Category: Sports News

Worldwide Sports News

Posted on

Detroit Tigers spend more money while Guardians continue to pretend to be poor

ANAHEIM, CA - AUGUST 24: Pitcher Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers throws apitch against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on August 24, 2009 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

My photoshop skills have really been perfected and I was able to show you what Justin Verlander’s outfit is going to look like in 2026.

The Tigers are paying up to have him on their staff, perhaps because Reese Olson is out for the year.

LGFT injuries

• Francisco Lindor could need surgery, which would delay him by 6 weeks.

• Toronto is likely to place Shane Bieber on the IL

• and Anthony Santander is out 5-6 months.

More LGFT happenings

• Aaron Civale is headed to Sacramento. I’d have loved him as SP depth who starts out the season in the bullpen, but $6M is probably too much for that.

• The Diamondbacks will allow Carlos Santana to play in the WBC even though MLB won’t insure him.

Posted on

Lakers’ superstar Luka Dončić reportedly looking to buy team in Italy as part of NBA Europe power play

Luka Doncic in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform.

Luka Dončić has always dreamt big. He left his home country of Slovenia as a boy to chase greatness at Real Madrid. He became an NBA prodigy at the age of 19 with the Dallas Mavericks. A global superstar when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers last winter. And now, he wants to be the owner of a professional basketball team.

In an exclusive report from The New York Times, Dončić is reportedly part of an investor group, spearheaded by former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson, seeking to bring a franchise to Rome as part of the NBA’s bold new venture, NBA Europe.

Yes, Rome.

Dončić is reportedly part of an investor group seeking to bring a franchise to Rome as part of the NBA’s bold new venture. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Eternal City. The Colosseum. A market dripping in history and starving for top-tier professional basketball.

Nelson, 63, is the son of former NBA coach and executive Don Nelson, and was the architect of the 2018 draft-night trade to acquire Dončić from the Atlanta Hawks. According to The New York Times report, Nelson’s investment group has a preliminary agreement to purchase Vanoli Basket Cremona, a northern Italian club that holds a coveted Serie A license.

That license is the golden key. Any team in the new NBA Europe League must also compete domestically, and Cremona’s spot in Italy’s top league provides the legal and structural foothold.

From there, the real play begins.

Sources told The New York Times, that the group would establish a new franchise roughly 330 miles south in Rome, a city NBA commissioner Adam Silver has identified as a cornerstone market for the league’s projected 2027 launch. Rome currently has no top-division basketball team — a sleeping giant in a sports economy that understands spectacle and legacy better than most capitals on Earth.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!

Silver’s NBA Europe project is not a side hustle. With projected buy-ins reportedly exceeding $1 billion in markets like London, this is high finance meets hardwood ambition. Investment heavyweights — Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, RedBird Capital, Sixth Street, Blackstone, Arctos — have circled. JP Morgan and the Raine Group are helping structure the gold rush.

Dončić, born in Ljubljana and raised in Madrid’s basketball cathedral, is no stranger to the European basketball market. He is the perfect spokesperson and embodiment of the global model Silver is trying to institutionalize. He isn’t just investing in a team. He’s investing in infrastructure, access and the next generation of European phenoms who won’t need to detour through someone else’s system.

And Dončić is not alone, former San Antonio Spurs point guard, and French native, Tony Parker, owns ASVEL, a team near the city of Lyon that is expected to join NBA Europe as well. Even former Lakers champion Pau Gasol is interested in a leadership role in the new league.

However, ownership rules for active NBA players remain unsettled. Conflicts of interest must be ironed out. Serie A mandates a two-year waiting period before a relocated franchise can change its name. But none of that feels insurmountable for Nelson and Dončić. 

If this Rome franchise materializes, it won’t just be another expansion team. It will be a declaration that the European basketball ecosystem is no longer a feeder system.

It’s a marketplace.

And Luka Dončić intends to own a piece of it.

Posted on

Pacers beat Knicks 137-134 in OT, snap 4-game losing streak

NEW YORK (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 30 points, Andrew Nembhard had 24 points and 10 assists and the Indiana Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak by holding off the New York Knicks with a 137-134 overtime victory on Tuesday night.

The Pacers scored the first nine points of overtime and overcame a furious Knicks run over the final 24.3 seconds, during which they scored eight points in 20 seconds.

Indiana had eight players that scored in double figures and the Pacers’ bench outscored New York’s 43-18.

Jalen Brunson had 40 points and had eight assists and five rebounds for New York, which dropped only its second game in its past 11 overall and seventh time in 28 home games.

Josh Hart had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his second triple-double of the season for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out with 2:14 left in overtime.

The Knicks entered tied for the NBA’s second-most home wins with 21. Indiana, which played without center Ivica Zubac (ankle), came in tied for the league’s fewest road wins (three) and with the worst road win percentage in the Eastern Conference at .120.

ROCKETS 102, CLIPPERS 95

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 26 points and Alperen Sengun added 22 to help Houston to a victory over Los Angeles.

Houston led by six points at the start the fourth period and scored the first seven points of the quarter to extend its lead to 85-72 with 10 ½ minutes remaining. Kawhi Leonard made two free throws, but the Rockets scored the next four points to extend the lead.

The Rockets were up by 12 later in the fourth when Durant stole the ball from Brook Lopez, and Reed Sheppard made an off-balance 3-pointer to make it 92-77 with about 6 ½ minutes to go.

Houston remained up by 15 about a minute later when Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue cleared his bench.

Leonard led the Clippers with 24 points after scoring 41 in a blowout win in December in the last meeting between the teams. Los Angeles made 20 3-pointers in that 128-108 victory, but was just 8 for 30 from long range on Tuesday.

Jabari Smith Jr. had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Amen Thompson added 16 points for the Rockets in his return after sitting out of Saturday’s win over Oklahoma City because of an illness.

SUNS 120, MAVERICKS 111

PHOENIX (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 23 points, Devin Booker had 19 and Phoenix beat Dallas to send the Mavericks to their eighth consecutive loss.

Naji Marshall had 31 points and Cooper Flagg finished with 27 for Dallas, which hasn’t won since beating Golden State at home on Jan. 22. It’s the Mavericks’ longest skid since also losing eight in a row in 2016.

Phoenix nearly led the entire game, taking a 2-1 lead on Booker’s turnaround jumper with 10:01 left in the first quarter and never trailing again. The Suns led by as many as 31 points at 61-30 on their way to what appeared would be a blowout win — until the Mavericks made a game of it late.

A putback basket by Flagg with 6:57 left cut Dallas’ deficit to 108-96, and the Mavericks cut it to six at 115-109 on Marshall’s floater with 2:09 remaining.

Booker made a mid-range jumper with 1:50 left and made one of two free throws to push Phoenix’s advantage to nine. After P.J. Washington’s driving layup for Dallas, Booker made a pullup jumper to cap the scoring and end the Mavericks’ furious comeback attempt.

SPURS 136, LAKERS 108

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 37 of his season high-tying 40 points in the first half of San Antonio’s fifth straight victory, beating short-handed Los Angeles.

Wembanyama had the highest-scoring first half in the NBA this season and the highest-scoring half by a Spurs player in the 21st century while going 12 of 17 from the field with three 3-pointers against a Lakers lineup missing Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

Wembanyama played only the first eight minutes of the second half with the Spurs far ahead in their 10th win in 13 games.

The French big man became the third player in the past 50 seasons to score at least 40 points while playing 27 minutes or fewer. He also had 12 rebounds.

Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart also sat out for the Lakers on the second night of a brutal back-to-back set against the Western Conference’s top two teams. Doncic and Smart are injured, while James, Reaves and Ayton are all managing health concerns.

Posted on

Knicks' defensive standards not met in loss to Pacers: 'Tonight, it wasn't there'

The Knicks were riding high the last few weeks to the tune of nine wins in 10 games, thanks to crisp offense and improved defense. However, the Knicks have now lost two of their last three games, including an OT loss on Tuesday night at home against the 13-win Pacers.

New York's defensive turnaround was key to the Knicks' recent winning ways and the lack thereof was the reason they lost to Indiana.

“Tonight it wasn’t there, at least not at the level that it has been," head coach Mike Brown said of the team's defense after the loss.

And he's not wrong. The Pacers shot 51.5 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three, in the 137-34 victory. The Knicks could not defend the three-point line or stay in front of any ball-handler for the majority of the four-plus quarters.

While the Knicks kept up offensively, allowing the lowly Pacers to hang with them allowed their Eastern Conference rival to build confidence. That confidence was mentioned a few times by multiple players after the loss. 

"Defensively, they had a rhythm early and they kept their confidence," Jalen Brunson said. "Kept the rhythm throughout the entire game."

"We started off the first couple of minutes, we started playing well, but then we let them get a little comfortable," Josh Hart added. 

“We didn’t do a great job of getting into their airspace," Brown punctuated. "We did do a little better job in the second half, but by then they were confident.”

The Knicks took a 33-32 lead after the first frame, but red flags were all over the opening quarter. The Pacers shot 50 percent from the field and were 7 of 16 from three (44 percent). That continued in the second quarter as Indiana shot 52 percent and 44 percent from long distance to go into halftime only down 69-63. 

"They had tough shots and they made threes and on the other side, we didn't make enough threes to combat the amount of shots they were hitting from the three," Karl-Anthony Towns said. "We didn't reach that standard of defense that we have shown in recent and it came back to bite us today."

That defensive standard has been present for the Knicks of late. 

On Sunday, the Knicks held the Celtics to just 37 percent shooting and a minuscule 17 percent from three in the win. In the previous seven games, New York held their opponents to 101 points or less five times (all wins). The Knicks were without OG Anunoby (toe) and Mitchell Robinson (injury management) on Tuesday, but Brunson didn't see their absence as an excuse for the lack of defense. Instead, the All-Star guard pointed to what he and his teammates lacked. 

"[We need to] just be a little bit more physical. They were in the rhythm," he said. "Pick up our intensity on the ball with our physicality and stuff like that, and off-ball, they're moving really freely tonight, and they were in the rhythm all night."

But despite the lack of defense, the Knicks had their opportunities to claim victory. 

In regulation, the Knicks had chances to take the lead, especially Brunson -- who had a game-high 40 points -- shot poorly in crunch time, going 2 of 7 from the field in the fourth quarter, including missing shots he usually makes in the final few minutes. And even on the final possession, Landry Shamet had an open three-point attempt for the win in the waning seconds, but missed.

"Down the stretch, lack of execution. We gotta make sure at the end of the game, fourth quarter overtime is a little bit different," Hart said. "You can't just run fast, but you got to be able to slow it down and execute, and call plays and get guys in good situations, and areas to be successful. I feel like that's what we're kind of lacking."

"[The Pacers] did a great job offensively. We tried to, you know, tighten up as the game went along, which we did, but it just wasn't quite enough to get it done," Brown said. "We had plenty of opportunity down the stretch to get it done, but when you give a team life from the beginning like we did, it's gonna be hard."

New York doesn't have much time to dwell on the loss as they'll travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers on the second of a back-to-back on Wednesday.

Posted on

Phoenix Suns hold off late comeback to beat the Dallas Mavericks

The Phoenix Suns’ fast start was too much for the Dallas Mavericks to overcome in the Suns’ 120-111 win. It was a game of extended runs; the Suns led by as many as 31, 61-30, but the Mavericks showed competitive fire and spirit and still made it a game in the fourth quarter. Dillon Brooks led the Suns in scoring with 23 points; he scored 15 in the first quarter. It was a night where everyone on the Suns impacted winning in different ways.

Seven different Suns players scored in double figures. Oso Ighodaro continues to improve on a game-by-game basis and finished his night with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Green scored 12 points and pushed the Suns ahead early in the first quarter. Ryan Dunn had his best night in months; he scored 12 points and knocked in two of his three 3-point shots. Booker finished with 19 points, O’Neale finished with 12 points, and Williams finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. 

It was a quiet 5-point night for Collin Gillespie; instead of scoring, he did everything else. He had nine rebounds, eight assists, and made crucial winning plays. He did all the little things the Suns needed at the end of the game when the Mavericks were making their run.

After a Brooks missed pull-up jumper with 3:50 to play and the Suns up nine points, it looked like the Mavericks would have the opportunity to continue their run. The ball bounced directly into a crowd of three Mavericks players, and Gillespie was the only Sun amongst the three. But Gillespie stripped the rebound away, and it bounced off a Dallas player’s leg, and the Suns retained possession. The Suns scored on the next play as Brooks kept his head down and drove to the rim to put the Suns up 11 and force a Mavericks timeout. 

The other winning play from Gillespie occurred with under a minute, with the Suns up 120-111. Booker airballed a three-pointer, Williams saved it in, and Gillespie sprinted and dived for the loose ball. Jordan Ott immediately called a timeout, and the Suns sealed the game because of Gillespie’s hustle.

On a night when Dallas got to the free-throw line 44 times, and the Suns got there just nine times, the Suns made just enough threes and got just enough rebounds to overcome a historical free throw desparity and win.

For Dallas, Cooper Flagg scored 27, and Naji Marshall scored 31 on a ridiculous 12-of-17 night from the field in the losing effort.

Game Flow

First Half 

The Suns jumped the Mavericks early with a quick 9-to-1 run. Mark Williams had an open dunk followed up by an early Devin Booker three. But the story of the first quarter was Dillon Brooks, who scored 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field. When Brooks has it going like that, offense is pretty simple: get him the ball and get out of the way. He has been a midrange killer this season, and his intensity to start the game was too much for a Mavericks team that had lost seven straight games coming into Mortgage Matchup Center. Jalen Green also played well in the first quarter; he scored 9 points and had an assist, and it all was in the flow of the Suns’ offense. The Suns finished the quarter up 36-16 after a dominant first quarter. 

The second quarter was more of the same for the Suns. The bench unit took complete control of the game for the first six minutes of the quarter with its effort and movement. The lead ballooned up to 31 at 61-30, led by Oso Ighodaro. Ighodaro has gone from a fringe rotation player coming into this season to one of the most important players on this roster. He continues to grow within Jordan Ott’s system every game. The Suns’ newcomer, Amir Coffey, got some run in the second quarter and contributed positively; he scored 5 points and had an assist. points, the Suns had the rare opportunity to take full control of the game to close the half, but the Mavericks duo of Naji Marshall and Cooper Flagg engineered an 18-3 run to get Dallas back to a 14-point deficit before a Royce O’Neale corner pocket 3-point shot gave the Suns a little momentum going into halftime ahead 65-48.

Second Half

The Suns kept the status quo in the third quarter as Booker got more involved, scoring 10 points. Williams made his presence felt by finishing off dump-off passes and post-ups. The Mavericks hung around with Flagg getting to the free throw line and Marshall attacking the basket. The Mavericks’ recent deadline acquisition, Khris Middleton, got in on the action as well, hitting multiple midrange pull-ups to round out the Mavericks scoring. It was a back and forth quarter that the Suns led 96-75 after three quarters of play.

Unlike the second quarter, the Suns’ bench struggled in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks got every whistle in the fourth quarter, and Flagg and Marshall continued to score. They were attacking the rim relentlessly, and even Mark Williams’ long arms could not stop the dynamic duo that Flagg and Marshall were this evening. The Suns also were slipping on their fundamentals as well, giving up multiple second-chance baskets to Marvin Bagley III, causing Ott to call multiple timeouts to stop the bleeding. 

With a 115-109 lead, the Suns were in control, but it was uncomfortable watching another lead slip away. In this game, the Suns got the ball to their two best players, Booker and Brooks, and let them close it out. The Suns spread the floor and let Booker hunt for mismatches on back-to-back possessions. The first possession, a patented midrange pullup going to his right around the elbow, and on the next possession, he drew a foul on Middleton to get to the free-throw line. Refusing to let Booker beat them again, Dallas threw traps at Booker, but he found the right outlets, and the ball swung to Brooks, who made the biggest shot of the night to give the Suns a commanding 120-111 lead. 

Up Next

Quick turnaround for the Phoenix Suns, who welcome the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-less Oklahoma City Thunder into the Mortgage Matchup Center Wednesday at 7 pm Arizona time, the last game before the All-Star break. 

Posted on

Jose Quintana coming back for 15th MLB season as Rockies add another pitcher

Jose Quintana #62 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch
Jose Quintana of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch against the Mets in 2025.

Jose Quintana has found a new home — just not one that’s historically pitcher-friendly.

The 37-year-old left-handed starter has agreed to a deal with the Rockies, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported Tuesday night.

Terms of the contract, which is still pending medicals, are not yet known.

Jose Quintana, a member of the Brewers last season, throws a pitch against the Mets in 2025. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Colorado has had an active Tuesday, agreeing earlier in the day with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year pact after he spent last year pitching in Japan.

Quintana, after spending two seasons with the Mets, joined the Brewers in the middle of spring training for 2025.

He gave the Brewers some stability in the back end of the rotation with a 3.96 ERA and 1.291 WHIP across 24 starts and 131 2/3 innings. Quintana pitched in two postseason outings, a three-inning scoreless effort in relief during the NLDS against the Cubs before getting lit up for three earned runs in a two-inning start against the eventual World Series champion Dodgers in the NLCS.

Quintana, through his first 14 seasons in the big leagues, has 113 victories, the most for a native of Colombia.

At high altitude (5,200 feet above sea level), Coors Field has long been a hitters’ haven and has had the top park factor in MLB over the last three seasons, according to Baseball Savant.

Jose Quintana celebrates during the 2024 wild-card series with the Mets. Jason Szenes / New York Post

In six career outings at Coors, Quintana has a 5.40 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 42 innings.

Quintana is expected to pitch for his home country in March as part of the 2026 World Baseball Classic before he takes the mound in Denver.

The Rockies are hoping to get out of the National League doldrums after three straight seasons of 100-plus losses, including a baseball-worst 119 defeats in 2025.

Posted on

Afghanistan sends South Africa in to bat in must-win T20 World Cup match

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Afghanistan won the toss and sent 2024 runner-up South Africa in to bat Wednesday in the crunch Group D game at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup.

South Africa won its opening game over Canada. Afghanistan lost its opener to New Zealand and needs a win to maintain its chances of progressing to the Super Eights from a group containing three highly-ranked teams. Only the top two teams in each of the four groups will advance.

New Zealand is 2-0 and leads the group.

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said it was his IPL home ground is a good pitch to bowl first on and he prefers to chase a target. Afghanistan was the surprising semifinalist at the 2024 World Cup before losing to South Africa in that tournament in the Caribbean and United States.

South Africa made one lineup change, with left-arm orthodox spinner George Linde replacing fast bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch.

For Afghanistan, left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad was called in to replace medium pace bowler Ziaur Rahman.

In later games Wednesday, Australia is due to play its tournament-opening game against Ireland in Group B and England is against West Indies in Group C.

The tournament's biggest group-stage rivalry is back on after unbeaten Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott and will go ahead with the Group A game against India on Sunday.

___

Lineups:

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (captain), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.

___

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

Posted on

Bulls’ Collin Sexton fined $35K for flipping off basket in frustration

Collin-Sexton
Collin-Sexton

A moment of frustration has cost Collin Sexton a hefty chunk of change. 

The Bulls guard was handed a $35,000 fine on Tuesday night for flipping off the hoop at Barclays Center during Chicago’s 123-115 loss to the Nets. 

“Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton has been fined $35,000 for making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court,” the NBA announced in a release on Tuesday. 

Collin Sexton flipped off the basket during the Bulls’ loss to the Nets on Feb. 9, 2026 at Barclays Center after missing a free throw. It earned him a sizable fine. RotoWire Sports Betting/X

The gesture came in the third quarter after he missed a free-throw attempt before hitting his second shot from the charity stripe. 

As he was walking backward to go back on defense, Sexton, 27, raised his middle finger in the air very quickly. 

While somewhat comical, it will cost Sexton, as it is something the NBA discourages. 

Sexton finished the game with 21 points and five rebounds, shooting 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. 

The game marked his second as a member of the Bulls after he was traded last week by the Hornets, with Coby White going to Charlotte. 

Collin Sexton looks on during the Bulls’ loss to the Nets at Barclays Center on Feb. 9, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Sexton played the first four years of his NBA career with the Cavaliers before spending three seasons with the Jazz and beginning this season in Charlotte. 

He has put up 14.4 points in 22.7 minutes per game this season, primarily coming off the bench. In two games with Chicago, he’s average 19 points and four rebounds.

The Bulls have lost five straight games and are losers in eight of their last nine. 

Chicago plays one final game against the Celtics on Friday before entering the NBA All-Star break.

Posted on

According to reports, Colorado Rockies to sign Jose Quintana

Sep 8, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Late this evening, ESPN’s Jess Rogers broke the news that the Colorado Rockies signed Jose Quintana:

The 37-year-old lefty spent 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers on a one-year, $4.25 million contract.

In 131 2/3 innings, Quintana logged 24 starts and finished with a 3.96 ERA.

According to Baseball Savant, Quintana has a five-pitch arsenal: sinker (42%), changeup (22%), curveball (15%), four-seamer (12%), and slurve (8%).

In 2025, Quintana had a 16.0% K%, a 9.0% BB%, and a 43.3% GB%.

We’ll have more analysis tomorrow, but at first glance, this signing does a few things for the Rockies.

First, it adds another lefty to the rotation; second, Quintana, like Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano has a diverse and developed arsenal; and third, he is an experienced pitcher in a position to help mentor young pitchers.

The Rockies had indicated they would sign an additional starter; with today’s moves, they have now added two starters to their rotation.

UPDATE

Some contract details have become available:

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Posted on

Suns dominate Mavericks 120-111, extend Dallas' losing streak to 8 games

PHOENIX (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 23 points, Devin Booker had 19 and the Phoenix Suns beat Dallas 120-111 on Tuesday night to send the Mavericks to their eighth consecutive loss.

Naji Marshall had 31 points and Cooper Flagg finished with 27 for Dallas, which hasn't won since beating Golden State at home on Jan. 22. It's the Mavericks' longest skid since also losing eight in a row in 2016.

Phoenix nearly led the entire game, taking a 2-1 lead on Booker's turnaround jumper with 10:01 left in the first quarter and never trailing again. The Suns led by as many as 31 points at 61-30 on their way to what appeared would be a blowout win — until the Mavericks made a game of it late.

A putback basket by Flagg with 6:57 left cut Dallas' deficit to 108-96, and the Mavericks cut it to six at 115-109 on Marshall's floater with 2:09 remaining.

Booker made a mid-range jumper with 1:50 left and made one of two free throws to push Phoenix's advantage to nine. After P.J. Washington's driving layup for Dallas, Booker made a pullup jumper to cap the scoring and end the Mavericks' furious comeback attempt.

Up next

Mavericks: At Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Suns: Host Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.

—

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

Posted on

The Attack on Fortress Baseball Comes From All Directions

Today’s guest column is from professors John Cairney and Rick Burton.

Dozens of movies built around the suspenseful premise of an outnumbered army or unit surrounded at a fortress and coming under fierce attack. The Alamo (1960) used to hold a primary position for that allegory, but others we might offer up include Night of the Living Dead, 300,The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Sinners. For video gamers, think something like Assassins Creed.

In each of those situations, a small group of individuals must defend something worth preserving. Kind of made us think about Major League Baseball’s owners and commissioner Rob Manfred, who not only face an aging fan demographic but also the real possibility of a lengthy strike/lockout looming on the labor peace horizon.

Notably, if MLB shuts down in 2027, as some are already hinting, it will happen less than a year after the three-country tidal surge of the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

It made us want to page back through Kotler and Singh’s legendary paper “Marketing Warfare in the 1980s” as well as Ries and Trout’s 1986 book Marketing Warfare. Those authors (and others) discussed strategic concepts for attacking market leaders with frontal attacks, flanking maneuvers and encirclement or, on the other hand, defensive strategies for market leaders such as “position, flank, preemptive, counteroffensive, mobile and contraction.”

Baseball’s contemporary problem is defending ground rather than commanding it. The NFL took the highest hill by the early 1970s and MLB arguably has no hope of ever replacing football as America’s most popular and largest revenue-generating professional league. Maybe games like basketball or soccer will, but baseball doesn’t have nearly the global reach of those sports.

That, of course, is fine. Baseball is a wonderful game, MLB is a powerful league, and top players can earn salaries that are healthy percentages of billions. According to Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen, as of 2025, every MLB franchise was worth at least $1.3 billion (the Miami Marlins), with the average for MLB’s 30 teams hovering around $2.82 billion.

But what market strategies (warfare or otherwise) should MLB executives consider, especially if there is even a remote chance they might shut MLB down within the next 14 months? If the average age of MLB’s TV viewership is 57, despite youth-facing improvements such as the pitch clock, shouldn’t MLB be thinking about what it can do to attract 10-year-olds in the future?

Before we fall into the convenient trap of burying MLB, we took to heart Maury Brown’s April 2025 column for Forbes, where he suggested: “Major League Baseball has been portrayed as having fans that are too old. That the league is ‘dying’. That MLB pales when compared to the NBA in terms of popularity on television. These narratives have followed MLB around like grim death. But that fact is, these are all largely myths.”

In fact, Brown noted, “There has been [an ongoing] myth that baseball is the sport of old people and is out of touch with other sports leagues that skew to a younger generation. But data from Nielsen Scarborough shows the median age of an MLB fan is 54.04, below college football and the WNBA.”

Interestingly, the Nielsen data suggests the NFL, college basketball and NBA are also in the 50s. Only MLS, with a median age of 49, showed up in the forties.

To channel the wondering Alice, Nielsen’s numbers are curiouser and curiouser. Speaking of TV ratings, it is notable MLB is now producing broadcasts for around half the league, meaning the RSN landscape that previously protected the fort is under assault.

That said, without claiming insight into Manfred’s thinking or the professional counsel he’s receiving, several points seem clear:

  1. Don’t shut down in 2027. If you do, MLS (which, with its new calendar, will be playing meaningful games a the end of a truncated season in April and May of ’27, then starting the ’27-28 season in July) will be a massive beneficiary. In addition, a labor strike hurts every other league … in one way or another.
  2. Understand perceptions of parity matter, and if there is no salary cap in MLB, young fans will find it increasingly difficult to support teams with no chance of competing. In other words, MLB could come to look like certain European football leagues where no more than two teams ever win the seasonal competition.
  3. If the biggest stars in baseball are Japanese, South Korean or Latin American, think harder about flanking strategies that go around the NFL’s traditional reliance on North Americans. That said, don’t underestimate just how hard the NFL is working to make itself a global game.
  4. Figure out how not to lose (or fail to leverage) the star power of great generational players like Mike Trout who appear on MLB’s dreamy fields but somehow never become famous faces like those from the NFL and NBA. Use league-driven storytelling, national showcase scheduling and coordinated digital/broadcast visibility rather than leaving star-making solely to local markets.
  5. Understand that in this new creator economy, MLB can do better at having its players generate interesting material targeting younger audiences. As Syracuse media entrepreneurship professor Sean Branagan recently said (with italics emphasized), “Broadcasting must mean just that: the many telling the many.”

We’ll close by suggesting that baseball—and MLB—are not in crisis, but like pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, the league must get back into shape for the sustained attacks already forming on the horizon. MLB may find itself surrounded by other competitors (as well as the growth of women’s professional leagues), but we hope it chooses to fight like the Spartans at Thermopylae or the Rohirrim warriors at the Battle of Helm’s Deep.      

 John Cairney is head of the University of Queensland’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences. He also serves as deputy executive director for the Office of 2032 Games Engagement and directs Queensland’s Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies. Rick Burton is an honorary professor at UQ, Syracuse University’s David B. Falk Emeritus Professor of Sport Management, former commissioner of Australia’s National Basketball League, and co-author of the book, The Rise of Major League Soccer.

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Posted on

Yankees news: Yanks easier opponent than Red Sox?

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 10: Isiah Kiner-Falefa #2 of the Boston Red Sox speaks to the media during a team workout ahead of Spring Training at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 10, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

New York Post | Cooper Albers: For the second straight year, the Yankees have been called out by the team that eliminated them in October — or at least, a member of that team. While attempting to complete the All-AL-East career, Isiah Kiner-Falefa revealed that the Blue Jays were hoping the Yankees beat out the Red Sox in last year’s American League Wild Card Series, believing New York to be an easier opponent. This comes on the heels of many critiques the Dodgers tossed against the Yankees after the 2024 World Series, but then again, IKF is a non-insignificant reason why the Blue Jays went down to those Dodgers some months ago.

The Athletic | Jayson Stark ($): Perhaps nothing has changed as much in baseball over the last 20 years like the standard for Hall of Fame pitchers. Hurlers on the ballot today, even those gaining momentum like Andy Pettitte, just don’t have the same counting stats and career milestones as pitchers from previous generations. In an era where just three pitchers top 200 innings, those milestones are going to have to change further. Stark talks to a number of past and present starters, including Hall of Famer CC Sabathia, about the challenges current pitchers face around induction standards.

Baseball Prospectus: BP is out with their PECOTA projections, widely seen as one of the most reliable systems across the sport. The good news is that PECOTA is high on the Yankees, tabbing them to just eke out atop the AL East, but they have them just a single point of winning percentage higher than Toronto. The way it shows up is 88.5 wins to 88.3, so there’s not much separation. If nothing else, expect the division to be a dogfight once again. For those curious, the Mariners are tabbed as the American League’s best team in the 93-win territory, while the two-time defending champion Dodgers pace MLB as a whole at an emphatic 105-win pace — one of their highest-ever projections.

Newsweek | Jon Paul Hoonstra: A melancholy happy trails to Gary Blaylock, who pitched in 41 games with the 1959 Yankees and Cardinals and passed away on February 7th at the age of 94. The reliever later served as the pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals from 1984-87, winning the team’s first World Series championship in the ‘85 season. Our best to his family and loved ones.

Posted on

Braves News: Spring Training roundup, Spencer Schwellenbach, and more

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: Spencer Schwellenbach #56 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the New York Mets in the first inning at Citi Field on June 23, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tuesday made for a busy day for the Atlanta Braves, as pitchers and catchers reported to the spring training facility in North Port, Florida. There were several storylines from the day, and in 2025 fashion, not all of them were great.

Most notably, it was announced that starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach has some inflammation in his right elbow, inevitably causing him to begin the 2026 campaign on the 60-day injured list. Should this timeline stick, he is eyeing an April return.

If this news was not frustrating enough, it was also reported that Robert Suarez, who the Braves signed in December, will arrive late to camp due to issues with his visa. 

On a more positive note, Nacho Alvarez Jr. was spotted getting some reps in with the catchers, so the shortstop is possibly adding another position to his resume.

Lastly, the Braves have reportedly added a backup catcher after signing Jonah Heim to a one-year deal. Heim was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers after a lackluster 2025. The financials of the contract have not been confirmed, but the deal is rumored to be around $1.25M.

With camp just getting underway, more roster decisions and injury updates are likely to follow.

More Braves News:

Dylan Lee won his arbitration case over the Braves. He will make $2.2M in 2026, rather than the $2M that the club filed for. 

The Braves have reacquired infielder Brett Wisely from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash. In January, the Braves first traded Wisely to the Rays. To open up a spot on the roster, right-hander Joe Jiménez was placed on the 60-day injured list.

The most recent PECOTA projections have the Braves finishing 2026 with a 92-70 record. 

MLB News:

The Toronto Blue Jays pitching staff took a hit on Tuesday, announcing that Shane Bieber will start the season on the 15-day injured list due to forearm inflammation. In addition, fellow pitcher Bowden Francis will undergo Tommy John and miss the entire season.

The Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a one-year, $13M deal with right-hander Nick Martinez. 

Detroit Tigers pitcher Reese Olson will miss all of 2026 due to shoulder surgery. He was placed on the 60-day injured list to open up a spot for Justin Verlander, who returns to Detroit on a one-year, $13M deal. 

Kyle Wright, former Braves hurler, is joining the Chicago Cubs on a minor league deal. 

New York Mets star Juan Soto is shifting around the outfield and will play left field in 2026.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor is being evaluated for a stress reaction in his hamate bone. It is unclear if he will require surgery at this point. 

The Colorado Rockies signed right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year, $5.1M contract. In a corresponding move, the club placed Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list with a back injury.  

Posted on

Topps Series One – Guards Cards

Its a great day for those who collect current Topps baseball cards. Today, February 11th, the 2026 MLB Topps Series One releases.

For those who are new to the hobby, Topps Series One is the first series released by Topps to kick off the next year of collecting. They’re usually released around Spring Training and feature the first batch of player base cards and with plenty of cool parallels and inserts. Parallel cards have similar images as the base cards but feature different designs.

This year Topps is celebrating their 75th anniversary and there are plenty of parallels available of each card, over 50 total, including the full rainbow that many collectors chase. They’ve included multiple inserts, which are cards that differ from the base and parallel set with their own, unique design. Included in the insert list are the autographs and relic cards. The relic cards have historically included pieces of uniforms, bases, gloves, and even bats.

One of the inserts I’m going to be on the look out for is the Big Ticket Player inserts.

Of course, this is the just the kick off for the 2026 collecting season. The Easter Tin list is included with Series One and introduces additional parallels that feature Spring related designs. Last year the 2025 Topps Series One Celebration set released shortly after Series One and included different inserts and additional base cards. Celebration replaced the old Opening Day series Topps used to run in conjunction with Opening Day. Hopefully we’ll see it’s return this year.

This year’s Series One unfortunately does not have a lot of Guardians players represented. Of all of the current teams included there are only four teams with less cards (base and inserts) than the Guardians; the Blue Jays (61), Twins (60), Diamondbacks (60), and Marlins (54). The Guardians will have 66 card designs (not including parallels, which all base cards have) this year. The Yankees (157), Dodgers (147), and Braves (141) have the most designs.

For the base cards and parallels, Guards fans can look for CJ Kayfus, Daniel Schneemann, Parker Messick, Ben Lively, Bo Naylor, Angel Martínez, Gavin Williams, José Ramírez, and Kyle Manzardo. Kayfus and Messick will be rookie cards.

The majority of variants (similar to parallels, but not available for all base cards), are available for Kayfus, Messick, and José. Some are only available for one of two of those three players or simply do not have Guardian representation.

Outside of the same three players, George Valera, Steven Kwan, and Kenny Lofton also have autograph cards available. On the relic side of things, José has the most available at three. Kayfus and Kwan each have a single relic design available. If there is a Cleveland insert card available in a specific design, it will likely be José. Kayfus has two inserts and Messick has one.

One cool feature for the 75th anniversary are Topps Gift inserts. Collectors can find a series of prizes in packs of cards including tickets to the All-Star Game, Team Gifts from select teams, and even a $7500 gift card to Topps.

Throughout the season, fans should also keep an eye on the Topps Now program. Topps runs a pre-order only, limited print of major moments throughout the season. This includes player debuts, first hits, major walk off wins, etc. Last year they also ran a team Spring Training set that included a program where if a player on your team does a specific thing in game, you will automatically get a Topps Now card. Last year that was José’s multi-HR game against the Angels in April.

For the full list of Series One cards, including design examples, Beckett is my go-to. If you are new to the hobby, read up on the odds that each type of pack provides if there are specific cards you want to try your luck on pulling.

Good luck and happy ripping!

Posted on

No. 13 Purdue edges No. 7 Nebraska in overtime thriller after blowing 22-point lead

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Oscar Cluff’s layup put Purdue ahead with 3.9 seconds left in overtime after Nebraska had taken its first lead and Gicarri Harris’ two free throws sealed the No. 13 Boilermakers’ 80-77 victory over the No. 7 Cornhuskers on Tuesday night.

Purdue (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) escaped after blowing a 22-point lead early in the second half. The Boilermakers recorded their second top-10 win of the season to start a difficult closing stretch that has them playing three top-10 teams over 16 days.

Nebraska (21-3, 10-3) lost for the third time in four games following a 20-0 start. All three losses were to ranked opponents.

Fletcher Loyer led Purdue with 18 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn had a career-high 19 rebounds and Braden Smith had 13 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Rienk Mast led the Huskers with 18 points, Jamarques Lawrence added 16 and Pryce Sandfort had all 15 of his points in the second half.

Sandfort’s layup with 1:31 left in overtime gave Nebraska its first lead, 77-75. Cluff had a chance to tie it when he got fouled pulling down an offensive rebound, but he made only one of two free throws. Cluff’s putback on the next possession put the Boilermakers up by a point in the final seconds. Lawrence fumbled Sam Hoiberg’s inbound pass, and Harris picked up the ball and got fouled. After Harris made his free throws, Cluff intercepted the Huskers’ length-of-the-court pass just ahead of the buzzer.

NO. 3 HOUSTON 66, UTAH 52

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Emanuel Sharp set the school record for career 3-pointers and finished with 27 points to lift Houston over Utah.

Sharp made a career-high eight 3s on 8-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc to give him 277, surpassing Marcus Sasser (276 in 2019-23) for the school mark. The record-breaking 3 was a 30-foot jumper with 15:06 to play.

Joseph Tugler and Milos Uzan each scored 9 points for the Cougars (22-2, 10-1 Big 12), who have won five straight and 16 of their last 17.

Keanu Dawes scored 15 points and Seydou Traore added 12 to pace the Utes (9-15, 1-10 Big 12) in the first meeting between Houston and Utah in Salt Lake City.

Houston led 40-25 after Tugler scored two inside baskets and the Cougars forced three straight turnovers to start the second half on an 8-0 run. The lead grew to 22 points on Chris Cenac’s dunk to make it 55-33 with 8:28 remaining.

NO. 4 DUKE 70, PITTSBURGH 54

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Isiah Evans scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 5 for 6 on 3-pointers, and Duke pulled away in the second half to defeat Pittsburgh.

Cameron Boozer added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils, and Caleb Foster had 14 points and eight boards.

Duke (22-2, 11-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) bounced back from a buzzer-beating loss to archrival North Carolina on Saturday that ended the Blue Devils’ 10-game winning streak. Duke blew a 15-point lead in the second half of that one and allowed the last nine points.

There were six lead changes and five ties in the first half before Duke scored seven straight points to take a 35-29 halftime lead. The Blue Devils then scored the first five points of the second period to make it a 12-0 run and extend their advantage to 40-29.

Pitt (9-16, 2-10) lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Roman Siulepa led the Panthers with 19 points and Barry Dunning Jr. scored 17, including 13 in the first half.

WISCONSIN 92, NO. 8 ILLINOIS 90, OT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Nick Boyd scored 25 points and John Blackwell had 24 to lead Wisconsin to an overtime victory over Illinois.

The pair combined for nine of the Badgers’ 11 points in overtime, handing the Illini their second straight overtime loss. Illinois lost Saturday at No. 10 Michigan State.

Wisconsin (17-7, 9-4 Big Ten) trailed by 12 points with 8:10 to go in regulation but sent the game into overtime at 81-all thanks to two 3-pointers by Austin Rapp in the final two minutes. Rapp finished with 18 points.

The Badgers’ Nolan Winter scored four points after a career-high 26 in an overtime loss Saturday at Indiana, but he had 11 rebounds.

Keaton Wagler scored 34 points for Illinois (20-5, 11-3), which played without injured starters Kylan Boswell (hand) and Andrej Stojakovic (ankle).

Tomislav Ivisic had 19 points and 11 rebounds, David Mirkovic had 12 points, Jake Davis had 11 and Ben Humrichous had 10 for the Illini.

MIAMI 75, NO. 11 NORTH CAROLINA 66

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Malik Reneau scored 16 points, Ernest Udeh Jr. had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Miami never trailed while beating North Carolina for the Hurricanes’ first victory over a Top 25 opponent in two years.

Tre Donaldson finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Shelton Henderson added 12 points for the Hurricanes (19-5, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Udeh made a free throw with 2:11 remaining, then rebounded his missed second attempt and scored on a layup to put Miami ahead 66-60.

After Donaldson’s layup with 1:20 left made it 69-62, Jarin Stevenson’s layup 5 seconds later got the Tar Heels (19-5, 7-4) within five. Despite finishing 14 of 23 from the foul line, Miami clinched the win with six free throws in the final minute.

As soon as the horn sounded, Hurricanes fans stormed the court, celebrating their first win over a Top 25 team since beating No. 16 Clemson 95-82 Jan. 3, 2024.

Stevenson scored 13 points, Caleb Wilson had 12 and Henri Veesar added 11 for the Tar Heels.

NO. 15 VIRGINIA 61, FLORIDA STATE 58

TALAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Jacari White scored 19 points off the bench, including a go-ahead dunk with 1:12 remaining, and Virginia closed on an 11-0 run to rally past Florida State.

White shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range as the Orlando native returned to the Sunshine State and helped the Cavaliers (21-3, 10-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) extend their winning streak to five games. He played 21 minutes and scored more points than he had in any ACC game this season.

Lajae Jones had 21 points and a season-high 13 rebounds for Florida State (11-13, 3-7), which had won three straight. Robert McCray V finished with 20 points.

A short jumper by Thijs De Ridder gave Virginia a 61-58 advantage with 25 seconds remaining. Jones and McCray each missed a 3-pointer that could have tied it, and the Seminoles went scoreless over the final 4:54.

De Ridder had nine points and nine rebounds, helping Virginia outrebound Florida State 47-37.

Led by White, Virginia’s bench outscored Florida State’s reserves 32-10.

NO. 19 VANDERBILT 84, AUBURN 76

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Tyler Tanner scored 25 points, Jalen Washington added 22, and Vanderbilt outlasted Auburn.

Washington hit 7 of 8 shots and knocked down both of his 3-point attempts as a 25% shooter beyond the arc. Devin McGlockton had 12 points and seven rebounds.

Tanner, the Commodores’ leading scorer, drilled a 3-pointer late in the clock to stop a second-half run by the Tigers.

Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with 21 points. Keyshawn Hall had 13 points and KeShawn Murphy added 12 points.

Vanderbilt (20-4, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) assisted on 14 of its 25 made shots. Auburn had just nine assists.

Vanderbilt went into halftime with a 42-31 lead after closing out the final 6:03 on a 16-5 run. McGlockton scored 12 of the 16 points to spark the Commodores’ stretch.

Auburn (14-10, 5-6) shot just 32.1% from the field in the first half but made 5 of 10 3-pointers — including a deep 3-pointer from Pettiford to slow down Vanderbilt’s attack — and held an 18-12 rebounding advantage.

Auburn threatened late with a 12-2 run to bring the game to within four points but could not get closer.

NO. 21 ARKANSAS 91, LSU 62

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Darius Acuff Jr. scored 28 points — the freshman’s fifth straight game scoring 21 or more — and Arkansas routed reeling LSU.

Fellow freshman Meleek Thomas added 20 points, Trevon Brazile had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Billy Richmond III scored 13 points for the Razorbacks (18-6, 8-3 Southeastern Conference), who led throughout and by as many as 36 points en route to their fifth victory in six games.

Marquel Sutton scored 18 points and Pablo Tamba added 11 points for LSU (14-10, 2-9), which shot 31% (21 of 68) while losing for the fifth time in six games.

The Tigers outrebounded Arkansas 43-36 and grabbed 21 rebounds on the offensive end, but managed just 13 second-chance points.

Arkansas had lost its previous three visits to LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center, but the Razorbacks, who shot 56% (35 of 62), quickly put themselves in position to end that streak.

NO. 22 BYU 99, BAYLOR 94

WACO, Texas (AP) — AJ Dybantsa scored 36 points, Robert Wright III added a career-high 30 while getting booed nearly every time he touched the ball and BYU ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over Baylor.

Wright backed out on an agreement to return to the Bears after spending his freshman season with them, and the Foster Pavilion fans let him know how they felt. Loud boos rang out during his pregame introduction, and Baylor students chanted “traitor” several times during the game.

BYU (18-6, 6-5 Big 12) rallied from an early 12-point deficit, led by Dybantsa and Wright but with some key plays from Richie Saunders as the Cougars avoided matching their longest skid since losing the final five games of the 2004-05 season.

Freshman guard Tounde Yessoufou scored a season-high 37 points and Cameron Carr added 24 for the Bears (13-11, 3-9), who trimmed a 17-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining to four but still dropped to 1-5 at home in Big 12 play.

Dybantsa was 14 of 20 from the field and had seven assists in the fifth 30-point game of a freshman season that figures to lead to a top-five pick in this summer’s NBA draft.