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Luka Doncic’s game-winner lifts Lakers to OT win over Nuggets

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots a game-winning shot as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones attempts to block during overtime, Image 2 shows Luka Doncic, wearing a yellow Lakers jersey with number 77, reacts after missing a shot during a basketball game

For 30 ½ minutes on Saturday night, the Lakers were in the driver’s seat while hosting the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. And then the Nuggets were in control.

And then each team gave the other their best shots.

But the Lakers had the best shot: a game-winning 17-foot fadeaway jumper from Luka Doncic in overtime to give the Lakers a 127-125 dramatic win over the Nuggets to close out a 5-0 homestand they had three of their best victories of the season during.

“He just made a great basketball play, got to his spot and hit a tough shot,” coach JJ Redick said. “And that was a great moment for him. I’m happy for him.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots a game winning shot while under pressure from Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones during overtime at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Doncic capped off the game with another big play when he blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s last second-shot attempt, sealing the victory for the Lakers. 

But Doncic wasn’t alone in his late-game heroics.

There was LeBron James, at 41 years old, fully extending his body while diving on the floor for a loose ball to force a jump ball with the Lakers down, 112-111, with 54.6 seconds left in regulation.

“Just living in the moment  – understanding the impact of the game, the implications of the game and our opponent and what we’re trying to build,” James said. “Every possession matters.”

After the Lakers lost the jump ball, Marcus Smart picked Aaron Gordon’s pocket, making a layup in transition to momentarily give the Lakers a one-point lead in regulation. And when the game went into overtime, Smart once again stepped up with a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers a 125-123 lead with 31 seconds left.

Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton also made big plays on both ends of the floor to help the Lakers beat the Nuggets.

Doncic didn’t have the most efficient shooting night (10 of 26), but he recorded a 30 point-13 assist-11 rebound triple-double.

Reaves led the Lakers with 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, making big plays in his own right during a game several Laker plays did. 

Smart made five 3-pointers and recorded five steals, finishing with 21 points, while LeBron James added 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with a 24 point-16 rebound-14 assist triple-double.

Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images

What it means

The Lakers improved to 42-25 on the season, moving back up to third in the Western Conference’s standings. 

They won the regular season series over the Nuggets (41-27), 2-1, with Denver staying at sixth in the West.

The Lakers are on a five-game winning streak.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 14, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images

Turning point 

With the Lakers down 118-116 with 5.2 seconds left in regulation, Reaves intentionally missed his second free throw before grabbing an offensive rebound off of his own miss and hitting an eight-foot floater to tie the game at 118 apiece.

“I knew I was going to miss,” Reaves said. “I wasn’t going to give the ball an opportunity to go in. Some people shoot it high and they end up making it on accident. But I don’t think my ball ever got over 10 feet.”

Co-MVPs: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves

Both of the Lakers star guards made big plays down the stretch to put the Lakers in position to beat the Nuggets.

They combined for 62 points, 19 assists, 18 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals.

Stat of the game: 6

Saturday marked Doncic’s sixth career game-winning field goal in the final five seconds of a game (five in the regular season, one in the playoffs), according to the Lakers.

Up next

The Lakers will kick off a six-game road trip when they play the Rockets on Monday at Toyota Center.

It’ll be the first of two matchups in Houston, with the Lakers playing the Rockets again on Wednesday.

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Hawaii beats UC Irvine 71-64 to win Big West and clinch first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Isaac Johnson scored 22 points to lead No. 2 seed Hawaii to a 71-64 victory over top-seeded UC Irvine on Saturday night for the Rainbow Warriors' first Big West Championship title and NCAA Tournament berth since 2016 — coach Eran Ganot's first with the program.

Hawaii (24-8) led for most of the game and took the lead for good on Johnson's layup with about 10 minutes to play. UC Irvine pulled to 66-64 with 38 seconds left but Harry Rouhliadeff answered with a layup and then Dre Bullock followed with a breakaway two-hand slam dunk to help seal it for the Warriors.

Rouhliadeff, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 78-63 win against Cal State Fullerton in the semifinal, finished with 15 points and a season-high 12 rebounds against the Anteaters for his second double-double of the season. Bullock also scored 15 points to go with seven rebounds for the Warriors.

Jurian Dixon scored 17 points for UC Irvine (23-11). Derin Saran and Kyle Evans added 13 points apiece and Andre Henry had 12.

Hawaii entered 0-3 in matchups against UC Irvine in the tournament (2013, 2018 quarterfinals and 2015 finals).

___

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

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Wilyer Abreu uncorks epic bat flip after putting Venezuela ahead in stunning WBC upset against Japan

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Wilyer Abreu of Team Venezuela hits a home run against Team Japan during the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Image 2 shows Wilyer Abreu #16 of Team Venezuela celebrates his home run with his team
Wilyer Abreu uncorked an epic bat flip during Venezuela's World Baseball Classic game Saturday.

In a World Baseball Classic already filled with cinematic moments, with epic home run celebrations and moments capturing the magnitude of these games on the international stage, Wilyer Abreu just added another one to the list.

Abreu, a Red Sox outfielder playing for Venezuela, took a 2-1 pitch from Japan pitcher Hiromi Itoh and crushed it 409 feet over the right-field fence in the sixth inning, giving Venezuela the lead for good with a three-run blast during its eventual 8-5 upset in the quarterfinals on Saturday night loanDepot Park in Miami.

Wilyer Abreu (16) celebrates with his Venezuela teammates during their March 14 game. Getty Images

After Abreu swung, he watched his ball’s flight trajectory for a moment.

Then, another moment.

He turned toward the Venezuela dugout, already erupting with cheers, and pumped his bat once before launching it high in the air and beginning to shuffle down the first base line.

Wilyer Abreu hits a home run during Venezuela’s 8-5 upset win over Japan in the WBC quarterfinals on March 14, 2026. Getty Images

“That was an exciting moment,” Abreu said in a postgame television interview. “I tried to at least tie the game with a sac fly. He gave me a really good pitch to hit. I made good contact. I’m very excited for this win. Now in the semifinals I hope I can do the same thing I did today.”

It was a stunning moment, one that meant Japan — and Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani — failed to defend their WBC title after winning it in 2023.

Abreu, 26, was hitting seventh in a batting order that already includes Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. — who homered in the first inning off Yoshinobu Yamamoto — and Royals star Maikel Garcia, whose two-run homer in the fifth inning trimmed Japan’s lead to one.

Wilyer Abreu reacts after hitting a home run during Venezuela’s upset win over Japan on March 14. AP

Then, Abreu uncorked the swing for the ages.

Ezequiel Tovar added another homer in the eighth inning that extended Venezuela’s lead, while former Yankee Gleyber Torres also flew out to the wall in that same frame.

Venezuela will now face Italy in the semifinals on Monday.

The United States and the Dominican Republic will square off in the other semifinal on Sunday night.

— with AP

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Celtics win over Wizards powered by two “great friends”

INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 3: Luka Garza #52 and Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the LA Clippers on January 3, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

BOSTON — When Neemias Queta finally checked out of Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards, Luka Garza shot to his feet and slapped Queta’s chest in congratulatory fashion. Queta had just completed one of his best games of the season — tallying 24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal — and Garza was eager to celebrate.

Such has been a common sight on the sidelines. Whenever one Celtics big man has put together a strong performance this season, the other center celebrates the success as though it were their own.

“We definitely are great friends,” Garza told CelticsBlog before Saturday’s game.

So, in typical fashion, as Queta exploded for a career-best 22 points in the first half, Garza was the first to his feet after every basket, pumping his fist at every putback and crafty finish that Queta converted.

Then, in the second half, the roles had somewhat reversed, and Garza was the one hitting shot after shot, finishing the game with 15 points.

This time, it was Queta leaping to his feet every time Garza

“When I’m on the bench, I’m just trying to cheer him up as much as I can,” Queta said. “Maybe learn a little bit with the crashing, and be[ing] able to get offensive rebounds.”

The two big men — who rarely share the floor — together combined for 39 points on Saturday, their highest-scoring total as Celtics teammates. The two have very different cultural backgrounds — Queta grew up in Portugal, Garza in Virginia — but have become fast friends in Boston.

And, they’re bonded by a similar uphill journey to make it in the NBA. Both centers were drafted in 2021, in the second round; Queta was picked 33rd by the Sacramento Kings, and Garza was picked 52nd by the Detroit Pistons. Both have fought for two-way contracts, and in moments, felt their future in the NBA was in jeopardy.

“There’s just a level of respect there from both of our journeys of coming to the league and both being second-round draft picks, both being in and out of the G League, not really getting a chance,” Garza told CelticsBlog before Saturday’s game. “And then, obviously, this year being the year that both of us get the biggest opportunities of our careers. So, I think there’s a lot of support for each other through that.”

Now, both are playing their best basketball, having received their most extended opportunities yet.

After being the Celtics’ fourth-string center last year, Queta has started every game he’s appeared in this season. He’s averaging 10 points and 8.4 rebounds in 25 minutes a night, having established himself as one of the league’s elite big man defenders.

Garza is averaging a career-high 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game, having appeared in 56 of the Celtics’ 67 games. He’s shooting 42.1% from three — a stark improvement from his 27.8% clip last year. Compared to Queta, Garza’s role has been more inconsistent; he’s dealt with stretches of DNPs and more limited minutes, especially in the weeks after Nikola Vucevic’s arrival in Boston.

But Luka Garza has always stayed ready

Despite fluctuating opportunities, Garza’s mindset and preparation have never wavered. So, when Vucevic fractured his ring finger last Friday, Garza was ready to slot back into the rotation.

“If I’m not playing, I’m really focused on growth and development and working on what I can do to improve when the next chance comes,” Garza said. “That helps keep my mind right in shape and all those kinds of things. So when it does come, then I’m ready.”

Another key?

Garza’s game-day routine never changes, regardless of how things have gone of late.

“The last three years in Minnesota, more often than not, I wasn’t going to check in, but I still kept the same routine, just because you never know what can happen,” he said. “And I’ve seen guys who don’t do that, and then the opportunity comes, and they’re not ready. And those small opportunities that you take advantage of can change your life, can change your career.”

It’s that type of preparation that has allowed Garza to pour in 15 points on 5-6 shooting in 15 minutes on Saturday. And, during game action, when Garza is on the sidelines, he’s scouting Queta’s every step.

“During the game, I’m mostly watching him, because that’s my position, that’s what’s happening in the game – I’m locked in on him,” Garza said. “I’m locked in on how he’s setting screens, how they’re treating him. If they’re trying to go under, if they’re trying to go over.”

If Queta’s positioning is at all off on either end of the floor, Garza tries to note that too. Anything he observes from the sideline is critical information he’ll use when he checks into the game. In particular, Garza looks to study Queta’s defensive positioning, which has become critical to the Celtics’ success.

“I’m always just kind of watching and seeing, and that leads to learning a lot from him, especially defensively, and just how he anchors the paint and his positioning, especially in deep situations when he’s playing kind of a deeper drop,” Garza said. “And, there are certain times that I’ll be in that [coverage] as well, and that’s something I’ve always looked to improve on and get better at.”

And, when roles are revesed and Queta is on the sidelines, he takes it as an opportunity to study Garza’s uncanny ability to offensive rebound.

“He’s such a workhorse,” Queta said. “And, he really gets his imprint on the game.”

For Joe Mazzulla, both players have been critical to the Celtics’ success this season.

“They’re both different in their versatility,” Mazzulla said. “They both can impact matchups. They both can impact coverages. You can play different coverages with them defensively. They both do a great job of playing off of each other, having an understanding that they need each other, and that our team needs both of them to be really good, and they both have an understanding of what each guy can do. When you have that, it’s just part of being a good team. It’s a credit to those guys for helping us be that.”

Off the court, the two have grabbed dinner and gotten to know each other in a more meaningful way.

“Neemi’s an awesome dude,” Garza said. “This team, in general, is really connected.”

Queta and Garza’s underlying friendship has been one of the many strong relationships key to the Celtics’ success. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman are in theory competing for minutes, but that hasn’t stopped them from being the best of friends.

“At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is to win,” Mazzulla said.

All season long, Queta and Garza have helped the Celtics do just that.

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Shohei Ohtani homers, but Japan eliminated by Venezuela

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 14: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of Team Venezuela reacts after hitting a double in the eighth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals game presented by Capital One between Team Venezuela and Team Japan at loanDepot park on Saturday, March 14, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

For the first time in the history of the World Baseball Classic, Japan won’t be in the semifinals. They were out-slugged by Venezuela 8-5 on Saturday night at loanDepot Park in Miami. Venezuela is into the semifinals of the WBC for the first time since 2009, and with the win clinched a berth into the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Maikel Garcia hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, and Wilyer Abreu hit the go-ahead three-run shot in the sixth to give Venezuela the lead for good. Of the 17 total hits in the game, 10 were for extra bases, including five home runs.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled at the start, needing 57 pitches to record his first nine outs. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit the second pitch of the night out for a leadoff home run, but Shohei Ohtani answered the call in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff blast of his own.

Sarah Langs at MLB.com noted that no major league game has ever featured two former league MVPs each hitting a leadoff home run, which made this WBC quarterfinal quite the rarity.

Venezuela hit consecutive doubles for another run in the second inning, driven in by Ezequiel Tovar, who has Yamamoto’s number at this point. The Rockies shortstop has eight hits in 12 at-bats against Yamamoto, with two home runs and two doubles. But lukily for Yamamoto, one of those outs was a strikeout to end the third inning, when Venezuela stranded a leadoff double.

With three doubles and a home run on Saturday, Yamamoto allowed four extra-base hits in a start for just the second time in 60 starts since joining the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The other time came last June 13 against the Giants at Dodger Stadium.

But after Japan scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning, including a three-run home run by Shota Morishita for a 5-2 lead, Yamamoto remained in and pitched a perfect fourth inning, retiring his final six batters faced. Yamamoto allowed those two early runs but nothing else in his four innings, with five strikeouts and a walk in his 69-pitch effort.

Japan did not score after the third inning, at one point held hitless for 13 straight at-bats by Emmanuel De Jesus, José Buttó, Angel Zerpa, and Andrés Machado, including two strikeouts of Ohtani. Those were the only times Ohtani struck out in five games in this tournament. In all, he had six hits, including three home runs and a double, in 12 at-bats plus five walks, three of them intentional, hitting .500/.647/1.333 with six runs scored and seven RBI.

Japan reached the semifinal round in the first five World Baseball Classics, including tournament wins in 2006, 2009, and 2023.

Earlier in Saturday quarterfinals action in Houston, Italy remained undefeated, this time holding on to beat Puerto Rico 8-6.

Edwin Díaz hit a batter, walked another, and threw a wild pitch, but pitched a scoreless ninth inning, with two strikeouts. In three appearances during the WBC, the Dodgers right-hander pitched three scoreless innings with one hit, one walk, one hit batter, and allowed two steals, but also struck out seven of his 12 batters faced.

Catcher Will Smith is the only Dodgers player still active in the World Baseball Classic.

Remaining WBC schedule
  • Sunday semifinal: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m. PT (FS1)
  • Monday semifinal: Italy vs. Venezuela, 5 p.m. (FS1)
  • Tuesday championship game, 5 p.m. (Fox)
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Carlos Alcaraz stays positive after winning streak ended by Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells

  • Spanish world No 1 falls to first defeat of tennis season

  • Medvedev wins 6-3, 7-6(3) to set up final against Jannik Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz said he was finding it tough to constantly have a target on his back and was surprised by the level of performance from Daniil Medvedev after the Russian handed him his first defeat of the season at Indian Wells.

Medvedev’s 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over the world No 1 in the semi-finals ended the Spaniard’s 16-match winning run to start the season. World No 11 Medvedev will play Jannik Sinner in the final on Sunday.

Continue reading...
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Dejan Joveljić haunts former team, Lasse Johnson shines in debut as Sporting KC edges Galaxy 2-1

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Dejan Joveljić had a goal and an assist against his former team, Lasse Johnsen had a goal and an assist in his league debut and Sporting Kansas City beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday night.

Neither team found the net until Joveljić used assists from Manu García and Johnsen to score two minutes into stoppage time for a 1-0 lead at halftime. García earned his first assist after tallying nine as a rookie last season.

Joveljić, along with Stephen Afrifa, set up an insurance goal by Johnsen in the 74th minute for a 2-0 advantage. Afrifa's helper was first this season and his second in 39 appearances.

That proved necessary for the victory after Marco Reus used his head for an unassisted score in the 82nd minute to cut the Galaxy's deficit to a goal. Reus scored for the first time this season and the seventh time in 31 career matches.

John Pulskamp finished with four saves to help Sporting KC (1-2-1) earn its first victory of the season while putting an end to a seven-match losing streak on the road dating to last season.

Novak Micovic saved two shots for the Galaxy (1-2-1).

Joveljić totaled 34 goals and 11 assists in 106 starts with LA from 2021-24. He had 15 goals and six assists during the Galaxy's championship run in 2024 when he scored the second goal in a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bullls. His third goal this season gives him 21 along with three assists in 36 matches with Sporting KC.

Los Angeles played without Gabriel Pec, who was suspended for the match after receiving a red card in a 4-1 road loss to the Colorado Rapids last week. Joseph Paintsil was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The Galaxy have a slim lead in the all-time series 29-28-18, including a 19-9-9 record at home.

Both teams posted home victories in two matchups last season.

Up next

Sporting KC: Hosts Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

Los Angeles: At Portland Timbers on Sunday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

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Hardaway, Rowe set pace as UTSA defense swarms in 54-40 win over Rice for American Conference title

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Ereauna Hardaway and Cheyenne Rowe each scored 13 points and UTSA held Rice to a season-low score beating the Owls 54-40 on Saturday in the American Conference title game on Saturday.

Idara Udo added 11 points for No. 6 seed UTSA (18-15) which clinched its first championship — and NCAA Tournament berth —since joining the American.

Hailey Adams was the only player for top-seeded Rice (28-5) in double figures with 12 points.

UTSA led 20-13 at halftime as the two squads recorded the lowest scoring half in the history of American Conference tournament play. The Owls drew within 24-20 to start the third quarter, but UTSA went on a 10-0 run in which Udo scored half the points and the Roadrunners stayed up by double digits for the remainder. Damara Allen's basket with 5:04 left made it 48-30.

Rice's only regular season conference defeat occurred when it hosted UTSA in a 61-52 loss on March 7.

UTSA knocked off second-seeded East Carolina 54-44 on Friday night and also held the Pirates to their lowest scoring total of the season.

UTSA last reached the NCAA Tournament in the 2009 season as a member of the Southland Conference. It was the program’s sixth conference championship appearance overall, and the Roadrunners now have an even record in conference championship play.

UTSA won consecutive titles in the Southland in 2008 and 2009. ___ 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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Luka Doncic hits game-winner with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime as Lakers beat Nuggets 127-125

Luka Doncic made a fall-away jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 on Saturday night.

Austin Reaves forced overtime when he rebounded his intentionally missed free throw and made a floater with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation.

Doncic created enough distance from Spencer Jones to make the 17-foot shot, finishing with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as he continued his spectacular play during Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak. Doncic then blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s desperation heave following a Denver timeout.

Reaves finished with 32 points, making the first free throw and then perfectly executing his missed second attempt off the front of the rim after the Nuggets fouled him to prevent a tying 3-point attempt leading 118-115 with 5.2 seconds left.

Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 27 points and Hardaway finished with 20.

Jamal Murray fouled out 31 seconds into overtime, finishing with five points, six rebounds and six assists on a miserable 1-for-14 night.

Houston, the Lakers, Denver and Minnesota all came into Saturday with 41 wins as they jockey to be as high as the third seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets already held tiebreakers over the Rockets and Timberwolves by virtue of having won the season series against both teams, but the Lakers denied them a clean sweep in the crowded middle.

Deandre Ayton had four of his nine points in overtime and Marcus Smart hit a 3-pointer to put Los Angeles up with 30 seconds left, only for Jokic to score a driving layup up off the glass over Ayton to tie it with 15.1 to go.

Up next

Nuggets: Host the 76ers on Tuesday.

Lakers: Visit the Rockets on Monday.

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Doncic drills a buzzer-beating OT jumper as Lakers beat Nuggets

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic made a fall-away jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 on Saturday night.

Austin Reaves forced overtime when he rebounded his intentionally missed free throw and made a floater with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation.

Doncic created enough distance from Spencer Jones to make the 17-foot shot, finishing with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as he continued his spectacular play during Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak. Doncic then blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s desperation heave following a Denver timeout.

Reaves finished with 32 points, making the first free throw and then perfectly executing his missed second attempt off the front of the rim after the Nuggets fouled him to prevent a tying 3-point attempt leading 118-115 with 5.2 seconds left.

Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 27 points and Hardaway finished with 20.

Jamal Murray fouled out 31 seconds into overtime, finishing with five points, six rebounds and six assists on a miserable 1-for-14 night.

76ERS 104, NETS 97

PHILADELHPIA (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored a season-high 28 points and Philadelphia held on for a victory over Brooklyn.

Grimes had eight rebounds for the short-handed 76ers, who were missing Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., among other players. Justin Edwards scored 19 points while adding three steals.

Danny Wolf had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who lost their third straight game. Josh Minott added 14 points.

The 76ers entered halftime up 53-31. Adem Bona’s free throw with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter gave Philadelphia the lead for good at 88-87.

HAWKS 122, BUCKS 99

ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 30 points, Jalen Johnson had his 12th triple-double of the season and Atlanta beat Milwaukee Bucks for its ninth straight victory.

Johnson finished with 23 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as Atlanta extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA. McCollum made seven 3-pointers and moved ahead of Paul Pierce into 16th place on the career list with 2,147.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points for the Hawks, who led 60-52 after a first half with six lead changes and four ties. The Hawks then broke it open in the third quarter by outscoring Milwaukee 35-26, with McCollum scoring 11.

Ryan Rollins scored 22 points for the Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo after he sprained his left ankle during Milwaukee’s 112-105 loss to Miami on Thursday. Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

SPURS 115, HORNETS 102

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in his return from a one-game absence, leading San Antonio to a victory over Charlotte.

Miles Bridges had 22 points and Kon Knueppel added 20 for Charlotte, which had won two straight and eight of 10.

The Spurs have won 17 of 19 to tighten their grip on second in the Western Conference. San Antonio (49-18) is 7 1/2 games ahead of No. 3 Houston (41-25) and three games behind Oklahoma City (52-15) for first.

The Spurs closed their longest homestand 5-1, with their only loss coming as Wembanyama watched from the bench because of a sore right calf in a 136-131 loss to Denver on Thursday that snapped a five-game winning streak.

Wembanyama had an immediate impact with 18 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the first half.

CELTICS 111, WIZARDS 100

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a season-high 32 minutes, Neemias Queta had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Boston withstood a late charge to beat Washington for its 11th straight loss.

Tatum had his second double-double since making his season debut earlier this month. Jaylen Brown added 16 points to help the Celtics snap a two-game skid.

Boston’s lead grew to 30 points in the third quarter, but Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla kept Tatum on the court to allow him to reach a high for minutes in the four games he’s played in since his return from Achilles tendon surgery. He had been capped at 27 minutes in his previous three games.

Washington, which was coming off erasing a 17-point deficit to force overtime in a loss at Orlando on Thursday, chopped Boston’s lead to 12 in the fourth quarter. But the Celtics got a layup from Tatum and 3-pointer by Sam Hauser to help them close it out.

Tristan Vukcevic had 22 points to lead the Wizards.

MAGIC 121, HEAT 117

MIAMI (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 27 points, Desmond Bane added 21 and Orlando beat Miami, becoming the second team in the last 30 years to beat the same opponent five times in one season.

Wendell Carter Jr. scored 15 for the Magic, who won their seventh straight and snapped Miami’s season-best, seven-game winning streak.

Orlando led by as many as 22, before Miami twice got within two in the final 18.5 seconds.

Orlando (38-28) moved a game clear of Miami (38-30) in the race for fifth in the Eastern Conference, plus is 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2023-24 season.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 22, while Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell each had 20 for Miami, which hadn’t gone 0-5 against one team since doing so against New York — then coached by now-Heat President Pat Riley — in 1992-93.

The only other instance in the last three decades: New Orleans went 5-0 against Sacramento in 2023-24.

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Yankees news: Kyle Carr among four spring training cuts

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 9: Kyle Carr #66 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 9, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees reassigned four pitchers from spring training camp Saturday morning. The four non-roster invitees — Michael Arias, Kyle Carr, Dylan Coleman, and Dom Hamel — will continue to ramp up at the team’s minor-league complex. Carr, MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 Yankees prospect, is the most touted of the bunch and allowed one run in four innings while punching out four in big-league camp. The transaction leaves the club with 54 players on their spring training roster, not including 11-year veteran Rafael Montero, a non-roster invitee who has been unable to join camp due to visa issues.

MLB.com | Paul Casella: Carlos Rodón threw 30 pitches against live batters Saturday morning, an encouraging sign as he works back from elbow surgery. “I feel like I had more, like I could have gone more, but obviously can’t do that yet,” he said after the session.

With a host of other pitching options in spring camp, the Yankees plan to slow-play the Rodón’s recovery, ensuring he has plenty of time to ramp up. Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers appear poised to open the season behind ace Max Fried in the rotation, with swingman Ryan Yarbrough and prospects Elmer Rodríguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess waiting in the wings.

New York Post | Greg Joyce: With Rodón and Gerrit Cole slated to begin the season on the IL, Fried is leaning into his role as the unquestioned ace of the Yankees’ staff. “He loves the craft of pitching,” said Aaron Boone. “He loves all that being on a team is about. He’s similar to [Aaron Judge] in that way, where it’s team above him, is how he kind of embodies it. Super accountable. Demands a lot of himself and his teammates.”

The four-time Gold Glover has been hands-on this spring, including helping provide focus to a bunt defense drill. “He drives a lot of the conversation, too,” Boone said. “A lot of the drill stuff that we’ve done, fundamental stuff, he’s a big voice and is pushing guys and is asking questions. He’s kind of setting the tone and setting the standard.” 

SNY | SNY Newsdesk: Several Yankees continued to leave their mark on the world stage during World Baseball Classic quarterfinal action the past couple days. Aaron Judge notched a double and a walk for Team USA in its victory over Canada, with his teammate David Bednar working out of a two-on, no-out jam in the seventh. Austin Wells hit a three-run homer off the bench for Team Dominican Republic, staking the team to a three-run lead that walked off Korea via mercy rule.

There weren’t as many Yankees in action yesterday for Puerto Rico vs. Italy and Japan vs. Venezuela. Fernando Cruz went four-up/four-down with a pair of strikeouts in relief, but Puerto Rico’s WBC run came to an end against old friend Francisco Cervelli’s Italy club. So Cruz will soon return to Yankees camp, as will pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez, who threw three scoreless innings of one-hit ball against Cuba in pool play.

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Takeaways: Penguins Earn Gutsy Comeback Victory Over Utah In Must-Win Scenario

With every other team in the Eastern Conference who is a threat to their playoff hopes winning on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins really needed to find a way to get at least a point - but, preferably, two - when they took on the Utah Mammoth later the same day. 

And just like they have so many times in this tumultuous 2025-26 season, they somehow managed to get the job done. 

After going down 2-0, the Penguins stormed back with authority to beat the Mammoth, 4-3, in regulation, securing their 28th regulation win of the season and allowing them to hold onto second place in the Metropolitan Division. The New York Islanders - who are right on their heels in third place with the same number of points with 81 - won in regulation, and the Columbus Blue Jackets and Boston Bruins both won in a shootout, so getting the two points in regulation was critical since it’s the first tiebreaker and the Pens have more regulation wins than any of those teams.

The team’s ability to fight back when they’re down and out has been a theme since losing both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and they’re now 2-1-2 in the five games without them.

Things started off rough for the Penguins, who had one of their worst periods of the season in the first. Like they did in the game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, they were turning pucks over left and right, resulting in goals against.

A Blake Lizotte turnover led to the first goal of the game by Dylan Guenther, who rifled it past Stuart Skinner on a save attempt he’d probably like to have back. Then, just a minute and a half later, the Mammoth got a questionable power play opportunity after a scrum in which only Anthony Mantha was called for cross-checking, and Guenther capitalized again to make it 2-0. 

But after that first 10 minutes, the Penguins started to wake up a bit. And they took over in the second period.

Mantha picked his spot and cashed in on a five-on-three power play opportunity for the Penguins with a little more than five minutes to go in the middle frame for his 25th of the season, tying a career-high. Then, less than three minutes later, Tommy Novak notched his 15th of the year from the bottom of the right circle to tie the game at 2-2.

The Penguins got a carryover power play opportunity in the third, and Bryan Rust scored the go-ahead goal less than a minute and a half in. Utah responded a few minutes later when ex-Penguin Ian Cole capitalized after yet another Penguins’ turnover to knot things back up, but the Penguins clapped right back with a Noel Acciari garbage goal off a rebound at the net front - and from his knees - to make it 4-3 and give the Penguins the win.

Skinner was brilliant in the back half of the game, ultimately 26 of 29 and making some key saves in the last few minutes to help the Penguins survive and earn the win in regulation.

Here are a few thoughts and takeaways from this one:

- The Penguins do not quit. They just don't. I've talked about it a million times at this point, but this is a defining characteristic of this group. And it's a marvel to witness.

They have a horrible start to this game, and they were punished for it by going down 2-0. But - like we've seen so many times this season - they didn't fold. Instead, they put on their work boots and fought their way back. 

I can't say enough about this team's resilience. If they do make the playoffs, it's going to make them a tough out for any opponent. They will not go down quietly, and that never-die mindset is such a good one to have when the games matter most. 

- Despite the win, this was another sloppy game for the Penguins. They were turning pucks over left and right, and - once again - two goals were direct results of turnovers.

With both Crosby and Malkin out, pretty much everyone has had to pull more weight and overcompensate. It's possible that some fatigue is beginning to set in, even after a long Olympic break. It also just tends to happen down the stretch run of the season where guys are simply running on fumes because they're giving 200 percent effort in all 60 minutes of every game, especially when they're in playoff contention.

But, nevertheless, the Penguins aren't the only team dealing with the same thing. I think what a lot of it boils down to is the fact that they know they have to generate more offense from different sources without 87 and 71, and they're taking more risks because of that.  

Whatever the reason, it's something they need to clean up if they hope to make the playoffs and get anywhere if they do make it. 

- Rust and Acciari have been scoring some big goals for the Penguins this season. Rust was the one to score the tying goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. And Acciari was the one to score the penultimate goal, both of which were with the goaltender pulled.

Then, against the Mammoth, Rust scores the initial go-ahead goal, and Acciari pots the game-winner. 

Both are leaders on this team, and - in addition to all of the other players I've praised during this stretch without the two stars - they've played a huge part in the Penguins continuing to collect points.

- Skinner did not have the strongest start to this game. He could have made a save on Utah's first goal by Guenther, and he looked a bit uncomfortable in the crease early on. 

But, man, did he look better as the game went on - and he secured the win for the Penguins with some brilliant saves. Both Skinner and Arturs Silovs have been a bit hot and cold as of late, and consistency at the goaltending position would greatly benefit the Penguins.

But Skinner pretty much earned them two points with his effort in the third - even stopping a breakaway opportunity while the Pens had the 4-3 lead.

- For a moment, it looked like Utah forward and Pittsburgh native Logan Cooley had a bad injury. He crashed into the net, went down awkwardly, and could not put any weight on his left leg as he left the ice.

But, he returned a few shifts later, and he appeared to be okay.  Glad he is, because he's a heck of a hockey player and a huge reason why the Mammoth are in playoff contention. 

- The Penguins' road trip doesn't get any easier from here, but the good news is that they'll have at least one of their big guys back in the lineup on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche, as Evgeni Malkin will have served his five-game suspension. 

As for Crosby? The Penguins have not had the luxury of any practice days on this trip, as they play every other day and need to designate the off-days for travel. This makes it difficult for Crosby to make tangible progress, even if he has joined their morning skates.

But, if they can get both of them back Monday, I don't think I need to take the time to describe how big that would be for this team, who managed to stay afloat without them but could certainly use them back in the lineup. 

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Penguins/Mammoth Recap: It’s not pretty for Pens, but it’s a beautiful win over Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 14: Noel Acciari #55 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a third-period goal during a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on March 14, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Eli Rehmer/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Pregame

The Penguins don’t make any lineup changes from last game besides giving Stuart Skinner his turn in net.

They faceoff against the Utah Mammoth, who have this lineup.

First period

Sloppy start for the Penguins, Blake Lizotte can’t handle a pass out of the zone and passes it back under pressure, turns out to be a bad idea that Dylan Guenther jumps on and snaps a low shot by Skinner. 1-0 Utah early.

There’s a scrum in front of the Pittsburgh net, Anthony Mantha escalates things by going after a Utah player and Mantha takes a penalty for it. Utah capitalizes on the power play, a shot bounces off the end wall and Barrett Hayton smacks at it. The Pens lunge to pull the puck off the goal-line but Guenter comes crashing into the crease and knocks the puck in for his second goal of the game.

Parker Wotherspoon holds onto a puck to let his teammates complete a line change and creates an opportunity when he gets slashed to earn the first Pittsburgh power play. They get some zone time out of it but not much more.

Pittsburgh plays a little better in the second half of the period compared to the first, not that it’s saying much considering how poor they were early on. Shots end up 12-8 Utah after 20 minutes with them also carrying a 2-0 lead.

Second period

A few penalties go for the early part, Ilya Solovyov stops moving his legs and uses his stick to latch onto a Mammoth player to take a penalty but then Hayton slashes a Penguin to make it 4v4. That leads to a tough development for Logan Cooley, who crashes into the post with his leg in a similar way to an injury he suffered last season.

Penalties cycle through, amazingly Cooley is able to return to the game after the nasty collision with the post.

Later on, the Pens get another power play, then Rickard Rakell gets upended and Pittsburgh gets 1:27 of a 5v3 power play with 5:48 to go in the period. The moment is big, Dan Muse uses his timeout to rest his top players and gameplan something for the opportunity. It works, Mantha finds space on the right side and fires a shot up and over Karel Vejmelka on the short-side to make it a 2-1 game.

The Pens keep surging, the Ben Kindel line produces a great shift to tilt the ice, Tommy Novak’s line is out next. Novak goes low-to-high with a pass to Wotherspoon at the point, Wotherspoon puts it on net. The puck gets jammed into the mess of bodies and pops back to Novak who flips a fluttering puck into the net. 2-2.

Bryan Rust sets Rakell up for a goal in front of the net, Ian Cole has to hook Rakell to stop the goal, the Pens to a power play with 15 seconds left.

It wasn’t a pretty period, but it was effective and badly needed for the Pens to score two goals and tie the game. They didn’t have much going on until the 5v3 seemed to invigorate them and they found a way to pull themselves back into a game that they weren’t looking very competitive in for the first 35 minutes or so.

Third period

Much of the carryover power play looks disjointed for the Penguins, who struggle with keeping the puck in the zone. Finally, the luck turns and the puck clicks off a pair of Mammoth players and lands within reach of Bryan Rust. Rust fires it into the net. Pittsburgh takes their first lead of the night, 3-2.

That lead doesn’t last long, Rust toepicks and coughs up a puck, Utah finds Ian Cole as a trailing player on the rush, the defense is out of sorts and Cole scores on a wrist shot. 3-3.

The Pens keep at it, Noel Acciari wins a puck back from John Marino down low and passes to the point. Wotherspoon does his thing and gets the puck to the net. Acciari’s stick is tied up but he wills his way to tapping the puck into the net with it anyways. 4-3 Pittsburgh back in front.

With power plays on the night at 6-2 PIT and Utah down on the scoreboard, wouldn’t ya know it’s the Pens who take a penalty with 8:41 to play. The Pens survive.

Michael Carcone flies the zone and gets a breakaway with about 2:30 left, puck goes off the crossbar and out of play.

The Mammoth pull their goalie soon after and then take their timeout with 1:25 to go. Utah keeps winning faceoffs and pumping shots Skinner’s way, he’s able to battle the way his team has all night. Fittingly, it’s not the prettiest or smoothest sequence with some rebounds left around but he gets the job done well enough until time runs out to secure the victory.

Some thoughts

  • “Playing connected” is an en vogue catchphrase these days for NHL teams to describe how they aspire to play cohesively as a unit in smooth, fluid control with one another as a group. The Penguins have not been playing connected lately and the trouble is it’s applying up and down the board. When a player as typically reliable as Blake Lizotte is creating trouble with a decision or Anthony Mantha is taking an unnecessary post-whistle penalty, it’s a tough watch right now. There’s a lot to figure out in terms of decision making right now all across the lineup.
  • For the faults, weaknesses and mistakes, the Penguins never really go away or stop trying though. Gotta give them that if nothing else. They’ll keep battling and working to attempt to atone for the mistakes and go after the next one. This night wasn’t a one-off considering the recent comeback efforts against Boston and Carolina earlier this week, that certain spirit and ability to soldier on has been working.
  • Falling behind early has been a big problem on this road trip, this was the third game on it and it was the third time the Pens fell down 1-0 somewhat early in the first period. This game and last game against Vegas it was 2-0. That’s not a way to live in the NHL being in a hole and playing from behind. The Pens have been one of the best first period and score first teams in the league this season but the starts have been another area on the fritz lately.
  • Things didn’t get much better in the second, the Pens only managed two shots on goal in the first 15 minutes of the second period prior to Anthony Mantha’s 5v3 goal. They started scoring after that but still never really played very consistently or in a textbook manner. At this point, however, the style points don’t matter, only the results.
  • Effective night for Wotherspoon, the scoresheet recorded both his shot attempts as officially being ‘blocked’, yet both times the puck ended up in the net due to a teammate in close putting in the loose puck. It’s simple yet proved effective to get bodies to the net and then send the puck in to see what could come out of any chaos created….And now the official scorer has taken away one of the shot attempts.
  • Unfriendly night across the league for the Pens; the Bruins, Islanders and Blue Jackets all won their respective games and the Red Wings picked up a point with an OT loss. This was one that the Pens badly needed to keep the pace with all those teams in the playoff chase (where one will be left out) and in a bottom line business, they did. Wasn’t the cleanest game or most pleasing way to go about it, but at this point in the year and given the lineup – a win is a win is a win.

The Pens up their record to 1-1-1 on the road trip to keep hanging around. They’ll have one Hall of Fame center back for Monday against Colorado with Evgeni Malkin returning from suspension. Hopefully soon they’ll add a second one too as Sidney Crosby continues his rehab from his Olympic injury.

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Watch Wilyer Abreu's bat flip, epic celebration after WBC homer vs Japan

Venezuela and Japan are battling it out in a high-scoring World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game.

Japan had a 5-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning, before Wilyer Abreu hit a 3-run home run to right field to give Venezuela a 7-5 lead.

Abreu did not hide his emotions, throwing his bat high in the air after the home run. Abreu’s teammates shared in his excitement, streaming out of the dugout to celebrate.

Venezuela carried the 7-5 lead into the eighth inning, tacking on another run.

Check out Abreu's epic home run, bat flip and the Venezuela celebration:

Watch Wilyer Abreu bat flip, celebration

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Wilyer Abreu bat flip, celebration after WBC homer vs Japan

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Stijn Spierings scores a goal in his MLS debut, Real Salt Lake beats Austin 2-1

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Stijn Spierings scored a goal in his MLS debut to help Real Salt Lake beat Austin FC 2-1 on Saturday night.

Spierings, a 30-year-old former Netherlands youth international, ran onto a ball played ahead by Justen Glad and blasted a first-touch shot from well outside the area to give Real Salt Lake (3-1-0) its first lead of the game at 2-1 in the 88th minute.

Jon Bell scored for Austin (1-2-1) in the 18th minute.

Noel Caliskan played an entry pass from the left edge of the penalty box that was redirected into the net by Austin defender Oleksandr Svatok for an own goal that made it 1-1 in the 24th.

RSL had 59% possession and outshot Austin 24-10, 8-3 on target.

Diego Luna (knee) made his season debut for Real Salt Lake when he subbed on for 18-year-old Aiden Hezarkhani in the 71st minute.

Brad Stuver stopped seven shots for Austin.

Rafael Cabral had two saves for RSL.

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