During the Los Angeles Lakers dismantling of the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at the Chase Center in San Francisco, fans caught a moment between head coach J.J. Redick and superstar Luka Doncic.
Doncic — the franchise’s newest crown jewel — was walking towards the Lakers bench when Redick reached out and grabbed his arm. Not violently, but firmly enough that it got Doncic’s attention.
The two exchanged words along the sideline as Redick followed Doncic back to the Lakers’ bench. Doncic sat down and the player and coach continued to exchange words before Redick made one last comment and began walking back towards the scorer’s table. That’s when Luka popped up like a match had just struck gasoline.
Thankfully, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was nearby to witness the whole thing and he immediately rose from the bench clapping, loud and deliberate, inserting himself into the space like a seasoned diplomat breaking up a bar fight before the first punch flies.
Vanderbilt’s actions were subtle, but brilliant. It clearly saved everyone from turning a heated exchange into a headline that would have drowned out the Lakers 129-101 dominant win.
Coaches and superstars clash all the time. On the opposite sideline, Steve Kerr and Draymond Green have clashed several times this season alone. Phil and Kobe clashed. Riley and Magic did too. Fire is required to forge steel.
Whatever was said between the coach and superstar is likely squashed at this point, but the fan’s video shows that even the greatest are not exempt from temper’s flaring and sometimes you need a veteran like Vanderbilt to sense the moment and step between the two before things escalate even further.
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DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 29: Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets looks to pass the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on January 29, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (21-39) travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets (30-31), hoping to snap a three-game losing streak. It’ll be hard to imagine getting a better game than the last Mavericks-Hornets matchup, even though Charlotte walked away with the win, 123-121. The injury report is longer for the Mavs this time around, and with Cooper Flagg likely out, Dallas will have to get solid production from everyone who suits up. Here are three things to watch as the Mavericks take on the Hornets.
The Rookie of the Year race is tight
The last time these two teams met, we got a classic. Cooper Flagg notched his career high of 49 points, also adding 10 rebounds and 3 assists. His former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel hit eight of his 12 threes, posting 34 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. The two future stars put on a show and proved why the Rookie of the Year race is one of the closest ever.
For the first time since November, betting sportsbooks have Kon Knueppel edging out Cooper Flagg for Rookie of the Year. The two former teammates have separated themselves as being on a tier of their own in the 2025 NBA draft class. Each has shown their basketball brilliance in different ways. Knueppel is a marksman, shooting an astounding 44% from three this season on eight attempts per game. He broke the NBA rookie record for three pointers made in a season, netting his 207th — in 59 games. The previous record was held by Keegan Murray in 2023, who took 80 games to reach 206 made threes. Knueppel, who was taken fourth in the 2025 draft, has also put up an impressive stat line of 19.3 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. He’s arguably the biggest reason why the Charlotte Hornets could reach their first season of being above .500 since 2022.
Cooper Flagg, the perennial favorite to win the Rookie of the Year race, has slipped behind Knueppel largely because he’s been sidelined with a left foot sprain since February 10. Charlotte will be his eighth consecutive game missed. Before the injury, Flagg was living up to the hype of everything Mavs fans were hoping to see from the number one overall pick. He’s averaging 20.4 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists — all slightly ahead of his former Duke counterpart.Prioritizing Flagg’s health is, of course, most important. Once he returns, it could be a photo finish for who takes home the Rookie of the Year trophy.
Charlotte is better than its record
After an abysmal start, the Hornets have been red hot. It looked like Charlotte was headed for another rebuilding year as it started 15-26 by the halfway point in the season. Since then, they’ve won 15 of 20 games and now the only thing standing between them and a .500 record is the Mavericks. They have a 3.0 net rating this season, better than the Heat, Raptors, Sixers, Magic, Lakers, Suns, and Warriors — all teams that are above .500. In their past 20 games, the Hornets own the third-best net rating in the NBA at 9.8, only behind the Pistons and Celtics.
Charlotte’s athleticism and size cause matchup problems for many teams. They are second in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage at 35.8. If the Mavs want any chance at keeping the Hornets from breaking the .500 plateau, they’ll have to keep them off the glass. Charlotte’s offensive rating has also cracked the top-10 in the NBA, scoring 117.5 points per 100 possessions, largely due to its efficient three-point shooting. They make 15.9 threes per game, trailing only the Warriors, and are third in percentage at 37.8%, trailing only the Nuggets and Bucks. Shooting a lot of threes and elite offensive rebounding for second and third opportunities will put you in the upper third of efficient NBA offenses.
Embrace the weird stat lines
The injury list these days reads more like a Walmart receipt. With so many key rotation guys out, the Mavs are digging deep into their bench to fill minutes. In a season that’s largely lost and with eyes already shifting to the draft, these last 22 games still have purpose. They’re a glorified tryout for real minutes on (hopefully) a much better team next season.
If 48 minutes are largely filled by your bench, you’re bound to get some bizarre stat lines. In Dallas’s 100-87 loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday, Moussa Cisse recorded 12 rebounds, 0 points, 0 assists, 0 blocks, and 0 steals. But with weird stat lines come real questions. Who should be on the roster next season? Now is the time to find out. Is Cisse a viable big man Dallas should give a roster spot to next season? Caleb Martin was the leading scorer with 18 points against the Thunder. Can he reset his value and be a real contributor next season? How does Ryan Nembhard respond after securing his NBA contract? Who will the Mavericks choose to run the bench unit once Kyrie returns? Where does Brandon Williams fit in? In the bigger picture, these minutes matter.
A lot of losing is happening, but that’s OK. This grind part is important for the rebuilding process. Speaking of the Thunder, who are widely considered the favorite to repeat as NBA champions, let’s look at the beginning of their rebuild. In the 2021-2022 season, the Thunder lost 16 games by 20+ points, including a 50-point loss to the Clippers and a 73-point loss to the Grizzlies. In comparison, the Mavericks have four losses by 20+ points this season. The Thunder finished with a record of 24-58. This is the same season Oklahoma City discovered Lu Dort as an elite defender, Aaron Wiggins as a real scoring threat, and Kenrich Williams as a serviceable wing who can contribute off the bench. Most of that 2022 roster didn’t make the 2025 title team, but these guys did. Oklahoma City knew Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the star, but who were the guys that could contribute around him? With no pressure to win games, now is the time to find out who those players are for the Mavericks. This is part of the process.
How to watch
It can be hard to get motivated to watch Mavericks games without Cooper Flagg. But even without him, these games are a good way to see what Dallas has around him. The star is the hardest part to get in a championship puzzle. The hardest part is done. But as fans saw with Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic, the talent you put around your star matters. With or without Flagg, let’s see how the Mavs compete.
The Mavs and Hornets tip off at 6:00 PM CST on KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, and NBA League Pass.
SAN FRANCISCO – Draymond Green’s uneven performance this Warriors season has been a frequent topic of discussion in the streets of Dub Nation, with debate running hot in recent weeks and those ready to send him away winning more than their share.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, however, consistently has defended Green, insisting his presence is essential to the best version of the team, which has been without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III since January.
Kerr received a dollop of evidence supporting his belief Monday night at Chase Center during the pivotal third quarter of a 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors had led most of the game and were up 71-61 when Green was subbed out for Moses Moody with 4:37 left in the third quarter. LA star Kawhi Leonard had 14 points on eight field-goal attempts, with the ball rarely finding him behind Green’s bloodhound defense. Within a minute of Draymond going to the bench, Leonard drained a midrange jumper and two free throws. The Clippers were within six, closed with a 16-8 run and were within two entering the fourth quarter.
The complexion of the game changed during the non-Draymond minutes, with the Clippers moving in and taking control.
“He’s still one of the great defenders in the league,” Kerr said of Green. “And he set the tone in that first half, and we were able to sustain the lead for much of the third. But they went on a run late in the third quarter, and cut it to two going into the fourth. They had a lot of momentum.
“But we had to get him out. He can’t play the whole game. And he played 31 minutes, which is a lot for him at this stage. But that was the key stretch.”
Green, who turns 36 on Wednesday, averages 26.6 minutes per game and has topped 31 in only 11 of the 50 games in which he has played this season. No doubt he was stretched.
That stretch during which he sat touched off the avalanche that buried the Warriors, who were outscored 53-30 over the final 16:37. They had led by as much as 16 in the third quarter and then trailed by as much as 17 in the fourth. Leonard finished with a game-high 23 points.
“We weren’t able to sustain the energy that we needed defensively,” Al Horford said. “I still felt like we were going to be able to in the fourth quarter, kind of come back and win the game. Kawhi went on a great run and that kind of put it away.”
A game featuring two teams vying for NBA play-in tournament position suddenly vanished from the Warriors, leaving their record at 31-30, one game above .500 for the first time since Jan. 5.
Though Green was unavailable after the game – he has been uncharacteristically distant from media lately – his value on this night spoke volumes.
His presence, warts and all, still matters.
“One thousand percent,” De’Anthony Melton said. “What Draymond does especially on defensive end, it’s still in the top percentile.”
Green’s offense has taken the brunt of the criticism. He’s averaging 8.5 points per game, shooting 40.9 percent from the field, including 31.7 percent beyond the arc – where he generally gets open looks. He scored only four points on 1-of-5 shooting, all from deep, against the Clippers.
“Obviously, everyone’s going to talk about his shooting and stuff like that,” Melton said. “But at the same time, he’s Draymond. You know what I mean? Everybody acting like, this is something, that it’s just like new or that he’s changed his game. In some of these instances, we gotta hit shots. We gotta hit shots.
“I saw a graphic today showing the lowest-scoring All-Stars. And Draymond was an All-Star averaging 11 points (11.3 in 2017-18). Scoring has never been his emphasis.”
Is Green the same player he was eight seasons ago? No. No way. He was during that time a blur, blasting downcourt as an offensive playmaker and, on the other end, scrambling to defend three or four opponents in one possession.
But there are times when his presence matters greatly. There haven’t been many such times this season, as the Warriors have put away several games during non-Draymond minutes down the stretch.
But this game, which came with stakes attached, is one in which his absence was a determining factor in an outcome the Warriors didn’t want.
The Atlanta Hawks are celebrating “Magic City Night” on Monday, March 16th against the Orlando Magic.
It’s a nod to Magic City, the famed Atlanta strip club that has long occupied a strange intersection of hip-hop lore, celebrity culture, and late-night mythology.
Joseline Hernandez performing on stage at Magic City. WireImageSan Antonio Spurs’ Luke Kornet reacts to a call AP
The franchise billed the promotional night as a tribute to a “cultural institution,” complete with appearances from Atlanta-based rapper T.I., themed merchandise, and the familiar smell of lemon-pepper wings that have become as synonymous with the city as trap beats and traffic on I-285.
But now, none of that might actually happen, at least if a San Antonio Spurs player has anything to do with it.
Spurs’ big man Luke Kornet inserted himself into the national conversation with something far less flashy: a letter posted on medium.
In his letter, which you can read in its entirety on the link above, Kornet asks for the night to be cancelled and believes that because it is honoring a strip club, that the promotion is disrespectful to women.
He questioned what it means for the NBA — a league that markets itself as progressive, family-friendly, and globally conscious — to align, even indirectly, with an establishment synonymous with adult entertainment. He argued that celebrating a strip club, no matter how carefully worded the press release, risks making the league complicit in the objectification and mistreatment many women in that industry endure.
Luke Kornet arrives to the arena before the game against the Toronto Raptors. NBAE via Getty Images
Inside arenas across America, the NBA sells hope, heroism, and highlight reels to kids wearing oversized jerseys. Kornet’s point is simple: you can’t preach empowerment on one sideline and wink at exploitation on the other.
“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience. The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision,” writes Kornet.
The Hawks may see a cultural homage. Kornet sees a moral blind spot.
Despite Kornet’s objections, the ticket price to the “Magic City Night” game has exploded from a get-in price of $10 before the announcement was made to $94 as of the date of this publication, according to Tick Pick.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 1: Will Ferrell and Dalton Knecht #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers shake hands after the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 1, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Hey guys!
We’re back with another open thread for the week. Want to discuss movies, games, basketball, TV, the weather, what you had for lunch, your wins of the week? Here’s the place. This can also serve as a spot to chat about non-Lakers games going on around the league as well.
The only rule is to follow the guidelines. Be nice and be civil. Everything else is fair game.
Young has not played since Dec. 27 due to right knee and quad issues. Since that date, the four-time All-Star was traded from Atlanta — the only team he had ever played for — to the Wizards.
In the 10 games Young has played this season, he's averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game, while shooting 35.1% from 3-point range. His shooting should help space the floor for Washington, and his passing will make life easier for Alex Sarr and the other Wizards big men. Young will upgrade the Wizards' offense.
Washington also traded for Anthony Davis around the deadline, but he is out for the season after finger surgery.
While the addition of Young is exciting for Wizards fans starving for something to cheer for, the team does not want to start winning too many games the rest of this season. Washington owes its first-round pick to New York, but it is top-eight protected. Washington currently has the fourth-worst record in the league and cannot lose its pick in the lottery. However, start racking up wins and getting a better record than Utah, New Orleans or Dallas, and the odds of keeping that pick go down, slightly at first, but they drop. With that, expect the Wizards to keep Young limited this season.
Young is expected to reach a contract extension deal with the Wizards this offseason, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line. Young has a $48.9 million player option for next season, the conventional wisdom around the league is that he agrees to a shorter extension, two or three years, worth less money per year but more money total.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 04: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Rocket Arena on January 04, 2026 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. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are familiar with injury troubles. They’ve been dealt a short hand for most of the season. So it’s no surprise they will again be without one of their key players as they host the Detroit Pistons tonight.
Donovan Mitchell is listed as OUT with a groin injury. The seven-time All-Star has missed Cleveland’s previous three games with the same injury. He last played in their win over the New York Knicks on February 24.
The Cavs will also be without Riley Minix and Darius Brown, both of whom are on G League assignment. Max Strus is still out, as well. Dean Wade is questionable with an ankle injury. Everyone else is currently available.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Mark Price shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Mitchell is averaging 28.5 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds this season while shooting 48.3% from the floor and nearly 37% from downtown. He’s having a career-best year while the Cavs are 3-4 without him this season. He’s been surprisingly available for a player carrying such a massive load each night. It makes sense that the Cavs are being cautious with his latest groin injury. They’ll need him moving forward.
Cleveland is better equipped to withstand a stretch without Mitchell than they were at the start of the season. Trading for James Harden has given them an All-Star-caliber guard to replace Mitchell during these stretches. While Darius Garland was previously capable of doing the same thing — Garland’s own injuries became too much of a roadblock. Harden, albeit currently dealing with a broken finger, has historically been more durable than both Mitchell and Garland.
Harden had 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in the Cavaliers’ latest win over the Brooklyn Nets. He’s capable of carrying the offense on his own.
The Cavs will have their hands full against a Pistons team that probably feels they shouldn’t have gone to overtime with this shorthanded Cleveland squad last week. But the Cavs are upset with themselves for not sealing the deal in that one. This should be a fun game even without Mitchell.
Patrick Roy reacts during the Islanders' March 1 win over the Panthers.
LOS ANGELES — The Islanders have come back from down 2-0 to win in each of their first three games following the Olympic break.
Rousing as the drama has been, the Islanders would naturally prefer if they could play with a lead at the start of games.
While their play wasn’t uniformly poor across all three of those first periods, the 2-0 deficits do speak for themselves.
“I feel like the better we’re gonna be on our breakouts, the better we’re gonna be on our D-zone coverage,” coach Patrick Roy told reporters Sunday night. “I think our expected goals against are a little bit high because we made too many turnovers. You know how it works, you make turnovers, technically, it’s a scoring chance. So if we do a better job there, I think we’re gonna [improve] because we’re doing so well on the rush.
“[Off the] rush, we’re top five in the league. But breakouts, we’re bottom of the league. So if we could clean up there, I think that’s gonna help a lot.”
Patrick Roy reacts during the Islanders’ March 1 win over the Panthers. Imagn Images
The Islanders played fairly well defensively, keeping Florida to the perimeter, but couldn’t break the Panthers’ forecheck and possess the puck for any sustained time until the second and third periods.
“How skilled they are, they play an extremely simple game and it’s very effective,” Anders Lee said. “That’s how they’ve won the last two years. They’re the best at it right now. I thought that showed, especially early in the game, how well they play the right way. Once we started doing that, it started to work for us too.”
Bo Horvat attempts a shot during the Islanders’ March 1 win over the Panthers. Imagn Images
No one can question the Islanders’ resiliency or their ability to come back in games after doing so three straight times.
But the more they play with fire, the higher likelihood there is that they eventually get burned.
Luisangel Acuña continues to make his case for a spot on the plane to Chicago with a home run at Camelback Ranch. | (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
The Arizona sun was blazing, Giants fans were howling (it was so obnoxious on the live stream), and the White Sox? Well, tally up another one-run loss. Despite 101 mph on the gun, a bomb by Luisangel Acuña, and Miguel Vargas flashing leather, none of it mattered. The Sox couldn’t hold on late and dropped another one, 6-5, at Camelback Ranch.
Davis Martin got the ball and looked every bit a guy still searching for his stuff. He survived the first two innings, mostly because Vargas bailed him out with a double play that screamed ‘best glove in camp.’
Then came the third, and it all unraveled. Martin forgot where the plate was, walking two with two outs. Then, the desert sky swallowed a routine fly for Jarred Kelenic, gifting the Giants a run-scoring double. Martin’s final line: three innings, four hits, three runs, two walks, two Ks. Not exactly a ‘remember me’ outing.
While the pitching was a bit of a mess, at least the bats and legs woke up. After sleepwalking early, the Sox finally got to Giants prospect Carson Whisenhunt in the third. Korey Lee kept his ‘hey, look at me’ spring rolling, ripping an RBI double and swiping a bag for good measure. He even gunned down Christian Koss, trying to steal, just to remind everyone he’s got a cannon.
Luisangel is turning ‘Acuña Matata’ into a South Side rallying cry. He stayed scorching, yanking a solo shot in the fifth to put the Sox up 5-3 for a hot minute.
Luisangel Acuna goes deep for the first time this spring. 104 mph and 419’. 5-3 White Sox. pic.twitter.com/Hg71nrVzR3
Between the power and the constant contact, he’s one of the at-bats you don’t want to miss this spring. There were also doubles everywhere as Sosa and Kelenic both smoked two-baggers, with Kelenic’s in the fourth putting the Sox ahead.
Jarred Kelenic stays through the ball to LCF for a RBI double bringing in Sosa for a 4-3 White Sox lead. pic.twitter.com/zjUtUUWt8n
The bullpen? A grab bag, as usual. Grant Taylor came in for the fifth and looked like he was hurling thunderbolts. Seven pitches, six strikes, and 101 mph on the gun. The kind of stuff that makes you wonder if there’s hope for the rotation someday.
However, the late innings were the same old pain. Jonathan Cannon ate up three frames, but the Giants kept chipping. Nate Furman tied it with a solo shot in the eighth, and the Sox offense faceplanted in their half with Dustin Harris, who was in for Hill, getting caught in a rundown between third and home.
By the ninth, the air was out of the balloon. Zach Franklin took over, and Braden Montgomery made a diving grab to keep hope alive for about five seconds. Unfortunately, next up, Buddy Kennedy crushed a 416-foot bomb to center. Sox went down with a whimper, and they’re now 7-5 on the spring.
The White Sox will try to scrape off the desert dust and maybe win one tomorrow. Sean Newcomb gets the ball against the Padres at Camelback Ranch. The first pitch is at 2:05 p.m. CST. We’ll be right back at it here at South Side Sox!
Los Angeles, CA - February 22: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers react against the Boston Celtics in the second half of a NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 22, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Lakers are never going to get a fair shake when it comes to national media coverage.
This isn’t a new revelation. In fact, the very topic of this article has already been written about by our own Darius Soriano just two months ago.
And while there’s lots of season left to play and things could always change, right now, the Lakers are actually a good story! They’ve been hammered by injuries and all they’ve done is win nearly two-thirds of their games through almost half the season.
No one’s asking to anoint them the favorites to win the title or anything like that. But if we could maybe just start treating them as though they’re a good team that is actually finding ways to win games they probably shouldn’t and position themselves well to actually make the run no one thinks they will, that would be okay too?
Or maybe we put another blowhard on TV saying how they should trade LeBron or Austin Reaves for role players? Yeah, let’s do that instead.
Not surprisingly, the media hasn’t changed its tune on the Lakers since that article was posted.
The only change in the last two months is that head coach JJ Redick has also taken notice. After wins on either side of the team’s weekend back-to-back, Redick spoke about the resiliency of his side and took a subtle jab at the overreactions at various moments this season.
“Again, the world has fallen for us 19 times and it’s just part of the nature of this cycle,” Redick said. “Our guys have bounced back and responded well throughout the season. Tied in the loss column for fifth and a couple of games out of third with a number of these teams coming up that are right there with us. So, we’re going to keep plugging away.”
Certainly, there are times when strong reactions are warranted. There should be criticism when the team loses three straight games as they did last week. When they were trending in the wrong direction in late December and into January, criticism was warranted.
However, the issue is that the noise isn’t nearly as loud for other teams. Frankly, after the Thunder and Spurs, the next tier of teams in the Western Conference — which includes the Lakers — is remarkably mid. Houston, Minnesota, Denver and LA are separated by 1.5 games.
While the Lakers have gone 5-5 in the last 10 games, Denver has gone 4-6. The Warriors team the Lakers blew out in Golden State on Saturday? That starting lineup without Draymond Green beat the Nuggets one week ago. Houston had a monumental collapse in the fourth quarter against the Knicks a week ago, to say nothing of Kevin Durant’s burner accounts and how that mess has just quietly gone away.
Could you imagine if it came out that LeBron was creating accounts and trashing teammates to random people on Twitter? It wouldn’t have just gone away inside of two weeks!
Frustratingly, things are just louder when it comes to the Lakers. Again, that’s not new and that won’t change. But it’s nice to see the head coach calling that out as well.
Tyler Soderstrom got the scoring started today in Peoria with a two-run homer in the top of teh first inning. The A’s never lost that lead. | Getty Images
Spring Training entered week two as the Athletics took on the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium in Arizona today, the Padres Spring Training Facility.
Right-hander Mason Barnett got the start for the A’s today. He made five starts for the Athletics in 2025. logging 22+ innings. Righty Michael King got the nod for the Padres this afternoon. After an injury-plagued season he went 5-3 in fifteen starts for San Diego last year, finishing up with a 3.44 ERA.
The A’s bats continued where they left off after yesterday’s twelve-run barrage in the first inning when Tyler Soderstrom got them on the board with a 2-run blast to right field that was a no-doubt homer.
Two young prospects who may likely see some real playing time for the A’s this season showed why the team loves them. Henry Bolte singled and showed his speed going from first to third on a single to left field by Junior Perez. After a walk to Kurtz to load the bases, Shea Langeliers singled to drive in both Bolte and Perez. That gave the A’s a 4-0 lead with two outs in the top of the second inning. After 48 pitches, that was it for King.
Barnett, who threw strikes and stayed out of trouble in the first, lost control to start the second with two walks on just nine pitches. He got some help from a missed fair ball call that likely would have scored two. He coaxed a double play ball and then struck out the final batter to end the inning. He ended up with forty pitches over the first two innings.
Bolte continued to impress with an RBI single scoring Max Muncy and moving DeVries from first to third. DeVries scored on a throwing error by the Padres third baseman. Kurtz hit a ground ball to the second baseman, but Castellanos roamed too far off first base and the pitcher didn’t get there on time, scoring Bolte from second base. Nice hustle by a youngster fighting to make it to the bigs.
Barnett’s day was over after 2.1 innings and forty-seven pitches. He gave up no hits but allowed two runners via walks. Brady Basso replaced him and got four straight outs keeping the Padres off the scoreboard through four innings.
Luis Medina replaced Basso in the fifth inning. He gave up the first two hits of the day to Padres batters and one run but also worked out of a jam.
By the seventh inning the Padres had subbed all their starters, and the A’s were beginning the process. Wander Suero replaced Medina in the sixth with a 1-2-3 inning and escaped the seventh after giving up just one hit.
By the start of the eighth inning all starters but DH Brent Rooker had ended their day. Colby Thomas replaced him in the ninth, striking out on three pitches.
Nick Hernandez gave up one hit and struck out two in the eighth and returned to pitch the ninth. He gave up a leadoff homer to Jace Bowen to open the inning. That trimmed the lead to 7-2. Zane Taylor replaced Hernandez with two outs in the ninth and got the final batter to ground out to end the game.
The A’s scored all of their runs in the first three innings but held on to win their third game of the Spring 7-2 over the Padres.
The Cubs scored four runs in the first inning of this game and the game summary shows they hit three doubles in that inning, but all three of those baseballs could have been played had the Reds had a bit better defense.
In the end it didn’t matter, as Jameson Taillon and Ryan Rolison both got lit up for six runs and the Reds smashed the Cubs 17-6 on another very hot afternoon in the Phoenix area (86 degrees at game time, average high for today is 74).
Matt Shaw led off the game with a misplayed double and went to third on a wild pitch. Kevin Alcántara followed with a walk.
Jefferson Rojas followed by hitting into a double play, but Carlson scored to make it 4-0.
That lead didn’t last long. Taillon issued a walk in between getting a pair of outs in the bottom of the first, but after that it was a pair of doubles, making the score 4-2.
This was another pretty good pitch that the hitter went and got:
So, Jamo’s last start before heading to throw for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic wasn’t a good one. He threw 53 pitches (31 strikes). Here’s his pitch breakdown [VIDEO].
The 6-6 tie didn’t last very long, because left-hander Ryan Rolison, who had a 7.02 ERA in 31 games for the Rockies last year, got torched for six runs in the bottom of the third. The big blow was a three-run homer by Matt McLain. Rolison has options so he’ll wind up in the bullpen at Triple-A Iowa this year, although it wouldn’t surprise me if the Cubs try to get him through waivers at some point this spring if they need room on the 40-man roster.
The Reds announcers were a bit confused in the fifth, saying that Grayson Moore was pitching for the Cubs, but it was another No. 52, Collin Snider, who got lit up for three runs — another three-run homer, this one by Sal Stewart.
Then both managers cleared the benches for minor leaguers. The Reds added a run in the sixth on their fourth homer of the game, by Rece Hinds. At that point most probably just wanted this game to be over. Cubs minor leaguer Kade Snell smacked a three-run homer in the eighth to make it 17-9.
The result obviously doesn’t matter, but the hard hits of Taillon have to be at least a bit concerning. On the other hand, Carlson’s two doubles give him a .538 BA for the spring. Small sample size and spring games, of course, but Carlson’s making his case to make the Opening Day roster. Mo Baller also had two hits, and his delayed arrival at camp has clearly not affected his bat. Hoby Milner threw a scoreless inning, so that was good.
The Cubs will have an exhibition game against a WBC team Wednesday at Sloan Park, the team representing Italy. Cade Horton will start for the Cubs. At the time of this recap posting, Team Italy had not announced a starting pitcher for the exhibition game. Their top two starters are Aaron Nola and Michael Lorenzen, though I don’t think we’ll see either of those two against the Cubs. Game time Tuesday is 2:05 p.m. CT. No TV or radio for Tuesday’s game.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trae Young appears set to make his first appearance for the Washington Wizards on Thursday.
Young made an Instagram post of himself working out in Wizards gear and ended it with “3/5.” The Wizards are set to host Utah that night.
Asked later Monday about the plan before Washington hosted Houston, coach Brian Keefe said the point guard was trending toward being ready to play against the Jazz. He said Young would likely be restricted to about 17 to 20 minutes, mostly in the first half.
Young played in 10 games for the Atlanta Hawks this season, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists, before being sidelined by knee and quadriceps injuries. The Wizards acquired him for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert in January.
The Chicago Blackhawks traded Connor Murphy, who has been in trade rumors for a long time now, to the Edmonton Oilers.
In exchange for Murphy at a 50 percent retained salary, the Oilers sent back a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson continues to stockpile high-end draft picks for players who aren't a part of the long-term plan. Connor Murphy is a good player, but his age and contract situation forced the Blackhawks to make a decision.
He will help a playoff-bound Oilers team on the defensive side of the puck. Playing for the playoffs for the first time in his NHL career, outside of the COVID bubble, should be a great motivator for him to bring his best. Having teammates like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will also be refreshing.
Murphy is on the top unit of the number one penalty kill in the NHL. The Oilers are seen as a power play type of offensive team, so adding a stay at home shut down defender/penalty-killer like Murphy makes them more dangerous as a unit.
Former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman was famous for acquiring former players, and he showed that knack on Monday with this Murphy trade. Admittedly, this one makes sense for him more than others.
Trade grade for the Blackhawks: A
Kyle Davidson and the Chicago Blackhawks get a second-round pick, which is a high-value selection, for a player who is on an expiring contract. Landing a pick like that is not easy on the trade market, but Kyle Davidson was once again rewarded for sticking to his guns in negotiations.
Whether they use that pick in 2028 or move it as a trade chip remains to be seen, but they have a lot of time before they will truly worry about that. As sellers, you want to get as many assets for unrestricted free agents as you can. Davidson was successful in that venture this time, earning him an A-grade for the deal.
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