Forsberg, 31, ranked second in the NHL with four goals, five assists and nine points in four games to propel the Predators (33-28-9, 75 points) to a perfect week.
His terrific week also pushed the Preds into the final Wild Card position in the Western Conference.
He became the sixth Swedish-born player in League history to accumulate at least 350 career goals and currently sits second on the Predators in goals with 32 and points with 62 through 70 total games this season.
It is his third-straight 30-goal season and his sixth of his career.
The Predators are back home on Tuesday to take on the San Jose Sharks, who trail Nashville by five points in the standings.
BRADENTON, Fla. — Mike Clevinger’s career reset with the Pittsburgh Pirates is going to start in the minors.
The club reassigned the veteran right-handed pitcher to minor league camp. The 35-year-old, who agreed to a minor league deal with Pittsburgh in early February, went 1-0 with a 5.02 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings of work during spring training, starting in two games and serving as a reliever in two others.
Clevinger is 60-44 with a 3.55 ERA across nine seasons with Cleveland, San Diego and the Chicago White Sox. He has dealt with injuries in recent seasons and struggled with the White Sox last spring after being moved to the bullpen. He bounced back after returning to the rotation with Triple-A Charlotte. Clevinger went 7-3 with a 4.20 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 22 starts in the minors last summer.
The Pirates have a young rotation led by reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, veteran Mitch Keller and rookie Bubba Chandler, who went 4-1 during a stint in the majors at the end of last season.
Clevinger was eyeing a spot either at the back end of the rotation or as a long reliever. Pittsburgh instead went with Carmen Mlodzinski as their fifth starter and Jose Urquidy and Hunter Barco in middle-inning relief roles.
Clevinger’s best days came with Cleveland from 2017-19, when he was 38-18 with a 2.91 ERA.
After picking up another overtime defeat on Sunday against the Utah Mammoth, the Los Angeles Kings have lost some ground in the wild-card race in the Western Conference.
Though the Kings picked up a point in comeback fashion, the Nashville Predators are coming off four straight wins and pulled ahead with a two-point cushion.
The opportunity for Los Angeles to make the post-season is still very much alive with 12 games remaining on the schedule, and many are winnable. But over the course of this season, multiple hiccups have handicapped this team from putting together the campaign they were expecting and prepared for.
If the Kings end up missing the playoffs, here is what they'll regret the most.
Not Capitalizing In Overtime
Sunday night was just one of several instances in which the Kings couldn't capitalize on the opportunity to earn the extra point.
Their loss to the Mammoth was the 17th occasion on which the Kings were defeated beyond regulation. Owning 17 overtime and shootout losses is the most in the NHL currently, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have 16.
Of those 17 defeats in extra innings, 10 of them were in overtime, and the remaining seven were in the shootout.
Looking back, if Los Angeles had been able to get on the right side of these overtime frames at least a handful more times than they have, the team may be in a much more comfortable position at this point in terms of pushing for the post-season.
Waiting To Make Coaching Change
On March 1, GM Ken Holland and the Kings' front office decided it was time for a coaching change. Jim Hiller was fired, and D.J. Smith was made the interim head coach.
Holland's decision came to fruition based on various moments throughout the season, but when Los Angeles lost to the Edmonton Oilers 8-1 in the second game back from the Olympic break, his mind was made up.
The Kings haven't made a big surge since the coaching change by any means, with a 4-4-3 record since Hiller's dismissal. However, the change was much needed.
The team has found a new purpose and sense of motivation with each game under Smith. One example is that before Smith became the interim bench boss, the Kings were 26th in the league in hits. Since his promotion, Los Angeles is first in the NHL in hits.
Hits don't necessarily win hockey games, but they're certainly a factor and evidence that the team is more engaged and responding to a new voice behind the bench.
Now, 'if ifs and buts were candy and nuts,' Smith could've had more time to put his imprint on this roster if Hiller had been relieved earlier, and who knows what the results would say at this point in the season.
Off-Season Acquisitions
Kings fans will be banging this drum for a long time, until they're given a reason to believe otherwise, but the acquisitions of defensemen Brian Dumoulin and, specifically, Cody Ceci will always be questioned.
Now, Holland should be credited with the additions of right winger Joel Armia and goaltender Anton Forsberg, who both have had respectable campaigns for the Kings this season. But there are many different concerns surrounding Dumoulin and Ceci.
Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
First, the two blueliners have been a defensive pairing for the majority of this season, playing over 600 minutes together, according to moneypuck.com. And against the Mammoth on Sunday, Ceci and Dumoulin were on the ice for every conceded goal during regulation.
The pair finished the game with a minus-three rating each and played a part in Utah's third goal that gave them a 3-2 lead over Los Angeles in the third period.
Not only is the duo of veteran defensemen having a relatively forgettable season, but they're also under contract for the long term.
Ceci, 31, signed a four-year deal with the Kings and is earning $4.5 million against the salary cap. Not to mention, he has a 10-team no-trade list for the duration of this deal. His contract expires following the 2028-29 season, and he'll be 35.
As for Dumoulin, the 33-year-old earns $4 million against the cap through 2027-28. He also has a 10-team no-trade list for the entire length of his contract.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The NHL regular season ends in a little more than three weeks, and there will be a lot of new faces if the current standings hold up.
Two of those teams – the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks – are leading their divisions despite a combined drought of 21 seasons. They met on Sunday, March 22, with the Ducks prevailing 6-5 in overtime.
Another six teams, as of the morning of Monday, March 23, were in a playoff position despite missing the postseason last season: Pittsburgh, Columbus, Boston, New York Islanders, Utah and Nashville.
In the meantime, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are currently sitting below the playoff line, as are 2024-25 division winners Winnipeg, Washington and Toronto. The other four 2024-25 playoff teams who could miss out this season: New Jersey, Ottawa, Los Angeles and St. Louis.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog scored in his March 22 return from a two-week absence. He needed surgery after being hit by a teammate's slap shot in the lower body and also missed time this season before the Olympics with broken ribs.
2. Dallas Stars (0)
The Stars joined the Avalanche in clinching a playoff spot. They missed a chance to clinch outright when they lost to the Golden Knights in regulation but a Kings loss later on March 22 extended their playoff streak to five seasons. Dallas has lost in the conference finals the last three seasons.
3. Carolina Hurricanes (+1)
Goaltender Brandon Bussi has given up three or more goals in five of his six starts after the Olympics. His save percentages have been below .900 in those six games.
4. Buffalo Sabres (+1)
The Sabres, who lost three of four games heading into the Olympics, have gone 12-1-1 since. Their surge began after they changed general managers in December. Sitting atop the Atlantic Division standings, they're in position to end their NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
5. Minnesota Wild (-2)
The Minnesota hockey community is mourning the death of Jessi Pierce, who covered the Wild for 10 years as a reporter for NHL.com. She, her three children and the family dog died on March 21 in a fire at their home.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning (0)
Nikita Kucherov moved past Edmonton's Connor McDavid for the NHL scoring lead as they played head to head. Kucherov had four points in the game to McDavid's one. On one sequence, McDavid was checked hard on a scoring attempt and Kucherov scored a short-handed goal.
EMIL LILLEBERG LAYS OUT CONNOR MCDAVID AT ONE END 💥
Cole Caufield had his first career five-point game and linemates Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky each had four points in a 7-3 win against the Islanders.
8. Boston Bruins (+3)
Charlie McAvoy had three assists as the Bruins beat the Red Wings on March 21 to hold onto the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Blue Jackets' 1-0 loss to the Islanders ended a 12-game point streak. Their 18-3-4 run since Rick Bowness was named coach has pushed the team into a playoff position.
11. New York Islanders (-1)
Ilya Sorokin, who was pulled in a loss to the Canadiens, rebounded the next game with a shutout of the Blue Jackets as the Islanders moved back into a playoff position.
12. Anaheim Ducks (0)
The Ducks lead the Pacific Division, putting them in position to end a seven-year playoff drought. The highest they finished in that time was sixth in the division. They haven't won a division title since 2017.
13. Utah Mammoth (+1)
The Mammoth, by virtue of holding the first wild-card spot in the West, would play teams from the weaker Pacific Division in the first two rounds, a better prospect than going through Colorado, Dallas or Minnesota.
14. Detroit Red Wings (-5)
Andrew Copp is back from an injury and captain Dylan Larkin is a game-time decision for March 24. The Red Wings have gone 3-4-2 in their last nine games to fall out of a playoff position.
15. Ottawa Senators (0)
The Senators are getting back their forfeited first-round pick but it will be at the end of the round at No. 32. They can't trade or transfer the pick and were fined $1 million Canadian for failing to inform the Golden Knights, when they traded Evgenii Dadonov in 2021, about the specifics of his no-trade protection. The Golden Knights' later trade of Dadonov to the Ducks was invalidated because Anaheim was on his no-trade list. If the Senators finish out of the playoffs and win one of the two draft lotteries, the lottery will be conducted again.
16. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)
The Flyers have won five of their last six games to pull within five points of a playoff spot. Four of their next seven games are against teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings.
17. Washington Capitals (+4)
Alex Ovechkin scored his 1,000th career goal (combined regular season and playoffs) on March 22 on his typical one-timer from the left faceoff circle. Only Wayne Gretzky (1,016) has more. Ovechkin is in the final year of his contract and hasn't indicated his plans beyond this season.
18. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)
The Golden Knights have only five wins in 14 games since the Olympics, but a March 22 victory against the Stars moved them into second place in the Pacific Division. They would have home-ice advantage in the first round if they finish in that spot.
19. Edmonton Oilers (-2)
The Oilers have made two announcements about their stretch drive. Leon Draisaitl is expected to miss the rest of the regular season and Connor Ingram will be the No. 1 goaltender ahead of Tristan Jarry.
20. Nashville Predators (+7)
Despite being a seller at the trade deadline, the Predators have won four in a row and moved into the second wild-card spot.
21. New Jersey Devils (+2)
Jack Hughes, who scored the golden goal at the Olympics, has points in 10 of his 12 games since returning. That includes a hat trick and an assist against the Rangers and two three-point games.
22. Los Angeles Kings (+2)
Anze Kopitar passed Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne to become the Kings' all-time leading scorer. His career numbers are 451 goals and 1,311 points, all with the Kings. He has announced plans to retire after the season.
23. San Jose Sharks (-4)
Forward Ryan Reaves appeared to dislocate his finger in a fight against the Flyers' Garrett Wilson on March 21. Before heading to the penalty box, he skated to the bench to have a trainer snap it back in place. Reaves went to the dressing room, skated one more shift then spent the rest of the game on the bench.
24. Seattle Kraken (-4)
The Kraken have gone 4-9 since the Olympics to drop from third place in the Pacific Division to four points out of a playoff spot. They have given up four or more goals seven times in that stretch.
25. Florida Panthers (-3)
The Panthers, already missing several key players because of injury, have lost fourth-line forward A.J. Greer to a suspension. He is sitting out three games for boarding the Flames' Connor Zary.
26. Winnipeg Jets (0)
The Jets, sitting five points out of a playoff spot, could become the second consecutive team to go from winning the Presidents' Trophy to missing the postseason the following season. The Rangers did it last season.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)
Goalie Anthony Stolarz was taken to the hospital and later released after being hit by a puck in the throat during warmups. It was his second hospital trip in less than a year because of a game-related injury. He left a 2025 playoff game shortly after a collision in the crease.
28. St. Louis Blues (0)
Forward Robert Thomas has 13 points in 10 games this month since returning from an injury. He had been mentioned in trade rumors but told reporters that he had never been asked to waive his no-trade clause.
29. Calgary Flames (0)
Forward Ryan Strome had six points in nine games, including a March 22 overtime goal, since arriving from the Ducks at the trade deadline. He had nine points in 33 games with Anaheim this season and is averaging nearly five more minutes a game in Calgary.
30. New York Rangers (+1)
Forward Mika Zibanejad is scheduled to play in his 1,000th career NHL game on March 23. He's facing the Senators, his original NHL team. Zibanejad enters the game on a roll with 11 points in his last eight games.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)
Prospect Anton Frondell is expected to play for the Blackhawks this week with his season over in Sweden. The center, drafted No. 3 overall by Chicago in 2025, helped Sweden win its first world junior championship gold medal since 2012. Coach Jeff Blashill told reporters that based on Frondell's level of play, he'll probably throw him into the fire rather than ease him in.
32. Vancouver Canucks (0)
The Canucks are the first team to be officially eliminated from 2026 playoff contention. With only 50 points this season, they almost certainly will finish with the best draft lottery odds.
Mar 19, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Seattle Mariners at Seattle Mariners, March 23, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
It’s finally here: this week Opening Day arrives and the Yankees’ 2026 season will kick off in San Francisco. We’ve got just a couple of spring training games left to get through before the record resets, but by the time this mailbag returns to answer your questions New York will officially be either a half-game up or behind the rest of the division.
Max Fried will get the first start of the year, and then a trio of Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers will follow him. The early schedule will allow the team to forego a fifth starter, at least for the first couple of turns through the rotation, and that’s allowed them another bat off the bench in Randal Grichuk. Will the journeyman outfielder manage to impress enough to stay on the roster once they return to a five-man rotation? How will Fried shoulder being the ace of the staff once again? How will Aaron Judge open his quest for a third-consecutive MVP season? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of March 26th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
March Madness is underway and today's college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer's NBA draft class. But one international prospect not in the tournament already has caught the eye of many scouts — Mexico's Karim Lopez.
The forward is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects his draft night will play out.
Karim Lopez 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 17 overall, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have drafted several players from Australias NBL, including Josh Giddey. They could dip into this well again by selecting Karim Lopez with their pick from the Los Angeles Clippers. While the Mexican-born forward still needs some development, the physically gifted forward is widely seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas. He exploded for 32 points (11-of-13 FG) with eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal against Melbourne on Jan. 30. Even if he is a draft-and-stash player, that is ideal for a team with a rotation as crowded as the Thunder.
The Miami Heat have dropped four straight games, and they’ll look to get back on track Monday when they host the San Antonio Spurs, winners of five straight.
The home team will be close to full strength, and my Spurs vs Heat predictions expect Miami to keep it close against the powerhouse visitors.
Here are my free NBA picks for this cross-conference showdown from Kaseya Center on Monday, March 23.
Spurs vs Heat prediction
Spurs vs Heat best bet: Heat +4.5 (-110)
The Miami Heat have played great basketball at home this season, winning 23 and covering in 36 games at Kaseya Center. Miami sports the second-highest cover percentage as a home underdog, going 7-2 against the spread.
All three are expected to suit up, and they'll all play a part in helping the Heat's Top 10 home offense keep up with the San Antonio Spurs' explosive offense, while Bam Adebayo can focus on containing Victor Wembanyama.
Spurs vs Heat same-game parlay
The Heat rank 10th in offensive rating at home, while the Spurs rank ninth on the road.
Bam has been on a heater, and Miami has a plethora of scoring options to rack up points. The Spurs will have Stephon Castle back, and Devin Vassell could return as well, giving San Antonio extra firepower.
Since scoring a historic 83 points, Adebayo has averaged 25.3 points across his last four outings, going for 22+ three times. He leads the Heat in minutes in that span, clocking in at a whopping 39.1.
Spurs vs Heat SGP
Heat +4.5
Over 243
Bam Adebayo Over 21.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Bunch of buckets
Wemby has averaged 28.7 points across his last nine games, going for 27+ in six of them. He finished with 27 points in his first matchup with the Heat, and he’ll need to be at his best to keep up with a hot Miami offense.
Castle will return following a two-game absence, and Andrew Wiggins is expected to play after eight games on the sidelines.
Castle scored 21 against the Heat earlier in the season, and he averaged 21.8 points in five games before sustaining his hip injury. Wiggins scored 12+ in seven of eight contests before injuring his toe, and he dropped 24 in his first meeting with the Spurs.
Spurs vs Heat SGP
Bam Adebayo Over 21.5 points
Victor Wembanyama Over 26.5 points
Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points
Andrew Wiggins Over 11.5 points
Spurs vs Heat odds
Spread: Spurs -4.5 | Heat +4.5
Moneyline: Spurs -200 | Heat +165
Over/Under: Over 243 | Under 243
Spurs vs Heat betting trend to know
The Miami Heat have covered the first-half spread in 33 of their last 50 games (+15.85 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Heat.
How to watch Spurs vs Heat
Location
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Date
Monday, March 23, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock/NBCSN
Spurs vs Heat latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It’s February 18th, and Martin Necas is still sweating profusely from a game that saw his Czechian side eliminated, but has enough breath to mention his national pride: “I am proud of what we have done, especially in this last game.”
The last game he is referring to was Czechia’s OT defeat at the hands of his Canadian and NHL teammates Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews.
On the eve of Czechia and Canada, Martin Necas stole headlines yet again by jokingly commenting, “Yeah, we let them (Team Canada) win the first one because we knew we wouldn’t beat Canada twice in a row.”
The discourse following the games largely revolved around Team USA and Team Canada’s epic finale and rightfully so, but Martin Necas dominance of the entire tournament in the face of the world’s best competition wasn’t exactly a widely acknowledged truth.
Fast forward to March of 2026, and the Avalanche are making one last push for league and divisional supremacy, and who stands as the key contributor to Colorado’s persistence? Well, it is Martin Necas, of course, who hasn’t skipped a beat since displaying his talents in Italy.
It may not be the first thing people are talking about when they think of the Colorado Avalanche, with Hart hopeful Nathan MacKinnon and Norris mainstay Cale Makar dominating headlines throughout the season. But make no mistake, this has been Martin Necas’ year, and he’s earning every cent of this 92 million dollar contract.
Olympic Standout
The Olympics were something Martin Necas “had always dreamt of,” and he played like it, as a top 5 player in the tournament with 8 points (3G, 5A) in just five contests at 1.60 points per game—tied for one of the highest outputs by a Czech skater in an NHL-era Olympics. He powered his nation to a quarterfinal matchup with Team Canada, including a goal and assist in the 3-2 qualification win over Denmark that advanced them.
Necas and Czechia may have been a dark horse pick by Managing Editor Jackie Kay heading into the Olympics, but I don’t think anyone else really gave them an outside chance of standing up to the powers that be in international hockey.
Necas and his countrymen did that and then some, as it appeared they might actually upset Team Canada, when they held a 3-2 lead late in the third before Nick Suzuki tied it at three a side.
The overtime frame featured a breakaway chance for Marty himself, but a generous non-call on a pretty blatant hook from Devon Toews effectively slowed Necas enough for the pressure to affect his shot on net.
It would be Golden Knight Mitch Marner who would put that quarterfinal contest to bed with an OT winner.
I don’t know if it’s been talked about in the Avalanche locker room, but Necas surely could give Toews some grief for the fortune of not being penalized on that play.
Sure, no medal for Marty, but he was among the best players in the entire tournament, no matter what crest they wore.
The question then became. How long could the Marty party continue?
The Human Element
I don’t know how much the Olympic transition, its logistics, and its consequences truly resonate with most hockey fans. The mentality of this hockey arrangement likely hit European players the hardest, as they didn’t return to their homeland like their North American counterparts after the action subsided.
“It is weird because you don’t really go home, back to Czechia. You go back to your teams. It is different from when you play a world championship,” Necas said before getting his bags ready for travel back to North America for the rest of the NHL season.
The human element of all the travel and painstaking details can rattle even a lowly reporter from Colorado, much less a professional hockey player balancing life and the rigorous demands of competing at the highest level. Not Martin Necas, though—the professionalism, dedication, and pride we saw in Italy have continued here in Colorado with the Avalanche, where he’s exploded for double-digit goals in the month-plus since returning.
Party On?
So how long could the Marty party continue?
Answer, all the way into March.
Since the Olympic break, Necas has been on fire, collecting eight multi-point performances in his last 14 games while piling up 10 goals and 24 points overall in that stretch. He’s scored in eight of 10 contests, notched multiple points in five of his first six games back, and racked up four goals and four assists in his most recent six outings. Standout efforts include a three-point night (1G-2A, including two power-play assists) in a 4-1 win over Chicago on March 20 and two assists in a 3-2 OT victory over Washington on March 22.
Necas is at career highs across the board: 32 goals (surpassing his previous best), 84 points (topping his 82 in Carolina), an 18.9% shooting percentage on 169 shots, eight power-play goals, 11 power-play assists, and elite underlying numbers like 21:25 average TOI and a dominant +44 rating. His top-line chemistry with MacKinnon is evident—he’s producing at over a point-per-game clip and pacing toward his first 90- or even 100-point season.
Jobs Not Done
In the build-up to the 2026 Olympic Games, Martin Necas made it clear that he knew “it’s better to be on their side than against, obviously…” when asked about his teammates representing Team Canada, but I imagine they would echo the same compliment in his direction.
When Martin Necas put pen to paper at the team facility back in October of 2025, the detractors immediately compared the dollar figure to what another top-line winger in the Central had garnered after much fuss. Some questioned if he’d ever live up to the commitment the Avalanche made that day.
Fans should be pleased to note that the first thing that came out of Martin Necas following the deal was the following in an article with NHL.com:
Super excited. Happy to get this done. Excited for the times ahead. Now I can focus on winning hockey games and do whatever it takes to bring a (Stanley) Cup back to Colorado
That focus has shown.
Getting a 90-point, 40-goal scorer out of a deal that was heavily scrutinized should be the talk of the town as far as I’m concerned, but validation of the Mikko trade and Martin Necas key contributions to this Avalanche team have fallen on deaf ears.
I don’t suppose that will remain the case as Colorado begins its playoff campaign. With Necas carrying Olympic momentum into a career-year explosion, the Marty party will be front-page news if Colorado once again reaches the mountaintop in 2025-26.
Let us know what you think of Martin Necas’ year so far in the comments!
Knicks teammates Josh Hart (l.) and Mikal Bridges (r.)
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
That was the message from teammate Josh Hart, who said the criticism of Bridges is “unfair” since he’s getting even fewer opportunities than even last season.
“He’s been doing what’s been asked of him,” Hart said. “And I’ve said it before — when you’re a guy who, for a year and a half [with the Brooklyn Nets] when you’re the No. 1 guy and he’s getting those plays called for him.
“Last year, he didn’t have many plays called for him. This year, he probably has even less plays called for him. So obviously there’s a mental hurdle he needs to get through and that’s something where some of us can help him. I think he gets some of that unfair flak just because he’s doing what’s asked of him. And if we were to sit there and say, go shoot 15 shots a game, he would be efficient and he could do it. But that’s not what’s been asked of him.”
Mikal Bridges (25) of the Knicks shoots over the Wizards’ Sharife Cooper (13) on March 22, 2026. AP
Indeed, Bridges is averaging fewer shot attempts, minutes and points than in his previous three seasons — including his 1 ½ years with the Nets as their top scorer. On the Knicks this season, he’s been the fourth or fifth option. But Bridges was also misfiring with his opportunities and stuck in a deep slump.
Since the All-Star break, entering Sunday’s win over the Wizards, he was averaging just 10.4 points on 40.6 percent shooting and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc.
And it was worse lately.
In the eight games before the Knicks’ win over the Wizards on Sunday, Bridges was down to averages of just 7.3 points on 33 percent shooting — including 25 percent on 3s. So he was taking fewer shots but missing them at a much higher rate since February.
On Sunday, coach Mike Brown reiterated his belief that Bridges would break out of the slump. The coach said his faith stems from Bridges’ attitude and his long history as a productive player. He had 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting against Washington.
“He’s shown time after time that he’s a high-level player. And he’s done it,” Brown said. “I’ve been around many players who have gone through their ups and downs throughout the course of the season.
“And he works at it very hard. And he cares at a high level. Usually when you have that combination from a veteran guy that’s produced the way he’s produced in the NBA, it tends to lead to good results, eventually.”
Still, Bridges’ slide felt more prolonged and severe than the run-of-the-mill funk. And Brown responded by giving Bridges fewer minutes, which was easier since Landry Shamet was surging as the backup.
One difference Sunday was that the insurance option — Shamet — was unavailable. The two-way guard sat for the first time since Jan. 14 because of a knee injury sustained in Brooklyn two nights earlier.
Shamet’s official injury designation was a sore right knee, which Brown said was banged. It meant opportunities were available for other bench players — specifically Mohamed Diawara and Jordan Clarkson — or potentially for Bridges to get more runway to break out of his slump.
“There are going to be some minutes to grab,” Brown said. Bridges played 30 minutes Sunday.
Knicks teammates Josh Hart (l.) and Mikal Bridges (r.) Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Hart wants to help where he can — but he also noted that Bridges’ reduced role shouldn’t be overlooked.
“Try to make sure to get him involved a little bit more, get him the ball when he’s running in transition, get him in position to be successful,” Hart said. “He’s been doing what’s been asked of him.”
The Milwaukee Bucks are still barely eligible for the Play-In tournament, while the Los Angeles Clippers are playing for seeding.
The 29-41 Bucks will be the best team the Clippers have faced in the last four games, but Milwaukee will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo and possibly Kyle Kuzma.
That’s why my Bucks vs.Clippers predictions and NBA picks look for L.A. to cover the big spread on Monday, March 23.
Many of their woes can be traced back to an awful start to the season. Overall, the Clippers boast the ninth-best offensive efficiency in the NBA, which will help against a Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks team that can't stop anyone.
Milwaukee has struggled recently, particularly against good teams. It had lost six of seven before winning Saturday.
That win over Phoenix was the Bucks' first in 13 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .300. They won't be remotely competitive in Inglewood tonight.
Bucks vs Clippers same-game parlay
Both teams rank in the Bottom 10 in pace of play, but the cutoff takes that into account. This is the lowest Over/Under Los Angeles has faced in the last 11 games. And it's gone Over seven times against those higher totals.
Darius Garland has blossomed since arriving in Los Angeles at the trade deadline, increasing his scoring by more than three points per game. He’s averaged 24.2 in the last seven and 25 in the last five. He’s also shooting 40 percentage points higher from the field and 130 percentage points higher from three.
Bucks vs Clippers SGP
Clippers -13
Over 222
Darius Garland Over 20.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: No Kawhi, no problem for Garland & Jones
Garland has averaged 3.9 made treys a game with Los Angeles and 4.7 over the last six, including five or more in four of those. He’s 28 for his last 52 from deep for a .538 percentage.
Derrick Jones Jr. has 23 assists in March, but nearly half (11) have come in the last three games. Jones has also been scoring, with double figures in 10 of 13 March games, including 37 across the last two. With Kawhi Leonard questionable, he’ll have more opportunities on offense.
Bucks vs Clippers SGP
Clippers -13
Darius Garland Over 20.5 points
Darius Garland Over 3.5 made threes
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 12.5 points
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 1.5 assists
Bucks vs Clippers odds
Spread: Bucks +13 (-110) | Clippers -13 (-110)
Moneyline: Bucks +575 | Clippers -850
Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)
Bucks vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Clippers have covered the Spread in 32 of their last 50 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Clippers.
How to watch Bucks vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Monday, March 23, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-Wisconsin, FDSN-SoCal
Bucks vs Clippers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Spectators look at artist Robert Vargas' work in progress on a 12-story mural of Dodgers Japanese stars (from top) Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani on Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Torrance. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
The Los Angeles-based artist has embarked on one of his most ambitious murals. Titled "Samurai of the Diamond," it features the Dodgers' trio of Japanese stars — two-way player Shohei Ohtani and pitchers Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto — in larger-than-life fashion on a 12-story wall of the DoubleTree Hotel in Torrance.
Artist Robert Vargas takes a break from painting Saturday to show his progress on his newest mural. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
As of early Saturday afternoon, Vargas still had a lot of painting to do in order to have the mural finished by the official unveiling at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Anyone familiar with Vargas and how he works, however, knows he will get it done.
"It may be finished at 9:59, but at 10 o'clock we will unveil this," Vargas said
Koreatown resident Diego Guerrero is one of those who knows Vargas' style. After witnessing the artist working on his massive Fernando Valenzuela mural in Boyle Heights during the fall of 2024, Guerrero said he had "full faith" Vargas would meet his deadline this time around.
“I know he’s got this," Guerrero said while visiting the DoubleTree site Saturday. "Last time he was doing this, it was raining and even that time he pulled it off. So I have no doubt he’ll finish it.”
The Dodgers signed Yamamoto during the same offseason and Sasaki a year later. Both pitchers played key roles in the team's 2025 postseason run. Yamamoto went 7-1 with two complete games and pitched for the final out in Game 7 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Sasaki moved to the bullpen for the playoffs and recorded three saves and two holds.
“If [the Ohtani] mural was about ushering in a new era and a new face here in Los Angeles, this mural is about building a cultural bridge from Los Angeles to Japan and really emphasizing the greatness that these foreign-born Japanese players are contributing not only to the team, but to this community's identity," Vargas said. "And also inspiring to kids who can look up and see heroes that look like them from this community.”
Robert Vargas paints an image of Shohei Ohtani as part of the local artist's 'Samurai of the Diamond' mural Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Torrance. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Known for its large Japanese American population and concentration of Japanese businesses, Torrance signed friendship city agreements with Bizen (Yamamoto's hometown) in August 2024 and Oshu (Ohtani's hometown) in October 2024.
Vargas, who has a home in Japan because of the frequent mural work he does there, came up with the idea of a Torrance mural honoring the Dodgers' Japanese stars around that time.
“I feel that they are examples of how to do things right on and off the field," Vargas said of the three players. "Their work ethic is really reflected in the culture. That's why Ohtani is so respected out there on the field, not just for what he's doing with the bat or with the baseball but just how he conducts himself. It's refreshing.”
His idea received support from local leaders, such as Mayor George Chen and city council member Jon Kaji.
"Ever since the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani in December, 2023, the community has rallied around Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki giving us all a sense of pride," Kaji said in an email to The Times. "...'Samurai of the Diamond' exemplifies the unifying power of sports that transcends borders and nationalities."
Chen wrote in a separate email: "There are many Dodgers fans in the City of Torrance and the greatness of these 3 players have been great role models to young and old. They are performing at the highest levels in MLB, yet they have shown us that even great athletes and celebrities can maintain a certain level of maturity, respectful to others, picking up trash, not retaliating when attacked, and always showing great sportsmanship."
The wall will include an interactive feature: When visitors scan a QR code, they will see each player come to life and throw a strike, with animation provided by the AR Firm. Also, lights are being installed in the parking lot to illuminate the mural at night.
"It's going to be a destination," Vargas said.
DoubleTree general manager Linda Amato, who is also the executive chairperson of the Discover Torrance visitors bureau, said the hotel plans to create "opportunities for guests to gather outdoors, enjoying [Dodgers] games under the stars alongside the interactive mural."
"The response from the community has been incredible," Amato said in an email. "There’s a real sense of excitement — people are stopping by daily to watch the progress and engage with the project. It’s brought a new energy to the city. Robert Vargas has been amazing throughout the process, often speaking with visitors about his vision and techniques, which adds to the overall experience."
Vargas hand-picked the DoubleTree Hotel in Torrance as the location for his latest mural, despite the wall's deep ridges, which make it difficult to paint. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Vargas hand-picked the DoubleTree as the site, even though he said the hotel's exterior "presents the most difficult surface challenge" he has faced. The wall is lined with thick, vertical grooves, described by Vargas as "almost like a lattice surface because the corrugation is so deep."
Because of that, Vargas — who always works freehand and does not use spray paints — has to carefully paint each section with a brush, as even a roller will not work on that surface. He calls the process "very exciting."
Actor Edward James Olmos, who was visiting Vargas at the site Thursday morning, thinks his longtime friend is nuts.
"That’s the worst f— texture I’ve seen in my life," the 79-year-old "Stand and Deliver" actor said of the wall's surface. "Not one artist I’ve ever known would even want to try to do this. He chose it. I told him he’s off his a—. Have you ever seen that texture before? Never.”
Vargas he said he's not thinking about that or any other challenges when he's several stories in the air working on a project he knows will mean a lot to many people.
"When I'm up there and I think about the community that's down here and how excited they are to see an image like this — not only because of what the content is, but that it's happening here in Torrance and not just in Little Tokyo — they feel very, very proud," Vargas said. "So the wind conditions, the heat conditions, the scaling, all of that becomes secondary when you think about why you're creating it.”
On Saturday afternoon, East Los Angeles resident Edgar Reyes came out to see the super-sized artwork being created in real time.
"It’s just amazing to be able to witness it and see how people are coming together," said Reyes, who described himself as a "big Robert Vargas fan." "I think for Torrance this is a good thing because you see a lot of murals in the east side of L.A. because there’s a lot of graffiti artists and all that, compared to over here. So it’s something really huge for Torrance, I believe."
Koreatown resident Diego Guerrero, who also visited the site on Saturday, said it is "mesmerizing" to watch Vargas work and called the mural "mind-blowing."
"It’s so huge," Guerrero said. "You could see it from miles away. And it’s like, hey, I know them — they’re part of the Dodgers. But not just that. They’re part of the minority. They’re Japanese players, we’re Hispanics, but we’re the same. We want to feel like we’re represented and we’re here. The world will see us, you know?”
Robert Vargas plans to finish his 'Samurai of the Diamond' mural in time for its official unveiling Tuesday at 10 a.m. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Around midday Saturday, Vargas faced another delay when high winds caused him to temporarily come down from the wall. He had already made arrangements to be able to work through the night on Saturday and said he was prepared to work nonstop, if necessary, to be finished in time for the unveiling two days before the Dodgers' season opener Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I'm going to get it done," he said.
“My time frames are pretty ambitious, but I also know what I'm capable of when it comes to my speed," Vargas added. "And also I think that my process is really charged by my intention of why I'm creating these pieces, and that is what fuels me to completion.”
OK, it’s not quite like this now. But you don’t have to worry about Arizona heat up in Chicago. | fity club
It’s a morning game today — well, morning in Arizona — as the White Sox who end up making the team get packed up to fly to Chicago (where the wind chill will be 26° at game time, compared to about 70 degrees warmer in Phoenix).
It’s down to the wire to see if the Sox have a winning Cactus League record! Did you catch the excitement?
To try for that magic 16-15-1, White Sox are sending out a starting lineup that is mostly like what they’ll put on the field Thursday for Opening Day in Milwaukee — but with lefty Anthony Kay on the mound. Kay has had the best spring of any Sox starting pitcher, with a 2.20 ERA that shows (we hope) that the resurrection of his career in Japan last year wasn’t a fluke.
The A’s counter with righty Luis Morales, who had a fine rookie season in 2025 — 1.2b WAR on a 3.14 ERA — but is having a miserable spring, giving up 13 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings, much of the problem being 10 walks.
There is enough in the way of trips to the plate now for the extremely high or low batting averages of early spring to return toward normal, with the only one better than .300 being Luisangel Acuña’s hefty .405, and the only one short of .200 being Colson Montgomery’s .170.
The A’s also have most of their regulars in the game, led by Brent Rooker, who has a .348 average this spring, along with five homers.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Central, with the early start in Arizona giving everybody heading north plenty of time to pack. This is a game where you’d normally see the starters leave after a few innings and start to haul their gear homeward. It also avoids the worst of the heat, though it’s not supposed to get hotter than the mid-90s in the Phoenix area, not the 100+ of recent days.
Or, you could see them hauling gear if the game was on TV, which it isn’t. Not on radio, either. So you’ll have to catch Gameday on occasion and use your imagination.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Gavin Lux’s debut with the Tampa Bay Rays is going to have to wait.
The club is placing the veteran infielder on injured reserve with a right shoulder impingement. The move means Richie Palacios will make the opening day roster for Tampa Bay.
The Rays acquired Lux from Cincinnati in January as part of a three-team deal that sent outfielder Josh Lowe from Tampa Bay to the Los Angeles Angels. Los Angeles sent left-handed reliever Brock Burke to Cincinnati as part of the swap.
Lux, 28, hit .269 with five homers and 53 RBIs last season with the Reds. A career .256 hitter who won a pair of World Series titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lux agreed to a one-year, $5.525 million contract shortly before being sent to Tampa Bay and can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Lux struggled a bit in his first spring training with Tampa Bay, hitting .190 in seven games and had been dealing with what manager Kevin Cash described as a “cranky” right shoulder in recent days.
DENVER — Two months ago, the Colorado Rockies assembled more than 300 of their scouts, coaches, business personnel and new baseball minds for a meeting at Coors Field.
First order of business: An introduction.
The main item: Getting everyone on the same page. Because turning around a franchise that has lost 100 or more games in three straight seasons (including 119 in 2025) doesn’t happen overnight.
Before change can occur, a front office now led by Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes wanted to identify specific traits that would come to embody the Rockies. That way, there would be a consistent message emanating from the major league level all the way through the minors. The Rockies are developing a blueprint from an exchange of ideas that took place in January — and before — with their baseball staff, some of whom journeyed in from the Dominican Republic.
“I would say the bones of it are already in place,” said DePodesta, the recently hired president of baseball operations.
Any sneak peeks?
“Probably not ready,” DePodesta said with a smile. “But I’m really excited about everybody’s reaction to it so far. It’s more about, ‘Hey, how are we going to work together? What is our pitching staff going to look like, not just at the big league level, but throughout? What do we like about hitters? How do all those things tie together?’”
It’s at least a step in a direction, any direction, and not just status quo for a Rockies team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2018. It’s part of a promise made to Colorado fans last season by executive vice president Walker Monfort, the son of owner Dick Monfort.
Hence, new leadership, a unified approach and enhanced reliance on analytics.
“They’re all very curious people. They want to find solutions,” Walker Monfort said of a front office brought in from the football/analytics world (DePodesta was with the Cleveland Browns) and a World Series-winning culture (Byrnes spent a decade with the Dodgers). “They want to embrace our challenges and figure them out. From that perspective, I couldn’t be more excited.”
Moneyball and DePodesta
Yes, Monfort has seen “Moneyball,” a movie based on the Michael Lewis novel about the 2002 A’s who captured the AL West despite a small payroll.
And of course, Monfort would like nothing more than to see the Rockies be the NL West version of it. Back then, DePodesta was a key figure among a new generation of analytical thinkers who changed the sport. He inspired the Jonah Hill character in the film that starred Brad Pitt as GM Billy Beane.
“Finding value where others are not, that’s intriguing,” Monfort said.
But taking that to a higher elevation at Coors Field will be an uphill climb. Colorado finished second-to-last in runs scored per game (3.69) in 2025. They also were at the bottom in ERA (5.97) and first in homers allowed (251).
Colorado started addressing some of the pitching needs by bringing in righties Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano, along with lefty Jose Quintana. They plugged holes with versatile infielder Willi Castro and by trading for outfielder Jake McCarthy.
“There’s a lot to the types of players we want,” said Byrnes, who spent the last 11 seasons with the Dodgers as their senior vice president of baseball operations. “And there are going to be preferences and philosophies behind that.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of work to be done.”
The road back to be competitive
For now, there are no radical approaches — like a six-man rotation — in the works to solve the pitching issues at Coors Field. What plays well at Coors seems to be high velocity. The Rockies, though, are pushing for expanded pitch repertoires. Lorenzen, for instance, throws seven different pitches.
“Big arsenals are going to be harder to game-plan against,” Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman explained. “We think that’s an advantage. The more weapons you have, the more random you can be.”
The process of change
For now, DePodesta’s objective lies with building a solid foundation. They have a young nucleus in All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, who helped Venezuela to a World Baseball Classic title. On the horizon, there’s Ethan Holliday, the No. 4 pick in the amateur draft last season and son of Rockies great Matt Holliday, who led the team to their only World Series appearance in 2007.
There’s no rushing the process, though.
“It’s really trying to understand what the strengths are of the organization to begin with,” DePodesta explained, “as opposed to trying to change everything.”
Same sentiment for Byrnes, who worked with DePodesta in Cleveland in the 1990s. The specifics of their plan will factor into how the Rockies think about hitters in the draft, how they coach defense and base running throughout the organization and how they employ analytics with pitching discussions.
“There’s a lot of branches on the tree,” Byrnes said. “The Rockies way is being good at all of that. ... I don’t think there’s a short answer.”
The process may be involved, but the end result is rather simple for Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer.
“Winning,” Schaeffer said. “That should be non-negotiable.”
