Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn both had two extra-base hits, Ethan Murray channelled his inner Barry Bonds, and Kyle Harrison struck out over half of the batters he faced to earn Milwaukee their fourth straight spring victory.
The only batter to reach base for either team in the first inning was Jake Bauers, who laced a one-out double into right off of Mariners starter George Kirby. In the top of the second, a passed ball by Jeferson Quero allowed Patrick Wisdom to reach on a strikeout. The next batter up was Leo Rivas, who hit a 441-foot home run to give Seattle an early 2-0 lead.
Aside from the Rivas home run, Harrison — Milwaukee’s starting pitcher — pitched incredibly well today. Harrison struck out eight Mariners in just three innings of work, with four of those strikeouts coming in the second inning. He walked two batters, but only allowed two hits — the other a double off the bat of Lazaro Montes in the second.
— Pitcher List Stats (@PitcherListPLV) March 8, 2026
Milwaukee finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth.
Andrew Vaughn led off with a ground-rule double, prompting Mariners manager Dan Wilson to remove Kirby in favor of Troy Taylor. Taylor got David Hamilton to fly out for the first out, but Blake Perkins ripped a single into right field to score Vaughn from second. Perkins advanced to second on the throw home, giving Milwaukee another runner in scoring position with only one out. After Brock Wilken popped out for the second out, Quero walked on a 3-2 count to keep the inning alive. That brought up prospect Ethan Murray, who crushed a monster 477-foot home run (110-mph exit velocity) to give the Brewers a 4-2 lead.
The scoring didn’t stop there, either.
In the bottom of the fifth, Bauers homered off of Josh Simpson for his second hit of the game. The next batter, Christian Yelich, worked a walk, and Vaughn doubled again to knock him in. Vaughn then advanced to third on a wild pitch — still with nobody out. Unfortunately, despite a two-out walk by Brock Wilken, Simpson was able to bear down. Hamilton, Perkins, and Quero all struck out to end the inning with the score 6-2 Milwaukee.
Jacob Misiorowski gave up a home run to Brennan Davis to start the top of the sixth, but the scoring would end there as the Brewers picked up their fourth straight win.
Harrison and Misiorowski (3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6K) both looked ready for the season. Jared Koenig, Jesús Broca, and Will Childers all held the Mariners scoreless in their appearances. Vaughn and Bauers both had multiple extra-base hits. Murray only had one hit, but his moonshot was probably the highlight of the game.
The Crew will look to make it five straight tomorrow in an NLCS rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 8: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Boston is a bad matchup for Cleveland. They can press the Cavs in a lot of the areas they struggle with most on both ends of the floor.
Offensively, they can spread the Cavs’ defense out and force them to guard one-on-one. This isn’t ideal for a team that has struggled with point-of-attack defense all season. And if the backside help comes, the Celtics have capable enough playmakers to find the open man and make them pay with their three-point shooting.
Defensively, they stay out of rotation due to their willingness to switch everything. They trust each player on the court to hold their own in any matchup, and they mostly do. This allows them to limit the amount of disruption an off-ball shooter like Sam Merrill can cause or the effectiveness of the pick-and-roll because they’re okay with giving up mismatches if it means slowing down the offense’s ball movement.
The problems this can cause the Cavs came through, particularly in the second quarter when the game got away from them.
The Cavs lost this game in the second quarter. They mustered just 10 points, went 0-14 from three, and just 4-25 from the field.
“I think that first half man, it was really just about shots,” Donovan Mitchell said.
The Cavs generated good looks in the second quarter that simply didn’t fall. Below is a clip of eight threes that were either quality attempts or, at the very least, open enough that you’re okay with the shot in a vacuum.
“If we get a couple shots to fall, layups, threes, anything…it’s a different ballgame,” James Harden said. “It’s draining when you feel like you’re getting easy looks and they’re not going, but it’s part of the game.”
Missing threes in the second quarter wasn’t an issue for the Cavs; their inability to find other ways to score was.
“Part of basketball is missing and making shots, but our competitive nature, our competitive spirit [needs to be there] for a full game,” Harden said. “That’s what we do. We force the game to be in our hands.”
This is what the Celtics did better, particularly in the second quarter. They also shot poorly, going 1-9 from three in the second, but they found ways to attack the basket and get to the free-throw line.
Boston only scored 21 points in that frame, but their ability to keep their offense on schedule allowed them to create separation. If the Cavs hadn’t abandoned trying to get inside in the second quarter, they might’ve been able to stay in the game until their three-point shot came around.
The same three-point looks that weren’t falling in the first half fell in the second. They went 11-23 (47.8%) from three en route to a 62-point half.
If you look at most of the makes below, you’ll see that the offensive process that led to the attempts wasn’t too different. It’s just that the shots went in this time around.
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“I think we did an unbelievable job in the second half,” Harden said. “We just kept fighting and giving ourselves a chance.”
The Celtics don’t have an answer for Evan Mobley. This is a matchup he’s historically done well in, and did so again on Sunday. He punished mismatches when he got the switch and did a good job of getting into the paint on opposing center Neemias Queta.
While the Cavs don’t have an answer for Boston’s wings, the Celtics also don’t have an answer for Cleveland’s bigs. This was evident even though the Cavs were without Jarrett Allen.
Boston’s role players were the biggest difference in this matchup.
Both teams had good enough games from their stars. The same can’t be said about the supporting cast.
The Celtics’ bench outscored the Cavs’ 41-13. This included standout performances from Payton Pritchard (18 points) and Baylor Scheierman (16 points). Sam Hauser was a starter, but his 15 points were more than any Cavalier outside of Mitchell, Harden, and Mobley.
Conversely, the Cavs received a substandard performance from everyone outside of their stars. Jaylon Tyson provided eight points and didn’t make an impact defensively, Sam Merrill went 1-7 from three, Dennis Schroder registered just two points, and Keon Ellis didn’t score at all.
Even though this game felt one-sided at times, the Cavs aren’t far off.
The Celtics are the standard in the East. They’re the only proven, championship team among the four top teams in the conference. Games like this show why. They understand who they are and what they want to do on both ends. That came through in the stretches where they weren’t getting their shots to fall in the second quarter, and didn’t let it affect how they played. That, in the end, is what won them the game.
The Cavs aren’t on the Celtics’ level right now, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get there.
“In that second half, we found something in ourselves,” Harden said. “That’s the level we got to get to, Boston. Once we’re there, because I know we’re good enough. We will get there, then we’ll be a much better team.
“If we’re making shots, we’re going to blow teams out. And tonight we didn’t make our shots.”
You never know what will happen to anyone sitting courtside during an NBA game.
In fighting for a loose ball, Lakers guard Marcus Smart crashed into longtime television host and political commentator Bill Maher while facing the Knicks in a Sunday afternoon tip-off at the Crypto.com Arena.
It’s only the fourth time this season the Lakers held an opponent under 100 points, and the Knicks are by far the best team L.A. has done this against, with the others being the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.
Luka Doncic led the LeBron James-less Lakers with 35 points, eight rebounds and four assists, making five threes in the process.
Smart shot just 1-for-10 and went 0-for-5 from deep, ending the day with just five points, four assists and two steals.
He was not at his sharpest on Sunday against the Mets, but the 26-year-old, expected to be an important new piece to the rotation, said he’s still getting used to being in game competition at this point in the spring.
For a pitcher who’s never started more than 18 games in a major league season, just staying healthy is key.
“He has immense talent,’’ pitching coach Matt Blake said Sunday. “The biggest thing is supporting him to keep his routine together to help keep him on the field.”
Blake has a good understanding of what kind of potential the 26-year-old has.
Part of Blake’s job when he worked in player development with Cleveland before the Yankees hired him to be their pitching coach prior to the 2020 season was to be involved in the draft process.
Ryan Weathers has dealt with injury issues throughout his career. Getty Images
It was when Blake was in that role when he first encountered Ryan Weathers, then a top prospect at Loretto High School in Tennessee.
“He was a baseball player, not just a pitcher,’’ Blake said Sunday, before Weathers started at Clover Park. “He had a good feel for the game. And you wouldn’t necessarily think he was a great athlete, you watch him on the mound and he moves really well. He handles himself and has good instincts.”
Aaron Boone talked about the 26-year-old’s athleticism and power.
But the lefty has yet to put it all together in the majors after San Diego made him the No. 7 overall pick in 2018.
“I saw him there and then watched him ascend from San Diego to Miami,’’ Blake said. “It’s hard to know, especially when they come out of high school, what direction they’re gonna go in. You think they can improve their body and throw harder, but it takes a guy to commit to the process. Young guys like that can get chewed up in the minors, but he got up there quickly and has had to go through some ups and downs and fight to stay on the field.”
If that happens, the Yankees believe the results will follow.
Sunday was not a great example of that, as Weathers was knocked around for six runs — five earned — in two innings over a 59-pitch outing.
He routinely hit 99 mph on the radar gun, but allowed seven hits and a pair of walks as he rushed his delivery, especially with runners on base and when he was trying to finish off at-bats.
“What I didn’t do well, because it’s been so long since I’ve been in that game-type atmosphere where there’s traffic, is I’ve got to do a better job of slowing down and not trying to do too much,” Weathers said.
The Yankees are confident Ryan Weathers can be a front-line starter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Boone, who remains confident Weathers can be a “front-line starter,” agreed.
“I think he has a lot of room to grow,’’ the manager said. “These are good situations to be in right now.”
Blake said they are working with Weathers — the son of former Yankees reliever David Weathers — to alter his workout routine in an effort to avoid injuries.
He spent time on the IL with a strained lat and a flexor strain a year ago. The Yankees are counting on more than that.
“He’s really impressed everyone,’’ Aaron Boone said. “His stuff is real. The big thing for him is getting out there and going to the post. I think he’ll do special things. He’s a beast.”
Queensland’s Sheffield Shield dream is still alive after Brisbane’s miserable weather helped the Bulls salvage an undeserving draw in their low-scoring contest against Western Australia at Allan Border Field.
Tyrese Maxey has played in 61 games this season — Joel Embiid and Paul George combined have played 60. Maxey has become the All-Star starter and star of the 76ers. Which is why this may be the little finger but it's big news.
Maxey will miss both ends of the 76ers back-to-back Monday (Cleveland) and Tuesday (Memphis) because of a sprained pinkie finger on his right hand, the team announced. Here is the statement from the 76ers.
"Tyrese Maxey suffered a sprain of the right fifth finger. He will undergo additional testing and consultation in the coming days to determine a treatment plan. He is OUT for the next two games and further updates will be provided after the back-to-back."
While not good news, it's better than how bad it looked when the injury happened. The injury happened with 16.2 seconds left in the 76ers' Saturday night loss to the Hawks. Maxey collided with teammate Adem Bona and instantly grabbed his right hand in pain, then immediately left the game.
Maxey sprained the same finger last season and, while he returned, he struggled with his shot after that (the team shut him down early in what was a tanking season).
This season, Maxey was voted an All-Star starter by the fans, and with good reason: He is averaging 29 points and 6.7 assists per game, shooting 37.3% from 3-point range. He has been the one consistent player for Philadelphia this season and the team gets outscored by 4.6 points per 100 possessions when he is off the court.
Which is a concern for a 76ers team that sits as the No. 8 seed in the East, but needs wins with only three games separating No. 6 (and avoiding the play-in) from No. 10 (red-hot Charlotte, with Atlanta at No. 9).
Philadelphia also will be without Embiid (oblique strain) and George (suspension) for the back-to-back to start the week. The 76ers can only hope Maxey doesn't miss more time than that. The good news is that it appears guard VJ Edgecombe (lumbar contusion) may be able to return for the back-to-back.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 18 points, leading No. 3 Michigan in a 90-80 win over No. 8 Michigan State on Sunday to give the Big Ten champions a 15th straight conference win.
The Wolverines (29-2, 19-1 Big Ten) head to the conference tournament, hoping to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before shooting for the school’s second national championship and first since 1989
The Spartans (25-6, 15-5) were swept by their rivals in the regular season, but might get a third shot against them in a week at the Big Ten Tournament final.
Lendeborg, a preseason All-America selection, was the best player on the court for the second time in the series.
The UAB transfer was 8 of 12 from the field, matched a career high with five 3-pointers, had three assists and also made winning plays at the other end of the court.
After Jeremy Fears Jr. made a jumper to pull Michigan State within three points with 3:47 left, Lendeborg made a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to start a 10-2 run that sealed the victory.
NO. 9 NEBRASKA 84, IOWA 75, OT
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Cale Jacobsen came off the bench to score 13 of his 15 points after halftime and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer in overtime, and Nebraska matched its program record for wins in a season with a victory over Iowa.
Sam Hoiberg, who scored 15 points and had five steals on his senior day, hugged teammate Pryce Sandfort near halfcourt as time ran out and then heaved the ball high into the stands. He and his father, coach Fred Hoiberg, embraced and a short time later the rest of the Huskers came out of the tunnel to salute the sellout crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Nebraska (26-5, 15-5 Big Ten) led by 10 points with five minutes left in regulation but missed five of its next seven shots and a couple of late free throws to let the Hawkeyes back in it. Kael Combs scored Iowa’s last eight points of regulation, including a second-chance 3-pointer that tied it 70-all with 2.7 seconds left.
After Cooper Koch tied it at 75-all in overtime, Jacobsen made a 3 from the corner and the Huskers went on to score the final nine points. The Huskers beat Iowa (20-11, 10-10) for the first time in five meetings and split the season series.
NO. 11 ILLINOIS 78, MARYLAND 72
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — David Mirkovic had 22 points and 11 rebounds as Illinois held off Maryland.
The Terrapins (11-20, 4-16 Big Ten) have had a desultory season under first-year coach Buzz Williams, losing 20 games for the first time since 1988-89, but they gave the Illini (24-7, 15-5) a battle. Illinois led 63-62 before Ben Humrichous made a 3-pointer that started a 7-0 run for the Illini.
The Terps pulled back within two, but a successful challenge of an out-of-bounds call enabled the Illini to keep the ball with 1:04 to play. Mirkovic worked free for a layup inside, and Maryland’s next possession went about as badly as possible when the Terrapins used most of the shot clock before Andre Mills misfired from 3-point range.
Maryland was down four in the final seconds when Darius Adams was unable to convert a layup.
The win gave Illinois a bye into Friday’s quarterfinals in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini also tied a program record with their eighth road win in Big Ten play.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 08: Egor Chinakhov #59 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Pregame
The Penguins make some changes from yesterday, Elmer Soderblom and Ilya Solovyov are in for Justin Brazeau (injured) and Connor Clifton. A couple of lines are changed, including Ryan Shea back with Kris Letang. Arturs Silovs gets the start.
It’s a good start for the Penguins, who spend a lot of time in the offensive zone, mostly mucking around in the corners. Egor Chinakhov takes an offensive zone penalty and Boston cashes in on the power play. Shea skates out to the point trying to get once-loose puck out but Boston holds it in. That stresses the PK’s defensive structure and a few quick passes later leads to a Pavel Zacha one-timer from the right. Silovs opened up on the lateral movement and Boston is on the board first.
Noel Acciari gets a chance in the last minute in front of the net but is stopped by Korpisalo to bookend a chance Acciari, while falling, had at an open net to start the period. Arguably the two best chances for Pittsburgh all period but no finishes.
Shots are 9-9 after one, Boston scoring on the lone power play of the period ends up being the difference after 20 minutes.
Second period
The game grinds along, neither team has many shots in the first half of the second period. Kris Letang has reason to be frustrated and wound tight after some rough play, Mikey Eyssimont tangles with Letang at the front of the net after a whistle and both wrestle around for a long while, it looked like Letang was putting a UFC choke on him or something. Both get two minute minors for roughing, well-earned considering how long they had to rumble.
The extra open ice leads to more chances, Soderblom gets a good look but Korpisalo is there. Boston is able to shrug that off and score again, from Pavel Zacha again. This time a top shelf backhand shot finds its mark. 2-0 Boston.
Another set of scoring chances at each end, and another backbreaker for the Pens. Erik Karlsson danced down to the front of the net, he had some space upstairs but lifted the puck a little too high to hit it. At the other end, disaster strikes. Silovs misplays the puck right to David Pastrnak, which is probably the last player in this entire game you want to see the goalie hand a puck to outside of his crease. Pastrnak’s shot on the wrap attempt wasn’t even going on goal until the scrambling Silovs accidentally knocks it into his own net. Woof. 3-0.
With the game quickly fading from them, the Pens muster a goal. It comes on a 5v3 after two minor penalties to Boston. Egor Chinakhov loads up and fires a shot from distance. 3-1.
EGOORRR! 💪
Since his Pittsburgh debut on Jan. 1, no Penguin has more goals than Egor Chinakhov (11). pic.twitter.com/ZHGBf4FQ2t
Well, the Pens scored a goal on Korpisalo for the first time in five periods, dating back to last week’s shutout by the Boston goalie. That first crack in the armor ended up being more meaningful than it first looked at the time as the third period illustrated.
Third period
Solovyov had taken a penalty late in the period to give Boston a ton of carryover time, Silovs makes a couple big saves to help kill it off.
After putzing around a bit more, the Pens strike out of now where. A long stretch pass is sent up for Connor Dewar. (Luckily the refs are better than yesterday and don’t whistle it dead), Dewar has his back to the goalie and just hacks at the backhand. Korpisalo drops, the puck goes over him and in. It’s 3-2 with 13:58 to go and Pittsburgh has life.
So much so, they score again 35 seconds late. The Bruins are the team that gets caught in transition for once, Tommy Novak hits Anthony Mantha for a mini-breakaway. Mantha tries his classic fake shot to five hole move, it works this time. 3-3 game just like that.
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) March 8, 2026
Marco Sturm uses Boston’s head coach to regroup and try to kill the momentum. It turns out to be a good move, the Bruins recover and Zacha manages to lose himself in the zone. The puck is finding him today, he wires it in for his hat trick goal. 4-3 Boston back in front.
Mantha is able to answer that goal with a second game-tying goal, this time poking one in from in front of the net after Parker Wotherspoon is able to get it down towards the cage. 4-4 game.
Wotherspoon high-sticks a Bruin with 6:32 in regulation, an unfortunate opening to give an opponent in this back and forth game. It’s the Pens who get the better of the scoring chances, Rust, Karlsson and Acciari all have some cracks at the puck from in-tight with Korpisalo down and out but they can’t finish.
Acciari crashes hard into the boards and is down long enough to get a whistle but slowly skates off.
The last few seconds tick away, the Pens force an OT after entering the third period down by two goals.
Overtime
Novak-Chinakhov-Karlsson start the OT, and 17 seconds in they end it. Chinakhov hounds the Bruins on the forecheck, gets the puck and drives the net. The puck gets knocked away and bounces to Novak who is able to end it with a win.
The team mobs Novak behind the net, huge win for the Pens to make a comeback from 3-0 and take two huge points at home.
Some thoughts
Insignificant but pretty funny the Pens can lose 6’6”, 232 pound Justin Brazeau for the day and get bigger in the lineup by replacing him with the 6’8”, 252 pound Elmer Soderblom.
Soderblom first impressions were very Brazeau-like in the games where he doesn’t score. Obviously has a huge reach and uses it to poke away at opponents. As advertised, he’s not inclined to be that physical of a player. He did manage five shot attempts (three on goal) and looked like he might have practiced with Ben Kindel before, which he hasn’t
There ought to be a moratorium on goaltender criticism, being as the goalies have been so consistently solid all season long. Today was an exception to that strong play. Silovs isn’t a great puckhandler and that bit him in this one. So many goalies these days are so good at that skill that it stands out that much more when one isn’t. Part tough break, part bound to happen every now and then. Situationally down 2-0, that was a tough one to take. Fortunately, and unlikely, the rest of the group was able to outscore the problems — which didn’t look like it was going to be the case.
5v5 forward goal tracker: 3 today. Up to eight in the last seven games. Outside of Mantha or Ben Kindel popping up now and then to make a nice play or pass they just don’t have a lot of juice these days in the scoring department. The 5v5 offense right now is pretty much Erik Karlsson trying to create something and then…chasing the puck around the corners and doing virtually nothing with it there wasn’t much going on. Then, suddenly, Dewar scores his first in 11 games to light a fire, then Mantha follows that up with a goal of his own when the Pens finally crack the Bruins’ defensive structure. It’s no coincidence this game was trending hard towards a regulation loss before the forwards finally were able to start scoring in the third period.
MacAvoy turns the puck over in the second period right to Letang, he feeds Avery Hayes and the puck goes off the crossbar. Zacha fans on a pass straight to Rust, no goal comes out of it. When the Pens made an error somewhere on the ice, the puck was soon to go into their net. So close, yet so far. Of course, the worm finally turned when Chinakhov jumped on another MacAvoy mis-play and it ended up in the net. Took a while, but they finally got there in the end.
The celebration for this one shows how much it meant to the Pens. It’s Game 63 of the season. It’s the last home game for a while. The whole day was a battle, shoot even dating back to last week’s PIT/BOS game it was a mighty struggle for Pittsburgh to get much of anything going. They finally punched through the troubles and secured a full two points. Well worth the emotion that outpoured after this game was over, this team without Crosby and Malkin deserved that joy they went out and won.
All in all, a successful weekend to take three out of a possible four points. The margins are so thin right now between success and failure, for now the Pens keep managing to walk that fine line. It doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Raleigh coming up for Tuesday’s game.
MESA, Arizona — The Cubs who played in this game who will actually be on the Opening Day roster did very well. They got five runs out of (most) of the starting lineup and three relievers who will be in the Opening Day bullpen threw scoreless innings (and so did Luke Little, which is a good sign).
Then things went off the rails with guys who aren’t going to sniff Wrigley Field this year. The Cubs lost to the Giants 9-5, but the result is meaningless. Let’s talk about the good stuff, which includes some more ABS challenges won by Moisés Ballesteros.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the first. Nico Hoerner doubled with one out, and one out later, after a Dansby Swanson walk, Michael Conforto singled Nico in [VIDEO].
The Cubs got another run in the fourth. Dansby Swanson led off with a triple and one out later, scored on a ground out by Ballesteros.
Three Cubs runs crossed the plate in the fifth. Michael Busch led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk by Hoerner.
As I noted in the game preview, this was a bullpen day. Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton and Hoby Milner combined for three no-hit innings. The only baserunner was Luis Matos, who was hit by a Maton pitch leading off the second. So that’s all good. So was Luke Little’s scoreless inning. He allowed a leadoff walk to Jesus Rodriguez, but then picked him off and retired the next two hitters.
The Giants teed off for 13 hits and nine runs off Corbin Martin, Connor Schultz, Vince Reilly and Brooks Caple, and you will not likely hear those names as MLB Cubs after March 24.
The other thing I wanted to mention was more successful ABS challenges by Ballesteros. Here’s one [VIDEO].
Busch wound up with a single in that at-bat and later scored. I like that the guys are taking advantage of challenge situations to try them. It’s good practice, in my view, for using them during the season, what situations are best to use them, etc.
Attendance watch: A near-sellout of 15,033 saw this game on a very warm (86 at game time) afternoon. That makes the season total 120,808 for 10 games, or 12,081 per date.
The Cubs are off Monday, one of two scheduled off days this spring. They will resume the spring schedule Tuesday afternoon in Surprise against the Rangers. Cade Horton will go for the Cubs. At the posting time of this recap, the Rangers did not have a starter listed. No TV or radio Tuesday.
Monday, there will be six WBC games, three in the afternoon and three in the evening. The evening games include the USA vs. Mexico. I will post two game threads Monday, one for the afternoon games at 10:30 a.m. CT (first games are at 11 a.m. CT) and another for the night games at 5 p.m. CT (the first night games are at 6 p.m. CT). Stick around, there will be plenty to discuss here Monday!
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 4: Mo Bamba #11 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 4, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Michael Scotto, the Utah Jazz have signed center Mo Bamba to a second 10-day contract.
The Utah Jazz have signed center Mo Bamba to a second 10-day contract.
Bamba fills a need with the injuries to Walker Kessler and Jusuf Nurkic. We’ll see if this amounts to anything but it’s clear that the Jazz are more interested in giving center minutes to Kyle Filipowski. That said, we have seen Bamba get some backup minutes with some mixed results. He has had some nice moments protecting the rim, but there have been a lot of minutes where you don’t feel his presence on the floor. It’s too bad because Bamba’s measurables are off the charts. Knowing those measurables, it’s worth giving Bamba a chance. Can he show something to end the season that could have him stick to the roster? It would be a huge deal if they could help Bamba reach his potential with his measurements. He’s never been able to stick to a roster, but it’s easy to see why he’s so intriguing.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 28: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with Keldon Johnson #3 in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on January 28, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
The Spurs played an awful game against the Clippers for about 30 minutes of game time on Friday night, letting the Clippers take a 25 point lead, followed by 18 minutes of frantic play where the team showed a level of effort and mental resilience that we Spurs fans haven’t seen for at least a decade in the Alamo City. The last few minutes weren’t beautiful, as both teams made critical mistakes, but the Silver and Black made the critical plays and Wembanyama’s gravity led to Champagnie and Stephon Castle getting key rebounds on free throw misses that iced a thrilling 116-112 victory in the Frost Bank Center.
Tonight the Spurs face the Houston Rockets, who are currently in third place in the west, six games behind the Spurs in the loss column. This is the fourth and final meeting between the two teams, and the Spurs currently own a 2-1 lead, so a win tonight would lock up the tiebreaker, and also give the Spurs a seven game lead over the Rockets with 18 games to play, which could be propitious for a team looking to lock up home court advantage in the playoffs.
The Rockets are a tough opponent, even without Steven Adams who they lost for the season last month. With Kevin Durant will be in the hall of fame, and he’s capable of scoring points in bunches. Reed Sheppard has been doing a great job recently since he’s moved to the starting lineup, with elite shooting and quick hands on defense. Amen Thompson is a tough defender and paint scorer, and Alperen Sengun is a tough inside presence. The Spurs will have to put together a 48 minute game tonight to put this one away early. The Celtics are coming to town on Tuesday night, but the Spurs can’t look past tonight’s game to focus on Jason Tatum and Boston. Let’s look for another great Victor Wembanyama game and for Champagnie and Castle to put the game away early. Let’s GOO SPURS!!
Game Prediction:
Reed Shepard will get switched onto Wembanyama, and Victor will taunt him by dangling the ball over his outstretched hands. Unfortunately, he will have so much fun doing it that he loses track of time and gets called for a 24 second violation.
San Antonio Spurs vs Houston Rockets March 8, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: Peacock, NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
With the Dominican Republic leading Team Netherlands deep in the game Sunday afternoon, manager Albert Pujols was considering pulling some of his starters.
Mets slugger Juan Soto was among those he spoke to, but with his turn in the order due up and the offense quickly closing in on the mercy rule, he told the skipper that he wanted to stay in.
“I was paying attention to the game and I knew that I would come to bat that next inning,” he said via a translator. “He wanted to remove me, but I said no let’s continue, let me hit.”
So Pujols obliged, and the All-Star slugger was sure to deliver.
Soto dug in and immediately crushed the first pitch 419 feet to right-center for a game-ending two-run homer.
He turned and pointed towards the DR dugout after the ball left his bat, then made his way around the bases, before being paraded on by his teammates as he crossed the plate.
“It’s a beautiful experience,” Soto said. “The homer, the feel of the game -- we have a long way to go, yet I have to thank God -- I’m very happy I was able to execute, it’s definitely one of the most important and beautiful times in my career.”
It was Soto's first homer of the tournament, but the team’s seventh through two games.
The loaded DR lineup also has them second among teams with a total of 24 runs over that span.
“It’s great what we can do,” Soto told MLB Network. “We’ve been passing the baton, we don’t try to be the hero -- I feel like we have a great lineup, everybody can do damage, but we’re playing team baseball -- it’s fun to play like that.”
Just how fun? Soto said this is one of the most enjoyable teams of his career.
“I’ve been on a lot of great teams,” he said. “2019, 2024, those were really fun teams that I played with but this has to be top of the top -- you have the whole family, the whole Dominican Republic cheering for you being there for you, there’s nothing better than that.”
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gianna Kneepkens scored 19 points and Kiki Rice added 15 points and eight assists Sunday as No. 2 UCLA rolled past No. 9 Iowa 96-45 to win its second straight Big Ten Tournament crown.
Rice was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.
It’s the first time the Bruins (31-1) have captured back-to-back postseason conference titles, and it’s also the first time they have won regular-season and league tournament titles in the same season. The Bruins also extended their school-record win streak to 25 games and their Big Ten win streak to 24, dating to last season’s tourney run.
And they did it with most the lopsided championship-game margin in tournament history, easily surpassing Iowa’s 33-point win over Ohio State in 2023. Six UCLA players scored in double figures, including Sienna Betts — the younger sister of star center Lauren Betts — who matched a season high with 14 points. Lauren Betts had 10 points in 24 minutes.
Ava Heiden scored 15 points for the Hawkeyes (26-6). Addie Deal added 11 points while all-conference forward Hannah Stuelke struggled as she played through a right elbow injury and an illness for the third straight day. Stuelke was scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting and had only three rebounds as Iowa’s eight-game winning streak was snapped.
NO. 1 UCONN 100, CREIGHTON 51
Sarah Strong had 23 points, seven rebounds and six steals to lead UConn to a win over Creighton in the Big East semifinals as the Huskies advanced to a conference championship game for the 22nd season in a row.
UConn (33-0) shot 71% from 3-point range in the first three quarters on the way to its 49th consecutive win. It was also the 38th conference tournament win in a row as the Huskies scored 100 points in the Big East tournament for the first time. Kayleigh Heckel added nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Huskies.
Kennedy Townsend had 13 points for Creighton (16-15), which was looking to advance to conference title games in consecutive seasons for the first time since losing in the 2009 and 2010 Missouri Valley Conference championship games.
UConn made 11 of its first 13 shots as the Huskies jumped out to a 27-4 lead, Creighton only hit consecutive shots twice in the first half. Strong had 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, six steals and two blocked shots in the first half. Arnold had 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting at halftime as the Huskies lead 57-22 at the break.
NO. 4 TEXAS 78, NO. 3 SOUTH CAROLINA 61
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP)- Madison Booker scored 18 points as Texas sprinted to a 14-0 lead and beat three-time defending champion South Carolina to win its first Southeastern Conference Tournament title.
Booker was named MVP of the tournament. Justice Carlton added 15 points and Jordan Lee had 12 for the Longhorns (31-3), who joined the SEC in 2024.
Texas shot 57% from the field to avenge last year’s 19-point loss to the Gamecocks in the championship game.
Joyce Edwards had 13 points for the Gamecocks (31-3), who had their 12-game win streak snapped.
The powerhouse programs split two tightly contested meetings earlier this season, with the Longhorns winning 66-64 at a neutral site in November and the Gamecocks earning a measure of revenge with a 68-65 win on their home floor in January.
This one was never close.
NO. 15 WEST VIRGINIA 62, NO. 10 TCU 53
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jordan Harrison scored 20 points, Sydney Shaw added 17 and West Virginia avenged two regular-season losses to TCU by beating the reigning Big 12 Tournament champion in the conference title game.
Harrison also had six rebounds and four assists while wreaking havoc on defense, and Kierra Wheeler contributed 10 points, helping the second-seeded Mountaineers (27-6) win their second Big 12 tourney title and first since the 2016-17 season.
Olivia Miles, the league player of the year, scored 17 points for No. 1 seed TCU (29-5) despite playing most of the way in foul trouble. Marta Suarez added 16 points but was just 6 of 19 from the field and fouled out in the final minute.
West Virginia led 56-43 with 90 seconds left before TCU ran off seven straight points to provide some hope. But Harrison, a senior from Oklahoma City, calmly made two free throws with 33.4 seconds remaining to help put the game away.
NO. 13 DUKE 70, NO. 12 LOUISVILLE 65, OT
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Taina Mair had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Delaney Thomas also scored 19 and Duke rallied to win its second straight women’s Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title after beating Louisville.
Thomas’ layup with 4 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 60-all and sent it to overtime after Louisville held the lead for 35 of 40 minutes.
In overtime, another layup by Thomas moved the Blue Devils (24-8) ahead to stay, and Riley Nelson put the game away when she buried a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left. Nelson finished with 12 points.
Imari Berry scored 18 points and Mackenly Randolph had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Louisville (27-7). Randolph played all 45 minutes.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Brennen Davis #78 of the Seattle Mariners bats during the second inning of the spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Peoria Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After briefly flirting with a win yesterday the Mariners went back to their comfort zone today, losing 3-6 in Maryvale to the Brewers. All three of their runs came off homers: a two-run shot by Leo Rivas and a mammoth tank job by spring breakout star Brennen Davis.
Lefty Kyle Harrison, Milwaukee’s big trade acquisition this off-season, looked sharp in his outing, blowing through the top of the Mariners’ lineup in the first on six pitches, including a three-pitch strikeout looking of Brennan Davis.
George Kirby worked around a hard-contact out in the first —111.6 off the bat of Garrett Mitchell, snagged by a surehanded Will Wilson at third – and then a double from Jake Bauers where Lazaro Montes made a strong throw in from right field but Leo Rivas wasn’t able to get the tag down in time.
The Mariners got on the board in the second against Harrison when Patrick Wisdom reached on a dropped third strike and then Leo Rivas leaned on a first-pitch fastball that landed directly in his turn-and-burn zone, pulling the ball 441 feet for a two-run homer. Little lion man ahoy!
Lazaro Montes kept the inning going with a “double” that he hit against the shift and then made the mistake of not going full steam into second, just squeaking underneath the tag. We can allow that since he got robbed of what should have been a solid putout at second earlier.
Lazaro Montes fights a pitch off his first up the third baseline and manages to turn it into a double despite a hesitation around first pic.twitter.com/0AO1CwE42g
Kirby had to work around some more traffic in the second inning, some his fault and some not. He lost a nine-pitch battle with Blake Perkins, walking him on a splitter, and then Will Wilson mishandled a routine groundball to put two on with two outs. (Willllll I have said so many nice things about your defense this spring come onnnnn man). But Kirby was able to put out the fire, coaxing an easy inning-ending groundout off the bat of Ethan Murray. His third inning was even sharper, as he put down the Brewers in order, striking out Mitchell on the changeup then getting a pair of groundouts.
NB: Do not trust Statcast’s analysis on Kirby’s day. Statcast will tell you he threw an 88 mph four-seamer (he did not) and a 94 mph four-seamer. Those were actually the changeup and cutter, respectively, which Kirby was playing around with today. Pitching coach Pete Woodworth said postgame he told Kirby not to focus on throwing a bunch of changeups when he was on a limited pitch count, but George Kirby do what George Kirby want to do, especially when armed with his own PitchCom device that allowed him to call some of his pitches.
Kirby’s day ended on a sour note, unfortunately, as he hung a slider (a real one) in a 3-2 count to Andrew Vaughn, who torched the pitch into the outfield where it hopped over the fence for a ground-rule double. Postgame, Kirby said he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his sliders in this outing. “Just kind of felt like I was trying to make them too nasty. Should just trust the grip and let it fly.”
Troy Taylor couldn’t keep the inherited runner from scoring, and then gave up a three-run homer to put the Brewers ahead 4-2. (110 off the bat. 477 feet. Brutal.) Peyton Alford came up to clean up the mess, and did.
Josh Simpson was not so fortunate, and gave up another two runs on a home run to Jake Bauers and an RBI double to Christian Yelich. But he also struck out the side, one looking and two swinging. Command remains an issue for Simpson, but there’s definitely something there. It’s just not quite something fully formed yet, but he’s another depth piece that’s valuable to have in Tacoma.
Brennen Davis got one of those runs back in the sixth inning, because Brennen Davis will not be denied a tank shot of his own when everyone else is getting one. He took Jacob Misiorowski very deep, a 464 foot blast to deep left-center with a 115.8 EV.
Brennen Davis nearly reached the pitch timer videoboard well beyond left-center field … His team-leading fourth in Cactus League play, and off Jacob Misiorowski.
Exit velo: 115.8 mph Launch angle: 30° Distance: 464 ft. Hang time: 6.4 seconds pic.twitter.com/KwIhl9MVrS
Cole Young worked a walk off the lefty Harrison in the third. Good job, Cole Young. He then stole second. Good-er job, Cole Young.
Yosver Zulueta had a very good outing, allowing one hit on a bad-luck weak contact double but striking out the side. That is his fourth outing this spring and he’s yet to give up more than a pair of hits while striking out six. Another one to keep an eye on for the pile.
Gabe Mosser recovered from a rough outing last time out to pitch two solid hitless innings to close this game out.
The Brewers like to show each player’s hometowns on the board, which is how I found out Jonny Farmelo and Andrew Knizner were born just two hours along I-95 from each other in Centreville and Glen Allen, VA, respectively. Old Dominionheads rise up.
The stars came out for a sun-splashed Sunday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles.
Inside Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers hosted the Knicks in a nationally televised showcase between two of the NBA’s most historic franchises — two cities that see themselves not merely as markets but as cultural capitals.
It was also the annual gathering of people who live in Los Angeles but arrive wearing their Knicks gear to let everyone know they’re originally from New York City.
And like any big stage in either New York or Los Angeles, the seats were filled with stars.
Yes, LeBron James was there. Luka Dončić, too. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns carried the hopes of Manhattan into the afternoon light. But on this particular Sunday, the audience sometimes felt just as headline-worthy as the performers.
If the Knicks and Lakers represent basketball royalty, then the celebrities sitting courtside looked like a Hollywood premiere with a shot clock.
Almost exactly one year ago, when the Lakers beat New York in a 113-109 overtime thriller, the celebrity roll call looked like an Oscars seating chart: Larry David, Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Kylie Jenner, Denzel Washington, John McEnroe, Brenda Song, Macaulay Culkin, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Connolly, Kyler Murray and Rams star Puka Nacua.
Soaking in the atmosphere with the grin of someone who has seen plenty of big games in this town was actor Martin Lawrence, who sat across from James on the Lakers’ bench. To his right sat Jordan Howlett, the wildly popular internet personality known as “Jordan the Stallion.”
Next to Howlett was Action Bronson — the Queens-born rapper and lifelong Knicks diehard — wearing a Knicks hat just as you’d expect. Across the court from him was Sacha Baron Cohen, who watched with the kind of quiet curiosity that suggests he might be mentally filing the whole thing away for some future satirical masterpiece.
Martin Lawrence sits courtside.NBAE via Getty Images Action Bronson holds a drink while watching NBA action.NBAE via Getty Images Knicks legend Patrick Ewing is all smiles courtside.NBAE via Getty Images Flea, Melody Ehsani and their son at the Lakers game.Getty Images LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 08: Bill Maher and Sacha Baron Cohen (R) attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena on March 08, 2026 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. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Celebrities At The Los Angeles Lakers GameGetty Images LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 08: Freddie Gibbs (R) and Ben Lambert attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena on March 08, 2026 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. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Celebrities At The Los Angeles Lakers GameGetty Images
Bill Maher, never one to hide an opinion, leaned back and observed the circus unfolding around him — a political comic sitting comfortably in the middle of Los Angeles’ most apolitical ritual: celebrity watching. He even got a taste of the action up close and personal as Lakers guard Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball and crashed into him and his girlfriend, film-producer Noor Alfallah, who has a child with actor Al Pacino.
Pacino’s “Godfather III” co-star Andy Garcia, whose Hollywood gravitas feels almost as timeless as the Lakers’ purple and gold, sat a few seats away as well.
Actor Ben Lambert, decked out in a Knicks jersey and Yankees hat, sat courtside next to rapper Freddie Gibbs.
Rich Paul, one of the most powerful agents in sports and the architect behind LeBron’s business empire, sat courtside as he always does. Comedian and actor Jay Mohr, who is married to Lakers governor Jeanie Buss, chatted with his wife throughout the game.
Sitting in Jack Nicholson’s legendary courtside seats was his son, “Smile” actor Ray Nicholson.
Nearby, was Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, who has practically become part of the architecture of Los Angeles sports. His presence at Lakers games now feels as routine as the national anthem.
Former big men from both teams: Patrick Ewing of the Knicks and Dwight Howard of the Lakers sat back and smiled from their courtside seats as well. Two Hall of Fame legends sharing the same building.
Some of the celebrities sitting courtside this afternoon for Knicks vs. Lakers on ABC:
Ray Nicholson (son of Jack), Flea, Knicks’ owner James Dolan, Rich Paul, Martin Lawrence, Influencer Jordan Howlett (Jordan the Stallion 8), Patrick Ewing, Dwight Howard, Action Bronson, Bill… pic.twitter.com/hHwt7hafoG
The Knicks billionaire owner sat in attendance as well, a reminder that even the most famous arena in sports — Madison Square Garden — must occasionally take its show on the road.
Because that’s what these games become.
The Knicks versus the Lakers isn’t simply an NBA matchup. It’s a cultural summit meeting between the East Coast’s intellectual swagger and the West Coast’s cinematic glow.
Sunday’s gathering proved something important about basketball in these two cities: The game is never just about the game.
It’s about identity.
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In New York, Knicks fandom is almost tribal — gritty, loud, impatient. Spike Lee pacing the Garden sideline is part of the mythology. In Los Angeles, Lakers fandom is something different. It’s cultural. Sitting courtside isn’t merely about watching basketball; it’s about participating in the entertainment capital’s most glamorous public ritual.
That tension between authenticity and spectacle is exactly what makes Lakers-Knicks such an irresistible television event.
The NBA knows it. Networks know it. Hollywood certainly knows it.
Because when these teams meet, the arena becomes something bigger than sports. It’s about two American cities that believe they sit at the center of the universe.
New York brings the attitude.
Los Angeles brings the spotlight.
And on Sunday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena, the spotlight was bright enough for everyone to share.
