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Cavs pull even with Knicks in standings after defeating them 109-94

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes around Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers made drastic trades at the deadline because they believed they could compete in a wide-open Eastern Conference. A regular-season win doesn’t validate those moves, but it does provide good proof of concept. The Cavs came away with a 109-94 victory over the New York Knicks.

As has been the case in much of James Harden’s initial tenure with the team, the Cavs won on the strength of their two guards and Jarrett Allen.

The Cavs failed to get Allen involved in their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and paid the price. They rectified that issue by ensuring Allen was a part of the offense early and often. He was continually able to get downhill to attack the basket and held up better than he has in a matchup with Mitchell Robinson in recent memory.

Getting Allen touches opened up things for the rest of the offense. The guards had lanes to attack off-the-dribble and from beyond the arc. And they made sure to take advantage of that.

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Donovan Mitchell and Harden continue to complement each other well on the court, even though they didn’t put up gaudy stat lines.

Harden orchestrated the offense all night while finding opportunities to score from the outside.

Mitchell relentlessly attacked the defense off the dribble. Even though he didn’t have his usual efficiency from the floor, he made up for it with his ability to get to the free-throw line.

The Cavs took control of this game in the third quarter after not being able to create much separation in the first half.

They continually forced New York to beat them with their outside shot by cheating off guys like Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, daring them to beat them from deep. This cut off lanes to the basket, which resulted in the Knicks only attempting three shots at the rim in the third quarter. And the Knicks weren’t able to make up for it with their outside shooting as they went 1-12 from beyond the arc in that frame.

This all led to Cleveland winning the quarter 23-11 and jumping out to an 18-point lead that they never gave up.

This was a great game from the Cavs, but they struggled to get Evan Mobley involved offensively. He felt like the odd man out when playing with the starters and wasn’t able to take advantage of the additional spacing in the bench lineups.

It will be an adjustment period for Mobley, who is still on a minutes limit. This was just his third game with the team since they made their drastic moves at the deadline, but this is something to keep an eye on. He finished this one with 12 points on 4-7 shooting with seven rebounds.

Mithell provided 23 points on 5-18 shooting to go along with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Harden had 20 points on 8-18 shooting with four assists.

Allen supplied 19 points and 10 rebounds on 7-8 shooting.

The Knicks were led by 20 points from Jalen Brunson. Mikal Bridges provided 18 points on 6-17 shooting with five rebounds.

With the win, the Cavs are now tied with the Knicks for third in the conference and are a game and a half behind the Boston Celtics for the second spot.

This was the last meeting between the Cavs and Knicks this season. This was the Cavs’ lone win in the series.

The Cavaliers are back in action tomorrow night as they hit the road to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is at 8 PM.

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Former Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga dominates in Hawks debut

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 24: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks smiles during the game against the Washington Wizards on February 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In his first NBA game without a Golden State Warriors jersey, Jonathan Kuminga delivered an impressive all-around performance in the Atlanta Hawks 119-98 blowout win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. In 24 minutes off the bench, Kuminga scored a game-high 27 points alongside 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and just 2 turnovers on 9-for-12 shooting from the field (3-for-4 from three and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line). He unsurprisingly had an excellent +16 plus/minus as well.

Kuminga’s tumultuous Warriors tenure finally came to a close at the trade deadline, when Golden State sent him to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis and his expiring contract. While a healthy Porzgingis would be the perfect center for the Warriors, his injury history and prolonged bout with chronic illness (POTS) make it difficult to envision him becoming a core member of the team. With Porzingis’ contract slated to expire at the end of the season, Golden State was largely moving Kuminga in a salary dump that netted them a potential lottery ticket.

Kuminga has had plenty of impressive flashes throughout his pro career. His tantalizing athleticism after all is what led the Warriors to select him with the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Kuminga had many promising stretches with Golden State, where he flashed future All-Star potential. Even this season, after an ugly prolonged restricted free agency, Kuminga started the season in the starting lineup and got off to a great start. However, head coach Steve Kerr quickly pulled Kuminga from the starting lineup after a slump and he soon was out of the rotation entirely.

Kuminga is confident he can be a legitimate NBA star. Kerr was clearly skeptical. If Kuminga keeps playing like he did in his first game with the Hawks, he’ll surely have the last laugh.

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Mavericks beat the Nets 123-114 after both teams arrive on game day because of the blizzard

NEW YORK (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored 22 points, Naji Marshall had 21 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 on Tuesday night after both teams arrived in New York earlier in the day.

Both clubs played road games on Sunday and neither was able to fly into the New York area because of a blizzard. The Mavericks stayed in Indiana and the Nets remained in Atlanta. Both flew Tuesday and arrived in the early afternoon.

The change in schedule didn't affect the Mavericks, who scored a season-high 76 points in the first half and won their second straight after a 10-game skid.

Brandon Williams had 19 points and 10 assists, while Klay Thompson added 17 points for the Mavericks, who shot 58.5% from the field while playing their fourth consecutive game without No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg because of a sprained left foot.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Noah Clowney had 22 for the Nets, who lost their fifth straight. Terance Mann had 17 points off the bench and Nic Claxton finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Mann hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Brooklyn within two with 7:42 to play, but the Mavericks recovered and pushed the margin back into double digits in the final minute.

Up next

Mavericks: Host Sacramento on Thursday.

Nets: Host San Antonio on Thursday.

___

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

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Strong Jonathan Kuminga debut leads Hawks to 119-98 win against Wizards

Feb 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathon Kuminga (0) reacts with center Jock Landale (31) after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks were back in action on Wednesday evening to take on the Washington Wizards. Though it’s not considered a big game, the major story coming in was the return of Trae Young. He didn’t play, but he did speak to the media before the game, and also came out to put some shots up.

The other big storyline was Jonathan Kuminga being available for the first time being traded to the Hawks, and many were wondering what he would look like on the floor with hs new teammates.

The Hawks started the game off strong, turning defense into offense.

The Hawks made their presence felt early on the boards, and it led to second chance points.

Kuminga came in for the first time as a Hawk and made an immediate impact, doing what he does best, and that’s run the floor.

He got another easy bucket minutes later, Kuminga got in the open lane and got an easy slam.

Not only did he make plays for himself, but he made plays for others. He finished the quarter with four assists.

The Hawks did suffer some injury news in the quarter, as Jalen Johnson went to the locker room with a hip flexor and was listed as questionable to return. Going into the second, the Hawks led 35-20.

The Hawks maintained their lead to start the second, as they continued to get most of their points in transition. Midway through the quarter, it was announced that Johnson was ruled out for the rest of the game, which meant the rest of the team would have to step up.

Also during the quarter, Young was given his tribute video.

The Hawks didn’t shoot the ball well in the quarter, but luckily for them, the Wizards weren’t shooting any better. Going into halftime, the Hawks did have a 60-43 lead.

The Hawks found a better rhythm to start the third, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker popped it off.

Dyson Daniels sliced his way to the rim on this play.

Kuminga continued his strong play in his debut, knocking down a three then turning to look at the Wizards’ bench.

Daniels got the steal on this one, and dumped it off to Kuminga for a dunk.

Gabe Vincent caught some ankles in third.

This has offically became a Kuminga highlight recap story.

With how well the Hawks played in the third quarter, they led by as much as 36 points, and went into the fourth with a 100-64 lead.

It was much of the same for the Hawks in the fourth, as they continued to maintain their large lead. Corey Kispert got on the board with a three-pointer.

The Wizards hit a few shots in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their large deficit. It was an ugly quarter for the Hawks, as they were barely to get much offense going, but luckilu they had a big enough lead to work with.

In the end, the Hawks were able to walk away with their second straight home win.

Kuminga finished the game with 27 points and seven rebounds, Alexander-Walker finished with 16 points, and Okongwu finished with 10 points and 10 rebouds.

The Hawks will be back in action on Thursday for a rematch against the Wizards.

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White Sox outlast Mariners in Spring Training slugfest

White Sox infielder, Tanner Murray
Tanner Murray went 2-for-3 with three RBIs on a double and a homer. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It was a doozy of a Spring Training game in Peoria, Arizona, on Tuesday as both the White Sox (4-1) and Seattle Mariners (2-3) offenses exploded for 28 hits with the South Siders persevering to snag their fourth win. Both pitching staffs stumbled through the nine innings, with 19 hurlers making an appearance across both teams; eight for Chicago and 11 for Seattle. Mariners pitchers walked fewer batters — six compared to nine from the Good Guys — but the Sox struck out 12, while the M’s only scratched five Ks across the board.

Lefthander Anthony Kay made his debut with Chicago since joining the team this past offseason and overcame a shaky start. The southpaw stumbled early, loading the bases with a hit, a walk, and a hit batter to open the first frame. The one run he gave up came from Josh Naylor, who drove in a run while grounding into a double play. However, Kay was able to reclaim control and strike out Randy Arozarena to get out of the first. He carried that momentum into the second, and ended his day with two walks, two Ks, and 25 of 45 pitches (55%) thrown for strikes.

The South Siders had taken a one-run lead on a Lenyn Sosa double in the first inning, though the Naylor RBI tied the game back up at one. Reader, this would not be the first nor the last lead change of the day, as you could probably imagine in such a high-scoring, borderline chaotic game.

Win probability chart for White Sox vs Mariners on 2/24/26, showing the up-and-down nature of the game until the White Sox held the lead.

Including Kay, five of eight South Side pitchers allowed at least one run, and all but Chase Plymell and Zach Franklin allowed at least one hit. On top of the mess in the box score, the White Sox recorded not one, but two blown saves and still somehow managed to earn the win, likely thanks to the help of Seattle also blowing a save after taking the lead in the sixth.

Popping his first homer of the spring, shortstop Tanner Murray brought a two-run lead back to the Good Guys. Murray was excellent on Tuesday while going 2-for-3 with two extra-base hits (a home run and a double) and posting a quarter of Chicago’s RBIs (three).

Derek Hill ignited a three-run fourth with a leadoff triple, followed immediately by a Brooks Baldwin RBI double down the right field line. Edgar Quero capped the rally with a run-scoring single, padding the Chicago lead to 6-3. Curtis Mead was solid in the leadoff spot this afternoon, making hard, solid contact, going 2-for-4. His RBI single in the fourth was 104 mph off the bat, but Mead also accounted for the hardest hit ball of the day as his ground out in the fifth left the bat at 111.4 mph. More of this, please.

Out of the 16 hits from the South Siders, six were for extra bases: four doubles, a triple, and a home run. Murray led the team by driving in three, but the bench also provided some late-game pop. Mario Camilletti and Oliver Dunn combined to go 3-for-4 with four RBIs after entering the game in the sixth, and helped lead the Sox to a win.

Thankfully, the offense was there to back up the defense because, as we know, the arm barn was a bit rusty. The lead evaporated in the third when Wikelman González entered and surrendered a two-run tank to Cal Raleigh. The 2025 home run king’s blast handed González a blown save and knotted the score at three. Unfortunately for everyone, it got way worse before it got better.

Chicago’s pitching staff struggled to find the zone; after González’s two walks, three additional relievers surrendered five more. The collapse peaked in the fifth, when Jairo Iriarte walked three straight hitters, all of whom eventually scored to tie the game at eight. Chase Plymell came in to relieve, and due to a throwing error from Edgar Quero, Plymell was awarded the second blown save despite not being in that situation without the mayhem that preceded him.

Ironically enough, lefthander Tyler Schweitzer ended up being granted the win even after giving up another two runs on four hits — definitely not his best performance but apparently not the worst of the day. The final two innings had some feeling of normalcy as Adisyn Coffey and Franklin were able to stave off the Mariners one last time. Each struck out one batter, and Coffey allowed just one base hit.

It was a whirlwind of a game, but everyone is just getting ramped up and working on different mechanics or certain aspects of their games in preparation for the upcoming season. While victories don’t really matter in Spring Training, it sure is nice to see a more lopsided win column. The fun continues Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds back home at Camelback Ranch with righthander Davis Martin projected to make the start.

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Wizards at Hawks final score: Washington blown out 119-98

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 24: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on February 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Washington Wizards lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, 119-98.

Again, like most games this season, the Wizards were the underdogs and it showed right away. Though neither team shot well in the first half, the Hawks were leading 60-43 thanks to better ball control and team assists. By the time the third quarter ended, Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 of his 27 points in the third quarter for the Hawks, which ended any hopes of Washington making this game competitive. The fourth quarter was garbage time.

I’m not happy watching another blowout, especially when the Wizards — even if Trae Young didn’t play tonight — just came out flat minus the fourth quarter. Will Riley scored 18 points to lead Washington.

The Wizards still play the Hawks on Thursday. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. ET. See you then.

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Martinelli's 28 points send Northwestern to yet another win over Indiana 72-68

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 28 points, Jake West added 16 points and Northwestern rallied to beat Indiana 72-68 on Tuesday night for its first six-game winning streak in series history.

The Wildcats have also won four consecutive road games against Indiana for the first time in program history.

Arrinten Page had 10 points off the bench for Northwestern (12-16, 4-13 Big Ten).

Lamar Wilkerson scored 18 points, reserve Tayton Conerway added 14, Sam Alexis had 13 and Tucker Devries 11 for Indiana (17-11, 8-9).

Northwestern clinched the win making 6 of 8 foul shots down the stretch.

Down 69-66, Conerway drove to the basket on the right and threw down a two-handed dunk and crashed to the floor claiming to be fouled with eight seconds to go. Conerway then intentionally fouled Jake West, who made two foul shots to push the Wildcats' lead to 71-68.

On Indiana's ensuing possession, Devries took a dribble hand-off on the right, gave a head fake and when elevating for the shot attempt, appeared to be grabbed on the left wrist by Angelo Ciaravino. The errant attempt was nowhere near the rim with 1.1 seconds left and Northwestern secured the rebound.

Indiana fouled Page, who made 1 of 2 shots to end it.

The Hoosiers missed 11 straight shots starting near the midway point of the second half until Conerway's dunk.

Indiana reached its largest lead at 38-25 with 4:48 left before halftime and went to intermission up 42-33.

Up next

Northwestern: Hosts Oregon on Saturday.

Indiana: Hosts 13th-ranked Michigan State on Sunday.

___

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Buy MLB spring training 2026 tickets for every game in Florida and Arizona

There's nothing in sports like attending a spiring training game under the sunny Arizona and Florida skies, with fans camped out on the berms beyond the outfield walls to watch Major League Baseball's exhibition games before the regular season gets underway.

MLB's 30 teams are split evenly between Arizona (Cactus League) and Florida (Grapefruit League) to prepare for the new season with players battling for jobs ahead o the grueling 162-campaign that every team hopes will end in late October.

Tickets for spring trraining games are markedly less expensive that regular-season games, offering a great value for fans and families lucky to be in the Phoenix area and coasts of Florida.

Here's how to buy spring training tickets for every team:

Spring training tickets 2026: Arizona Cactus League

Los Angeles Dodgers spring training tickets

See all available tickets for the Los Angeles Dodgers spring training games in the Cactus League in Arizona.

Get Dodgers spring training tickets

Spring training tickets 2026: Florida Grapefruit League

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB spring training tickets 2026, how to buy and price

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Oklahoma State scores first 7 points of OT to beat West Virginia 91-84 and end 5-game skid

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Kanye Clary scored 17 points and Oklahoma State scored the first seven points of overtime to help beat West Virginia 91-84 on Tuesday night and end the Cowboys' five-game losing streak.

Anthony Roy converted a three-point play, Parsa Fallah added a free throw and Jaylen Curry capped the extra-period surge with a 3-pointer to give Oklahoma State an 84-77 lead with 1:55 remaining. West Virginia pulled within five points twice inside the final 33 seconds but no closer.

The Mountaineers trailed by 14 points early in the second half.

Fallah and Clary each made a 3 to give Oklahoma State a 77-72 lead with 3:06 left in regulation. Chance Moore made 1 of 2 free throws, tipped in a shot and added a layup to knot it at 77. Clary missed a 3 at the buzzer to force overtime.

Fallah scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Oklahoma State (17-11, 5-10 Big 12). Curry added 15 points and Andrija Vukovic scored 12. Roy and Christian Coleman scored 10 apiece.

Honor Huff made six 3s and scored 20 points to lead West Virginia (16-12, 7-8). Treysen Eaglestaff added 18 points and Moore finished with 14 to go with 10 rebounds.

Oklahoma State scored the last nine points of the first half to take a 46-33 advantage. Two minutes into the second half, Vukovic made a pair of free throws to give the Cowboys their largest lead, 49-35.

West Virginia used a 10-0 run to take its first lead, 56-55, with 10:48 left.

Up next

West Virginia hosts No. 19 BYU on Saturday.

Oklahoma State plays at Cincinnati on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Ex-Yankees coach’s son hits first spring homer in front of dad’s pal Aaron Boone: ‘So cool’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Jake Casey hits a home run against the Yankees on Tuesday night, Image 2 shows Jake Casey hits a home run against the Yankees on Tuesday night

Observations from Yankees spring training on Tuesday.

Good Start

Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. delivered back-to-back RBI singles in the top of the first inning as the first four Yankees reached base against Blue Jays minor league righty Grant Rogers.

Casey at the Bat

Jake Casey, the son of former Yankees hitting coach Sean Casey, hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the ninth off Carson Coleman. “As close as Case and I are, I know what it’ll mean to him,” Aaron Boone said. “So, cool.”

Caught My Eye

Paul Goldschmidt enjoyed a strong day at the plate, crushing a two-run homer off submarine righty Tyler Rogers and later adding a two-run double off another righty, Jesse Hahn.

Wednesday’s Schedule

Lefty Ryan Weathers will make his Yankees spring debut against the Nationals in a 6:35 p.m. game at Steinbrenner Field.

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Sabres Should Consider Targeting Predators Defender

One of the Buffalo Sabres' top objectives ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline should be to add a right-shot defenseman. It is clear that the right side of their blueline could use more depth.

When looking at potential trade candidates around the NHL, one blueliner who could make sense for the Sabres to pursue is Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Perbix. 

If the Sabres landed Perbix, he would have the potential to be a solid addition to their bottom pairing. He would also give the Sabres another option for their penalty kill. 

Perbix's contract also adds to his appeal. This is because he has a reasonable $2.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. With this, he would be more than a rental for the Sabres if acquired. 

Perbix has appeared in 54 games this season with the Predators, where he has recorded three goals, six assists, nine points, and 56 blocks. This is after the right-shot defenseman had six goals, 13 assists, 19 points, and a plus-8 rating in 74 games this past season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

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Spring Training Is Spring Cleaning My Wallet

First things first: the Dbacks Dispatch crew and I will put in our two cents on games and their outcomes, but like any seasoned Spring Training vet knows, the numbers on the scoreboard are like the $7 churros at the Phoenix Zoo – I ain’t buying it. Let’s focus on the players. Whether it’s the shoo-ins to the opening day roster, or the prospects to take mental notes on for future years, that’s what really matters when you’re watching from your blanket on the lawn. Brett reminded us that the D-Backs had the best record in the Cactus League in 2016 and look how that turned out? (Don’t look; it was bad).

Players are going to be focused on specific parts of their game. They focus on things like their stride when they load up to swing or hitting a big leaguer’s breaking ball (you got this Jordan I believe in you). Yes, the actual product we’re seeing on the field may not be the most exciting when it comes to end results, but Spring Training audiences are either there for the vibes or hardcore hardball psychos like you and me. Some people have the giant bat beer in their hand, and others have a radar gun in their hand. The cool ones have both. That’s one reason why I love baseball.

A Swing with No Kick to It

One of our favorite annual traditions to watch for from camp is the mechanical transformation of Alek Thomas – his stride leg in particular (I swear that’s why I’m staring at his legs, guys). The Young King has arrived with a visible adjustment to his timing mechanism, notably shucking off his traditional leg kick in favor of a much simpler approach. Alek is currently trying out a no-leg kick style, often substituting a quiet toe-tap or a tiny lift for the straight up-and-down motion that defined his previous seasons at the plate.

You hope to see a more consistent approach at the plate and that he improves his ability to stay balanced against the ever rising high-level velocity zipping in from the mound. As one of Alek’s biggest fans whose copium is starting to wear off, he really needs to show some strong, consistent value at the plate. I say this only because the eye-test makes him seem like a liability, even though he actually had career highs almost completely across the board. In my opinion, Alek needs consistently productive AB’s for PR purposes. If he can have a successful, consistent year with the bat, he should be able to shed this stigma that he’s a defense-only outfielder. I know I’m certainly rooting for him.

Trouble With the Curve

Jordan Lawlar’s situation has been quite the conundrum thanks to a mix of high expectations and low sample size, but this year Lawlar has his own PR problem when it comes to breaking balls. So far, he’s been working on breaking that narrative in the few games he’s played in so far. Despite claims from critics that he couldn’t handle professional off-speed pitches, Lawlar has already left the yard twice this spring, clubbing home runs off both a changeup and a sharp breaking ball. I cannot emphasize enough that I’m fully aware it’s a drastically low sample size, but I’m down to celebrate small wins as much as I’m prone to scouring for areas to improve.

Maybe more impressive than the home runs themselves is the consistency of his contact. Lawlar has been barreling the ball with authority, turning in multiple three-hit performances with exit velocities reaching as high as 106 mph. By proving he can punish pro pitches, Lawlar is building an interesting case for a permanent spot in the heart of the Diamondbacks’ lineup, maybe even in the heart of the outfield. I chose to write about these two guys consecutively for a reason.

A Yu-Min Win

On the mound, lefty prospect Yu-Min Lin has become a major focal point due to a significant jump in his physical stuff compared to previous seasons. Lin, who was known for a craftier approach sitting around 89 mph, raised some eyebrows by reaching 93 mph with his fastball in his first spring outing. This velocity jump surely is a testament to his physical development following a difficult 2023 season where he missed significant time due to mandatory military service in Taiwan, not to mention a scary line drive he took to the dome that he had to recover from not too long ago.

Lin is pairing that newfound heat with a hard curveball that sits nearly at 80 mph. That’s a pretty significant tick up from the low-70s rainbow curve he featured in the minors. The increased velocity changes the outlook for the young pitcher, giving him the deception and power needed to navigate Reno and possibly The Show. Having ramped up successfully to represent both the D-backs and Team Taiwan, Lin appears poised to climb the organizational ladder faster than many anticipated a few years ago.

Spring Cleaning My Wallet

While the play on the field provides plenty of optimism, the soulless corporation side of baseball remains a major point of contention for fans dealing with rising costs and declining quality in the team shops. Resentment is growing over the current state of sports memorabilia thanks to everyone’s favorite manufacturer of transparent pants and jerseys with letters taken off the bottom line of the eye test chart. Fans have voiced frustrations that Fanatics’ modern jerseys, which can cost upwards of $200, often feel thin and cheap with screen-printed elements compared to the high-quality, stitched Majestic versions that were standard only a decade ago.

Hats are no exception either, with New Era’s new Clubhouse Collection hats drawing heavy fire. Retailing for $55 pre-tax, these designs have been described as looking like they were speed-ran or hastily assembled in Microsoft Paint. When combined with the rising barrier to entry at the ballpark, where lawn seat at Salt River Fields costs as much as it used to be to take the whole family, the affordable family outing of Spring Training has become a nostalgic memory of the past. For many, the disconnect between the premium price tag and the declining quality of the jerseys and hats is reaching a breaking point.

Say I wanted to take my son and daughter to a game for a classic dad outing in Scottsdale. I’m only buying 3 tickets. Of course they’re going to be lawn seats so they can roll around in the grass. I want us all to match so let’s say I get us all jerseys, not even with a last name on the back. I won’t even get the super cool purple Serpientes jerseys, just the standard cream colored home jersey for all three of us. Can’t forget this year’s Spring Training hats! One for each. I can’t take them to the game without having a hot dog either! So dad will be cheap and get the value dogs since the regular ones are almost half the cost of a lawn ticket. Alright, so tickets, jerseys, hats, and value dogs. What’s that ring up to?

$767

Um, what?

Let’s go ultimate discount dad. No jerseys for you guys because the logo is going to peel off before you even finish reading this sentence. Let’s go just the tickets, no food because we have food at home, and let’s not include any price for parking even though I definitely didn’t park in the Target parking lot just south of the stadium.

$80?! Our starters don’t even play long enough for the shadows to hit home plate! But hey, as long as the management from corporations can afford to take their clients out to the game, who needs generational fans? Well, at least we can stay at home and watch the games on the broadcast, right?

…Right?

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Maxey nearly posts triple-double, Embiid sharp in return as Sixers crush Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers passes the ball to teammate Tyrese Maxey #0 as he is defended by Quenton Jackson #29 of the Indiana Pacers during the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome back, big fella — boy, were you missed.

The Sixers rolled the Indiana Pacers 135-114 Tuesday night.

After missing the last five games, Joel Embiid put up 27 points, six rebounds and five assists on 11-of-17 shooting. Tyrese Maxey looked happy to have his running mate back, leading all scorers with 32 along with nine rebounds and eight assists while getting the fourth quarter off. 

VJ Edgecombe had an extremely efficient 23 points shooting 9-of-13 from the field. Andrew Nembhard and Micah Potter led Indiana with 23 as well.

With Embiid back, the Sixers were only down Paul George due to his suspension while the Pacers were without six players but most notably, Pascal Siakam.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • A quick start for both offenses, with Kam Jones, a 23% three-point shooter on the season, making his first two threes as well as his first two looks from inside the arc (in fairness, he was a 36% three-point shooter in college). On the other end, Kelly Oubre Jr. led the way with his first three shots of the night, knocking down a three and getting to the basket a couple of times as well.
  • Embiid’s first shift was as long as usual, but he only took three shots. He missed a long midrange jumper, but got a couple easy layups after sealing his defenders. Maxey was quite aggressive, attempting a poster for the second game in a row, but started the night 2-of-6.
  • The Sixers took much worse care of the ball in the quarter. They turned it over five times, three of which were steals that led directly to fast break layups. Defensively they were slow getting out to contest threes, and the Pacers shot 6-of-11 from deep in the quarter, putting the Sixers in an early eight-point hole.

Second Quarter

  • The second unit minutes sure do look different with Embiid back in the lineup. The Sixers ripped off a 17-0 run to open the quarter fueled by the starting backcourt. Edgecombe had a few successful drives and finished off a fast break started by an Adem Bona steal. They rewarded the big man for hustle coming out of a Pacers timeout, letting him go to work in the post for a floater.
  • Taking nearly five minutes to make their first field goal of the quarter, the Pacers gave the Sixers plenty of time to extend their lead. Embiid and Maxey both hit impressive circus layups before the former found a groove with a jumper. Trendon Watford returned to the rotation after being out the last two games and immediately was found by Embiid for a cutting layup.
  • Watford’s shift was rather up-and-down defensively, as he was getting shredded by Jarace Walker and Potter in the pick-and-roll. Just as the Pacers were putting together a run, he rotated over to block a Jones’ layup attempt. He picked Nembhard’s pocket on the next possession and that eventually led to points as well. Edgecombe looked to cap off a 7-0 run heading into the half, but Watford committed a really silly foul on the inbound with 0.5 left, and the ensuing free throws cut the Sixers’ lead to 10 at the break.

Third Quarter

  • Edgecombe was having a lot of success off the dribble in the first half and picked that right back up, barreling into Ben Sheppard for a layup to start the second. He and Oubre chipped in a couple more transition buckets as both teams started the half rather slow.
  • With Embiid, Edgecombe and Maxey all able to get to their spots with relative ease they were able to stay in front on cruise control. That did let the Pacers keep themselves within striking distance, with Nembhard being the latest to go on a flurry.
  • Credit to Bona, because it felt like the Sixers’ intensity on defense went up a notch every time he checked in. Both he and Maxey were both able to get their hands on the ball to create more fast breaks, helping to create a 9-0 Sixers run. That was a much needed spurt to end the quarter to put the Sixers up by 21.

Fourth Quarter

  • The only question remaining was whether the Sixers could keep the lead big enough to give their stars an early night. They probably wanted Embiid to get some extra minutes for conditioning as he did return a couple minutes into the fourth. He picked up a couple more easy baskets in the post, able to seal off Jay Huff nearly every time down the floor.
  • The benches started to empty a little less than halfway through the quarter with Justin Edwards and Andre Drummond checking in for the first time, and Dalen Terry shortly followed. Watford took advantage of the extra touches, his post-ups keeping the Sixers on the board and not allowing the Pacers any chance of a miraculous comeback.
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Denzel Aberdeen scores 19 and Kentucky beats South Carolina 72-63 to end a 3-game skid

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Denzel Aberdeen scored 19 points, Mouhamed Dioubate had 12 points and a key block down the stretch, and Kentucky beat South Carolina 72-63 on Tuesday night to end a three-game skid.

Kentucky (18-10, 9-6 SEC) secured its first win at South Carolina since the 2021-22 season.

The Wildcats had their lead trimmed to 59-57 with 2:43 left when Mike Sharavjamts made a wide open 3-pointer, off a nice drive and pass from Meechie Johnson. But Kentucky scored the next 10 points to pull away.

Malachi Moreno made a driving layup to give Kentucky a 61-57 lead and a block by Dioubate led to a Collin Chandler 3-pointer for a seven-point lead. South Carolina was off on a 3-pointer and Aberdeen added two free throws with 1:29 left for a nine-point advantage.

Andrija Jelavic added 11 points, Chandler finished with 10 points and Moreno had 11 rebounds for Kentucky. The Wildcats outrebounded South Carolina 48-28, including an 18-5 edge on the offensive end.

Johnson led South Carolina (12-16, 3-12) with 18 points. Sharavjamts added 12 points and Elijah Strong scored 11.

South Carolina was just 7-of-28 shooting in the first half (25%) to trail 28-21. But the Gamecocks made 10 of their first 16 shots of the second half to tie it at 48-all with eight minutes left.

Up next

Kentucky: Returns home to play No. 25 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

South Carolina: Plays at Georgia on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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The adjustments Will Warren is making to take his Yankees game to the next level

New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren #98, throwing a warmup pitch at the start of the 1st inning.
New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren #98, throwing a warmup pitch at the start of the 1st inning.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Clarke Schmidt has been where Will Warren is now.

Only two years ago, Schmidt was the right-hander coming off a season in which he made 30-plus starts to establish himself in the big leagues, even while taking some lumps along the way. Confidence was never an issue, but he arrived at camp the next spring with a different feel, a season’s worth of experience on his shoulders and information in his brain to use to his advantage.

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“You don’t really feel like you belong in this league until you’re a couple years in, until you start to feel like you’ve done some type of thing, whether it’s posting [pitching every five days] or having success,” Schmidt said. “So I think that definitely plays a factor.”

They are not the same pitcher, but the Yankees would sign up for what came next for Schmidt — taking off in the first two months of 2024 before a strained lat derailed him — to come next for Warren, injury aside. 

In order for that to happen, Warren will have to address a few key areas that hurt him most last season on the way to a 4.44 ERA across 33 starts. Like Schmidt, Warren had trouble with left-handed hitters.

In general, he did not pitch as well against some of the better teams he faced.

And he got hurt by a few big innings that blew up a handful of starts.

New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren throwing a warmup pitch at the start of the first inning on Feb. 24, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“I think it’s comfort level, honestly,” Warren said Tuesday after throwing 2 ²/₃ innings of one-run ball while striking out four in an 8-7 win over the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. “I know that my stuff plays, based on 33 starts and 170ish innings. It’s not trying to do too much. 

“Be Will Warren. Will Warren’s good enough to get people out.”

The first task will be getting through the spring healthy to begin the season in the rotation at a time when the Yankees will already be missing Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Schmidt to the injured list.

Warren is coming off the heaviest workload of his career last season, having thrown 167 innings including the playoffs — well past the 132 ¹/₃ innings he totaled in 2024, but he says he feels strong after only taking an extra week off or so from throwing over the offseason.

As for his plan to better attack hitters, the 26-year-old has moved from setting up on the first-base side of the rubber to the third-base side, which he believes can help against both righties (who hit .232 with a .680 OPS against him last season) and lefties (who hit .266 with a .786 OPS).

Will Warren pitching during Tuesday’s contest with the Blue Jays. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“I think it’s helped the attack angle [be] a little sharper,” said Warren, who pitched from the third-base side in college. “Righties, it feels like I’m coming at them, lefties might feel like the ball is just way out there, especially backdoor sweeper, backdoor curveball. And then just making it super sharp going into them. I think that’s the biggest thing we’re working on is just comfortability.”

Warren also mentioned wanting to throw the kitchen sink against left-handed hitters, plus putting an extra emphasis on getting ahead of them so he could keep them guessing on multiple pitches. 

The Blue Jays only had three lefties in their lineup Tuesday, and after giving up hits to each of them his first time through the lineup, Warren came back to retire the lefty-hitting Daulton Varsho and Jesus Sanchez (caught looking at a front-hip sinker) back-to-back to finish off his outing.

“I see those similarities with Will, where he’s trying to get better with lefties and cut down on some of the walks,” said Schmidt, who posted a 4.64 ERA in 32 starts in 2023 before jumping to a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts in 2025. “Then you start to clean up the details and iron out all that stuff and then your game just leaps.”

Warren allowed three earned runs or fewer in 24 of his 33 starts, but also had some clunkers — most notably with disastrous first innings against the Dodgers, the Blue Jays and Red Sox — which he will need to do a better job of containing.

“Just not letting things snowball, when you get a little emotional out there and you want to go harder and you want to go faster — no. You got to execute better,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So learning how to do it, how to be, what’s that fine line of having an edge to you and a fire to you but especially as a starting pitcher, also being emotionally really steady to handle all the things that come your way in the course of the game. He’s done a good job of that, but that’s the trick for a lot of these guys.”