Detroit Tigers vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Joker Marchant Stadium – Lakeland, FL
SB Nation Site: Bluebird Banter
Media: MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
GameThread: Tigers vs. Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m.
Warriors likely headed for NBA play-in tournament after Lakers loss
SAN FRANCISCO — If they hadn’t already, the Warriors can probably kiss any hopes they had of avoiding the play-in tournament goodbye.
Golden State looked listless, lackadaisical and downright lost at times Saturday night against the team it would have to chase down to secure anything higher than the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.
The Warriors quickly fell into a double-digit hole against the Lakers and never recovered in a lopsided 129-101 loss. In front of a national television audience, they fell behind by as many as 32 points — 17 just in the first quarter — and never cut the deficit to single digits.
The loss means the Warriors trail the Lakers by 4.5 games with 22 to play and would need to win their final meeting April 9 just to even the season series at two games apiece.
“It’s a lot. It’s a lot to make up in 22 games,” coach Steve Kerr acknowledged.
Steph Curry (knee) missed his 10th consecutive game, Kristaps Porzingis (illness) was ruled out shortly before tipoff and what was left of the Warriors’ starting five crumbled against the Lakers’ Big 3.
LeBron James (22 points, nine assists, seven rebounds), Luka Doncic (26 points, eight assists, six rebounds) and Austin Reaves (18 points) had all checked out for the final time by the midpoint of the fourth quarter and still individually bested the Warriors’ top scorer, Gui Santos (14).
Rookie Will Richard added to the Warriors’ injury woes, rolling his ankle and leaving the game in the second quarter.
Only more miles will be required to be put on the Warriors’ aging and ailing group the further they fall in the standings. As the No. 8 seed as it currently stands, they would need to either beat the seventh-seeded Suns on the road or prevail in a second play-in contest against the Trail Blazers or Clippers, who have the Nos. 9 and 10 spots all but locked down.
After the loss, the Warriors trail the Suns by three games for the No. 7 seed with a 2.5-game cushion on the Blazers in the No. 9 spot.
“We don’t even talk about it,” Kerr said. “That’s not anything that is worth discussing because we just have to try to go out there and win and see what happens.”
The Warriors emerged from the play-in last season to upset the Rockets in the first round. But the veteran group said the pedal-to-the-metal final two months of the season, including the play-in win, caught up to them as Curry went down injured and they lost to the Timberwolves in five games the following round.
Making matters more complicated, Golden State is already without Jimmy Butler for the rest of the season and is unsure when Curry will be cleared to return. The team is set to provide an update on his right knee Sunday, but Curry reportedly suffered a setback over the All-Star break and the ailment commonly known as runner’s knee already has a varying timetable.
In an interview with ESPN during the game, Curry said he expects it is “going to be a little longer” before he is cleared to return. Golden State hosts the Clippers on Monday.
Daniel Hillier holds out Lucas Herbert to win the New Zealand Open
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealander Daniel Hillier held off a late charge from Australian Lucas Herbert Sunday to defend his overnight lead and to win the 105th New Zealand Open by two shots.
Hillier also overcame strong winds and cold conditions to post a final round 67 for a 22-under four-round total of 262 at the par-72 Millbrook Resort. Herbert shot 67, finishing 20 under at 264.
The winner of the New Zealand Open receives automatic entry to The Open Championship but as Hillier already has qualified that prize passes to Herbert who will now play at Royal Birkdale from July 16.
Hillier, who was married earlier this week, led by one shot at 18 under coming into the final round. He made birdie, birdie, par, eagle, birdie to finish his third round and to seize the outright lead.
Hillier turned at 20-under Sunday, a shot ahead of Herbert who had just birdied the 10th hole. Hillier bogeyed the 10th and again saw his lead cut to one shot, but made birdies at the 11th and 12th holes to reestablish his lead.
Herbert had a chance to chip in on the par-three final hole to put pressure on the leader but his shot from off the green slid past the hole. Hillier was able to make par and was showered by champagne on the 18th green.
He became the first New Zealander since 2017 to win his national open.
“This is the second-best day of my life after my wedding earlier in the week,” Hillier said. "It was a lot more stressful coming down the stretch.
“This has been the absolute best week of my life. To break the Kiwi drought was very special. I've been dreaming of this a long time. I knew I had the game to do it but it was just a matter of not getting ahead of myself.”
Five-time PGA Tour winner Kevin Na of the United States shot a final round 72 to finish in a tie for 19th place.
Na has spent the last four years on the LIV tour but has decided to return to traditional tours in 2026 and made the New Zealand Open the first tournament on his return.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
João Klauss, Lucas Sanabria spark Galaxy to 3-0 victory over Charlotte
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — João Klauss scored two goals two minutes apart in the first 13 minutes — after a score by Lucas Sanabria — and the Los Angeles Galaxy cruised to a 3-0 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday night.
Sanabria gave the Galaxy (1-0-1) the lead in the 8th minute with an unassisted goal. Sanabria had two goals in 21 appearances as a rookie last season.
Klauss took a pass from Gabriel Pec and scored in the 11th minute, then scored unassisted two minutes later for a three-goal lead. Pec's first assist this season gives him 24 through his first 64 matches.
Klauss scored the lone goal in a 1-1 season-opening draw with visiting New York City FC. He came over in a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City in the hopes he'd help ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn ACL. So far, so good for the 29-year-old forward with 28 goals in 81 career appearances.
Novak Micovic needed to make just one save to notch his fourth clean sheet in his 26th career start for the Galaxy.
Kristijan Kahlina saved eight shots for Charlotte (0-1-1), which was coming off a 1-1 draw at St. Louis City on a goal by Pep Biel — one of 11 players in the league with double-digit goals and assists last season.
Up next
Charlotte: Hosts Austin FC on Saturday.
Los Angeles: At Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Player Grades: Lakers vs. Warriors
The Lakers took an important step toward capturing the Pacific Division title, one of the NBA’s most prestigious awards.
Jokes aside, it is interesting how little divisions matter in the NBA. Because so many teams make the playoffs, the divisions are kind of useless. In the past, division winners were guaranteed home court advantage, but that would make the current seventh-seed Magic and the Lakers the third seeds in the conferences.
The problem doesn’t have a clear solution, but outside of local rivalries, there isn’t much juice to these divisional games and never has been. Should the league make any changes? Should division standings have more of an impact on playoff seeding?
It feels like those games should matter more, but it’s unclear what that solution should be.
Anyway, the Lakers completely dominated in this one, as a team should when facing a Warriors side without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler or Kristaps Porzingis.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Marcus Smart
29 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, +25
A very professional approach to this one from the team and Smart, who took this game seriously from the start with a strong defensive effort that helped them to an early lead.
Grade: B+
LeBron James
28 minutes, 22 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 7-13 FG, 4-6 3PT, 4-5 FT, +26
LeBron was sorely overdue for a good shooting night from three. In fact, he’s due for a whole lot of them in the stretch run of the season.
Grade: A
Deandre Ayton
20 minutes, 4 points, 10 rebounds, 2-5 FG, 0-2 FT, +14
The dominant win really overshadowed another poor showing from Ayton. I won’t harp on it too long to bring down the vibes, but there’s a growing argument for Hayes to take his starting spot.
Grade: C-
Austin Reaves
28 minutes, 18 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 7-11 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, +22
Reaves also needed a good game and had that in the first half. He was aggressive in attacking the rim and looked much closer to the version of Austin that opened the season.
Grade: A-
Luka Dončić
29 minutes, 26 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 9-17 FG, 4-9 3PT, 4-4 FT, +26
The Lakers led big in the first half despite Luka being largely a non-factor. He rectified that by hitting everything in the first four minutes of the third quarter. It was a very happy birthday for Luka.
Grade: A
Luke Kennard
27 minutes, 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 6-10 FG, 4-7 3PT, +14
This was pretty safely Kennard’s best game as a Laker, and not just because he hit four threes. His ability to attack closeouts and finish at the rim remains a valuable asset.
Grade: A
Jaxson Hayes
15 minutes, 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 3-4 FG, +18
Even if Hayes only played a short amount, it’s amazing how much different — and better — the offense looks with a center willing to roll hard to the rim and is a legitimate lob threat.
Grade: B
Jake LaRavia
27 minutes, 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 6-10 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-3 FT, +14
A lot of role players had good games for the Lakers with LaRavia among them. Some of his stats came in garbage time, but he was also hitting shots when it mattered, including the three that emptied the benches for both teams.
Grade: A-
Jarred Vanderbilt
12 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, -7
I appreciate Vando’s desire to posterize someone in garbage time. After he failed once, he kept at it and got one.
Grade: C+
Maxi Kleber
13 minutes, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 2-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, -4
Another player who did most of his damage in garbage time. He had a nice finish over Draymond before then, though.
Grade: B+
Dalton Knecht, Kobe Bufkin
Two guys who saw some garbage time run. Bufkin got up five shots in six minutes. Admirable.
JJ Redick
A strong showing from JJ, but it was against the Warriors. Everyone should look good against the Warriors.
Grade: A
Saturday’s inactives: Rui Hachimura, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
Oft-injured New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson 'tweaks' right ankle in win over Utah Jazz
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) — Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has another potential injury to deal with after leaving New Orleans’ game at Utah in the second quarter Saturday night.
The Pelicans announced Williamson would not return due to an injury to his right ankle in a game New Orleans went on to win 115-105.
Interim coach James Borrego said Williams “tweaked the ankle,” but didn't have an immediate update on severity of the injury. “Hopefully, it's nothing serious, and we'll have him back out there very soon,” Borrego said.
It’s the latest setback for the oft-injured player who had already missed 16 games this season due to various ailments. The game against Utah was the two-time All-Star’s 35th straight — an NBA career-best for Williamson — dating to Dec. 11, after he sat out five games with a right hip adductor strain.
Williamson had four points, two assists and a rebound in 11 minutes of playing time against Utah.
Selected by the Pelicans with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft out of Duke, Williams has been limited to playing just 258 of 543 potential regular-season games, and never more than 25 in a row before this most recent stretch. He also missed the entire 2021-22 season with a broken right foot.
The Pelicans’ lineup was already depleted in playing without small forward Trey Murphy (right shoulder), center Yves Missi (left calf) and guard Dejounte Murray (reconditioning).
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Pelicans beat Jazz 115-105 for 4th straight win after Zion Williamson leaves game with ankle injury
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Saddiq Bey scored 24 points as New Orleans beat the Jazz 115-105 on Saturday night to complete a two-game sweep in Utah after Pelicans star Zion Williamson left the game with an ankle injury.
Williamson left early in the second quarter with a right ankle injury and didn’t return. He had four points, two assists and a rebound in 11 minutes.
Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said only that Williams “tweaked” his ankle. He said he would get more information and hoped it was nothing serious.
Bey, coming off a 42-point performance in Thursday's 129-118 win of the Pelicans, shot 7 for 16 from the field and 3 for 8 from long distance, and was helped by 7-for-10 shooting from the line.
Jeremiah Fears and Bryce McGowens each scored 18 points, Herbert Jones scored 10 of his 17 points in the first half and Jordan Poole added 11. Fears chipped in 11 rebounds and five assists as New Orleans won its fourth straight and for the sixth time in eight games.
Isaiah Collier's 21 points led Utah, which lost its fifth straight. Keyonte George, who was back in the lineup after missing 10 games with ankle sprains, scored 17. Elijah Harkless scored 14, Ace Bailey had 13, Kyle Filipowski added 12 and Brice Sensabaugh 10.
The Pelicans used a 15-0 run to close out the second quarter for a 25-point lead at 65-40 at the break. New Orleans shot 50% (22 for 44) from the field in the first half, while the Jazz sent 14 for 52 (27%).
Utah cut its deficit to 16 points after three quarters and scored the first nine points of the fourth to close within seven. New Orleans then went on an 8-0 run to restore a comfortable advantage and was never threatened again.
For New Orleans, Trey Murphy III missed his fifth straight game due to a right shoulder injury. Dejounte Murray (return to competition conditioning) and Yves Missi (left calf strain) were also out.
The Jazz were missing Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee), Walker Kessler (left shoulder), Lauri Markkanen (hip), Jusuf Nurkic (nose) and Vince Williams Jr. (left knee).
Up next
Pelicans: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Jazz: Host the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Utah Jazz: Post Game Recap
The Utah Jazz successfully lose yet another must-lose tank-off game vs the New Orleans Pelicans, with the final score of 105-115.
The Pelicans have nothing to lose since their pick goes to the Atlanta Hawks this year, but with this loss, the Utah Jazz and Pelicans are now tied for the 5th-best odds in landing a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Despite the return of Keyonte George, this was one of the ugliest losses of the season, and I don’t mean ugly as in “oh, we’re playing our bench,” I mean that the Jazz just could not buy a bucket at all — there was a lid on the rim (34% FG as a team). However, the Jazz had a nice late scoring run in an attempt to come back into the game after being down by 20+ points — it was fun, but it didn’t amount to anything greater.
It was nice to see Keyonte out there again; it felt like a breath of fresh air considering the basketball we’ve been witnessing recently. He ended the game with 17 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and no turnovers! Great to see the kid out there, and I’m looking forward to watching him ball out as we get closer to the end of the season.
It is always a joy to watch Elijah Harkless. He brings the intensity and grit that’s a sight for sore eyes, and something we haven’t seen on the Jazz in a while. He ended the game with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and he led the team in plus-minus! Could we see him be a rotation player for the Jazz next season?
For the Pelicans, even after Saddiq Bey dropped 42 on us the other night, the Jazz seemingly did not learn their lesson, as he was the New Orleans Pelicans’ highest scorer with 24 points. The Utah Jazz’s defensive issues will be somewhat resolved next season as they’ll have a loaded defensive frontcourt duo in Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler, but as far as the youth we are trying to develop, and some of the returning players next year (contractually speaking), we’ve really got to trim the fat & consolidate in return for some positive defenders. Out of the 8 draft picks the Jazz have selected in the previous 3 drafts, and out of the ones the Jazz have kept, I’d say that the Jazz don’t really have an impactful defensive player. Now, barring development, the hope is that Ace Bailey provides net positive value on defense, especially with him being a top 5 pick.
NBA DRAFT CONTENT SOON!
Braves News: Spencer Strider has an interesting start, John Gil shines, more
Spencer Strider looked pretty good on Saturday, even if he didn’t necessarily look like the Spencer Strider that we have been used to. His pitches looked good in terms of shape and he threw them for strikes. His velocity was sitting lower-90s though, so it will be worth monitoring whether that is a new normal or just a first start of spring trend.
In the bullpen. James Karinchak continues to be impressive on the mound. He had his third one-inning appearance of spring today and had his third inning of two strikeouts, which is promising for the former star reliever. He earned 3 whiffs in his inning of work and continues to make a compelling case for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Braves News
Spencer Strider had an interesting start against the Orioles’ starters, in which he was fairly effective but with low-90s velocity and good pitch shape. Meanwhile, a few infield prospects showed promise at the plate, with John Gil homering and Alex Lodise absolutely lacing a double.
Mark Bowman wrote up thoughts and stats on Spencer Strider after his first start of spring.
MLB News
Astros’ star Josh Hader’s availability is in question for Opening Day, as he continues to deal with a bicep issue.
The Royals agreed to a one year deal with former star outfielder Starling Marte.
5 Centers Penguins Should Target In Trade Market
The most chaotic time of the NHL regular season has finally arrived, as the trade deadline is just one week away on Mar. 6.
And even though the Pittsburgh Penguins have already made several moves this season, they figure to have a bit more up their sleeve.
After their 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday, the Penguins remain in second in the Metropolitan Division, nine points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and tied points-wise with the New York Islanders at 73. Even if the team is in a good position now, they have the league's toughest strength of schedule remaining for the regular season, and they will be forced to make it through most of it without their best player in center Sidney Crosby, who is expected to miss three more weeks with a lower-body injury.
So, given their predicament - and their apparent reluctance to shift Evgeni Malkin back to the center position - it may be in their best interest to either call up a center from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), such as Tristan Broz or Filip Hallander, or explore the trade market for some viable options.
Here are five possible center options for the Penguins to target via trade:
Shane Wright
The young center for the Seattle Kraken has failed to establish consistency at the NHL level so far, and it seems that his value has decreased a bit.
Even though the Kraken may not be keen to sell lower on Wright, they do have some up-and-coming center depth in their organization - namely Jake O'Brien - and they may be able to get some value in return. As of January, the Kraken were, apparently, looking for a scorer in return, so this might be a situation where a an established NHL player could go the other way - someone like a Justin Brazeau or an Anthony Mantha, even a Rickard Rakell for the right return package.
Seattle is currently in the West's second wild card spot, so they, too, are fighting for a playoff position. It remains to be seen how the team approaches the deadline or if Wright is even on their trade board.
NHL's Top Four Center Trade Candidates Ahead Of DeadlineThe 2026 NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching. These are the top centers in the rumor mill right now, for the March 6 deadline. Brayden Schenn
Schenn, 34, doesn't really fit the mold of "younger players with term" that Dubas and the Penguins would want to acquire. He is also 34, owed $6.5 million for two more seasons, and has seen a steep drop in production this season, registering just 12 goals and 24 points in 59 games so far this season.
But, this could be a situation where the Penguins might be able to buy low on Schenn from the struggling St. Louis Blues, and, potentially, even add to their draft cupboard. Of course, they wouldn't be able to get Schenn for nothing, and there is some inherent risk attached.
However, his playoff experience, two-way prowess, and knack for not shying away from physicality could suit the Penguins well down the stretch, especially without Crosby. Plus, it provides an opportunity for rookie Ben Kindel to get elevated in the lineup without repercussion, as Schenn is a good, reliable third-line center option.
Four Blues Players Feature On The Hockey News' NHL Trade Deadline BoardFour St. Louis Blues players appeared on The Hockey News' first edition of their NHL Trade Deadline Board. Dawson Mercer
Mercer could be an intriguing name to keep an eye on, as the New Jersey Devils are, unexpectedly, in legitimate contention for a lottery spot this season.
The 24-year-old center has 13 goals and 30 points in 60 games this season, and he, like Wright, is the exact kind of player the Penguins and Dubas would be interested in, if available. In fact, he probably would fit the mold of the player archetype Dubas tends to gravitate toward as well, as he is a high-IQ playmaker with excellent vision, a 200-ft game, positional versatility, and a potential higher ceiling in terms of production.
The cost would likely be fairly high, and there's no guarantee that the Devils' 18th overall pick in 2020 is even on the market for sure - even if GM Tom Fitzegerald expressed that he is ready to shake things up with the roster. But, if he is, the Penguins should be calling on the forward who is signed at $4 million through the end of next season.
NHL Trade Deadline Board: 25 Players To Keep An Eye OnHere are 25 NHL players to watch as we get closer to the March 6 trade deadline. Each of them has been mentioned in trade speculation and rumors, and we rank them based on a combination of impact and likelihood of being moved.Vincent Trocheck
Ah, the Pittsburgh kid. It's no secret that the New York Rangers are shifting to a rebuild, and they will surely be looking to shed some of their veteran players, making Trocheck one of the top options on the trade market.
Trocheck, 32, is signed through the end of the 2028-29 season at $5.625 million average annual value, which makes his contract a bit hefty to take on. Still, the veteran center is just about as good a third-line center option out there, and his 12 goals and 38 points in 45 games would certainly help with the Penguins' offensive attack.
However, even if he could help the Penguins this season, his lengthy contract and age don't really fit into the Penguins' future plans, and his is likely to come at a premium. There are probably options that make better sense on the market, but if - for whatever reason - he can be had at a low cost, it may be worth it.
Where Do The Rangers Go From Here?The two Gold-Bearing Rangers – captain J.T. Miller and Vin Trocheck – are home but how long they will remain Blueshirts only MSG owner James Dolan and his hockey orchestrator Chris Drury really know.
Elias Pettersson
Yep, Pettersson's name is here yet again, and - at this point - it should come as no surprise. But with the Vancouver Canucks in the basement of the league by a longshot, it's likely that GM Patrick Allvin will be in a position to sell.
The 27-year-old center - not long ago, one of the league's very best - has fallen off a bit the last two seasons, with only 13 goals and 35 points in 51 games so far in 2025-26. His $11.6 million cap hit through 2029-30 seems daunting, but the Penguins certainly have the cap space, and he might be the perfect example of an underperforming elite player who is long overdue for a change of scenery.
Because of his cap hit and his decline in production for two consecutive seasons, the Penguins may be able to buy low here. If the price is right, Pettersson should absolutely be considered - especially since when, at his best, the fifth overall pick in 2017 is one of the elite playmaking centers in the NHL and has a pretty nasty weapon in his shot, too, as a three-time 30-goal scorer.
Could Egor Chinakhov Help Extend Malkin's Career?There has been a whole lot going right for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> during the 2025-26 season, and much of it can be credited to the work of general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Thomas Müller, Brian White, Yohei Takaoka lead Whitecaps to 3-0 victory over Toronto
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Thomas Müller scored twice and Brian White added a goal in a 22-minute span of the first half and Yohei Takaoka finished with a second straight clean sheet in the Vancouver Whitecaps' 3-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday night.
Müller ignited the Whitecaps with a penalty-kick goal in the 25th minute, then made it 2-0 with a goal 12 minutes later. White capped the scoring two minutes into stoppage time with an unassisted netter. It was White's 80th career goal for Vancouver in all competitions.
Müller's PK came after Toronto's Walker Zimmerman fouled Aziel Jackson. His second goal came with assists from Mathias Laborda and Sebastian Berhalter in the 37th minute.
Takaoka finished with three saves for the Whitecaps (2-0-0) — one-week after a two-save effort led to a 1-0 victory over visiting Real Salt Lake to begin the season. Jackson scored the lone goal.
Luka Gavran saved two shots for Toronto in his 18th career start. Toronto lost 3-2 to FC Dallas in its opener, beginning with two road matches for a fourth straight season.
The Whitecaps are 5-0-4 in their last nine matchups with Toronto, which hasn't won in Vancouver since March 2017.
Up next
Vancouver: At Portland Timbers on Saturday.
Toronto: At FC Cincinnati on Sunday.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Yankees news: Cashman says Bombers capable of greatness
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Brian Cashman spoke to reporters before yesterday’s game against the Blue Jays, and he reiterated his belief in this team, stating that they’re “capable of great things.” He pointed to the electrifying stuff many of their pitchers have shown early in camp, from Ryan Weathers touching 99.8 mph, to young prospects Carlos Langrage and Elmer Rodríguez demonstrating their immense potential. And of course, Cashman pointed to Gerrit Cole, who’s already run his fastball up to 97 mph against live hitters, 11 months removed from Tommy John surgery.
MLB.com | Jason Foster: Speaking of reasons for optimism, Carlos Langrage authored another great spring outing, this time fanning four batters in three scoreless innings on Friday against Minnesota. Langrage pushed his fastball a hair above 102 mph, and according to MLB Pipeline, he’s thrown the three fastest pitches across spring training thus far:
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Cody Bellinger is dealing with a back issue again, seemingly a similar ailment to one that bothered him early last season. “He’ll probably, I’m guessing, (miss) a couple of days,” Boone said Saturday. “He’s quite a bit better today. So we don’t think it’s anything.” Boone noted that Bellinger could be back in the lineup by Tuesday.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: There aren’t many positional battles to follow in camp for the Yankees this year, with the main competition coming down to the underbelly of the bullpen and the end of the bench. As far as the bench goes, Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt are locks as right-handed platoon bats, but the last two spots are still up for grabs. J.C. Escarra has a leg up as the likely backup catcher, but Ben Rice’s ability to catch gives the Yankees flexibility to break camp without a backup backstop. Oswaldo Cabrera would also figure to be a favorite, but Phillips writes the Yankees are “easing him along” and that the utility player may not be ready for Opening Day. That may open things up for Randal Grichuk, who just made it to camp and could be another right-handed bench option for New York.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: ($) The Yankees have two lefty relievers in camp who are likely to make their bullpen, Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough. If they want a more powerful lefty option, though, there seems to be a clear choice: Brent Headrick. The left-hander showed flashes in brief spurts in the Bronx last year, running his fastball up to 95 mph by the summer, while also posting a 2.63 ERA in Triple-A. With the team’s low-leverage bullpen slots unspoken for, Headrick has every chance to make the team with a solid spring.
Warriors enter March fighting for their play-in seeding
Tonight’s loss to the Lakers was a reminder, a 129-101 reminder, that the Golden State Warriors are a team that lives and dies by Stephen Curry’s presence in a way that should genuinely sober every fan trying to stay optimistic right now.
There’s no moral victory hiding in that defeat anywhere. And now look at the standings the Warriors sit at 31-29, eighth in the West, 14.5 games behind the top seed. The Suns are at 34-26, sitting comfortably at seventh. Golden State is trending in the wrong direction at the exact wrong time.
March is going to decide a lot. The remaining slate is not here to show the Warriors any mercy. They open March 2nd hosting the Clippers, which is winnable, but then they head out on a road stretch that would humble a healthy team. Houston on March 5th. Oklahoma City on March 7th on national television. That’s back-to-back road games against two of the most dangerous young rosters in the Western Conference.
OKC especially cannot be taken lightly. If the Warriors are still missing pieces by then, that game in particular could get ugly in a way that makes Friday night look like a warmup.
The road-heavy March schedule is the real story here. Look at what’s coming: New York on March 15th, Boston on March 18th, a trip through Detroit and Atlanta before a stop in Dallas on March 23rd. That’s a gauntlet. AND YOU KNOW KUMINGA HAS THAT ATLANTA-GSW GAME CIRCLED. The Warriors are 19-12 at home and 12-17 on the road. Those splits are not small, nor are they something you can strategize your way around. Curry’s presence matters everywhere, but it matters especially much when the environment is hostile and the margin for error disappears.
The home games offer some relief. Chicago on March 10th, Minnesota on March 13th, Brooklyn and Washington in late March. Those are games a full Warriors roster should handle. The problem is the Warriors haven’t been a full roster consistently enough this season to bank on that assumption.
Here’s the cold math. The Warriors have 22 games left after today. They’re 14.5 out of the top spot, which at this point is just a number. What actually matters is the play-in. Eighth place is not safe. The teams behind Golden State are not going away, and the teams ahead, specifically the Suns at seventh, are not going to just roll over and give the Dubs a shot.
I’d bet the Warriors need to go somewhere in the range of 13-9 or better over this final stretch to feel genuinely secure. That’s a .590 clip from a team that’s playing .517 ball right now against a schedule that punishes road weakness, without clarity on when their full roster returns.
There’s a version of this where Curry comes back healthy and the Warriors rattle off wins in bunches like they have before. He has a way of making the math work that defies what the spreadsheet says. The Warriors’ swag with him on the floor is a completely different team. His presence doesn’t just change the offense, it changes the shot quality the defense surrenders, it changes how opponents have to allocate defensive attention, it changes everything.
But time doesn’t wait for anybody’s injury timeline. The calendar flips whether Curry’s knee cooperates or not.
Senators Dominate Leafs In Toronto, Move To Within Five Points Of Playoff Spot
The Ottawa Senators got back on the winning track in Toronto on Saturday night, crushing the Maple Leafs 5–2 in a game that was not as close as the score would appear.
Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens each scored twice for the Senators, who moved to within five points of the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Leafs, meanwhile, were dominated for most of the night and remain nine points off the pace. Ottawa set the tone early, outshooting Toronto 16–2 in the first period and never let up.
Linus Ullmark made 21 saves for the Senators, who outshot Toronto 40–23 overall. Joseph Woll was chased from the game after allowing five goals on 28 shots, while Anthony Stolarz made 12 saves after replacing him late in the second period.
Morgan Rielly opened the scoring for the Leafs, beating Ullmark between the legs with a wrist shot on the power play less than three minutes into the game.
Ottawa answered midway through the first when Thomas Chabot took a nice pass from Brady Tkachuk in the high slot and beat Woll with a wrist shot that may have deflected off a stick in front.
Early in the second period, Cozens gave Ottawa a 2–1 lead, tapping in a room-service rebound that landed right on his stick blade.
Ten minutes later, Batherson buried a snapshot off the post and in to make it 3–1, but William Nylander quickly responded to cut the deficit to 3–2.
That was as close as the Leafs would get.
After a neutral-zone turnover by Matthew Knies, Batherson scored his second of the night to give the Senators a 4–2 advantage. It appeared Knies had knocked the puck into his own zone, but Toronto challenged the play for offside. The challenge was unsuccessful, resulting in a delay-of-game penalty.
Cozens made them pay, scoring on a wrist shot on the power play to complete the scoring and send Woll to the showers. The third period was uneventful, save for a weird little line brawl that started when Anthony Stolarz and Ridly Greig got into it as they did last season.
The Senators will continue their road trip in Edmonton on Tuesday, then in Calgary on Thursday. After that comes the NHL trade deadline on Friday, when decisions will have to be made about whether to bolster the roster for the stretch run or stand pat.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News
This article was first published by The Hockey News. More headlines here:
Senators At Leafs: NHL's Battle Of Ontario Takes An Unexpected Step Back
After Clearing Waivers, Former Ottawa Senator Mathieu Joseph Sent To AHL
Tkachuk Fields Questions on USA Celebrations and Desire To Remain In Ottawa
20 Years Later: The Rise And Fall Of One Of The Greatest Teams In Senators History
Senators Goalie Prospect Thriving After Trade To QMJHL's Top-Ranked Club
76ers vs. Celtics predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 1
Sunday Night Basketball on NBC/Peacock is in Boston this week as Jaylen Brown and the Celtics (39-20) host Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers (33-26).
For the past couple of weeks, the question has been “Will he or won’t he?” Will Jayson Tatum take the court for the Celtics Sunday against the 76ers? While Tatum is making miraculous progress rehabbing his torn Achilles, the All-NBA former Duke Blue Devil is not yet ready to help the Celtics and their run for another championship.
Without Tatum, Boston has enjoyed surprising success this season. The leaders in the Atlantic Division, the Celtics currently hold the second seed overall in the Eastern Conference. Sitting sixth in the East, the Sixers have won three straight to pull to within one game of the fifth place Toronto Raptors.
The Celtics have won five of their last six including an historic 148-111 rout of the Brooklyn Nets Friday night. Boston recorded an 80.8% effective field goal percentage (eFG%) in the game, setting a new record for the highest in NBA history. This historic shooting performance by the Celtics included going 52-of-78 (66.7%) from the field and 22-of-34 (64.7%) from three-point range.
At the foundation of Philly’s success this season has been the All-NBA caliber season of Tyrese Maxey and the resurgence of Joel Embiid. The 76ers’ ability to keep Embiid healthy the rest of the regular season will determine how deep a run they can make this Spring. To that end, the former MVP is not expected to play Sunday due to an oblique issue.
This is the fourth of four regular season meetings between these rivals. Philadelphia has taken two of the first three.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: 76ers at Celtics
- Date: Sunday, March 1, 2026
- Time: 8PM EST
- Site: TD Garden
- City: Boston, MA
- Network/Streaming: NBC/Peacock
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Game Odds: 76ers at Celtics
The latest odds as of Saturday Night courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers (+270), Boston Celtics (-340)
- Spread: Celtics -8.5
- Total: 221.5 points
This game opened Celtics -4.5 with the Total set at 223.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: 76ers at Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers
- PG Tyrese Maxey
- SG VJ Edgecombe
- SF Dominick Barlow
- PF Andre Drummond
- C Kelly Oubre Jr.
Boston Celtics
- PG Derrick White
- SG Baylor Scheierman
- SF Jaylen Brown
- PF Sam Hauser
- C Neemias Queta
Injury Report: 76ers at Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers
- Joel Embiid (oblique) has been ruled OUT of Sunday’s game
- Johni Broome (knee) has been ruled OUT of Sunday’s game
- Paul George (suspension) has been ruled OUT of Sunday’s game
Boston Celtics
- Jayson Tatum (Achilles) has been ruled OUT for Sunday’s game
- Baylor Scheierman (thumb) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: 76ers at Celtics
- The Celtics are 19-9 at home this season
- The 76ers are 17-11 on the road this season
- The Celtics are 34-25 ATS this season / 14-14 at home
- The 76ers are 33-26 ATS this season / 19-9 on the road (No. 1 in the NBA)
- The OVER has cashed in 32 of the 76ers’ 59 games this season (32-27)
- The OVER has cashed in a league-low 22 of the Celtics’ 59 games this season (22-37)
- IN his last 8 games, Jaylen Brown is averaging 27.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game
- In 3 games against Philadelphia this season, Brown is averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game
- In 3 games against Boston this season, Tyrese Maxey is averaging 29 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game
- These two teams have not met since November 11th but have played 3 times with the 76ers winning 2 of the 3 games.
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s 76ers and Celtics’ game:
- Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
- Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the 76ers +8.5 ATS
- Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 221.5
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