LAVAL, Quebec (AP) — Ann-Renée Desbiens made 18 saves, Hayley Scamurra scored twice and the Montreal Victoire beat the Vancouver Goldeneyes 3-0 on Wednesday night to wrap up a playoff berth in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
Desbiens had her sixth shutout of the season to help Montreal (13-4-2-5) win its third consecutive game.
Scamurra opened the scoring on a one-timer at 8:28 of the third period. She and and Maggie Flaherty added empty-netters.
Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 25 shots for Vancouver (7-1-4-12).
Jan 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) hugs Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) after defeating the Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
It was an up-and-down month of March for the Phoenix Suns. The team had a four-game win streak and a five-game losing streak, their longest of the season. With everything said and done, the team finished 8-8 during the month and ended up in the same spot it started: seventh place in the Western Conference.
It’s looking likely Phoenix will end the regular season in that spot, although there is still a possibility that the Clippers or Trail Blazers could catch them. If everything stays as is, however, the Suns would host a Play-In game for the first time in franchise history. All that is left between them and that possibility is the remainder of their regular-season schedule.
Here’s how the calendar shapes up for April:
Finishing up the Road Trip
Thursday, April 2nd @ Charlotte Hornets
Sunday, February 5th @ Chicago Bulls
The Suns played both teams in the month of March, splitting results as they went 1-1 against the Charlotte/Chicago combo.
Phoenix handled Charlotte 111-99 but suffered one of its worst losses of the season against the Bulls, losing 105-103. The Suns couldn’t get into a rhythm and shot worse than 40% from the field. Charlotte projects to be a tough matchup because of their youth and ability to shoot. Chicago is officially eliminated, so the matchup should be a bit easier than Charlotte’s, but that wasn’t the case for the Suns in March.
Last Home Stand
Tuesday, April 7th vs Houston Rockets(NBC/Peacock)
Wednesday, April 8th vs Dallas Mavericks
Phoenix’s games against the two Texas teams are their last two home games of the regular season, but their game against the Rockets will be the first time Kevin Durant returns to the Mortgage Matchup Center since he was traded.
Durant’s relationship with the Suns? Complicated, to say the least. One of the greatest players to don a Phoenix jersey, his tenure with the team didn’t end as anyone wanted it to, with the squad winning just one playoff series during his tenure, despite the future Hall of Famer continuing to put up elite numbers and playing alongside Devin Booker.
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 05: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets drives against Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Toyota Center on January 05, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It will be interesting to see the type of reception he gets in the nationally televised showdown.
Two Playoff Foes
Friday, April 10th @ Los Angeles Lakers
Sunday, April 12th @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Funnily enough, the team’s last two games are against the only squads that the Suns face five times this season, thanks to the results of the In-Season Tournament. Both the Suns and their opponents in this stretch may have their seeds clinched, so the potential for many players to rest in these games is on the table. Both the Thunder and Lakers are possible first-round matchups, though the Thunder are the more likely.
The Playoff/Play-In Schedule Outlook
While the dates are not set, if the Suns are in the Western Conference 7/8 game as either seed and win, they’ll be the seventh seed. If they lose, they’ll host the winner of the West’s 9/10 game. If they win that game, they’ll be the eighth seed; if they lose it, their season ends.
Lindor forgot the number of outs in the bottom of the first inning and began to jog off the field after stepping on second base for the force on Alec Burleson’s grounder.
But the force was only the second out, and by not throwing to first, Lindor missed an opportunity to complete an inning-ending double play.
Freddy Peralta escaped the inning by striking out Masyn Winn, throwing five additional pitches in the inning.
“I forgot the outs,” Lindor said. “I made a mistake that probably cost Peralta to go an extra inning and more pitches after that. Inexcusable.”
Lindor reached first base on an error in the sixth and was picked off, caught flat-footed, by Matthew Liberatore.
Francisco Lindor is tagged out by first baseman Alec Burleson during the sixth inning of the Mets’ 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Cardinals on April 1, 2026 in St. Louis. Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
“They got us there,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was going to go. We thought we had a tip there and they got us with a quick step-off move there. I wouldn’t consider that one as a mental mistake because he was trying to get some momentum there and being aggressive. But the first one [forgetting the outs] is the one that can’t happen.”
Mendoza said he didn’t need to address the issue with Lindor.
“He knows — he was pretty pissed when he came in,” Mendoza said. “Peralta did a hell of a job picking him up, finishing that inning. But you trust the decision-making with this guy. He knows he made a mistake.”
Peralta credited his changeup — a pitch he didn’t use as much last Thursday — for helping him get on track against the Brewers.
The right-hander allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts on this day, departing after 92 pitches.
“I have got a lot of trust with [the changeup] and I thought it was time to use it today,” Peralta said.
Juan Soto’s homer extended his on-base streak against the Cardinals to 41 games.
Islanders center Mikhail Grabovski (84) as they lose 3-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Barclays Center during a 2015 game.
Former Islanders forward Mikhail Grabovski is facing potential legal issues in Toronto after an alleged incident following an Ontario Minor Hockey Association playoff game.
The alleged altercation occurred in Markham, Ontario, on March 14 at the Markham Village Community Centre, where York Regional Police were called to at roughly 10:50 p.m. for a report of an assault, according to the Toronto Sun.
Grabovski was coaching a Markham Waxers under-15 playoff game at the time of the incident.
The Flyers’ Braydon Coburn checks Mikhail Grabovski of the Islanders during a game on Nov. 24, 2014. Paul J. Bereswill
Officers arrested an unidentified suspect, according to the Toronto Sun, and the male was charged with one count of assault, with the victim being taken to a local hospital to treat minor injuries.
The Toronto Star, citing court records, reported that Grabovski allegedly assaulted the coach of the York-Simcoe Express, the opposing team, Warren Cooper.
It is unclear what started the incident.
A condition of Grabovski’s release is that he is prohibited from contacting Cooper, the CBC reported.
The charges were sworn on March 30, and the first court appearance is scheduled to take place on June 12 in Newmarket, Ontario.
In a statement released following the incident, the OMHA denounced what had happened and said they would not make any further comments while “there is an ongoing police investigation.”
Mikhail Grabovski looks on during the Islanders’ 3-1 loss to the Maple Leafs during a 2015 game at Barclays Center. Andrew Theodorakis/New York Post
“The Ontario Minor Hockey Association is aware of this situation and does not condone this type of behaviour, nor does it reflect the values of the OMHA or the sport,” the league said in a statement.
Grabovski spent 10 seasons in the NHL, appearing in 534 games while recording 125 goals and 171 assists.
A majority of his career was spent with the Maple Leafs, playing in Toronto from the 2008-13.
He came to Long Island for the final two seasons of his career, playing for the Islanders in their first final season at Nassau Coliseum in 2014-15 and their first in a short-lived stay at Barclays Center in 2015-16.
Grabovski recorded 18 goals and 44 points during his two seasons with the Islanders.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Rams All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua is in rehab and was there before he was sued for assault and battery by a woman who says he made an antisemitic statement and bit her on the shoulder on New Year's Eve, according to his attorney.
“He was in (rehab) a substantial period of time before any of these allegations broke ... and he’s scheduled to be there for a while longer,” Levi McCathern told The California Post.
McCathern told the newspaper Nacua's decision to enter rehab was not a direct response to the lawsuit his accuser filed against him late last month, but an attempt “to improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life.”
Nacua issued an apology last December after performing a gesture that plays upon antisemitic tropes while appearing on an internet livestream.
Nacua has been one of the most productive receivers in NFL history over his first three seasons with the Rams, who drafted him in the fifth round out of BYU in 2023. He led the league with 129 catches last season and had 1,715 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns.
Nacua is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Rams this offseason.
The El Paso Chihuahuas started their season the day after the San Diego Padres and have played four games, three against the Sacramento Salt River Cats and a first of six against the Tacoma Rainiers. They sit at 2-2 on the season with a win against each team.
Starter and rehabbing pitcher, Matt Waldron, pitched three innings in the debut game, allowing two hits and no runs with three strikeouts. His fastball has greater velocity this season, averaging 93 mph and his sinker is up to 92 mph. He is using a five-pitch mix, relying more heavily on his sinker than his four-seamer and using his knuckleball 27% of the time in his first start (stats per tjstats.ca)
He will be built up and the Padres will need to decide if he will be promoted to the major league club. The way things are currently going, it would make sense to give him an opportunity. He is out of options and can’t be kept in El Paso.
The Chihuahua rotation currently includes RHP Triston McKenzie (two innings pitched, two runs, four walks in his start), LHP Marco Gonzales (five innings pitched, six hits, three earned runs, two strikeouts, a walk and two hit-by-pitch in his start), LHP J.P. Sears (five innings pitched, two earned runs, a walk and two strikeouts in his start). After Waldron finishes his rehab another starter could take his place, presumably LHP Jackson Wolf. RHP Logan Gillaspie has been a relief role so far with the Chihuahuas. RHP Sean Boyle will make the start in the second game versus Tacoma, today.
Utility player Sung-Mun Song has made three starts for El Paso, playing second base and shortstop, going 1-for-5 with six strikeouts, a walk, a single and and three RBI in 17 at-bats. His OPS is .513 with a .235 average.
San Antonio Missions
The Missions play begins Thursday against the Tulsa Drillers in Tulsa, Okla. Their starting rotation highlights top prospect RHP Miguel Mendez with LHP Jagger Haynes, RHP Eric Yost, LHP Luis Gutierrez and RHP Victor Lizarraga filling out the five spots. Relievers Harry Gustin, Johan Moreno, Manuel Castro, Josh Mallitz and Ryan Och headline the bullpen.
Catcher Ethan Salas will be the primary catcher with Brandon Durfee the primary backup. First baseman Romeo Sanabria, a spring standout, will be joined by infielders Francis Acuńa, Ryan Jackson, Carson Tucker and Luis Verdugo. Wyatt Hoffman, son of Padres Hall of Famer, Trevor Hoffman, will be the utility man.
Outfielders Albert Fabian, Braedon Karpathios, Kai Murphy and Kai Roberts will be joined by returner Josh Mears, who retired last June with consistent injury issues. He is back to try again as a former top prospect.
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Fort Wayne begins its season on Friday against the Great Lakes Loons in Midland, Mich. LHP Kash Mayfield leads their rotation followed by RHP Kannon Kemp, LHP Jaxon Dalena, RHP Isaiah Lowe and RHP Carson Montgomery. The roster features RHP Maikel Miralles and LHP Igor Gil as other possible starters. The bullpen has Clark Candiotti, Clay Edmondson, Bernard Jose, Abraham Parra and Jeferson Villabona among others.
Catcher/1B Lamar King Jr. will be backed by Oswaldo Linares and Carlos Rodriguez. Infielders Jack Costello, Zach Evans, Dylan Grego, Jonathon Vastine and Rosman Verdugo are all playing with the Missions this season. Outfielders Jake Cunningham, Alex McCoy, Kavares Tears and Kasen Wells will fill out the roster.
Lake Elsinore Storm
Lake Elsinore begins its season Thursday, playing the Ontario TowerBuzzers in Ontario, Calif., a new team in the California League. LHP Kruz Schoolcraft will head up the rotation and will be joined by LHP Bryan Balzer, RHP Sean Barnett and a large group of starters and relievers drafted and/or signed in 2025. The roles are not currently defined on the roster.
The catchers will be Ty Harvey and Truitt Madonna, both drafted in 2025, along with Victor Duarte who also plays second base and played last season with Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore. The infield will be manned by Luke Cantwell, Kerrington Cross, Justin DeCriscio, Bradley Frye, Jose Verdugo and Jorge Quintana.
Outfielders will be George Bilecki, Conner Westernburg, Ryan Wideman and Kale Fountain, who distinguished himself in the Spring Breakout game with a 455-foot home run.
There will be weekly minor league updates on the Gaslamp Ball site.
Apr 1, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards guard Will Riley (27) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Washington Wizards got demolished by the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday in a 153-131 contest at Capital One Arena.
The Wizards had some scoring fun in a defense-optional first half. Tristan Vukcevic got hot with 10 early points to pace Washington, but Paul George turned back the clock with 14 of his own as the Sixers took a 35-29 after one.
The Wiz bench mob came out swinging in the second quarter. Jamir Watkins and Jaden Hardy helped key a 16-7 run to open the period, while Anthony Gill caught fire with 11 points with 3 triples. Washington even held a 58-48 lead before Philly answered back to retake the lead, 73-71, at the break.
Will Riley started the second half with a poster jam on Adem Bona.
Riley’s dunk marked the beginning of the end, as the Sixers ran away with this thing the rest of the way. Philadelphia took a 120-103 lead into the fourth quarter, where nothing even remotely resembling a comeback attempt materialized for Washington in the 22-point defeat.
Gill, fresh off hitting the 1,000-point career mark, had his best scoring game ever. He finished with a career-high 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting with six rebounds and six assists. Riley tallied 18 of his own on an 8-of-12 clip, while Vukcevic and Justin Champagnie each added 17.
Tre Johnson struggled in this one, scoring eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. He also got targeted several times on defense as George and Tyrese Maxey dribbled circles around him.
Johnson and the rest of the crew get a chance to rebound on Saturday in a road game against the Miami Heat.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 01: Texas Rangers pitcher Carter Baumler (45) warms up prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles on April 01, 2026, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Orioles 8, Rangers 3
That was exceedingly unpleasant.
Do you want to think about this game? I don’t.
It almost seems kind of appropriate that it ended on an ABS challenge. Just a blah.
I don’t want to worry about Nathan Eovaldi. He had some bad luck in the opener, but this game was not bad luck.
Carter Baumler pitched decently. That’s good.
Josh Jung had two hits, having been hitless prior to that. That’s good.
Corey Seager homered.
I appreciate Corey Seager.
But don’t think about the rangers.
Think about Artemis II. Or Artemis Fowl.
No, just Artemis II.
Which makes me think of Audrey II. That was a plant though. Very different.
Jack Nicholson played the dental patient in the original Little Shop of Horrors.
Nathan Eovaldi hit 97.2 mph with his fastball. Tyler Alexander’s fastball reached 91.3 mph. Carter Baumler touched 95.9 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball maxed out at 95.0 mph.
Jake Burger had a 104.8 mph ground out. Brandon Nimmo had a 104.1 mph double. Josh Jung had a 103.9 mph single and a 101.4 mph single. Corey Seager had a 101.8 mph home run.
And now an off day. Both Rangers losses have been right before off days. Maybe they are sad they won’t be playing the next day and lose their mojo.
The Buffalo Sabres had an ugly start to the 2025-26 season, going 11-14-4 in their first 29 games. With this, it seemed that they would go on to miss the playoffs for the 15th year in a row.
Yet, the Sabres not only bounced back from their tough start to the season, but have simply dominated. At this point in the campaign, the Sabres now have a 46-21-8 record and are at the top of the Atlantic Division standings with 100 points. They have been the NHL's hottest team down the stretch, and it has made them the league's best story of the season.
After years of disappointment and being unable to take that next step, the Sabres have done so with style in 2025-26. They have not only shown that they are capable of being a playoff team, but that they also can be one of the league's top clubs. The only team with more points than the Sabres at this point of the campaign is the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, the Sabres are tied in points with two top contenders in the Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars.
With this, it has truly been a special season for the Sabres.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 11, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
Well, the Spurs have been on a tear lately, and they seem to be locked into second place in the west, unless somehow the Lakers can take their two remaining games with OKC. While I’d like that to happen, cheering for LA makes me feel dirty, so maybe it’ll happen while I’m looking the other way. The Spurs would like to win the remainder of their games, but more important now is getting the team to play with precision and consistent effort. The Silver and Black has been winning a lot of games lately, but it’s scary for the rest of the league that they can play a lot better than they are now, and Mitch is committed to making that happen in time for the playoffs.
The Warriors are without a ton of players tonight, with 9 players on the injury list. The Spurs are relatively healthy, with only Luke Kornet out for tonight as he hopefully rests up for the second half of the back-to-back tomorrow night against the clippers. This could be a big night for Victor Wembanyama’s campaign for the MVP award, but I would prefer he puts in his 24 minutes or so and rests the whole fourth as the Spurs cruise to an easy blowout win. Golden State always plays tough against the Spurs, so it would be good if San Antonio could dominate early and put the home crowd to sleep in this late night west coast game. Castle must dominate Podziemski and GO SPURS GO!!!
Game Prediction:
Draymond Green will deposit a dollar in the curse jar by the Warriors bench every time he utters a profanity. After the game, the towel kid will retire on the proceeds.
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors April 1, 2026 | 9:00 PM CT Streaming: ESPN App TV: ESPN Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 31: Bubba Chandler #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on March 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates have created their own pitching factory of flame-throwing arms, making an impact in the majors.
The team that drafted Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow, Clay Holmes, and others is ushering in a new wave of stars.
Paul Skenes leads the charge as the best pitcher in the National League, entering 2026 with his first Cy Young Award.
Young pitchers Braxton Ashcraft and Carmen Mlodzinski began their careers in the bullpen but have the stuff and potential to be impactful MLB starters.
None of them started the season the way Bubba Chandler did. In more ways than just one.
Baseball’s No. 11 prospect and the No. 2 player in the Pirates farm system, per MLB Pipeline, Chandler flashed his immense potential in front of 22,390 fans at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday.
The fifth and final starter on the Opening Day roster to take the ball for the Bucs, Chandler delivered 4.1 no-hit innings against the Cincinnati Reds.
Chandler consistently flashed a 99-100 MPH fastball and kept Reds hitters off balance with his breaking pitches, including a 94 MPH changeup.
He allowed one unearned run in the third inning on a play that was initially ruled extra bases for former Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, but later changed to an error on Bryan Reynolds.
Reynolds and Oneil Cruz subtly collided in left-center field, resulting in neither player catching the fly ball, allowing Noelvi Marte to score.
That was the positive part of the outing for Chandler, who also struck out six Cincinnati hitters.
Chandler walked six Reds, including three in the third inning that resulted in Cincinnati posting its first tally of the game.
He only walked four batters in 31.1 innings split between the rotation and bullpen last season, but walks were an issue in the minors.
Chandler walked 53 hitters over 100 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis, compared to 95 hits and 121 strikeouts in 2025.
A strong athlete who was recruited to Clemson as both a quarterback and a two-way baseball player, Chandler has immense talent and potential. It’s all about harnessing it.
Chandler registered an impressive double play off TJ Friedl, quickly turning like a shortstop or a quarterback completing a slant to pick off Jose Trevino at second base.
Bubba Chandler was recruited by Clemson to play quarterback. This is a wicked turn and throw like hitting a slant. pic.twitter.com/mmQp70GtSg
There’s no denying Bubba Chandler’s potential. In seven games (four starts) last season, the 6-foot-3 right-hander posted a 4.02 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, one save, and 31 punchouts over 31.1 innings.
Chandler is one of 10 early candidates for Rookie of the Year, alongside Konnor Griffin. He would become the second Pirate to win the award in the last three years after Skenes won it in 2024.
The Pirates are depending on Chandler to improve his control and turn a top 10 prospect into a top 10 starter in the National League. The ceiling and potential are there for Chandler to become the Pirates’ No. 2 starter and pair a considerable 1-2 punch with Paul Skenes.
The two are lined up back-to-back this season after Chandler started on Tuesday and Skenes on Wednesday. Pittsburgh won both games… Both have elite arsenals… Imagine the possibilities.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 31: Drake Powell #4 of the Brooklyn Nets grabs a rebound during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center on March 31, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Drake Powell scored 10 points Tuesday night vs. the Hornets, going 3-of-9 overall and 2-of-6 from deep. Not a particularly good shooting night but he did add six boards, and it was notable for one thing: it was the first time all season that the 6’6” guard had put together back-to-back double-digit scoring nights after his season-high 16 points on Sunday vs. the Kings. If you look at the two games, 56 minutes, the numbers aren’t bad: 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting overall, 6-of-12 from deep. And it was his third double-digit scoring game in four games!
But still… as Brian Lewis wrote in between those games, his development can best be described as “tricky.’
“Up-and-down rookie season” is an apt description of Drake Powell’s first year with the Nets.
Of the Nets’ record haul of five first-round picks last June, Powell was the most athletic, but also the most raw on offense. His growing pains on that end of the floor have been protracted and pronounced.
Powell was the biggest reach of the 2025 NBA Draft for the Nets. The final ESPN mock draft had him at No. 32, at the top of the second round. Using a Hawks pick acquired the night before, the Nets took him at No. 22. Of their four other picks, Ben Saraf was taken six spots earlier than the ESPN projection; Egor Demin, five spots and Nolan Traore three. Danny Wolf was taken 12 spots after where the worldwide leader than projected him.
The rationale for mocking him so low was simple: After a spectacular high school career in North Carolina, he was limited by Tar Heels head coach (and his cousin) Hubie Davis who saw him as a defense-first player which as Lewis noted, led to “a glaringly low usage rate” which in turn has led to reps on the ball “a work in progress” in Brooklyn.
Jordi Fernandez has been encouraging both in giving him minutes — he averaged 25.6 in March, by far his most this season — and in talking about his improvement.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Fernández said his effort following the Kings game. “He always tries to do everything we ask him to do. Obviously, there’s struggles, there’s positives. [Sunday], it was a little bit of up and down, the game, but ended up being very positive.
“The shot went in, which is fine. And then at one point he was more physical and aggressive defensively. And I want that physicality to be sustained for whatever minutes he plays. [Sunday], he played 28. So that’s how I want him to play, because he missed some long rebounds, some communication, and then he cleaned it up. So, normal. But overall his willingness to do it, I’m very happy with him.”
On the other end of the court, Powell, a naturally gifted athlete, has shown possibilities. Indeed, Lewis has unearthed an interesting fact about his defense:
The Nets don’t have a single good point-of-attack defender on the roster, somebody who can harass and harangue opposing ballhandlers.
The Nets drafted Powell in hopes he could grow into that role. And it’s no coincidence that when he posted a league-best 91.9 defensive rating in December, the Nets surged to go 7-4 that month.
There is general optimism about the 20-year-old as his teammate Noah Clowney noted
.“[T]But to see him shooting the ball was always good. Ochai [Agbaji], we know what he’s capable of from 3. I think Drake sometimes gets in — not gets in his head about the 3, but he hesitates a bit. So I’m glad when [the Kings] gave him space, he didn’t hesitate to shoot his s–t at all.”
Apr 1, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23), left, Jackson Merrill (3), center, and Bryce Johnson (29) leave the field after the Padres beat the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Meltdowns of varying scale and on competing fronts for the San Francisco Giants, led to a rather ugly 7-1 loss to the Padres this afternoon.
Hours after the offense blossomed into a 16-hit, 9-run evening, manager Tony Vitello tried to run the good-vibes back, and…the batting order withered in the harsh light of the noon sun.
The team’s first failure.
The hit total from Tuesday was halved, then halved again. Just a two-out RBI single from Harrison Bader in the 7th saved the Giants from their third shutout in six games.
Up and down the line-up, San Francisco struggled to lay off high fastballs from Padre pitching. Starter Nick Pivetta, then reliever Jeremiah Estrada, then Mason Miller all pounded the top of the zone and had hitters at their mercy. Bats chased the tails of four-seams to ridiculous heights. Higher and higher their hacks went. There was no ladder they wouldn’t climb.
Pivetta surrendered just a single hit and two walks while striking out 8 over five innings. San Francisco’s only scoring threat came in the 2nd before the right-hander settled-in in the 3rd. Nasty breaking pitches broke down Casey Schmitt and Willy Adames before he finally fanned Rafael Devers on a 95 MPH letter-high fastball. He’d ultimately strike out 5 in a row from the 2nd to the 4th innings.
The straight fastball is Pivetta’s meal ticket. It really doesn’t look all that special from the couch cushion, especially in terms of velocity. The secret is it just stays up. He shows the pitch to hitters right out of his high release point. They know what’s coming, their eyes get big when they see it out of his hand, and they swing their bats around, bracing for a collision of epic proportion — and it doesn’t happen. The ball boasts that mysterious and confounding rise. Pivetta rode that rise to a 24 Fastball Run Value, good for the 99th percentile in the league in 2025.
Based on some of the chase he coaxed from Giants bats this afternoon, Pivetta’s pitch is just as enticing as it was last season. Pair it with a snapping curve/slider, and we got the makings of a frustrating day at the plate.
About the only thing the Giants hitters did was make Pivetta work. They chased him from the hill after the 5th inning — but their fastball issues didn’t go away with him out of the picture. Jeremiah Estrada took over and went right back to punching four-seamers. Higher and higher he’d go up in the zone, and still Adames and Ramos followed. Mason Miller took the mound and cruised triple-digit missiles, chased by a whiplash slider. A brutal 1-2 combo claimed Matt Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee, and Bader to end the 9th.
The next collapse came on the other side of the baseball with two costly infield errors behind starter Adrian Houser. Both miscues came on eerily similar plays that led to San Diego’s first two runs of the day.
With two outs in the 1st and Jackson Merrill on first, Manny Machado rolled a grounder towards Matt Chapman at third. Typically, a no-go zone for grounders. The inning was all but over, but considering how deep he was playing, Chapman had to charge hard, field the ball, and throw over to first on the run. Again, this is not a real concern as we’ve seen this done countless times before. But first baseman Schmitt, in stretching for the ball, missed it entirely. The ball ricocheted off Macado’s stomach into shallow right field, allowing Merrill, who was running on the play and never stopped, to score from first.
By definition, a dumb run. A real dud. And yet that dud, only foreshadowed more to come.
Fast-forward to the 5th. Two outs, runners at the corners, and another impossibly frustratingly slow ball rolled off the bat of a Padre. Forced to charge in, forced to his left, Chapman once again sent another hurried, off-balance throw across the diamond, and once again, Schmitt couldn’t quite wrangle it, allowing San Diego to double their lead with another dumb run.
Obviously both balls in play should’ve led to outs. While the errors were equitably split between the two involved, Schmitt’s inexperience showed. A more seasoned receiver jumps off the bag and tries for the tag on the first throw. On the second, he stays more upright, knowing that an exaggerated stretch exposes more than aids. And then there’s that fundamental truth that if you can get leather on the ball, you should catch it. Schmitt, as a true infielder, has built his whole life around that rule. And while he’s relatively new to the position, he is experienced at catching baseballs, and certainly knows the basic tenet of manning a base: ball, then bag. That being said, Chapman has made better throws, and Schmitt was certainly getting jerked around a bit. The first throw appeared to be spinning up the first base line, taking him uncomfortably close to the oncoming runner. The second was thrown from closer range and kept rising like a Pivetta four-seamer. But those excuses wouldn’t fly with Schmitt if he was the one playing third making that throw across the diamond. A first baseman, as the Ringo of the infield, is there to hold up and support the genius of the others. Managing the skips, short-hops, risers, and palm balls — that’s just part of the first base gig.
While those glove gaffes set the tone in the series finale, the game wasn’t completely out of reach, or obliterated beyond redemption, until José Buttó took over the 8th and delivered the coup de grâce.
The reliever’s first pitch ended up short-hopping the wall for a lead-off double by Machado. His second found an open seat beyond the left field wall. Ramon Laureano’s 2-run double put San Diego up 5-1 and seemed to shake Buttó to his core. He threw seven straight balls, walking the next two batters. Just when an offering in the zone seemed to be an impossibility, he struck out Freddy Fermin…before walking the bases loaded on four straight balls to Bryce Johnson. San Diego would add two more, extending their lead to the final 7-1, on an infield single and subsequent four-pitch walk.
Buttó surrendered four runs on three hits and four walks. Of the 28 pitches he threw before he was mercifully removed, Buttó recorded just five strikes (not including the 3 hits surrendered). It got to the point where the only explanation for such a derailment was an injury, and under this pretense he was mercifully removed. Ryan Borucki took over and needed three pitches to induce an inning-ending double-play.
While a lot of players will be leaving San Diego with their tail between their legs, there were some positives. Overall, a series win is a series win. Two out of three in San Diego is fine by me.
Luis Arraez, hitting clean-up, collected three of the team’s four hits and scored their only run. Harrison Bader came up with a face-saving, two-out RBI.
Adrian Houser, in his Giants debut, was probably kept in one or two batters too long in the 6th, nor did he get much support around him, but he threw well. He pitched to contact with a sinker-change-up interplay similar to Webb’s, and on a better day more representative of the infield’s abilities, he’ll be rewarded for eliciting those ground balls.
Speaking of which, while Chapman and Schmitt struggled to connect, Chapman and fellow Gold Glover Patrick Bailey had no trouble teaming up for a couple of slick, run-saving putouts.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 1: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on April 1, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Fresh legs PG, everyone.
The Sixers took care of business in the second half, blowing out the Washington Wizards 153-131 Wednesday night.
They are now 42-34, an important win with the Hawks, Magic, Heat and Raptors all in action tonight as well.
Paul George with a new personal Sixers high, led all scorers with 39 points, shooting 15-of-22 from the field along with six assists and three steals. Tyrese Maxey had 28 of his own on 12-of-20 shooting with nine assists.
VJ Edgecombe filled in the gaps quite well, finishing with 23 points, going 10-of-15 from the floor along with 10 assists. Anthony Gil led Washington with 21.
Despite his objections on Twitter, Joel Embiid was out with an illness, along with Johni Broome (meniscus tear). The Wizards were without six players, most importantly Alex Sarr (toe) and Kyshawn George (elbow).
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
PG was in control as soon as the game tipped off, immediately knocking down a pair of midrange jumpers. He drove to the basket a couple times, one got him a layup and the other a trip to the line. He dished to Maxey, who drew a foul making a long two, giving the Sixers an early chance to gain separation.
It was a good start team-wide as they opened up the game 9-of-13 from the field, but the Wizards started well too at 7-of-12. George got his hands on the ball a couple of times but sloppy passes were the only thing stopping offensive production early.
Unlike the Bulls game last week, the Sixers didn’t stagger as much. George and Maxey both played most of the quarter and checked out at the same time. The second unit did a pretty good job finding Quentin Grimes. Justin Edwards kicked it out to him in the corner for a three and Andre Drummond threw a nice bounce pass for a cutting dunk, giving the Sixers a six-point lead after a high scoring first.
Second Quarter
The defensive effort didn’t exactly improve as Washington took their first lead early in the quarter. Whether it was a give-and-go, a pick-and-roll, a backdoor cut, or just slashing right down the lane, the Sixers let it happen with hardly any resistance.
Maxey came out gunning when he checked back in, moving quickly for a reverse layup then storming his way down the lane for a dunk, but stops continued to be a rarity. Not only had the Wizards made 1o of their first 12 goal attempts in the second, one of those misses turned into an offensive rebound and second chance points.
With just a few minutes left in the half, the Sixers finally turned some focus to that end and lo and behold, the Wizards finally started missing shots. The Sixers also did a good job running off those Wizard misses — the fast break layups by Maxey and Edgecombe to tie and momentarily go back in front, especially. Anthony Gil was the latest Wizard who shot himself to a hot start as he made two threes in response. PG buried one off the dribble before the buzzer to put the Sixers back up by two at the break.
Third Quarter
George picked up right where he left off, knocking down a couple more threes at the start of the half. In between those, he found Adem Bona for two dunks. He opened the half on such a heater the Sixers were able to expand their lead a bit despite the Wizards making their first four shots of the third.
It was understandably being overshadowed but Maxey was having a strong shooting night himself. Edgecombe’s night was more understated, with almost all of his baskets coming in transition. The Sixers finally turned this game on its head as they got more stops, with three Wizards turnovers in four possessions helping quite a bit.
Tre Johnson finally getting on the board gave Washington just a small shot in the arm. Cam Payne checked in for the first time and immediately got on the board with a floater. Everything was falling for the Sixers — Drummond had sunk both of his corner three attempts. After shooting 76% from the field in the third, the Sixers led by 17.
Fourth Quarter
The Sixers were able to do a lot of their damage by just breaking guys down off the dribble. It didn’t take a ton of precision, so it was a nice to see Edgecombe throw a slick pass off a cut to Oubre for a corner three. He rattled off five quick points of his own then found Oubre for another three to cap off a fine night for himself as well.
Not only did George return for a shot at breaking 40 points, but Maxey checked back into the game as well. Both missed their first three-point attempts upon returning to the game. After a couple Wizards baskets cut the lead to 14, the Sixers called a timeout and put their full starting five back on the floor.
George missed his last shot, a midrange attempt. It was his first miss from inside the arc all night. He got stuck on 39 but four unanswered baskets from the Sixers caused a Wizards timeout and the benches to be emptied.
Apr 1, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Luke Raley (20) breaks his bad on a pop fly against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
As a wise giant once said: “it is happening again.” For the sixth time in seven seasons the Mariners carry a 3-4 record after their first seven games. This simply isn’t a roster that gets off to a hot start. And for reasons ranging from the sensible to the silly, that’s basically fine.
For one: it’s cold in Seattle! I probably don’t need to tell you this dear reader but the temperature at first pitch was 47 degrees! Fine for football weather but downright miserable for baseball. It’s so cold that Luke Raley’s bat is deciding that it does not want to be a baseball bat anymore in the cover image.
That cold tends to favor pitchers, so it is perhaps no surprise that today’s contest was a pitcher’s duel for the first five innings. Mariners starter George Kirby allowed a first inning run off a walk, stolen base, and ground ball double up the first base line, but was absolutely dominant for much of the rest of his outing. He rolled through the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings while only allowing two baserunners.
Unfortunately, so did Yankees starter Cam Schlitter whose fastball was absolutely unhittable. Watching the game, it seemed like Raley wasn’t the only player missing a barrel on his bat. Everyone, from superstar Cal Raleigh to little Leo Rivas was swinging through the heater.
Kirby’s dominance game to an end in the sixth inning, which he started with an uncharacteristic leadoff walk. After getting that fraud Aaron Judge — who probably doesn’t even own a robe — to pop out, he struck out Cody Bellinger and seemed poised to hang another zero on the scoreboard. But he couldn’t get his changeup up in the zone against Ben Rice and issued another free pass. And then he grooved a middle-middle heater to Paul Goldschmidt. Oh no.
In an instant, a very winnable 1-run ballgame became an almost-out-of-reach 4-run ballgame. Drat. The Mariners were a grand slam behind the Yanks. Surely there is no coming back from that.
The Mariners brought in Jose Ferrer and Cooper Criswell to relieve George, and they got through the 7th and 8th innings without allowing a run. In the bottom of the eighth, Dominic Canzone and Cole Young hit back to back 1-out singles to put runners on the corners. Leo Rivas struck out reaching for an awful pitch that bounced on home plate for the second out in the inning. Brendan Donovan then took the easiest 4-pitch walk of his life to load the bases. That brought up the number two hitter. Who was that again? Oh right.
Cal Raleigh stood in the batter’s box with three men on and two outs in the inning. The moment was perfect for the 2025 home run champ to get his first of 2026. The city of Seattle held its breath. On a 2-1 count, Yankees reliever Dave Bednar tried to bury a splitter below the zone. But he missed up, a dangerous thing to do against a hitter who loves to send low and away breaking pitches to the moon. Cal swung and made contact with his signature one-handed follow through.
And hit a 2-run single. Not a grand slam, but runs are runs and the M’s were finally on the board. Things were looking up. Right up until Julio struck out on a splitter right down the middle. Oh you thought the M’s had a chance? April Fools!
To add insult to injury the Yanks got a run back in the ninth off of a leadoff home run by Ben Rice. That left the M’s with a 3 run deficit heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Much work to be done. And some of it was! With two outs, Dominic Canzone scored Randy Arozarena from second and advanced to scoring position himself on defensive indifference. That brought up Cole Young to decide the game. Cole fought and scratched and clawed for his life and ground out a nerve-racking 10-pitch at bat. Finally, he got a fastball down the middle and sent it on a good ride towards right field… it flew high up into the roof-covered sky… and settled into Aaron Judge’s glove just in front of the warning track. April Fools!
To play the maybe game for a moment, maybe in August, when its a little warmer and Cole’s a little stronger, that ball gets over the wall. Maybe Cal hits a slam instead of a single. Maybe a lot of things. But here’s a fact. The season is still so, so, so young. There are still 155 games remaining. Last year the Mariners got off to an equally mediocre start and the won the division, in case you forgot. So here’s my fact: you’d be a fool to count them out now.
