NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA still plans for Qatar to stage the Argentina vs. Spain game known as Finalissima this month even as the emirate is targeted by Iranian missiles in the widening Middle East war started by Israel and the United States.
“At present, there are no alternative venues being considered,” UEFA said on Thursday about the scheduled March 27 game in Doha between the reigning champions of South America and Europe in a likely matchup of Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.
“A final decision is anticipated towards the end of next week,” said the European soccer body which organizes the game with South American counterpart CONMEBOL.
Argentina and Spain are due to play at Lusail Stadium that staged the epic 2022 World Cup final. Argentina won a penalty shootout against France after Messi scored twice and Kylian Mbappé got a hat track in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Qatar has close relations with UEFA. Its top soccer official Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the president of Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain, is a member of the UEFA executive committee.
“Discussions are ongoing with the local organizers who have made a huge effort to make the match a success,” UEFA said.
If Doha is too much of a security risk to host the game, it could be moved to Spain or elsewhere in Europe where nearly all the players in the two squads are based.
GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — The Iran women's soccer team sang and saluted as its national anthem played ahead of the Women's Asian Cup contest against Australia on Thursday, a contrast to the silence before its opening game.
The outcome was similar, though, with World Cup semifinalist Australia winning 4-0.
The silence during the anthem before Monday's 3-0 loss to South Korea was variously reported as an act of resistance or a show of mourning. The team didn’t clarify.
But in a news conference on the eve of the game against Australia, Iran striker Sara Didar choked back tears as she shared the concerns of players and management for their families and loved ones amid the war in the Middle East.
The 21-year-old Didar was on the bench when Thursday's match started in pouring rain on the Gold Coast, where Iran is scheduled to play all three of its Group A games.
The Iran squad and management have declined to comment on the military strikes or death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with head coach Marziyeh Jafari saying it was important for the women as professional players to focus on the tournament and try to qualify for next year's World Cup.
The Iranians arrived in Australia well before the strikes by Israel and the U.S. on Iran last Saturday.
The change in approach with the anthem between games in Australia seemed to mirror the Iranian men’s team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The men didn’t sing the national anthem before their opening loss against England as turmoil overshadowed the start of their campaign. In their second game against Wales, the men sang along to the anthem and celebrated when they scored.
Iran was competing in that World Cup amid a violent crackdown on a major women’s protest movement that was spurred by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police.
On Thursday, there were Iranian supporters in the crowd of about 22,000 people at Gold Coast Stadium.
After another heavy loss, the Iranians need a big win over the Philippines in their last group game next Monday to have any chance of progressing to the quarterfinals and maintaining any chance of securing a spot at the Women's World Cup next year in Brazil.
Clusters of protesters against Iran's regime gathered outside ahead of the game.
Nasrin Vaziri, an Iranian Australian and long-time Gold Coast resident, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp she was there because she wanted to support the players.
“I think they are brilliant because they haven’t had many chances to play,” Vaziri told the ABC. “They are real people, even under pressure. We are proud of them. As a woman, I’m proud of them."
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ryan Pulock was a full go at Wednesday morning’s skate, only for Patrick Roy to announce shortly afterward that Pulock would not play against the Ducks later that evening.
While there is optimism that Pulock’s injury, officially designated as upper body, will be very much short-term — as in, playing Thursday against the Kings appears to be on the table — the defenseman evidently didn’t feel right during the morning skate.
“It was based on the morning skate,” Roy said. “Game-time decision, but he didn’t feel ready to play. We’ll wait for tomorrow.”
Pulock briefly left Sunday’s win over the Panthers with what appeared to be a shoulder injury, but quickly returned to the game.
Jonathan Drouin, who missed Sunday’s game, was back in the lineup Wednesday, with Anthony Duclair coming out as a healthy scratch.
As a result of Pulock’s absence, Adam Boqvist came back into the lineup, starting on the third pair with Carson Soucy as Scott Mayfield moved up to the top pair with Matthew Schaefer.
It was Boqvist’s first game since a 4-0 win over the Flyers on Jan. 26.
“You’re always going to feel [it] when one of your better guys is out,” Tony DeAngelo told The Post after the 5-1 loss in which Pulock’s absence was heavily felt. “Boqy played a real good game, filled in nicely. It’s always next man up, we can’t think too much of that.”
Ryan Pulock makes a pass during the Islanders’ 5-4 win over the Panthers at UBS Arena on March 1, 2026. ennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The configuration the Islanders started with did not make it through the first period, as Schaefer and Mayfield — who started the year together — struggled to click. By the first intermission, all three pairs seemed to be rotating, which continued throughout.
The situation served to underscore Pulock’s importance to these Islanders, which has largely been underrated with Schaefer drawing so much attention.
Pulock’s 24 points already have surpassed his total from last year, and at 21:03 per night, he’s second only to Schaefer in time on ice.
Roy called Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson “a special player” after the Swedish center finished with an assist and was noticeable on nearly every shift alongside Cutter Gauthier, who scored twice for the Ducks.
David Rittich stopped 21 of 25 shots for the Islanders, while Ville Husso turned aside 42 shots for Anaheim.
Only two scouts were in attendance at Wednesday’s match just 48 hours before the deadline, and both were from the St. Louis Blues, as rumors connecting the Islanders to some of the Blues’ high-end assets such as Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas continued to swirl.
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings and the New York Islanders meet in a non-conference matchup.
Los Angeles has a 24-22-14 record overall and a 9-14-7 record on its home ice. The Kings have an 18-2-7 record in games they score at least three goals.
New York has a 35-22-5 record overall and an 18-12-3 record in road games. The Islanders have an 18-5-0 record in games decided by one goal.
The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Artemi Panarin has 19 goals and 41 assists for the Kings. Adrian Kempe has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Mathew Barzal has 17 goals and 38 assists for the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer has scored seven goals with three assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 3-6-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.4 assists, 3.9 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Islanders: 7-3-0, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.2 assists, 2.9 penalties and 6.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Kings: None listed.
Islanders: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Minnesota Wild (36-16-10, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (29-19-14, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild visit the Vegas Golden Knights after the Golden Knights defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in overtime.
Vegas is 29-19-14 overall and 14-8-7 in home games. The Golden Knights have a +13 scoring differential, with 204 total goals scored and 191 allowed.
Minnesota has an 18-9-3 record on the road and a 36-16-10 record overall. The Wild rank eighth in NHL play with 205 total goals (averaging 3.3 per game).
The teams match up Friday for the third time this season. The Wild won 5-2 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 21 goals and 38 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Quinn Hughes has six goals and 55 assists for the Wild. Matthew Boldy has scored eight goals with 13 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-5-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.7 assists, three penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Wild: 7-2-1, averaging four goals, 6.8 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.
Wild: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Montreal Canadiens (33-18-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (34-24-3, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Friday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Anaheim Ducks after Alexander Newhook's two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Canadiens' 7-5 loss.
Anaheim is 34-24-3 overall and 21-9-1 at home. The Ducks have gone 15-7-2 when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.
Montreal has a 33-18-9 record overall and a 16-7-7 record on the road. The Canadiens have a 30-7-8 record in games they score at least three goals.
Friday's game is the first time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has 31 goals and 24 assists for the Ducks. Beckett Sennecke has five goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.
Cole Caufield has 35 goals and 25 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has four goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 7-3-0, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.1 assists, 2.7 penalties and 5.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 4.1 goals, 6.9 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: None listed.
Canadiens: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Aaron Judge (left) and Shohei Ohtani (right) have been the Most Valuable Player in the American League and National League, respectively, in each of the past two seasons [Getty Images]
Now their men's baseball team aims to follow suit at this month's World Baseball Classic.
The sport may be known as 'America's Pastime' but the USA are not the reigning champions.
In fact, Japan have won three of the previous five editions, beating the US on their own turf in a thrilling finale in 2023.
But the US have named a star-studded roster and sought help from the nation's most decorated Olympian, with Great Britain among the teams standing in their way.
What is the WBC?
The World Baseball Classic was first staged in 2006 as an invitational event before replacing the Baseball World Cup - held for the 39th and final time in 2011 - as the sport's official world championship.
Each tournament has been held in multiple countries, with 16 teams competing in the first four editions before expanding to 20 for the fifth staging in 2023.
Japan won the first two tournaments before the Dominican Republic triumphed in 2013, followed by the USA in 2017.
Then came an epic ending three years ago, as two of Major League Baseball's best players went head-to-head in the final at-bat with the title of world champions on the line.
Japan's Shohei Ohtani faced his then Los Angeles Angels team-mate Mike Trout and struck out the US captain to clinch a 3-2 victory.
As in 2023, there are three host nations, with 20 teams having qualified. They are spread across four pools and will play a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each pool qualifying for the quarter-finals.
All Pool C games take place in Tokyo, Japan, including Thursday's opener between Chinese Taipei and Australia, while all Pool A games will be played in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Houston and Miami will host Pools B and D, respectively, and share the quarter-finals. Miami's LoanDepot Park will then stage the semi-finals and final from 15-17 March.
How USA are trying to channel Olympic spirit
Michael Phelps has spent time with Team USA this week [Getty Images]
In the early editions of the WBC, America's top players were reluctant to take part, preferring to focus on spring training or recovering from injury. Even now, some players are unable to play because of insurance issues.
But the perception of the tournament began to change in 2017. Watching the USA triumph convinced Trout to make himself available for 2023, and other MLB stars decided to take up one of the few opportunities they have to represent their country.
The unique circumstances of that 2023 finale also helped to build the WBC's prestige, and this year the tournament will boast the highest calibre of players it has ever had.
Three-time Most Valuable Player Judge, 33, will make his Classic debut as captain of a US roster that includes Bryce Harper and Cal Raleigh.
Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps spoke to the team on Monday and the 23-time Olympic champion stepped into the dugout during Tuesday's exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants.
"He was intense, I thought it was an awesome speech," said Team USA manager Mark DeRosa.
"There's nothing better than winning gold for USA - it's pretty much what it centered around," added Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher. "We've got to keep that moving."
Which other stars will play?
Most of the other 30-man rosters feature mainly minor league players with a smattering of stars. Of the 600 players in total, about half are affiliated with MLB teams, with 190 currently on MLB rosters.
They include a record 78 players who have been named to an All-Star team, with 36 selected last year. The US have the most, but the Dominican Republic and Venezuela have at least 12 All Stars.
Juan Soto plays for the New York Mets on the most lucrative contract in world sport - worth a staggering $765m (£600m) - and he will lead the 2013 champions while Ronald Acuna Jr stars for Venezuela.
Czechia are the only team without an MLB-affiliated player but again have Ondrej Satoria, the electrician who struck out four-time MVP Ohtani in 2023.
Ohtani will not pitch as the two-way superstar continues his recovery from elbow surgery and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to release team-mate Yoshinobu Yamamoto because they "understand how important the WBC is to everyone in Japan".
The 27-year-old pitcher, who was series MVP as he and Ohtani helped the Dodgers win last year's World Series, added: "I'm in good shape, so I can play in the WBC and be ready for the Dodgers' opening game."
Nolan Arenado has switched allegiance from Team USA to Puerto Rico, who will feature pitcher Edwin Diaz, while Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran will play for Mexico, and Australia will be led by Travis Bazzana, the first overall pick of the 2024 MLB draft.
And with baseball returning to the Olympics, the two highest-ranked teams from the Americas will qualify for LA 2028, besides the hosts USA.
Their current roster features 11 of those players while Jazz Chisholm Jr of the New York Yankees will represent Britain for the first time in 10 years.
The 28-year-old is the only All Star on the British roster after injury prevented the Bahamas-born infielder from taking part in 2023.
He will be co-captain with catcher Harry Ford, who was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Washington Nationals in December and hit two home runs during GB's 2023 campaign.
They are two of 20 GB players currently affiliated with an MLB team, while eight have MLB experience.
GB are in Pool B so will be based in Houston and begin their campaign on Friday against Mexico before facing the USA, Italy and Brazil.
US pitcher Tarik Skubal is set to make his only start of the tournament against GB on Saturday, while GB's best chance of victory will come in their final pool game on Monday against Brazil, the lowest-ranked team in their group.
From grappling at corners to VAR, the endless list of complaints reflects a wider sense of dislocation from ‘the product’
A terrible boredom stalks the land. Across the nation’s television studios and podcast armchairs, wearied men grizzle accursedly with forked tongues into branded microphones: entombed by a game they despise and yet are paid so generously to discuss. Out there in the wild digital beyond, the sickness festers still deeper. The game has gone, they type into a little white box. This is not the football I once loved, click send. The beautiful game is broken, pleads the Telegraph. They think it’s all over, and perhaps it always was.
Arne Slot is no longer enjoying himself, and presumably a good proportion of the Liverpool fans at Molineux on Tuesday night know exactly how he feels. John Terry is no longer enjoying himself. Yaya Touré is “disappointed”. Ruud Gullit is so disgusted he has decided to stop watching. Chris Sutton thinks Arsenal will be the ugliest winners in Premier League history. Mark Goldbridge is bored out of his mind, albeit nowhere near as bored as you would presumably need to be to watch a Mark Goldbridge livestream.
Midfielder tapped into history while frustrated by injury but hopes to help a young side rediscover promising form
Jonathan Varane’s 2026 didn’t get off to the best start. Four days into the new year, the QPR midfielder sprained a knee during a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and was a frustrated spectator for more than a month.
Varane had been desperate to play his part, with QPR hoping to push for the playoffs, but the 24-year-old took the opportunity to indulge in two of his other passions: reading and history. That included a trip with his teammate Paul Nardi to the British Museum, where the ancient Egyptian artefacts proved of particular fascination.
Feb 23, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) is defended by San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
It’s been 26 days since the Spurs last played in their home venue of the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX. Sure, they had a couple of “home” games in Austin to break up the annual Rodeo Road Trip a bit, but that still counts as travel and not sleeping in their own beds, so they’re part of the overall RRT record in my book, which spanned nine games, seven cities and three time zones that saw the Spurs go 8-1 overall.
If that record is triggering some nostalgia, you aren’t alone. Back in the the good ol’ days, the Stock Show and Rodeo coming to town was a good thing for the Spurs. The extended road trip always acted as bonding time and a successful launching point to get the team out of the January doldrums and into championship contention mode. In 13 of the first 14 years, beginning 2003, they had winning records (and the time they didn’t was when they 4-4 in 2010). However, the tide turned in 2018 when the team went 2-4, just trying to hold on while waiting to hear if Kawhi Leonard would return. While that group and the 2019 squad, who went 1-7, both ultimately turned things around in March and made the playoffs as the 7th seed, the RRT has gone from a defining point of the season to a lost cause ever since. Until now.
With the Spurs going undefeated in the month of February, including a huge win over tonight’s opponent, and sitting comfortably at second in the West, they look like the Spurs of yore. After an inconsistent January, they started clicking as the calendar turned to February, and they’ve been on a roll ever sense (outside of a bad showing in New York that, if their beatdown of the 76ers two nights later was any indication, was a one-off).
Now, after tying 2003 for their best RRT record ever, they head back home to welcomed six-game homestand, but it won’t be that easy. It starts tonight with the top team in the East, and the two “easiest” games will be a couple of play-in teams in the Clippers and Hornets that have been on the rise and are better than their record. It’s officially the home stretch of the season for the Spurs, and for the first time in seven years, there’s a purpose behind it beyond just proving a light at the end of the tunnel while waiting for the season to come to a merciful end.
San Antonio Spurs (44-17) vs. Detroit Pistons (45-15)
March 5, 2026 | 7:00 PM CT
Watch: FanDuel Sports | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs injuries: Harrison Barnes — out (ankle); Mason Plumlee — out (reconditioning)
Pistons injuries: none
What to watch for
The “return home” trap game
Given the pension the Spurs had for playing down to opponents not to long ago, combined with the return home from a long road trip always being a trap game, it’s probably a good thing that this game is against one of just two teams with a better record than them. The Spurs faced the Pistons a mere ten days ago, and the game was everything it was hyped up to be: physical, chippy, and a match-up of two defensive-minded teams with good but imperfect offenses. While it took some time to adjust, Victor Wembanyama eventually figured how to use his gravitational pull on Detroit’s defense to find his open teammates, and they paid him back in kind by hitting their shots.
On the other end, the Spurs’ defense and physicality gave the Pistons problems. They couldn’t finish around Wemby, and Stephon Castle did an amazing job on Cade Cummingham all night. The Spurs have the blue print to beat the Pistons, but perhaps their biggest challenge will be to stay out of their own heads. Don’t relax just because you’re back home, and don’t think you have this figured out. Cunningham will likely be out of revenge, plus there is one other player that wasn’t there in the first match-up to watch out for…
The return of Beef Stew
The Pistons did not have Isaiah Stewart last week because he was serving a 7-game suspension after leaving the bench and fighting Miles Bridges during a brawl with the Hornets before the All-Star break. He’s back now, and while he may seem like merely a backup center whose stats don’t jump off the page, Spurs fans can attest that stats don’t always tell the entire story. Affectionately called Beef Stew, Stewart is known for his confidence, physical play and willingness to muck it up — basically your classic Detroit Bad Boy — making him a fan favorite who hearkens back memories of underdog Ben Wallace.
Everyone knows that the best hope to beating the Spurs is to make Wemby as uncomfortable as possible. While the Pistons were able to do that to an extend in their first match-up, he still found other ways to contribute. If they again have trouble truly taking him out of the game, don’t be surprised if Stewart is put on Wemby and told to not just out-physical him, but get in his head. Wemby will need to be ready for whatever is thrown at him, and just like last time, his teammates need to be ready to respond if he can’t get it going on offense. As they have shown time and again lately, the best way to do that is hit shots.
You can follow along with game here on the Game Thread, as well as on our X profile (@poundingtherock).
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 4: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket against Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 4, 2026 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is the big one. The Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.
Scroll all the way down the NBA standings, and you should be able to find these teams representing some of the very worst either conference has to offer. It’s an elderly goldfish vs a geriatric turtle. It’s coughing baby vs sneezing baby. It’s the fifth-worst Utah Jazz and fourth-worst Washington Wizards. The tagline for this blockbuster epic? Somebody’s got to win. That’s how basketball games work.
It’s professional sports’ worst-kept secret that these two teams have been gunning for lottery odds over Ws — they’ve been the usual suspects for the past few seasons, and this 2025-26 has been no exception.
Washington (16-45) has sidelined their newly acquired veteran stars, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, in an effort to lose today and win tomorrow (though Young struggles to remain sidelined at times). Though their strategy board reads only “TANK”, their new acquisitions arrived with a promise: lose today, win tomorrow.
Utah (18-44) is in a very similar trajectory since the trade deadline, though instead of banking on aging stars alongside their budding young core, the Jazz plug 27-year-old Jaren Jackson Jr. into their roster to pair with their youngsters and whatever you’d consider Lauri Markkanen to be. But with JJJ, Markkanen, and Kessler all out with injury, the Jazz are equally keen to burn the season in hopes of adding an excellent rookie to fortify what’s already forming into a frightening roster.
Lose today, win tomorrow. But again, somebody has got to win in the nation’s capital on Thursday. It’s inescapable.
The Jazz sit 1.5 games ahead of the Wizards in the current standings, but a Washington victory would cut the difference to just 0.5 games. Danny Ainge salivates. Austin Ainge continues to pretend that the Jazz don’t tank. The Inside Out HQ in Adam Silver’s brain has burned to ash in a fit of unbridled rage.
Utah and Washington are currently on a combined losing streak of 13 games, and just 4.5 and 3.0 games removed from the bottomless pit of Sacramento at the very bottom of the NBA ladder.
Keyonte George is officially back from his ankle injury and back to his old ways, dropping 30-plus in both of his two games back. If George plays, this contest leans to Utah on paper, as the Wizards have already announced the absence of Kyshawn George and leading scorer, rebounder, and defender, Alex Sarr. We’ll all watch with bated breath as the injury report will likely confirm that Keyonte George has contracted polio and will be absent for the next four weeks, as the NBA rushes its medical team to Key’s hotel room to confirm the reports.
Somebody has to win, gentlemen. Now shake hands and pretend to want it.
How to watch Utah vs Washington:
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026 Time: 5:00 PM MT Location: Capitol One Arena, Washington, D.C. Channel: KJZZ, Jazz+
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a World Baseball Classic scrimmage against Great Britain at Peoria Stadium on March 4, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It probably was not the exact start Joe Musgrove had in mind for his return to the mound in the San Diego Padres’ 2-2 tie with Great Britain at the Peoria Sports Complex on Wednesday, but it was positive. He got one out in the first inning, allowed a run and was taken out with the bases loaded and one out. Reliever Johan Moreno came into the game and recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Trayce Thompson and Nick Ward to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.
Musgrove returned to the mound to start the second inning and recorded a strikeout and a flyout against the first two batters. He then allowed a single to Nate Eaton, who advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Musgrove then got Jazz Chisholm to pop out to end the inning, stranding Eaton in scoring position.
Musgrove returned to start the third inning and recorded a groundout before allowing a single to BJ Murray. Musgrove followed that with a strikeout of Matt Koperniak for the second out of the inning, which ended Musgrove’s day on the mound.
Musgrove threw a total of 60 pitches with 36 of those pitches going for strikes. His final stat line was two innings pitched with one run allowed on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Musgrove left the outing with his fastest pitching topping 95 mph and used an array of fastballs and off-speed pitches.
Joe Musgrove shared his thoughts on his first outing of the spring after missing all of the 2025 season: pic.twitter.com/4WZGDGRxXZ
The most important part of the outing was that Musgrove walked off the mound healthy and officially kicked off his return to the MLB mound, which is expected to occur sometime during the season-opening series against the Detroit Tigers on March 26-28 at Petco Park.
Jalen Brunson, at the end of his availability with the media, revealed that he suffered a black eye.
“Probably a no-call,” Brunson said about how it was absorbed.
That sentiment was thematic. The Knicks were left angered by the referees during and after their 103-100 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Whether justified or not, the Thunder have developed a reputation as a team that gets away with physicality on the defensive end and benefits from a friendly whistle on the offensive end. It often leaves opponents frustrated and results in constant complaints about officiating.
The Knicks became the latest culprit. Coach Mike Brown, unprompted, suggested that the refs were duped by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“SGA, he’s a tough cover,” Brown said. “He does a great job of convincing the referees, probably better than anyone in the league, that he’s getting hit.”
Gilgeous-Alexander took seven free throws and made all of them. Brunson took six and made four.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives up court as Landry Shamet defends during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 103-100 loss to the Thunder at the Garden on March 4, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
In the first quarter, Brunson looked to have drawn a clear charge on Gilgeous-Alexander but it wasn’t called. It would have been Gilgeous-Alexander’s third foul.
Brown, normally cordial with officials, was uncharacteristically incensed. He took several steps onto the court and yelled at crew chief Brian Forte.
Head coach Mike Brown reacts on the baseline during the second quarter of the Knicks’ loss to the Thunder. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Then, on the next defensive possession for the Knicks, Brown lost it after Mohamed Diawara was called for a foul and began barking right at Forte, who promptly gave him a technical foul — Brown’s first of the season. He had to be held back by Rick Brunson.
“You guys saw the play,” Brown said. “SGA had two fouls and Jalen was there, and he ran him over. Just like the call that they made on OG [Anunoby, later in the game]. I don’t understand why that was a no-call. But that should’ve been his third, the bucket shouldn’t have counted and we should’ve gone the other way with the basketball.
Jalen Brunson reacts on the court during the third quarter of the Knicks’ loss to the Thunder at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“So to see that, knowing that Jalen is standing there and he’s putting his body on the line, and our guys are fighting their asses off to try to win the ballgame, it didn’t sit well with me, obviously.”
Later in the fourth quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns was not happy with the call for his fifth foul, which was assessed after a Thunder challenge. Towns fouled out a few minutes later.
“It’s obviously frustrating,” Towns said. “You want to win the game and you want to be out there with your teammates. It’s unfortunate. It’s unfortunate that it was called.”
Times
are tense around the St. Louis Blues, especially with the news of the
day Wednesday being reported my multiple people that the team has the
framework of a trade with the Buffalo Sabres that includes long-time
defenseman Colton Parayko.
But
the schedule doesn’t stop, and the Blues put up another ‘W’ in
the win column.
As
first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Blues and Sabres are in
agreement of a trade, that reportedly includes Buffalo’s
first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, defenseman Radim Mrtka, along
with a first-round pick plus other pieces, the deal hinges on Parayko
waiving his full no-trade clause, which he hasn’t done so yet, and
I've been told that initially, the 11-year veteran is reluctant
to do so (that could change by Thursday or Friday):
In
the meantime, the Blues continue to motor on, winning their second
straight road game after 10 straight losses away from Enterprise
Center, and third win in four games after the Olympic break, downing
the Seattle Kraken, 3-2, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Robert
Thomas had his second one-goal, one-assist game in as many games
since returning from a right leg injury/personal reasons; Brayden
Schenn with a three-assist game; Logan Mailloux scored in his second
straight game and played a career-high 22:52; Dylan Holloway scored
his fifth goal in three games this season against Seattle (29-23-9),
and Joel Hofer came up large again with 34 saves for the Blues
(23-29-9), who have scored three or more goals in nine of the past 10
games.
Let’s
go into Wednesday’s game observations:
*
Thomas looks motivated – You think Thomas doesn’t hear all this
trade talk surrounding, not only him but several other Blues key
cogs? You bet he does. And just how much do you think it’s
motivating him right now? Plenty.
For
the second straight game since having a right leg procedure done,
Thomas put up two points and has two goals and two assists since
returning. He looks healthy, smooth and fluent in his game, and it
was his goal that turned out to be the game-winner when he took a
smooth pass from Schenn in the slot and whipped a one-timer past
Philipp Grubauer to make it 3-1 at 1:33 of the third period:
Thomas
played 16:53 and had four shot attempts (two on goal) and won 10 of
16 face-offs (63 percent) and was on the ice late taking draws when
the Blues were killing a 6-on-4 late in the game trying to preserve a
one-goal lead.
*
Look out for Mailloux – Keep the temperament
to
a minimum. Let’s allow the 22-year-old to continue to cook, but
that’s what’s been happening for the defenseman.
Not
only did he score for the second straight game on this wraparound
that tied the game 1-1 at 6:50 of the first period, but he logged an
NHL career-high 22:52 and played 20-plus minutes for the third
straight game:
I’ll
have more on a separate story on Mailloux on Thursday, but it’s
evident that this kid is becoming more assertive and confident in
what he’s doing on the ice, and what he told me was it’s stemming
from killing plays in the D-zone and doing things defensively that’s
leading to other aspects of his game.
Mailloux
was a plus-1, the fourth straight game in which he’s a plus (plus-5
total) and was second to only Holloway (six) in shots on goal with
four (on seven attempts); his ice time in the game was second to only
Philip Broberg’s 26:19.
Is
he finally starting to turn a corner here? Let’s see if it
continues moving forward, but as a fan, you have to be encouraged
that this has been a stretch of games going back to prior to the
Olympic break that Mailloux’s game has started to change for the
better.
*
Holloway loves him some ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ – Holloway is up
to 12 goals on the season now, and his redirection of a Cam Fowler
thread-the-needle pass to the crease at 7:40 of the second period
that gave the Blues a 2-1 lead was his fourth against the Kraken in
less than a week – he had a hat trick in a 5-1 Blues win over
Seattle at home on Feb. 26 – and fifth of the season after scoring
on them in November:
So
nearly 50 percent of his goals this season have come against one
team, but it was another game in which ‘Hollywood’ Holloway was
noticeable on the ice with his speed and aggressive play around the
puck at both ends of the ice, playing
16:12 in the game (plus-1).
And as evidenced by the video, his determination to drive to the net
after giving up the puck at the O-zone blue line is another example
of a player playing injury free and doing things that was lacking by
this group when it was struggling.
* The captain bringing it again – His name is one that has been floated
around in the rumor mill going back to last season, and it’s one of
the names running rampant again as this year’s NHL Trade Deadline
is nearing on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. (CT) but no matter the
circumstances, he’s bringing it again.
The
alpha in the room and on the ice had a hand in all three goals and
had his second three-point game of the season. As he indicated prior
to departing on this current three-game trip, players just need to
put their heads down and go to work and let things fall into place
with Friday’s deadline looming.
Schenn
played 14:24 and has four assists his past two games and was a plus-2
Wednesday with three shots on goal.
*
Hot Hofer – Honestly, I didn’t like the goal scored by former
Blue Jaden Schwartz just 31 seconds into the game that made it 1-0
Seattle. It came off a wrister from the right point by Adam Larsson
that I thought Hofer could have done better with his rebound control
and put it right into the path of Schwartz instead of off to the side
or into the corner, but boy did he hold the fort down after that,
especially in the third period.
There’s
nothing he could do on another goal by a former Blue, Vince Dunn, in
the third period on a slot shot that cut it to 3-2 with 6:26 to play,
but Hofer was in control of his crease throughout and made 15 saves
in the third period. He had to be especially sharp when Justin Faulk
airmailed a backhand over the glass for delay of game with 2:06 to
play and Seattle playing with a 6-on-4 situation in a one-goal game.
Hofer,
who has won all three starts coming out of the break allowing just
four goals, gloved Brandon Montour’s dart from the point with five
seconds left in regulation to preserve the lead and ultimately, win
the game.
Hofer
has a 1.33 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in the
three starts coming out of the break.
Are
we seeing the changing of the guard with him and Jordan Binnington?
Sort of seems that way, doesn't it? Or at least they're giving the 1B coming into the season more runway, at least.
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BOTTOM LINE: Utah enters the matchup against Washington after losing seven straight games.
The Wizards have gone 11-21 in home games. Washington has a 7-35 record in games decided by 10 points or more.
The Jazz are 7-23 on the road. Utah leads the Western Conference with 29.6 assists. Isaiah Collier paces the Jazz with 7.2.
The Wizards are shooting 45.9% from the field this season, 3.0 percentage points lower than the 48.9% the Jazz allow to opponents. The Jazz average 12.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 fewer made shot on average than the 13.9 per game the Wizards allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Justin Champagnie is averaging 8.1 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Wizards. Bilal Coulibaly is averaging 12.3 points over the last 10 games.
Kyle Filipowski is averaging 10.1 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Jazz. Collier is averaging 16.1 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 2-8, averaging 111.5 points, 40.2 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 9.2 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.0 points per game.
Jazz: 2-8, averaging 114.1 points, 43.9 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 11.3 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.5 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Gill: day to day (illness), Jamir Watkins: day to day (foot), Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (thigh), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring).
Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (ankle), Vince Williams Jr.: out for season (acl), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
