four of those in the first quarter. It furthered KAT’s head-scratching trend of alternating strong performances with disappearing acts. Anunoby (five points, 2-for-9 from the field) has struggled since returning from a toe injury.
Brown’s attempt to give an opportunity to Jeremy Sochan was also a miscalculation, with the newcomer appearing utterly lost in his two first-half minutes. Mohamed Diawara got the call in the second half and also tossed up bricks.
Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket during the Knicks’ loss to the Cavaliers on Feb. 24, 2026 in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
“We just didn’t play well enough,” Hart said. “We didn’t execute offensively.”
It was an all-around dud. The Cavs responded with a balanced but not especially potent attack. They shot just 42.5 percent as a team, but it didn’t matter against the Brickerbockers. Mitchell Robinson, who has owned the Cavs frontcourt since the 2023 playoffs, was the lone positive for the Knicks with 15 rebounds, including eight offensive.
The Knicks (36-22) are now even with the Cavs (36-22) and two games behind the No. 2 Celtics, who beat the Suns on Tuesday night.
But the Cavs are surging. They revamped at the trade deadline, acquiring James Harden for the talented but habitually unavailable Darius Garland. They also brought in bench pieces Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis.
It’s all been positive for Cleveland, which has won 13 of 15 after Tuesday’s blowout. Kenny Atkinson just missed out on guiding Harden in Brooklyn before he was unceremoniously dumped by GM Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai. Now he’s excited for the chance in Cleveland.
“His composure, calmness,” Atkinson said of Harden, who scored 20 points Tuesday. “He’s just got a command of the game. That settles everybody down. It’s huge. He knows where the ball’s got to go. He knows the end-of-game stuff. Sharp, sharp player.”
Jalen Brunson drives past Sam Merrill (5) during the first half of the Knicks’ loss to the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Knicks understood the difficulties of defending Harden and Donovan Mitchell, perhaps the best offensive backcourt in the NBA.
But defending wasn’t the problem Tuesday for the Knicks. It was the bricklaying.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Welinton Herrera #59 of the Colorado Rockies throws during his first bullpen of spring training at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 12, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
Okay, Purple Row Night Owls, here’s a question for you.
The Rockies have been working for the last few years to build their pitching depth, and we are beginning to see the results.
So in 2026, which Colorado Rockies pitching prospect will make a name for himself?
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after scoring during the second quarter of an NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at Smoothie King Center on February 24, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Orleans Pelicans stepped in front of their home crowd at 17-42, a team so bad they make late-stage tank commanders nervous. And the Golden State Warriors, because this is who they are a lotta nights without their firepower, made it close down the stretch but ultimately faltered.
Final score: 113-109 Pelicans. Here’s the crime scene: the Warriors got outscored 31-19 in the first quarter and spent the next three quarters playing catch-up basketball against a team vying for a high draft pick in the lottery . Golden State won the second quarter, won the third, won the fourth but alas, still lost the game. Missing their stars Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t seem to be like a good enough reason to lose this game considering they just knocked off the Nuggets Sunday with similar injury woes.
They almost did bail themselves out, which marks the resilience this team has possessed all season with or without their stars.
Pelicans escape with a 113-109 win over the Warriors in a game that wasn't exactly the prettiest. But Dejounte Murray finishes with 13 points and 3 assists in his return. Zion Williamson had 26 points and 6 rebounds.
De’Anthony Melton was the best player on the floor for the Dubs, dropping 28 points on 8-of-21 shooting while going 9-of-11 from the free throw line, keeping Golden State’s pulse going when it had no business still beating. Moses Moody added 24 on 7-of-13 with a +13 that screamed “this man is figuring it out”. Brandin Podziemski hauled down 15 rebounds — 5 offensive — looking like the second coming of Westbrook. And Draymond Green orchestrated 6 assists with his usual controlled chaos. These guys fought. Credit where it’s due.
But the team shot 11-of-45 from three, which cost them on a night when their feisty opponents only made 10 threes of their own. If the Dubs knock down their usual clip beyond the arc tonight they probably pull away pretty easily.
On the other hand the Pelicans forced enough turnovers (all 20 of them) to the tune of being gifted 18 points off of Golden State’s mistakes. That’s how you get a lottery team jump started in their home arena.
Zion Williamson scored 26 on 11-of-21 shooting while the Warriors defense wrestled against his physicality Saddiq Bey added 18. Jordan Poole, playing against his former team with something to prove, dropped 12-6-3 off the bench. Of course he did.
Any given night in the nba. Warriors beat the nuggets the other night, and turn around and lose to the pelicans tonight. These are NBA players at the end of the day, yall gotta start realizing that.#Nba
The Warriors lose in New Orleans tonight. Doomed by 31-19 first quarter. They're 11-17 on the road. Three games back of the Suns for the #7 seed, two up on the Blazers for the #8 spot.
They play in Memphis tomorrow night. De'Anthony Melton (28 pts tonight) expected to rest.
This is a team that’s 30-28, scratching for playoff positioning, as they await the return of at least a couple of their best players. One broken quarter against one of the league’s worst teams decided everything tonight. Tough.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Konnor Griffin, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ latest can’t-miss prospect, didn’t miss against the Boston Red Sox and newcomer Ranger Suarez on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old shortstop, considered the top prospect in baseball, hit a pair of homers in Pittsburgh’s 16-7 Grapefruit League win over the Red Sox.
Griffin took a pitch from Suarez, who signed a five-year, $130-million deal with Boston in January after two standout seasons in Philadelphia, over the left-field wall for a two-run homer in the second inning. Griffin did it again two innings later, turning on a two-strike pitch from Seth Martinez and sending it 440 feet.
“Got some good swings off, so kind of smoked them,” Griffin told reporters afterward.
The 6-foot-4 Griffin, who sprinted through the lower levels of Pittsburgh’s farm system last season, began the day searching for his first hit of the spring and ended it with four RBIs and a pair of swings that offered a flash of his potential.
Griffin acknowledged that having success against two proven major league pitchers — Suarez was an All-Star in 2024 and Martinez has appeared in over 100 games over the last five seasons — was “special” but added he was trying to stay in the moment and not get caught up in who he was facing.
“I stepped in the box and I was ready to compete,” he said. “I wasn’t worrying about who was on the mound. I was just worrying about what his stuff was and how I could have the best approach.”
Griffin has tried to keep his head down while the buzz around him has built, just as reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes did during his first spring training with the Pirates two years ago. Skenes began the 2024 season in the minors before making his big league debut in May.
There’s a chance Griffin might not have to wait that long. The left side of the Pirates’ infield is a question mark. Jared Triolo is an excellent defender who can play either third or short and Nick Gonzales is also in the mix. Neither, however, has the potential at the plate that Griffin offers.
“He’s definitely going to hit,” Pirates pitcher Carmen Mzlodzinski told reporters. “There’s not a whole lot of swings you see like that, especially from a teenager. The best way to say it is his swing stays in the zone forever.”
Suarez, who allowed two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings, tipped his cap to the young player who was all of 12 when Suarez made his major league debut with the Phillies in 2018.
“When you’re the top prospect in the game, people expect that from you,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “He did that today, and I wasn’t surprised.”
Suarez said he felt good about his performance overall as he begins to ramp up his workload ahead of the World Baseball Classic, where he will pitch for his native Venezuela.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard/forward Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings: Tyrese Maxey – 21 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 8 Paul George – 6 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 Jared McCain :’( – 2 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
We won’t be planning a parade for a win against an Indiana Pacers team with a starting five worth of talent on the sidelines, but it sure was nice to see the Philadelphia 76ers just suit up and handle their business. The Sixers jumped out in front with a scorching hot second quarter that saw them rack up 45 points in the frame. They avoided the usual third quarter bugaboo, actually extending the lead coming out of halftime, and were able to limit everyone’s minutes as they mostly coasted in the fourth quarter of the 135-114 win. It was a blistering offensive performance, as their 57.6 percent shooting from the floor was the team’s best mark in two years (h/t Erin Grugan). Philadelphia has now won two straight games as they’ll head back home to face Miami on Thursday. Let’s talk Bell Ringer first.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 24: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers on February 24, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Maxey was on a clear triple-double pace on the evening before getting to take the rare fourth quarter off. It’ll pay off later in the week that Tyrese got to keep a little extra tread on the tires. Tonight, he was dynamite offensively, and not because he had some terrific outside shooting night (just 2-of-8 from three). Instead, it was Tyrese’s ability to carve into the paint and weave his way in and around and under defenders, finishing with a bunch of dazzling lay-ins and creative passes to teammates, and drawing fouls. His body control and shooting touch while sprinting faster than everyone else on the court is simply marvelous. Maxey also had a play where he backed the defender down repeatedly and then canned a turnaround jumper, years of putting in the work in the weight room on display. A more competitive game and we’re likely looking at a 40-point triple-double from Tyrese, just an outstanding evening.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center/forward Joel Embiid (21) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard/forward Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
After missing the past five games, Joel made his return to action and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. Offensively, the gravity he creates for others is night and day from when he’s unavailable. Embiid had a couple nice assists where the double team came and he found Kelly Oubre Jr and Trendon Watford open for buckets. Joel knocked down a couple jumpers himself, but a lot of his work tonight actually came as a roll man, adeptly finishing through some traffic around the hoop. Defensively, Embiid looked in fine form, spryly getting around the court to rotate and challenge shots. Overall, it was about as good as we could have hoped to see from the big man in his return, who can sometimes tend to fall on the sluggish side after a layoff.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard/forward Andrew Nembhard (2) dribbles the ball while Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
With Embiid back and Tyrese cooking, Edgecombe was able to have a highly efficient night, shooting 9-of-13 from the field. He wasn’t some wallflower though, attacking across all three levels. VJ nailed a couple spot-up threes, had a handful of hard drives at the hoop to finish through contact, and also showed off that advanced middie game with a pull-up and a fadeaway jumper. Really, everything just looked smooth and unforced for him tonight; he picked his spots and otherwise filled in all the gaps doing the little things elsewhere. It was the ideal “play off the stars” kind of game from the rookie.
Feb 24, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) dribbles against Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) during the third quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
“You can’t curate your circumstances,” said Mark Daigneault before the Oklahoma City Thunder played the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, and that stuck with me. It’s true in every aspect of life, as he went on to mention, but seems especially true in sports. Especially true in basketball, and even more so in the final months of the season. You can build a great roster, create great plays, have great team chemistry — but so much of that goes out the door in the final stretch of the season.
You can’t pick and choose what players will be available to you by the time March rolls around. Sometimes, the players you have are dealing with minutes restrictions or lingering injury issues (see: Jakob Poeltl). The schedule doesn’t stop for you, though. You need to adapt to it.
Now, when you’re dealing with the circumstances at hand, and your opponent is as well, but theirs are worse (see: SGA still out), then maybe you should take advantage of that. The Raptors did not tonight.
Toronto’s performance against OKC is a huge reason why I am of the belief that people overreact when this team loses. I know that sounds weird, but listen (read?). This current iteration of the Toronto Raptors isn’t built to win a championship — I’ve said this before. They are having a good growth year, sure. RJ Barrett said exactly that after the game tonight, to think back to where they were last season at this time. How much better they are, but also hhow mucht hey still have to learn.
He’s right, and games like this are proving what this roster is lacking. Poeltl, of course, is a big hole in this roster as his injury is managed, and he doesn’t play both games on back-to-backs. They also lack the offensive punch needed to compete with the best NBA teams.
Once a team like OKC shuts down the Raptors’ best offensive player (Ingram), there isn’t much Toronto can do to recover. Scottie Barnes, of course, helps. Other than that, the Raptors’ offence tonight lacked the accuracy needed to overcome the Thunder. OKC’s defence was too suffocating, the Raptors weren’t shooting well enough, and they weren’t defending with 100% intensity 100% of the time. That’s important when playing the reigning champions.
What was great about their performance, though, was the urgency they played with in the fourth quarter. Too little too late? Maybe. Better than just rolling over, though. Barrett even compared it to how they lost to the Pistons a few weeks ago — that tonight they at least put up a fight. What you can’t do after coming back like that is let OKC go on a 9-0 run, though. Lesson learned.
The other bit of news, as we head into the second night of a back-to-back tomorrow, is that Scottie Barnes tweaked his quad in the final minutes of tonight’s game. The team says he has a quad contusion and is questionable for tomorrow’s game against San Antonio.
Feb 24, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) looks to pass the ball away from Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) and center Myles Turner (3) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Bucks got back in the win column after a disappointing loss in their last game, beating the Miami Heat 128-117. Kevin Porter Jr. led all scorers with 32 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Ryan Rollins and Bobby Portis also chipped in 21 each. Norman Powell scored 26 for the Heat.
There was no denying that Kyle Kuzma struggled on Sunday, scoring just three points. He quickly put that behind him to open things up tonight, scoring nine of the Bucks’ first 11 in a back-and-forth opening six minutes. While Kuzma was powering the Bucks’ offense, the Heat’s All-Star guard Norman Powell was cooking for them; he scored six straight points to put Miami up three in the later stages. The Heat clung to a two-point advantage until Porter drilled a triple with 13 seconds left. The bucket put Milwaukee up by one after the first 12 minutes, 30-29.
Both teams’ benches went band-for-band in the first few minutes of the second, until the Bucks created a cushion after a 6-2 run, prompting an Erik Spoelstra timeout. Ousmane Dieng scored his first home points as a member of the Bucks, nailing a three to give the home team a double-digit edge. However, Miami’s shooters then caught fire, converting four straight from beyond the arc before Andrew Wiggins scored in transition to tie the game, capping a 14-2 run. The game remained deadlocked until Cam Thomas completed a three-point play and then drilled a step-back jumper with one second left; Thomas’ five-point burst gave the Bucks a 63-58 lead at the break.
The Heat threw the first punch out of the locker room, going on a 7-0 run to regain the lead. A couple of Bucks who were held scoreless in the first half, AJ Green and Myles Turner, helped them respond in kind; Green’s first three of the night capped an 8-2 run to put Milwaukee back in front. Things remained tight between the two squads, but Miami regained the edge and held it for the rest of the quarter. A Bobby Portis floater with 46 seconds left cut the Heat lead down to 93-89 going into the fourth.
Miami was making shots from distance to open the final frame, drilling a pair to grab their largest lead of the night at nine. Milwaukee battled back, as Green, Portis, and Dieng converted three straight from long range, flipping the game back in the home team’s favor. KPJ then came up clutch with the biggest shot of the night, swishing an and-one fall-away triple to put the Bucks up two. The four-point play sparked a 10-0 run for Milwaukee, which was more than enough. The Bucks’ defense held the Heat without a field goal for a whopping 6:34!
Stat That Stood Out.
The Bucks needed a closer in this game, and KPJ answered the call. 10 of his 13 fourth-quarter points came in the final 5:35 of the game.
With about half an hour to go before last year’s trade period deadline, as player manager Tom Petroro began to resemble financial analyst Tom Piotrowski, Michael Voss phoned Charlie Curnow. The deal was unlikely to go through, the Carlton coach told him. Curnow would have to suck it up, mend some bridges, say all the right things and commit to the Blues again.
Within a few minutes, however, he was a star in someone else’s sky. The Sydney players they traded him for were on holiday in South America, and took a call from their now former coach. “They pretty much just said we want you out,” Ollie Florent told afl.com.au. “It probably could’ve been handled better,” Will Hayward said.
Lakers executive Lon Rosen, talking with Dodgers star Mookie Betts during spring training in 2024. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
During a 20-minute interview with the media Tuesday, new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen said Magic Johnson won’t be involved in any “day–to-day” involvement with the team and that hopes season-ticket holders will “renew” them despite the enormous increase for next season.
Rosen, who has been an executive vice president and chief marketing officer with the Dodgers since 2012 when Mark Walter and Guggenheim Baseball Management purchased the club, took over the Lakers job after Tim Harris resigned from that role.
Rosen, who is back with the Lakers after Walter purchased the team for a $10-billion valuation, was asked about Johnson’s role with the Lakers and how he would be involved with Rob Pelinka, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager.
Johnson was president of basketball operations for the Lakers from Feb. 21, 2017 until April 9, 2019, when he abruptly resigned.
“Earvin's involved with all types of things. He owns football teams, baseball teams, soccer teams, insurance companies, a lot of things. He's always gonna have some type of involvement with all the teams, but he is not gonna have a day-to-day involvement (with the Lakers),” Rosen said. “It's gonna be no different since he left the Lakers. Obviously he's a huge fan of the Lakers, but he's not gonna be, 'Hey Rob go sign this player. Do that.' He'll always be involved with all the teams that he's involved in, but no, he's not gonna have day-to-day involvement at all. He is a super Laker fan and he'll continue to be a super Laker fan. It's not bad to have that. You see the involvement he had the other day when Pat (Riley) was here (to have his statue unveiled) and he'll always be involved that way.”
Rosen was asked about ticket prices increasing for the 2026-27 season.
There have been reports from Lakers fans that gave an example of their tickets in the 300-level increasing to over 45% from $6,192 to $9,035.
One fan said his increase was about 15% and another 3% fee if the tickets were not paid for upfront.
“We hope they renew. And obviously it reflects on what the market is now and the demand for tickets,” Rosen said. “You can look at how tickets sell and what the prices are. You look at primary and secondary market and you can see where their demand is.”
Magic Johnson with Pat Riley at the unveiling of the statue of Riley. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Pelinka told the media after the trade deadline that he’ll work with Walter and Jeanie Buss, who is still the board of governor for the Lakers, when it comes time to make basketball decisions this summer.
Both Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations for the Dodgers, and Farhan Zaidi, a special advisor with the Dodgers, will be advisors for the Lakers and Pelinka. Zaidi was seen at the Lakers’ practice facility Monday.
“Rob's empowered to do what he does,” Rosen said. “And he's talked about it and I can talk about it. Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, they have involvement helping Rob a bit. It gives you a deeper bench, and I think Rob appreciates that. And it is unique. But they have a skill set that they can transfer some of it here. And that's really how we look at it. Look, I have a really good relationship with Rob. I've known Rob Pelinka from when he was representing Kobe (Bryant). I met him many many years ago."
The Knicks (37*-22) won two difficult games before they entered Rocket Arena to face the Cavaliers (37-22). In both wins—against the Rockets and the Bulls—there were the customary lulls we’ve come to expect from New York. Tonight, they topped that by going full lull, playing listless hoops from start to finish. They shot horribly from deep (10-of-37), scored a season-low 11 points in the third quarter, and took the L, 109-94.
That finish makes the Cavs 20-6 in their last 26 games and ties them with New York for third place. It also concluded the regular season series between these two, which the Knicks won 2-1.
Cleveland ruled the opening quarter, staying in front for nearly the full 12. Donovan Mitchell (23 PTS) set the tone with buckets, steals, and dishes, while Evan Mobley (12 PTS, 7 RBS) drained an early three and Jarrett Allen (19 PTS, 10 RBS) cleaned the glass. Through the first frame, the Ohio Players shot 54% from the field, buried 5-of-11 threes, and doled out 10 assists on 14 made baskets. They committed just four turnovers while capitalizing on New York’s six giveaways.
In the quarter, the Knicks shot 50% from the field but poorly from deep. Josh Hart (10 PTS) provided some energy, distributing to Mikal Bridges (18 PTS, 6-of-17 FG) and Karl-Anthony Towns (14 PTS, 7 RBS, 5 FGA!) before hitting his own three to cut the deficit to two. Inside they had success with three blocked shots (OG Anunoby, Towns, Bridges) and buckets around the rim, but they were a step slow against Cleveland’s length and quick transitions. Mitchell’s steal-and-layup plus dimes to his teammates—including late threes from Dean Wade (11 PTS)—helped the Cavs close the frame up 35-26.
Wade hit a triple early in the second quarter to go ahead by a dozen, and the Cavs benefited from even more Knicks turnovers. In fact, their 12 turnovers were the most New York committed in a first-half this season. Quite an achievement!
Mitchell Robinson (11 PTS, 15 RPBS, 2 BLK, 19 MIN) came in and pulled boards out of Allen’s grasp. Mitch singlehandedly kept New York within reach with rebounds, a putback, and an alley-oop from Jose Alvarado, while Towns added a putback and later a three. For Cleveland, Mitchell and Allen continued to chip in buckets and Dennis Schröder was a nuisance on defense.
When Jalen Brunson (20 PTS, 6-of-19 FG) returned after a breather, he steadied the offense with a drive and a late pull-up three. The Knicks went on a 10-2 run late in the deep end of the quarter to cut the deficit to one. From there, Cleveland outscored them by five. Bridges hit a floater in the final seconds, but the home team still carried a 60–54 lead into halftime.
Through the half, Cavs outshot New York from deep (35% to 27%), grabbed seven offensive rebounds to the Knicks’ three, and turned 12 New York turnovers into 11 points. New York shot 51% overall, owned the paint 32-26, and blocked six shots to Cleveland’s three, but their blunders kept them on the outside looking in. Mitchell led all first-half scorers with 15, while Brunson had 13 for the good guys.
After intermission, this game got sloppier than my kid’s bedroom. James Harden (20 PTS) opened the third quarter with a step-back jumper, Mitchell forced a Towns turnover, and Allen converted a putback. The Knicks failed to do anything well—Bridges missed twice, Towns committed another turnover, etc.—before Brunson set up OG Anunoby for a three. When Harden swished from deep, the deficit was 11 again and Coach Brown needed a timeout.
New York continued to throw rocks from deep, making 5-of-21 after two and half quarters. They continued to turn the ball over, too, which explains why they couldn’t get the differential to low-single digits. With four minutes left, and down by 14, Brown tried a lineup of Brunson, Alvarado, Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara, and Robinson. Same results. To close the period, Brown dusted off Jordan Clarkson. Nada,otra vez. New York scored their fewest points in a quarter (11), and went into the fourth trailing 83-65.
Weirdly, OG Anunoby logged 34 minutes, took nine shots, and finished with five pints. He must have worn his invisibility cloak, because I barely saw him on the court.
In Q4, the misery continued, and the hole reached 19 points until Alvarado (5 PTS, 1 STL, 1 BLK) hit from the corner. In need of energy, Jose seemed most likely to bring some pep. On another possession, GTA snaked into the paint and kicked out to Josh Hart, who hit another (finally) three-pointer. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t gain ground because they couldn’t stop Mitchell at the other end.
Bridges missed another layup, Mobley put back a Mitchell miss, and a befuddled Brown called for time. The clock still had seven-and-a-half minutes on it, but the Knicks had done nothing yet to convince us that a rally was possible. A few minutes later, when Brunson missed off the glass on a drive, it became abundantly clear that Cleveland had secretly put a transparent lid on the visitors’ rim—there was no other logical explanation for how badly New York had shot. Unless they were drugged . . . or had lyme disease . . . or ate pizza in Utah.
The deficit reached 20, the reserves came on, and this turkey was finally, mercifully cooked.
Up Next
New York travels to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Friday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 25: General Manager Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on December 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
However, don’t expect Rob Pelinka to be one of those changes.
Rosen spoke to reporters before Tuesday’s game against the Magic and confirmed that Pelinka would remain in his role as President of Basketball Operations.
In a conversation with reporters, new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen says the plan is for Rob Pelinka, with input from Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, will continue to handle basketball operations. Pelinka told reporters the plan is to have an expanded front…
Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi’s continued involvement with the Lakers’ front office is interesting. On one hand, it appears the Dodgers and Lakers could be operating under one umbrella moving forward with Rosen going from one franchise to the other.
However, if you want to be more cynical, it could also be a matter Friedman and Zaidi overseeing how the front office is operating and whether Pelinka should be the one in charge moving forward. There definitely is some overall observing and evaluating to report back to Walter. Those two are not just trusted executives under Walter but also have had success as well.
This also doesn’t mean that there won’t be more people hired around him. Almost assuredly, there will be more voices in the front office, which can only be a good thing. It’ll be a big change for the Lakers, who have operated with a small circle under Pelinka.
The other interesting aspect from Rosen was that Magic Johnson will not have a role in the front office. Depending on the tweet you saw, though, it came across very differently.
New Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen told reporters this evening that Rob Pelinka will remain as the team’s president of basketball operations and while Earvin “Magic” Johnson will surely be around the franchise, no official title is planned for him with LAL
Magic Johnson will hold no official day-to-day position, but he’ll continue to be around the Lakers as always. He hosted the on-court ceremony for Pat Riley on Sunday.
How you feel about this depends on your faith in Rosen, Walter and the new front office. Given their track record of success with the Dodgers, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that Magic will continue to have the “role” he has now, which is being around the team for events but nothing else.
Some skepticism is both natural and fair. This current Lakers front office has given no reason to be confident. But Walter and Friedman and Zaidi have had success, so it might be time for a cautious amount of trust.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 24: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates with fans after scoring from second base on a wild pitch in a game against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on September 24, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good evening. It’s another good night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re glad to see that you stopped by. Please come on in out of the cold or wet. Let us take your coat for you. We still have a few tables available. The hostess can seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you which non-roster invitee outfielder was the most likely to make an impact on the 2026 Cubs. While the comments seemed to favor Chas McCormick, he only got 30 percent of the vote. In first place was Dylan Carlson, who brought in 51 percent of the vote. Michael Conforto got the other 19 percent.
On Tuesday night/Wednesday mornings, I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz, so those of you who want to skip that can do so now.
Tonight we’re featuring one of those NPR Tiny Desk Concerts (support public radio!) featuring the young saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins. (Twenty-eight is a baby in the jazz world!) There’s a lot of young jazz talent coming out these days and Wilkins seems like he could be the next great jazz artist from Philadelphia, of which there seems to be a lot. He already has one Grammy nomination.
Wilkins is on alto sax, Micah Thomas plays piano, Ryoma Takenaga in on the bass and the drummer is Kweku Sumbry.
This video was just posted earlier today.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.
Chicago Magazine was out with a profile of Pete Crow-Armstrong this week that is worth your effort to read, if you haven’t already. The overall tone of the article paints PCA as both what you see on the field—fiery, emotional, dedicated to winning, self-critical—but also that he has a more thoughtful side that can be quite critical of that other side of himself. It also shows Crow-Armstrong as someone who is firmly embracing Chicago and the Chicago life while not completely cutting himself off from his Southern California roots.
What’s getting the most attention however, is Crow-Armstrong’s out-of-nowhere diss of Dodgers fans.
[Chicago is} just an incredible city. The people are great. They give a shit. They aren’t just baseball fans who go to the game like Dodgers fans to take pictures and whatever. They are paying attention. They care.
To be clear, the writer, Wayne Drehs, did not ask Pete about Dodgers fans. This came unsolicited. This is also a stereotype of Dodgers fans that we’ve all heard before—and is also something said about fans of pretty much every popular baseball team, including the Cubs. But in Crow-Armstrong’s case, it’s also a slam on his hometown team.
This has kicked up a hornet’s nest. Steve Henson wrote about it for the Los Angeles Times. Maddie Lee wrote about it for the Sun-Times. Even Jordan Bastian had to mention it for MLB dot com. There are many other publications that took the time to write about it because, frankly, it’s a slow news day for baseball. Reporters are always looking for something outside of the “I’m in the best shape of my life and optimistic about the upcoming season” quotes that you normally get in Spring Training.
So Pete Crow-Armstrong gave the Dodgers bulletin board material and Dodgers fans reason to boo the hometown boy. He likely doesn’t care. As the article noted, his Cubs-loving father forbade him from being a Dodgers fan growing up.
But PCA’s brashness also comes on the field. We’ve all seen him reacting poorly to striking out. We’ve also seen him running on the field so quickly after a walkoff that he’s in danger of getting called for interference. (Hasn’t happened yet.) He’s also not one to back down from a slight, real or perceived. As Crow-Armstrong says in the article:
I’m sure I come off like a douche sometimes, . . .That’s how I present my fun to people, I guess. I’m not loud anywhere else. I’m not riled up anywhere else. That’s where I get to do that stuff. So hell yeah, I rub people the wrong way.
So tonight’s question is “Does Pete Crow-Armstrong need to tone it down?” No one is saying he needs to become as cool and collected as Jason Heyward all of a sudden, but does he need to tone down his on-the-field antics? Maybe wait a second before rushing onto the field? Maybe not slam his bat down on the ground after striking out? Maybe he could praise Cubs fans as the best in the world without giving the Dodgers bulletin board material?
From the article, it sounds like Pete himself would like to rein himself in a little. He speaks about how he wants to be a team leader one day like Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson.
Or do you like fiery Pete the way he is now? Maybe you don’t want him to do anything that gets him ejected or costs the team a run, but is showing emotion on the field just fine with you? Do you like that he takes shots at the Dodgers?
Thanks for stopping by tonight. If you’re coming from where they got that storm, we hope you were able to dig yourself out. Please be extra safe getting yourselves home. We can get your coat for you now. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.
Surprise, AZ - February 21: Samad Taylor #0 of the San Diego Padres stands on second base during a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals on February 21, 2026 in Surprise, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
As the first week of Cactus League play comes to a close, a few players on the San Diego Padres have begun to show hints of a MLB breakout. One of these is non-roster-invitee, Samad Taylor.
Prior to this year, Taylor had only logged 38 games of big-league experience, posting a .205 batting average in 73 plate appearances, with his longest stint coming with the Kansas City Royals in 2023. Across a nine-year career in the minors, he’s managed a much more respectable .269/.358/.425 slash line.
A red-hot start in Arizona
That’s why this first week in Spring Training has been so surprising. Taylor has hit .556 through four games with the Padres, going 5-for-9 with two doubles and two RBI, and kicking off the spring with a ridiculous 1.278 OPS.
It’s almost certain that this isn’t sustainable production at the major league level. In the past Taylor has raked in the spring only for his bat to go cold once the calendar turns to Opening Day.
Over six Spring Training invites, he has posted a .358/.396/.642 slash line. And while a line like that might make you think of Taylor as an obvious offensive powerhouse, he has yet to put it together in the majors.
The fight for the bench
The problem for Taylor is that the Friars have an abundance of players fighting for bench spots with the big-league club. From the emergence of Jose Miranda to recent mainstays like Bryce Johnson and Mason McCoy, there is no shortage of talent for San Diego to fill out its offensive depth.
But Taylor does have something over the others: speed.
Between the majors and minors, he has stolen 40-plus bases over each of the last three seasons, reaching a career high of 51 in 2023. It’s possible he’s brought up to the big-league level simply to act as a pinch-runner for the Padres in certain situations.
It’s hard to make heads or tails with such a small sample size. But if Taylor can build on his hot start to 2026, it’s easy to see him earning a place in the San Diego dugout come Opening Day.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 24: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the New York Knicks on February 24, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Mitchell didn’t score the ball efficiently, but he looked much more comfortable against the Knicks than he did in OKC. Not having Lu Dort attached to you goes a long way. This was a quality offensive performance from Mitchell, carried on his ability to get to the free throw line 13 times.
Grade: B+
James Harden
20 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers
We’ve seen a few classic Harden-blemishes show themselves over his last two games. Iffy point-of-attack defense, 3 turnovers, and an 8-18 shooting night.
However, the box score looks worse than it felt. Harden took quality shots, kept Cleveland’s offense grooving, and probably should have finished with more assists than he had.
Also, Harden should have been rewarded with a few more free throws in this one. I don’t know why he isn’t getting the same calls he has been receiving for the previous decade.
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Allen was more involved tonight than he was in OKC. The Cavaliers had an easier time penetrating New York’s defense, and that inherently benefits Allen. He did a great job scoring at the rim, and outside of a few conceded rebounds, Allen held his own as Cleveland’s defensive anchor.
Grade: A-
Evan Mobley
12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist
Mobley is clearly still working his way back from his calf injury and searching for his place among the Cavaliers’ newest additions. He felt disjoined in this one, never really fitting in with what the team was doing on offense. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Mobley flashed some of the on-ball creation we’ve been wanting to see. He’s always seemed to enjoy the Karl-Anthony Towns matchup.
Kenny Atkinson said before the game that Tyson will have to “earn” his minutes moving forward. His first half stint tonight included three personal fouls in 12 minutes. The second half was much better, and the fourth quarter was a strength. His efforts on the glass helped Cleveland win the rebounding battle before garbage time.
Still, Tyson is currently navigating his way through a weird stretch. It will be interesting to watch moving forward.
This seems like it should be a good matchup for Ellis. He played an important role defensively, but he wasn’t overly effective in stuffing the stat sheet tonight. That’s bound to happen now and again.
Grade: B+
Dennis Schroder
3 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals
Schroder is meshing nicely with Cleveland’s bench. He’s done a fine job running the offense as a backup point guard and threw some sneaky passes tonight. I thought his shot selection was mostly fine, but I will have to ding him half a grade for 1-6 shooting.
Grade: B–
Sam Merrill
0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
We’ve seen some erratic shooting performances from Merrill recently. He’s either going full inferno or coming up empty on everything. Either way, he still brings off-ball gravity and defensive grit that keep him in the rotation. Merrill shot 0-4 from deep tonight but was a plus-13.
Grade: D+
Dean Wade
11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Wade remained in the starting lineup as Cleveland looked to match New York’s size on the wings. He smoked his first layup attempt, but then drilled three consecutive three-pointers to help the Cavs build an early lead.
