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Walker Buehler reveals elbow ‘just stopped hurting’ years after second Tommy John surgery

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows San Diego Padres pitcher Walker Buehler (10) looks on from the dugout, Image 2 shows Walker Buehler of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after closing out the 9th inning to win the World Series

Over three years removed from the second Tommy John surgery of his career, Walker Buehler is only now pain-free — and he doesn’t know why.

The right-handed pitcher, who signed a minor league deal with the Padres in mid-February, made his spring debut Thursday against the Mariners, allowing two earned runs over three innings while striking out four.

Buehler said competing for a spot in an MLB rotation — as elbow issues plagued him over the winter — seemed like a long shot just weeks earlier.

Buehler made his spring training debut with the Padres on Thursday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“About four weeks ago, my elbow just stopped hurting,” Buehler told reporters after the game. “That’s a new one for me. … Things have kind of ticked up from there.”

Along with veteran Germán Márquez and former Met Griffin Canning, Buehler is among several pitchers competing to fill out a spot in the back end of San Diego’s rotation.

Still just 31 years old, Buehler is not too far removed from his Dodgers dominance when he made two All-Star teams (2019, 2021) and firmly entrenched himself as a perennial Cy Young candidate.

In 2021, he finished fourth for the National League Cy Young award before undergoing his second Tommy John procedure the following season — and he has failed to recapture that previous success.

Though Buehler sealed the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series victory with bullpen heroics in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium, he struggled for much of his return, posting a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts.

He signed a one-year, $21 million prove-it deal with the Red Sox last season in an attempt to reestablish himself, but the results were disastrous.

Boston released Buehler in late August after he went 7-7 with a 5.45 in 23 appearances.

He latched on with the Phillies down the stretch, going 3-0 with a 0.66 ERA in three outings, offering a glimpse of his prior standout form.

A two-time All-Star with the Dodgers, Buehler was one of several promising young pitchers in the game before undergoing a second Tommy John surgery. Jason Szenes / New York Post

Buehler’s new teammate Joe Musgrove, also recovering from Tommy John surgery, recently told The Athletic that he, along with other pitchers he’s spoken with, typically oes not feel fully back to normal until “the two-year mark.”

As he fights to revive his career and experience the other side of the Padres-Dodgers rivalry, Buehler agreed with the former All-Star.

“My first [Tommy John surgery] was a bit of an outlier,” Buehler said. “I was 21 years old and got way bigger, way stronger and my first live I felt better than I ever had. The second [surgery], that timeline checks out. … Maybe mine was even more delayed.

“I’ve tried every treatment and supplement, and vitamin you can. … Something got rid of it, and it hasn’t come back. I’m a little scared. I don’t know exactly what did it that fixed it.

“I hope if it hurts again, we get lucky again. But, all in all, it’s in a really good spot.”

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Jets Trade Both Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn To Sabres in Shocking Package Deal

The Winnipeg Jets are sending defenseman Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn to the Buffalo Sabres in a package deal, according to insider Frank Seravalli. 

The move helps Buffalo’s in their efforts to strengthen its blue line as the Sabres explored a trade for Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, but the deal ultimately fell through when Parayko declined to waive his no-move clause on Thursday. With that option off the table, Buffalo appears to have had the Winnipeg duo as their backup plan with the return package not yet known. 

Stanley, 27, has emerged as one of Winnipeg’s most productive defensemen this season. The Kitchener, Ontario native is in the midst of a career year, recording nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 59 games.

His breakout campaign has made him an appealing trade target around the league, particularly given his ability to handle significant minutes while playing under a very manageable cap hit. Stanley is averaging just over 17 minutes of ice time per game and carries a cap hit of $1.25 million. Over the course of his NHL career, he has appeared in 261 games with 14 goals and 43 assists.

Schenn, 36, could also be part of the discussions according to early rumours surrounding the negotiations. This season he has recorded one goal and seven points in 46 games while providing a physical presence through hits and shot blocking. The veteran defenseman brings a wealth of experience, including two Stanley Cup championships across a career that has spanned more than 1,100 NHL games.

Buffalo already had one of the deepest defense cores with Stanley and Schenn joining the likes of Rasmus Dahlin, Michael Kesselring, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson and Bowen Byram. 

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Player Grades: Mavericks vs. Magic

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 5, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The return of Cooper Flagg netted an all too familiar feeling for Mavericks fans; another clutch loss.

The Mavericks fought hard all night, but as usual were unable to execute in the clutch, leading to the Magic stealing an improbable win.

Without further ado… let’s grade the Mavericks

Cooper Flagg: A

18 PTS / 5 REB / 6 AST / 1 STL / 5 BLK -26 MIN

After what felt like an eternity, Cooper Flagg finally made his return to the lineup.

It’s wasn’t Flagg’s best shooting game, as his touch was clearly rusty, but he impacted the game in a multitude of ways. His defense was especially impressive, as his rim protection was felt all night, including an incredible sequence towards the end of the game.

His ability to effect the game in so many ways, on both ends, is what separates him in the rookie-of-the-year race, and makes his potential so tantalizing.

Khris Middleton: B

19 PTS / 2 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK -32 MIN

Khris Middleton may be older than time itself, but he can still get buckets.

Middleton’s off-ball ability and scoring chops have proven to be very valuable for this team, and could be very valuable for next year.

Daniel Gafford: B

12 PTS / 13 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK -25 MIN

While Daniel Gafford had a good statistical performance, he still had a very frustrating game.

This mainly boils down to his sheer lack of awareness defensively, as he often finds himself completely out-of-position, which included the game winning shot by Wendell Carter Jr.

Max Christie: C-

6 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK -28 MIN

Max Christie receives this grade simply because he was nearly invisible during the game, contributing nothing on either offense of defense.

P.J. Washington: B+

18 PTS / 5 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK -33 MIN

P.J. Washington has had an incredibly frustrating season, but has begun to find his form in the last month.

While this won’t quell the trade rumors that are sure to follow him into the offseason, it is nice to see the old, uber-impactful version of Washington.

Klay Thompson: A+

24 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK -26 MIN

Klay Thompson may be washed in many aspects, he can still shoot the ball with the absolute best of them.

Thompson’s ability to make threes from any angle is so unique, and could be so valuable for next year’s Mavericks.

Naji Marshall: D-

6 PTS / 4 REB / 5 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK -25 MIN

In a game that was decided by one point, Naji Marshall’s scoring was missed dearly, as he struggled to find any offense.

The one positive was his playmaking, as he racked up five assists.

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Timberwolves 115, Raptors 107: Claws, Calls, and Contradictions

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 05: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates his three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors in the first quarter at Target Center on March 05, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There are games that you want to remember and ones you want to forget. There are games where everything goes perfectly, and games where everything goes terribly. There are also games like tonight, where seemingly all of those things happen all at once. Most nights, that would be a nightmare to watch and even worse to be on a recap for. Instead, tonight was fun.

It was not fun for Jaden McDaniels, who found himself in foul trouble for the entirety of this game, leading to what was likely the worst performance of his season. It was not fun for head coach Chris Finch, who perpetually looks miserable on the bench, whether it’s through ten point deficit or a 21-5 run.

Still, it was also really fun for most of the team. Donte DiVincenzo had three threes in the first half. Kyle Anderson is playing backup point guard. Anthony Edwards had that aforementioned crazy poster dunk.

Nights like this are the meat and potatoes of the NBA season. These are not headlining matchups. These are not appointment viewing. These are not even on primetime television; instead, boasting the “FanDuel sports network.” Instead, these are the games that we miss in August when the season is a distant memory.

There’s so much left to discuss, so many bits of minutia we can focus on. So, to that note, let’s get started—

Wait, I’m being told I failed to mention something here.

Here’s what you guys missed from this game.

Alright. With all our Ts crossed and Is dotted, let’s get down to business.

The Kyle Anderson Experience

Slo Mo finished tonight’s game with four points, four assists, and three rebounds in only 15 minutes. Even with the deadline’s other acquisitions all being point guards, it’s been Anderson who is taking the bulk of the bench playmaking role.

When people spoke about how the Wolves needed to improve, so many of the questions came down to backcourt depth. Conversations largely focused on finding a point guard to fix both playmaking and ball-handling deficiencies. Instead, Minnesota has found a bit of a platoon approach.

Anderson’s role also holds some playoff promise. The rotation has now expanded out to nine players. While it’s probably less than ideal long term that both TJ Shannon have been relegated to garbage time, Kyle offers the type of backup 3/4 minutes that Shannon ideally would have provided.

A frequently threadbare bench has now become a bit of a strength, with both the depth and specialists that mean that Finch can go from a seven-man rotation to a nine-man one and back again if needed.

Which brings us to our next topic…

Bench Mobbing

Remember when the Wolves relied on Naz Reid as the only capable player outside of the top five starters? Remember when Mike Conley would come in and immediately get blown by, only for Chris Finch to tell non-believers that there were just no other options up and down the roster (Rob Dillingham believers did NOT like that idea)? Remember when Bones Hyland needed to be relied upon, even on nights when his shot wasn’t falling?

Well, these are not those Wolves of yesteryear. Between the additions of Ayo Dosumnu and Kyle Anderson, and the continued value of shock impact player Hyland and Sixth Man of the Year favorite Naz Reid, this bench unit is shockingly capable.

Nowhere was that more obvious than in the scoring column tonight. Six players finished in double digits. That was with McDaniels missing out by one bucket because of foul trouble.

There is no reason that can’t continue.

Most importantly, there’s no reason why that isn’t translatable to a playoff environment. This era of Wolves basketball is defined by an overperformance of unexpected players. Realistically speaking, it is Bones Hyland who will find himself out of the rotation in May. However, that doesn’t mean his role of offensive sparkplug will cease to matter.

To that end, this team makes sense in a way that I can buy into. That has to count for something.

Closing Thoughts

With just about two months left in the regular season, the Wolves now sit at third in the West, a full game ahead of the fourth-seeded Rockets. They are a full five games back from the Thunder and Spurs pack of it all, but a few months ago, the idea of escaping the play-in felt far away and unlikely.

There is no team that these Wolves can’t beat. They will once again be a popular dark horse for the title. But the good news is that no one is playing better than them. The same thing happened last year. And the year before.

Maybe the Anthony Edwards era will be defined by late-season runs that extend deep into the playoffs. There are far worse things to be known for than that. Even better, maybe sometime soon, those flameouts will become Finals appearances. And maybe, just maybe, those appearances become victories.

While Edwards is unquestionably the motor and frame of the car that is the Timberwolves, there is more to this vehicle than there was earlier. It’s not a carry job. It is an F1 construction finding stability through its well-tested and well-engineered parts, each functioning as needed.

Goodnight Wolves fans. Dream of Max Verstappen, or Dale Earnhardt, or Lightning McQueen. The race starts in 60 days. The car is hitting top form. The drivers are raring to go.

Time to get to work.

Up Next

The Timberwolves will go for six in a row on Saturday afternoon against the Orlando Magic. The game begins at 2:00 PM CT, airing on Amazon Prime Video.

Highlights

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Kevin Durant’s overtime misses doom Rockets in 115-113 loss to Warriors

HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 5: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 5, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

You can criticize the 2025-26 Golden State Warriors for a lot of things, but lack of heart is not one of them.

Missing Steph Curry, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porzingis and Gary Payton II, the Warriors rode an incredible team effort on defense to a 115-113 overtime win against the Houston Rockets. Draymond Green locked down Kevin Durant late and then the NBA’s burner account king missed two clutch free throws and accidentally made another in OT.

Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 26 points and nine rebounds, but the shorthanded Warriors got contributions all the way down the roster. DeAnthony Melton scored 23 points, blocked two shots and got three steals. Green led the team with eight assists, scored 10 points and turned the ball over only once.

Al Horford scored 17, drained three threes and got a huge hustle block on Alperen Sengun in overtime. And Gui Santos had 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists and was +20 in 42 minutes, a remarkable accomplishment for a two-point victory. He also delivered what turned out to be only the second-most embarrassing moment of the game for Durant.

Golden State looked like they’d taken control of the game late in overtime when Podziemski hit a three and a driving layup on consecutive possessions, thanks to some powerful screens from Green.

The Warriors’ timely help defense on Durant forced a miss and they had the ball and a five-point lead with 1:20 to go.

It fell apart quickly. All-Defensive guard Amen Thompson stole the ball and got fouled. He split his free throws, but the Rockets got an offensive rebound and whipped the ball around to Durant, who canned a three to cut the lead to one. But the resilient Warriors went to the veteran Horford, who posted up Thompson, 16 years younger then him, and hit a bucket.

Durant drew a three-shot foul on Melton, and it looked like the game would be tied. After all, Durant had made 34 consecutive free throws. That streak would end at 36.

He missed the third freebie, then the Warriors got two offensive rebounds on their next possession before Melton scored for another three-point lead.

It’s a testament to the tenacity of the Warriors that they got the most important offensive rebound against the Houston Rockets. Up three, Green fouled Durant, who missed another free throw. Needing to miss and get an offensive rebound, KD accidentally made his final free throw.

To add insult to injury, the game ended after the Rockets let all but 0.1 seconds run off the clock before fouling, and Green threw the ball off Durant to end it. X.com user “getoffmydickerson” will surely have a lot to say about that later.

Steve Kerr has plenty of critics among Warriors fans and people writing this very recap, but Thursday’s game was another example of why he remains one of the NBA’s best-ever coaches. Somehow, the Warriors have a top-12 defense this season, and they handled everyone but Reed Sheppard (30 points, six threes) and forced 17 turnovers.

Out of a timeout just under four minutes, Kerr drew up a sweet out-of-bounds play for Green, who got an and-one off a dime from Brandin Podziemski.

Of course, the real secret to a killer defense is having Draymond Green. He did a great job of denying his old teammate the ball, but Sengun kept making tough shots to keep the Rockets in it. But, the Warriors won the mathematics battle, because three is more than two. De’Anthony Melton hit a three and then Al Horford nailed a huge triple off a broken play and a heads-up pass from Green.

At the end of regulation, Durant blocked Melton, a play originally called a foul and reversed, because this is what happens late in Rockets-Warriors games. The ageless Horford won the subsequent jump ball, but Thompson blew up the Warriors’ inbounds play to send the game to OT.

LJ Cryer had a strong performance back in the city of his college basketball glory. In his first game since Jan. 25, Cryer scored 12 points, guarded Reed Sheppard in big moments, sank four three-pointers and provided 20 crucial minutes for a Warriors team light on guards.

But the star was Podziemski. Eight days after his 23rd birthday, Podziemski took command of the offense late in games, grabbed five offensive rebounds and went 4-for-8 from behind the arc. For a player who seems to constantly draw the ire of the Warriors fanbase, Podziemski continues to do a lot of good things for his team, even while being clotheslined by Rockets defenders and being constantly whipped in the face by his beautiful, wild hair.

Golden State moves to 32-30 and 1.5 games ahead of the 9th-place Los Angeles Clippers. They’ll play the San Antonio Spurs Friday while the Warriors play the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday, so let’s just assume they’ll be 32-31 1.5 games ahead on Sunday.

Except, after Thursday, you just never know with this team and their new adopted Splash Cousin LJ Cryer. There will be time enough to bemoan Kerr’s coaching decisions and the insane roster choices later. This is the time to savor the most satisfying Warriors win of the season.

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LeBron James breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar NBA record for field goals

LeBron James has broken yet another NBA record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

In the final seconds of the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, James posted up Zeke Nnaji along the baseline before hitting him with a turnaround fadeaway for the 15,838th made field goal of his career — the most all-time by a player.

Though he passed Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer in 2023, the fact that it took another three years to surpass him in made field goals speaks to the evolution of the game, and the power that the 3-ball and the free throw line have in today's NBA.

James and Abdul-Jabbar are the only two players to score at least 15,000 career field goals; the next closest is Karl Malone with 13,528. The only other active player in the top 10 is Kevin Durant, who is in ninth with 11,075.

Most field goals made in NBA history

Here's the top 10 list, per the NBA:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record for NBA field goals

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Lafreniere sparks a long-awaited home breakthrough as the Rangers rout the Maple Leafs 6-2

NEW YORK (AP) — Alexis Lafreniere scored the go-ahead goal on a deflection in the third period, and the New York Rangers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 on Thursday night to pick up their first regulation win at home in more than three months.

It was the Rangers’ 19th game at Madison Square Garden since defeating St. Louis on Nov. 24. They had lost 13 of 18 since, with the only victories during that stretch coming in overtime or a shootout.

Falling behind 13 seconds in, they rallied to win for just the eighth time in 28 home games all season.

Jaroslav Chmelar scored his first career NHL goal a few minutes after Lafreniere put the Rangers up, bringing some joy to the team and crowd at the three-quarter mark of a season that long ago went off the rails.

Playing on the eve of the trade deadline, who was not in uniform for New York and Toronto to safeguard them from injury was just as notable if not more notable than who was on the ice.

The Rangers scratched centers Vincent Trocheck and Sam Carrick. The Maple Leafs for a second consecutive night opted not to dress defenseman Oliver Ekman Larsson and forwards Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann. Roster management was the reason given.

Toronto, which traded center Nicolas Roy to Colorado earlier Thursday, lost its sixth game in a row coming out of the Olympic break. The Leafs’ longest-active playoff streak is well on its way to ending at nine.

SABRES 5, PENGUINS 1

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan McLeod and Alex Tuch scored short-handed goals and Buffalo beat Pittsburgh.

McLeod now has a league-best five short-handed goals this season. Josh Norris added a power-play goal, Owen Power scored and Mattias Samuelsson scored an empty-net goal for the Sabres, who won their fifth straight game.

Tage Thompson established a career-best, nine-game point streak with an assist. Buffalo has points in 10 straight road games, matching the longest road point streak in franchise history.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 shots for the Sabres, who are 11-2-1 in their last 14 games.

Bryan Rust scored a short-handed goal for the Penguins, who lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time since Jan. 10-11.

BLUE JACKETS 4, PANTHERS 2

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jet Greaves made 26 saves, Mathieu Olivier scored twice and Columbus dealt another blow to Florida’s playoff hopes with a victory.

Two-time defending champion Florida is in danger of becoming the first Cup-winning team to miss the playoffs the following season since Los Angeles in 2014-15. Ten points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the East, the Panthers have lost the first four games of a trip that ends Friday night in Detroit.

Defenseman Ivan Provorov had a goal and two assists and Boone Jenner also scored to help Columbus, fighting for a wild-card spot in the East, win its third straight. The Blue Jackets were coming off a back-to-back sweep, beating the Rangers 5-4 in overtime in New York on Monday night and Nashville on Tuesday night to open a four-game homestand.

Defenseman Niko Mikkola and Sam Bennett scored for Florida in a 5:36 span of the third period.

Gustav Forsling appeared to tie it with 2:55 to go, but Columbus successfully challenged for goaltender interference. Olivier then put it away with an empty-netter with 1:42 left.

MAMMOTH 3, FLYERS 0

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vitek Vanecek stopped 16 shots in his 100th career win and Dylan Guenther assisted on two Utah goals as it beat Philadelphia.

Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller scored in the second period for the Mammoth, and Michael Carcone added an empty-net goal at 18:12 of the third.

Vanecek earned his first shutout of the season and the 11th of his career. The 30-year-old had four shutouts during the 2021-22 with the Washington Capitals.

Utah has won two straight games and five of its last seven while completing a two-game season sweep of the Flyers.

Dan Vladar made 20 saves for Philadelphia and slipped to 19-10-6. The Flyers had their three-game winning streak halted.

After a scoreless first period, the Mammoth outshot the Flyers 14-7 in the second period and took a lead they never relinquished.

PREDATORS 6, BRUINS 3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matthew Wood scored twice to lead Nashville to a victory over Boston.

Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, Nicolas Hague, Erik Haula and Luke Evangelista also scored for the Predators. Juuse Saros made 20 saves for Nashville, which snapped a three-game losing streak. The Predators trail the Seattle Kraken for the Western Conference’s second wild card by three points.

Charlie McAviy and Viktor Arvidsson each had a goal and an assist and Morgan Geekie also scored for Boston. Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves for the Bruins, who have lost two of their last three games. Boston is one point ahead of Columbus for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card.

Hague scored the game’s first goal at 13:53 of the opening period on a slap shot between Korpisalo’s pads.

Wood made it 2-0 at 1:24 of the second with a short-handed goal.

JETS 4, LIGHTNING 1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves, Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist and Winnipeg beat Tampa Bay.

Morgan Barron, Gustav Nyquist and Kyle Connor, into an empty net, also scored for Winnipeg. The Jets improved to 25-26-10, extending their home winning streak against Tampa Bay to five games.

Nyquist scored his first goal in 41 regular-season games dating to last season. He gave Winnipeg a 3-1 lead at 5:34 of the third period.

Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots. The Lighting have lost four straight to fall to 38-18-4.

Point scored at 1:52 of the third period to spoil Hellebuyck’s shutout bid. Jake Guentzel picked up his 39th assist, matching his total last season.

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Etute, Fiso lead second-half rally as Oregon women beat No. 14 Maryland 73-68 in Big 10 Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ehis Etute and Katie Fiso combined for 32 second-half points to lead Oregon 73-68 past No. 14 Maryland in the second round of the Big 10 Tournament on Thursday.

After two points from Etute in the first half and none from Fiso, Etute tallied 18 points, five rebounds and three blocks in the second half. Fiso had 14 on 7-of-13 shooting and four assists after halftime.

After a back-and-forth in the final three minutes that had Maryland within two points, Avary Cain hit a 3-pointer with five seconds to go to seal the result for the No. 11 seed Ducks (22-11). She had 13 points and two blocks.

Oluchi Okananwa scored 27 points — including 17 in the second half — going 10 of 18 from the field and 7 of 8 at the line to go with three steals for the Terrapins (23-8).

Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu added 10 points as the only other Terrapins player in double figures.

Neither team lead by double digits, with Maryland's eight-point lead in the first quarter the largest of the game. It's the second meeting and second time this season that the Ducks have upset the Terrapins.

Up next

Oregon will face No. 8 (and No. 3 seed) Michigan on Friday.

Maryland awaits a likely bid to the NCAA tournament. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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LeBron James breaks another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record in loss to Nuggets

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks the ball for a basket to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record.
Lakers star LeBron James dunks to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record of 15,837 career field goals in the regular season during the first quarter Thursday against the Denver Nuggets. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

LeBron James is king of another NBA record once held by Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

James broke Abdul-Jabbar's record for the most career field goals in the regular season Thursday against the Denver Nuggets, but an elbow injury limited his contributions in crunch time of the Lakers' 120-113 loss.

After scoring over Denver center Nikola Jokic in the fourth quarter, James fell to the court and immediately grabbed his left elbow. He eventually got up and went to the bench with 3:58 remaining. He returned with 2:05 left and the Lakers down 112-111 before leaving again with 22 seconds left after Jokic scored consecutive baskets to give the Nuggets a 116-111 lead. Jokic finished with a triple-double of 28 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.

Read more:Swanson: The Lakers are the wrong kind of interesting amid relentless fan scrutiny

Jamal Murray had 28 points and two game-sealing free throws for Denver (39-24).

James finished with 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds and Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

James entered the game needing to make three field goals to pass Abdul-Jabbar for the most made field goals in league history. James tied Abdul-Jabbar’s mark for most regular-season field goals when he dunked off a lob pass from Doncic with 8:33 left in the first quarter.

He set the new mark of 15,838 with a fadeaway jumper near the Lakers’ bench with 11.8 seconds left in the first quarter.

When James went to the bench with the Lakers (37-25) trailing 32-22 at the end of the quarter, the Denver Nuggets’ public address announcer told the crowd about his accomplishment. James was given a standing ovation from the fans at Ball Arena.

“LeBron's greatest hits, he just keeps adding to them,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick before the game. “He just plays and plays and plays. And the greatest hits are just ... he's got a hell of a catalog.”

James finished the game with 15,842 career field goals.

James is the league’s all-time leading scorer, having broken Abdul-Jabbar’s mark of 38,387 points on Feb. 7, 2023.

Ayton injured against Nuggets

Lakers center Deandre Ayton didn’t return for the second half against the Nuggets after sustaining a knee injury.

Ayton left the court in the first quarter. The Lakers didn’t say which knee Ayton injured.

He played four minutes and 30 seconds and had two rebounds and no points.

Jaxson Hayes started the second half in Ayton's place.

Ayton entered the game averaging 12.8 points on 66.8% shooting with 8.3 rebounds.

Not having Ayton meant Hayes (19 points) and Rui Hachimura (16 points) had to take on the role of defending Jokic.

Etc.

Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season against the Nuggets. If he draws one more technical before the end of the season, he will receive an automatic one-game suspension.

“Yeah, he's aware that he's close,” Redick said before the game. “And I think he's trying [not to get anymore].”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Connor Hellebuyck makes 26 saves in the Jets' 4-1 win over the Lightning

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves, Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 on Thursday night.

Morgan Barron, Gustav Nyquist and Kyle Connor, into an empty net, also scored for Winnipeg. The Jets improved to 25-26-10, extending their home winning streak against Tampa Bay to five games.

Nyquist scored his first goal in 41 regular-season games dating to last season. He gave Winnipeg a 3-1 lead at 5:34 of the third period.

Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots. The Lighting have lost four straight to fall to 38-18-4.

Point scored at 1:52 of the third period to spoil Hellebuyck’s shutout bid. Jake Guentzel picked up his 39th assist, matching his total last season.

Up next

Lightning: At Toronto on Saturday night.

Jets: Host Vancouver on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Penguins star Evgeni Malkin ejected after slashing Sabres’ blue-liner in wild scene

Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins are separated by a referee during a hockey game.
Rasmus Dahlin #26 of the Buffalo Sabres has a disagreement with Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 5, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Things got heated — and potentially dangerous — on the ice between Penguins center Evgeni Malkin and Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on Thursday.

Late in the first period of the Sabres’ 5-1 win, Malkin was given a match penalty for slashing after he and Dahlin battled for position in front of the net.

Dahlin gave Malkin some hard cross-checks, which then prompted the 20-year NHL veteran to turn around and swing his stick, hitting Dahlin, 25, in the side of the head and the neck.

Malkin, 39, then dropped his glove and tried to fight further, but Dahlin grabbed his neck in pain before anything else happened.

Dahlin was issued two minutes for cross-checking, and Malkin got two minutes for cross-checking, along with a five-minute major penalty for slashing.

Malkin was also issued a game misconduct, resulting in his immediate ejection.

It is still unclear whether Malkin will face further discipline from the NHL.

Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres has a disagreement with Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins on March 5. NHLI via Getty Images

Across his lengthy career, Malkin has built himself a history of suspensions and NHL discipline, most recently being sidelined for four games during the 2022 season for cross-checking Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki across the face.

In 2019, Malkin was suspended for one game by the NHL for “an intentional stick swing with force for the purpose of retaliation” to Flyers forward Michael Raffl.

It is still unclear whether Malkin will face further discipline from the NHL for the play. Sportsnet on X

He was fined in that same season for high-sticking Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau and slashing Jets defenseman Logan Stanley.

Across 45 games played this season, Malkin has racked up 13 goals and 34 assists, where he now has an increased role for the Penguins as the team’s leading scorer, Sidney Crosby, is recovering from a lower-body injury sustained during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

As of Thursday night, the Penguins currently sat in second in the Metropolitan Division, trailing the Hurricanes by nine points.

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Mike Tauchman proving he’s more than Mets insurance policy in fight for roster spot

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows New York Mets left fielder Mike Tauchman (50) hits a double against the Washington Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As Carson Benge vies for the starting right field job this spring — and Brett Baty looks to prove he can play there on occasion, as well — there continues to be a veteran outfielder who has been solid both at the plate and in the field.

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Mike Tauchman led off Thursday’s 7-4 loss to the Nationals at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches with a long double and also started the game in left field, again showing the defensive versatility that the Mets believe could make the lefty-swinger valuable.

As the camp looks now, it’s difficult to see a path for both Benge — also left-handed at the plate — and Tauchman to make the Opening Day roster.

But as Carlos Mendoza noted after the game, there remains a long way until the Mets face the Pirates to start the regular season on March 26.

Mike Tauchman connects on a double during the Mets’ 7-4 Grapefruit League loss to the Nationals on March 5, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But Tauchman, who didn’t sign with the Mets until late in the offseason, is more than an insurance policy for the team.

“A lot can happen between now and Opening Day,’’ Mendoza said. “[Tauchman] is playing well, too. He can play left field and all three [outfield positions] and give you a quality at-bat. He’s versatile on defense and he’s got pop.”

All of that was on display against Washington, with Tauchman looking to stand out amid the crowd of Benge, Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez.

Mike Tauchman celebrates after scoring during the Mets’ March 5 game. Imagn Images

While Ben Rortvedt got the start behind the plate Thursday against the Nationals, Mendoza made it clear that Luis Torrens would be the primary backup to Francisco Alvarez at catcher this season.

“They’re both going to play and [Alvarez] is going to get the majority of the playing time,’’ the manager said prior to Thursday’s game.

The goal is to keep Alvarez healthier — and more consistent — than he has been in recent years.

Having Torrens on the field regularly will help that cause.

“We have to monitor [Alvarez] and make sure we keep him healthy for 162-plus [games], and Luis is a big part of that.”

The team is also handling Alvarez with care, encouraging him to take things slow this spring in an effort to avoid wearing him out.

“He’s a hard worker and is more mature now,’’ Mendoza said. “Instead of 200 swings every day, maybe you don’t need to take that many. We don’t have to tell him that. He’s learned over the years.”

Nolan McLean reported no issues after his outing on Wednesday and was scheduled to meet Team USA in Houston on Thursday.

The right-hander has had no issues after recovering from vertigo-like symptoms that lingered for several days last week and caused him to drop weight, but he’s on track to start in the WBC against Team Italy on March 10 and again in the finals on March 17, if Team USA advances that far.

Luis Robert Jr., who played his first game of the spring on Wednesday in a minor league contest, bounced back fine and is expected to be in center again Friday for another minor league game as the Mets try to protect the outfielder who has been bothered by lower-body injuries in the past.

— Additional reporting by Jon Heyman in Port St. Lucie

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White Sox crushed, 12-3

Feb 17, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Jedixson Paez poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch.
The Rule 5 magic may have run out for the White Sox, as Jedixson Paez was steamrolled for six runs in an ill-fated seventh inning on Thursday. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Somehow, despite at last check this was a Spring Training game, the White Sox were held to one hit, a Brooks Baldwin single, through seven innings. But then, given the state of Chicago pitching tonight, the lack of offense wasn’t the major concern, just an embarrassing one.

The game opened with three straight doubles cracked by Cleveland, and it was 2-0 before starter Sean Burke recorded an out. After one more, Triple-A first baseman CJ Clayfus destroyed a center-cut curveball for a two-run homer, and before the White Sox picked up a bat, they were down, 4-0.

The good news was that Burke settled down and finished his outing with dignity, giving up just one hit over his final two frames. And even better was Erick Fedde, coming on in relief (are we witnessing the fifth-starter battle right here?) and throwing three scoreless, giving up two hits and punching out one.

In the third inning, Baldwin singled to center. That was it for the White Sox offense through two-thirds of the game.

Heading into the seventh, this was still mostly anyone’s game, at 4-0, Cleveland.

Then Jedixson Paez entered. And if the fact that he’s thrown in just two of the first 14 Cactus League games isn’t its own vote of no-confidence, the young righty’s surrender of six runs on six hits (to be fair, some cheap, some not) is making it look much harder to imagine the 2-for-2 the White Sox went on Rule 5s in 2025 is going to repeat itself.

With the game at 9-0, Jake Palisch came in to put out the fire and surrendered a first-pitch, two-run homer to Carter Kieboom to put the game, as they say, out of reach.

JUST THEN the White Sox offense awakened — if in fact you call Dru Baker hitting a Little League home run (triple, scoring on shortstop Milan Tolentino’s throwing error) an awakening. From there, at 11-1, Cleveland scored once more (sad trombone, a rally against Hagen Smith in his Cactus League debut) and the South Siders rallied furiously for two, courtesy of three singles and a walk.

Yes, Sean Burke may have fallen behind in the race for the rotation. Sure, Jedixson Paez may have punched his ticket back to Boston with a dog-awful outing. Yeppers, the White Sox were suffocated to one hit over the first seven innings, while coughing up 16 to Cleveland batters for the game. And indeed, the Chicago offense mustered just one extra-base hit and three walks against 11 Ks in the contest. But at least no one but the 3,933 dear souls at Camelback Ranch was able to see any of it.

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Stats Recap: 3 Numbers From Mavs 115-114 Loss in Orlando

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks to pass the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 5, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Mavericks fought valiantly in Orlando before dropping a tough 115-114 loss to the Magic Thursday night.

Dallas opened the game with strong early energy, jumping ahead behind a Khris Middleton pull-up three and quick interior activity from Daniel Gafford and Cooper Flagg. Flagg added a putback and set up Max Christie for a three, while Gafford finished an alley-oop that helped Dallas build an early cushion. Orlando slowly worked back into the game behind Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., who generated points inside and on second-chance opportunities to keep the Magic close. Klay Thompson provided a late first-quarter boost with a pair of threes, including a deep one in the closing seconds that gave Dallas a 33–26 lead after one. The second quarter stayed tight, with Gafford continuing to impact the paint and Flagg attacking the rim while PJ Washington added a transition layup, a three, and free throws during a mid-quarter run. Orlando countered through Banchero’s midrange scoring and a Tristan Da Silva three, trimming the margin multiple times. Despite those pushes, Dallas held on to a narrow 62–60 lead at halftime, thanks to timely threes and consistent interior scoring.

The second half turned into a momentum swing that ultimately slipped away from Dallas. The Mavericks briefly stayed in control early in the third quarter with interior scoring from Daniel Gafford and a Cooper Flagg dunk and three. Still, Orlando flipped the game with a decisive 17–5 run late in the period behind shot-making from Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero that erased the Dallas lead and gave the Magic control heading into the fourth. From there, the final quarter became a back-and-forth shootout. Orlando repeatedly pushed its lead with timely buckets from Goga Bitadze and Tristan Da Silva. At the same time, Dallas answered through Khris Middleton’s midrange scoring and a pair of Klay Thompson threes that kept the Mavericks within striking distance. Daniel Gafford’s rebounding and interior presence helped Dallas generate extra chances as they chipped the deficit down possession by possession. In the closing minutes, Middleton continued to hit tough jumpers to keep Dallas alive, but Orlando consistently had a response, allowing the Magic to hang on for a narrow 115–114 win.

7: Klay Thompson threes

Klay Thompson looked like vintage Klay for long stretches of this game, finishing with 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting from three and 8-of-14 from the field overall. Every time Dallas needed a scoring jolt, it seemed to come from Thompson sprinting into a catch-and-shoot triple or rising for one of his quick-release jumpers. His shooting was the primary reason the Mavericks stayed within striking distance for most of the night, especially during the second half when Dallas struggled to generate consistent offense elsewhere. When Klay gets hot like this, the entire offense opens up, and tonight felt like one of those classic “Klay heater” games where every clean look felt automatic.

Beyond the scoring impact, the night also carried historical significance. Thompson’s seven threes allowed him to tie and then pass Ray Allen for the most three-pointers made in NBA history when combining regular-season and playoff totals. This milestone speaks to just how elite and consistent a shooter he has been throughout his career. At the same time, there is a slightly bittersweet element to watching performances like this in Dallas right now. Thompson is still capable of explosive shooting nights that swing games, yet those performances come for a team far from contention. Seeing flashes of prime Klay while the Mavericks sit in a transitional season makes it feel like one of the league’s greatest shooters is spending these late-career heaters on games that ultimately do not matter in the standings.

6: Cooper Flagg assists

Cooper Flagg returned to the lineup after missing the previous nine games and looked surprisingly comfortable for someone coming off an injury layoff. His shot was not particularly efficient, finishing 7-of-22 from the field and 1-of-5 from three, but the overall production was still there as he ended the night with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in just under 26 minutes. Even on a night when the jumper did not fall consistently, Flagg was able to score by attacking the rim, finishing through contact, and getting to the line, which helped stabilize the Mavericks’ offense in several stretches.

What stood out most, though, was everything he did outside of scoring. Flagg was constantly making plays on both ends of the floor, finishing with six assists while repeatedly creating opportunities for teammates when Orlando collapsed on his drives. Defensively, he was even more impactful, recording five stocks with four blocks and one steal while flying around as a weakside rim protector and help defender. For a player returning from injury, that level of activity and playmaking was an extremely encouraging sign. The efficiency will come back with rhythm, but seeing him immediately influence the game as a passer, rebounder, and defensive playmaker was the most important takeaway from his return.

42%: Mavericks 3 point shooting

Dallas’ offense stayed competitive in this game largely because of its perimeter shooting. The Mavericks finished the night shooting 42 percent from three as a team, finishing 14-of-33, which repeatedly allowed them to answer Orlando runs and keep the game within a possession deep into the fourth quarter. Klay Thompson’s seven threes headlined the performance, but he was not alone. PJ Washington knocked down three triples of his own and Max Christie added two, helping Dallas stretch Orlando’s defense and open up driving lanes and paint touches for players like Cooper Flagg and Daniel Gafford. Without that outside shooting, this game likely gets away from Dallas much earlier.

Performances like this also highlight something that has become increasingly clear about the Mavericks’ roster construction moving forward. If Cooper Flagg is going to be the centerpiece of the offense, the team must prioritize shooting around him this offseason. Flagg thrives when the floor is spaced, and defenders cannot collapse into the paint on his drives. Nights when Dallas shoots well from three make the offense look functional and dynamic, while poor shooting nights tend to stall the attack completely. Adding more consistent perimeter shooting this summer would not only raise the offensive ceiling of the roster but also make life much easier for Flagg as a primary creator.

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LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for all-time field goals made in NBA history

DENVER, CO – MARCH 5: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all time career field goal record of 15,837 on March...

The arena buzzed with anticipation on Thursday night as LeBron James once again surpassed Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the history books. 

James hit a turnaround fadeaway jumper on the baseline to achieve the feat.

The Lakers entered the game as the No. 6 seed in the NBA’s Western Conference standings, just a half-game behind the Nuggets. A victory on Thursday night and they would leapfrog them into 5th place. A loss, and they fall further behind.

James entered the night just three field goals away from passing Kareem for the most made shots in NBA history–15,387, a number that a few decades ago felt untouchable.

LeBron James hits a fadeaway to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all time career field goal record. NBAE via Getty Images

By now, LeBron has turned basketball longevity into something closer to performance art. In his 23rd season, the man still moves through games like a player half his age. His body might carry 41 years of life, but his mind still reads defenses like a book. 

Every three-pointer, every pull-up jumper, every glide through the lane for a thundering dunk feels like another brushstroke on the largest statistical mural the sport has ever seen.

“I’m a big Bruce Springsteen fan,” said Lakers head coach J.J. Redick before the game, comparing ‘The Boss’ to LeBron. “You can see the evolution of him as a singer/songwriter…you get to the end of his career and you’re like holy s—, this guy’s greatest hits are like insane and LeBron’s greatest hits are too. He just keeps adding to them. He just plays and plays, and he’s got a hell of a catalog.”

James is already the greatest scorer in NBA history—holding the all-time points record with 43,111—he has built his legacy not on a single unstoppable move like Kareem’s skyhook or Michael Jordan’s fadeaway, but on sheer, relentless versatility and durability. 

Critics spent years waiting for the decline. Waiting for the body to betray him. Waiting for Father Time to finally catch the man who has spent two decades outrunning him.

He’s still waiting.

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James now owns more than 30 NBA records, leads the league’s history in field-goal attempts (over 31,000), and is somehow still productive enough to earn his 22nd All-Star selection while averaging 21.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds in his 23rd season.

James is in the final year of his contract with the Lakers and could retire at the end of the season or he could return for one last run with another team. 

For now, though, the spotlight remained firmly fixed on history.

An NBA crowd that has seen Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Kareem himself rise into basketball immortality watched another chapter unfold. The Nuggets were simply the latest witness, their presence little more than background scenery on a night all about legacy.