Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic injured his left hamstring on Thursday night and coach JJ Redick said the league’s scoring leader will have an MRI on Friday.
Redick said Doncic had an issue with the hamstring in the first half of the 139-97 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and was tended to at the break.
“We checked him out, he got work done, he was cleared,” Redick said.
Doncic returned to action briefly. On his final play of the game, he spun before trying to go up for a shot against Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams. There was no contact before Doncic stopped, then lay down on the floor while wincing in pain. He left the game for good with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter.
“Those things happen,” Redick said.
Williams, an All-Star in 2025, has missed 27 games this season because of a right hamstring strain. He felt badly for Doncic.
“It’s very, like, spooky in a way to see it happen to him, and I’m the one guarding him,” Williams said.
Williams could have stolen the ball after Doncic let it go, but he chose not to take advantage of the situation.
“I tried to let it go out of bounds and give them time to figure it out,” Williams said. “That injury sucks. So I wish him a speedy recovery. Hope it’s not anything serious.”
Doncic had scored at least 40 points in five of his previous seven games. He was held to 12 on 3-for-10 shooting against Oklahoma City’s relentless defense.
The Lakers trailed 90-58 when Doncic was hurt, so the injury made a bad night worse.
“I mean, it’s something you never want to see as a teammate,” Lakers forward Jake LaRavia said. “So especially in a game like this, it was tough to see him go down. All the prayers for him … but yeah, you never want to see that.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves hurt his back during the game, but continued to play. He sat out the fourth quarter with the game out of reach.
“He was in a weird position, stretching for a basketball, loose ball,” Redick said. “And he just felt something intercostal, somewhere in his back, in between the ribs. He was able to play through it … we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
The Lakers will host a rematch with the Thunder on April 7.
Vegas Golden Knights (34-26-16, in the Pacific Division) vs. Edmonton Oilers (39-28-9, in the Pacific Division)
Edmonton, Alberta; Saturday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Edmonton Oilers host the Vegas Golden Knights as winners of five consecutive games.
Edmonton is 39-28-9 overall with a 14-5-3 record in Pacific Division play. The Oilers rank third in the league with 264 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).
Vegas has a 12-5-5 record in Pacific Division play and a 34-26-16 record overall. The Golden Knights have gone 33-6-10 in games they score three or more goals.
Saturday's game is the fourth time these teams meet this season. The Oilers won 4-3 in overtime in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Connor McDavid has 43 goals and 83 assists for the Oilers. Matthew Savoie has five goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Jack Eichel has 25 goals and 54 assists for the Golden Knights. Mitchell Marner has scored four goals with five assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Oilers: 7-2-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 4.9 assists, three penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.3 assists, 4.1 penalties and 10.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Oilers: Leon Draisaitl: out (lower-body), Colton Dach: out (undisclosed), Zach Hyman: day to day (undisclosed), Mattias Janmark: out for season (undisclosed).
Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body), Jonas Rondbjerg: out (lower body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
On Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights picked up two much-needed points with a 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames.
The Flames broke the ice at 7:41 in the first period. Morgan Frost intercepted Kaedan Korczak’s pass intended for Tomáš Hertl at center ice and raced into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Matt Coronato. Frost had all the time in the world to shoot and beat Carter Hart glove-side.
Morgan Frost elects to shoot on a 2-on-1. That’s probably the right decision, because he knows a thing or two about Carter Hart.
Despite trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Golden Knights were the better team– they simply ran into a hot goaltender.
In the second period, they finally capitalized on the chances they were generating at will.
The Golden Knights answered back just 1:47 into the second period. Shea Theodore fired a shot through a screen from above the right circle, and Mitch Marner redirected it home.
The Flames pulled ahead at 4:38 in the second. Joel Farabee broke the puck out, and Mikael Backlund drove into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Blake Coleman. Backlund got the pass across and Coleman fired a shot home.
There’s another 2-on-1. Farabee to Coleman to the back of the net.
The Golden Knights found the equalizer at 6:42 in the second. Jack Eichel threaded a cross-ice pass to Rasmus Andersson at the right dot. Andersson faked a shot and set up Mitch Marner in the slot for the equalizer.
Some really nice puck movement there. Andersson finds Marner in the slot and it’s a tie game.
The Flames took the lead again at 12:11 in the second. Blake Coleman jumped off the face-off, won a battle against Rasmus Andersson, and raced up ice on yet another 2-on-1 with Joel Farabee. Coleman bet on himself and ripped a shot past Carter Hart glove-side.
Blake Coleman is having the game of his life. Elects to shoot off yet another 2-on-1 and he’s got two tonight.
The Golden Knights tied it on the power play at 16:21 in the second. Mitch Marner held the line and set up Pavel Dorofeyev for his 35th goal of the season.
Marner hold at the line leads to a Dorofeyev one-timer. PPG. Tie game.
After a 27-minute delay for ice repairs, the dam broke for the Golden Knights in the third period. They generated seven scoring chances and capitalized on nearly half of them.
The Golden Knights took their first lead of the night at 12:20 in the third period. Shea Theodore caught up to Ivan Barbashev’s bank pass, pulled up to avoid Olli Määttä, and threaded a pass to Brett Howden in the slot. Howden picked his spot and beat Dustin Wolf blocker-side.
Marner finds Brett Howden all alone in the slot. First Vegas lead of the night.
The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 14:59 in the third. Dustin Wolf misplayed the puck after leaving the net, and Mitch Marner got to it first. Wolf recovered to make the save, but Ivan Barbashev banged in the rebound.
If you’re a goaltender… you know the rest. Dustin Wolf leaves the net, misplays the puck, and Ivan Barbashev bangs in Mitch Marner’s rebound.
The Golden Knights added to their lead at 18:31 in the third. Mark Stone won a foot race and found Mitch Marner in the slot. Marner moved in, danced around Morgan Frost, fooled Dustin Wolf, and completed the hat trick on the wraparound.
Throw the hats! Mitch Marner fools Dustin Wolf and tucks it home on the wraparound.
1. For nearly half an hour following the conclusion of the second intermission, a nine-man band consisting of four members of the ice crew, three officials, two captains (and a partridge in a pear tree) hovered over a divot in the ice. Meanwhile, DJ Joe Green continued his rave-esque ‘Knight Life,’ bumping EDM while the projector displayed images of a roulette wheel onto the ice. The nine individuals were highlighted by a spotlight, which stood out as a harsh contrast against the colorful ice.
It was all very dramatic.
There’s a lot going on in the entertainment capital of the world. This has been the longest— but also most comical!—delay for ice maintenance I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/DJjSzEz2sI
New head coach John Tortorella did say that he wanted his team to be ‘more relaxed’ after Monday’s 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Maybe this moment was just what the doctor ordered. The Golden Knights only went on to outshoot the Flames 6-3 in the third period, but they capitalized on their scoring chances and controlled 87.27% of the expected goal share.
2. Mitch Marner capped off a five-point night by completing his first hat trick as a Golden Knight. He recorded six shots on goal and nine total attempts. He’s back to being a point-per-game player with 76 points in 75 games played.
3. Carter Hart returned from injury tonight, playing his first game since January 8th. He made 19 saves on 22 shots and recorded his sixth win of the season. The delay put him in a less-than-ideal situation in the third period, but he battled through. When the team needed him most, Hart answered the bell and made several key saves.
When Steve Kerr rolled up to the Sweet 16 at SAP Center in San Jose to see his Arizona Wildcats play the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Warriors coach later admitted he naturally had a scout’s eye observing his school’s blowout win.
“Just a little bit. Mike was there, that’s obviously his job,” Kerr said the next day, referencing Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy also being in attendance. “But yeah, when I watch college games, I always try to envision what a guy would look like on an NBA court.”
Kerr can keep enjoying Arizona’s success, and keep envisioning what their top prospects would look like in the NBA, specifically in a Warriors jersey. Arizona, Michigan, Illinois and UConn represent this year’s Final Four, with both games being played Saturday to determine which teams will square off in the national championship.
Several prospects are looking to showcase their skills on the biggest stage. The Warriors currently are slotted into the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft ahead of the lottery on May 10. As the regular season winds down and the offseason starts becoming a main priority, here are five prospects from the Final Four the Warriors should be watching with a late lottery pick, choosing just outside of the top 14 or moving up from the ping-pong balls bouncing in their favor.
The biggest knock against Lendeborg would be a big positive for the Warriors and help him fall in their laps. He’s an older prospect who’s already 23 years old and will be 24 before he ever plays an NBA game. To put that into perspective, Moses Moody is in his fifth NBA season and is just four months older than Lendeborg.
Most lottery picks need seasoning and ample time to develop. That’s a problem the Warriors have run into in the past and can avoid with Lendeborg being a pro-ready prospect. Lendeborg spent three years in junior college, two at UAB — where he twice led the American Athletic Conference in rebounds and ranked in the top five nationally both years — and capped his college career by collecting every award imaginable at Michigan.
Lendeborg can do a bit of everything, averaging 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in a season when he’s shooting a career-best 37.2 percent from 3-point range. He’s shooting from deep more than ever and has plenty of defensive accolades to his name. Standing 6-foot-9 with a massive 7-foot-4 wingspan, Lendeborg has the versatility and feel for the game that can make him an immediate fit on the Warriors.
Hard to overstate Yaxel Lendeborg’s impact in an absolute shellacking of Tennessee.
27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 0 turnovers in a 30+ point Elite Eight win.
Making one of the most remarkable clutch shots ever in the history of a storied school isn’t why the Warriors should have their eyes on Mullins. But it doesn’t hurt.
Mullins’ game-winning 3-pointer to beat Duke and propel his team into the Final Four wasn’t a heave from 40 feet. It was shot confidently, fluidly and in motion. Luck might have been sprinkled in for the moment, though Mullins’ shot profile is awfully intriguing. So is his confidence in taking the shot when he had missed all four of his 3-point attempts previously against Duke in the Elite Eight.
He passes the eye test, and it’s easy to see how Mullins would fit the Warriors’ as an off-ball shooting threat. Mullins, who turns 20 years old on April 18, is 6-foot-6 and can let it fly for someone shooting just 32.8 percent beyond the arc. That number doesn’t tell the full story.
From Dec. 1 through Feb. 25, Mullins had a 39.4 3-point percentage on 6.5 attempts per game in 21 total games. In his last nine games, however, Mullins has made just 19 percent of his threes. Trust the former more than the latter when it comes to Mullins’ ability to be a shooting weapon at the next level.
Without it being an official job interview of sorts, Burries certainly made a strong first impression in front of Kerr. The freshman combo guard led Kerr’s alma mater to the Elite Eight with a team-high 23 points on efficient shooting. Burries went 7 of 11 from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, and was 7 of 8 on free throws.
He’s been great throughout March Madness, averaging 17.8 points while going 22 of 38 overall (57.9 percent) and 13 of 19 on threes (68.4 percent). Burries also is averaging 6.3 rebounds, with at least five rebounds in Arizona’s four tournament games so far.
Brayden Burries was impressive in Arizona's Sweet 16 win over Arkansas.
Burries is very strong at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. In his one year at Arizona, Burries has shown how he can impact the game on both sides. This season, he has led the team in both points per game (16.1) and steals per game (1.5), and also ranks third in assists per game (2.5), fourth in rebounds per game (4.9) and third in 3-point percentage (40.2 percent).
Highlighting two prospects from Kerr’s school was an obvious decision. Peat’s possible fit on the Warriors and in the NBA isn’t as much of a sure thing.
Like Burries, Peat impressed in front of Kerr. Peat scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. All eight made shots were inside the arc, as were all 11 of his total shot attempts. There’s a forcefield around the 3-point line for Peat. He has taken 361 shots this season, and 19 have been threes.
Peat is strong and has good size at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds. He’s a fluid athlete but not super explosive. There’s a lot to like about Peat, but his limitations could see him slide.
Of these five prospects, Wagler seems the least likely to slide down to the Warriors if they’re picking at No. 10, 11 or even lower. Is he someone the Warriors would consider if they jump into the top four? Probably not, but maybe, just maybe.
There’s just a lot to like about Wagler if you value feel for the game being clear as day. Wagler is a 6-foot-6 combo guard who doesn’t throw down dunks and isn’t an elite athlete. Watching him should answer any of those concerns. Wagler is averaging 17.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game with a 40.7 3-point percentage.
Where Wagler winds up in the draft will be one of the more interesting storylines. It would take some good luck for him to still be on the board for the Warriors. Teams will be mixed on his upside, and Golden State should be a team that easily sees the vision, though Wagler could require some patience as he physically develops.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers controls the ball against Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs at Intuit Dome on April 02, 2026 in Inglewood, 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No Wemby, no problem. The Spurs won their third game in four nights and 11th straight Thursday night in an up and down game against the Clippers, keeping the #1 seed within reach while giving the Alien a night off.
It was a high-scoring game from the tip. Kawhi continued his magnificent season and scored a handful of baskets from all over the court. John Collins got in the action too, using his athleticism to drive and finish around the rim without having to worry about Wemby. Still, Luke Kornet was his usual reliable self, providing solid rim protection on the back line.
Offensively, the Spurs capitalized on lazy defensive efforts from the home team. San Antonio had two uncontested transition baskets early, swinging the momentum their way. They then caught fire from deep, making four in quick succession to build a double-digit lead. De’Aaron Fox, in particular, got on a heater, hitting a handful of mid-ranges and getting to the rim at will. That run coincided with the Clippers going ice cold, and it didn’t help that Darius Garland had to go to the locker room after taking a rough fall. Overall, the Spurs led 68-44 heading into halftime, showing no signs of fatigue or of Wemby’s absence.
LA showed signs of life early in the third. Kawhi regained his rhythm and made back-to-back buckets, forcing Mitch Johnson to call a timeout. The Spurs began trapping him soon after, but the Clippers started generating efficient offense even with the ball out of his hands. In a turn of events, LA capitalized on a number of sloppy Spurs possessions in a quick 3-minute stretch, going on a 14-5 run to cut the lead down to 12. Bennedict Mathurin led the charge, hitting a circus shot and helping force turnovers to bring his team back in the game. Following another sloppy Spurs possession, the Clippers made it just a 9-point game before both teams traded wild possessions that resulted in no basket scored for the remainder of the quarter.
LA’s momentum carried over to start the fourth. San Antonio continued to fumble the ball, resulting in the Clippers cutting the lead down to just seven. Fortunately, a technical call against LA helped the Spurs regain control, and a few key baskets from Stephon Castle put the good guys back up by double digits. The Clippers seemed to deflate afterwards, and a few more buckets from Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson sealed the game for the visiting side. With minutes left in the fourth, Ty Lue finally waved the white flag and brought in his reserves, prompting Mitch Johnson to do the same. The Spurs walked away with a 118-99 victory, but the scoreline doesn’t do justice to the crazy back-and-forth game.
Game notes
Fox had a really unusual game. 18 of his 22 points came in the first half, and he only made one bucket in both the third and fourth quarters. This wasn’t due to his shot abandoning him, either: Fox only took 13 field goals and made 9, so both he and the Spurs chose to rely on other players who were more in rhythm.
Harper ended his night with 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-12 shooting and 2-3 from deep. He did all that in 25 minutes, and I can not be any higher on the kid. I think he’s already a starting-calibre guard and could be the second-best player on the team as soon as next season, and I’ve never been more comfortable with the ball being in the hands of a rookie guard ever.
The diciest part of the game was during a 3-minute stretch in the middle of the third quarter, when the Spurs kept on losing the ball. Even in the moment, I wondered why Mitch didn’t call a timeout to regroup the guys, and I’m still confused about it after. Maybe he had faith that they’d figure it out? He was finally forced to call one but it was almost too little too late, and the team was definitely tempting fate during that brief stretch.
Play of the game
Harper shot over 50% from three in March and is now hitting half-court heaves. Is he the next Steph Curry?
SAN FRANCISCO — Devin Williams has kept drama to a minimum to begin his Mets career, but he knows there is room for improvement.
The Mets closer began Thursday without allowing an earned run — and yielding only one hit — over three innings in his first three appearances, striking out four and walking two.
“I’m getting good results, at least,” said Williams who did not pitch in the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Giants. “I have some room for improvement with my command and my changeup and with my fastball, so I think just getting reps is going to help that.”
“Just wanted to give him an extra day [at DH],” Mendoza said. “He continues to feel better and progress. I might need that DH spot in the upcoming days for some other guys and that is why we’re taking advantage of the extra day here for him to DH.”
Mark Vientos started Thursday at first base for a second straight game.
The Mets began the day with 55 runners left on base, tied for the most with the Astros.
As a team, the Mets were 11-for-68 (.162) with runners in scoring position, ranking 29th in MLB.
The Reds were the only team worse in such situations.
This marks just the second time in franchise history the Mets played extra innings in three of their first six games. It last occurred in 1991.
Mendoza noted the strain it has placed on the bullpen, which needed to record 15 extra outs in the first week.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks for an opening against Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Prior to Luka going down, Austin Reaves was the one who made a trip to the locker room. Reaves was holding his back for much of the first quarter before checking out and getting checked.
While he did return, he was still holding his back at times during the rest of the game, though it never seemed to slow him down. After the game, head coach JJ Redick provided an explanation of how the injury occurred.
“He was in a weird position stretching for a basketball, loose ball,” Redick said. “He just felt like like intercostal, somewhere in his back in between the ribs. He was able to play through it and battled back. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Austin said he got treatment at halftime that allowed him to play in the second half. He also said that he felt better postgame, too.
“I went back to get a rebound, overextended a little bit and felt something,” Reaves said. “I feel decent now. We’ll see.”
The extra day off between games for the Lakers could be beneficial for Reaves. While it seems unlikely Luka’s injury will be measured in days, this one feels like that extra day could be beneficial.
The Lakers won’t play again until Sunday in Dallas. Having an extra day to rehab and get treatment could be the difference in him playing or not. The fact that he was able to play after the injury and play well, relatively speaking, is also encouraging for him being available against the Mavs.
It goes without saying that, with Luka sidelined, Austin’s availability will be even more crucial. He has flourished when Luka has been out this year, so there’s at least some room for optimism there. But only if he’s healthy.
In just about every way, Thursday’s loss was a gut punch. At least with Reaves’ injury, there’s a silver lining of hope that he won’t also be missing time.
On a night where Los Angeles was celebrating Anze Kopitar's legacy, this game between the Kings and Predators did not disappoint.
A playoff-like atmosphere saw the Los Angeles Kings (30-26-19) pull off an improbable comeback against the Nashville Predators (35-31-9) in the third period, forcing eight rounds of a shootout on Thursday, before falling short 5-4.
Los Angeles, once again, got off to a terrible start in the first period against a potential Western Conference playoff contender. Nashville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and extended its lead to 4-1 in the middle of the second period. It looked like another blowout loss was on the horizon for Los Angeles, but the Kings played a valiant effort in the second period to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Turnovers, missed shots, and defensive lapses plagued the Kings from the jump, allowing the Predators to take the lead. Still, despite the mistakes Los Angeles made early on, they made up for it in the third period, but couldn't make up for it down the stretch.
Both teams struggled on the power play, combining to go 0-for-5, and Los Angeles won the faceoff battle 55.4% to the Predators' 44.6%.
It was a hot offensive start for the Predators early. The Kings had no answer to the rush, giving up goals on fast-break possessions and turning the puck over. Three minutes into the first period, Nashville jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead after a faceoff win and a beautiful puck play by forward Zachary L'Hereux to give Nashville the 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
It was a terrible first period for the Kings, getting outshot 18-9, looking like one of those games where nothing goes right for them at home.
The second period began immediately, with Nashville continuing where they left off, scoring two minutes into the period after converting on the missed shot. Nashville scored on the rebound to hold a commanding 3-0 lead.
Los Angeles finally got a goal to go, a contact goal by Adrian Kempe pushed in after Artemi Panarin missed the shot; the puck deflected off Kempe and made its way into the net.
A lucky shot, but a good way for the Kings to get back in the game and avoid disaster.
Nashville, though, would answer once again, scoring on the beautiful 2-on-1 rush play, displaying beautiful puck movement to take another three-goal lead.
At this point, the game looked like it was a wash for Los Angeles. Down three in the second period with 11 minutes remaining, the Kings would make a valiant effort to get back in the game.
The momentum shifted after Adrian Kempe scored his second goal of the night at the 6:30-minute mark to get the crowd and players back in the game. Two minutes later, Los Angeles cut the deficit to one after a rebound goal by Scott Laughton, ending the second period down one.
LAK Goal - 30 for 🧃
Kempe buries his second of the night. Fourth time in five seasons he’s scored at least 30. Kings within 4-2.
It was a gritty third period, with both teams missing shots left and right off the crossbar; there was a lid on the net, and Nashville had multiple chances to end the game early in the final period.
Another missed shot from the Kings gave up Joel Armia the rebound to score on and clean up the goal, tying the score 4-4 with under 10 minutes to go in the final frame.
LAK Goal - Big. Goal. Joel.
Jared Wright's shot goes through the legs of Saros, Armia picks up the garbage to tie the game at four.
Everything seemed to be on the Kings' side, outshooting the Predators 13-5 in the third period, but they couldn't close the game in the period. Artemi Panarin had a very good chance to score, but the puck landed on the legs of the Predators' goaltender.
We were treated to another overtime game, the 30th of the season for the Kings. Another thrilling way to end the match. Neither team could score in overtime, setting up an exciting finish in the shootout.
Eight rounds saw the Kings miss shot after shot. Give credit to both goatkenders for giving their teams several chances to win, but it was the Predators who scored in the eighth round to hang on and stop the Kings' late comeback.
Credit the Armia-Wright-Laughton line, stepping up late in the match, to make this game close, despite the loss. All three forwards combined to score four points and two goals.
Kempe scored two goals and two points to notch his 30th goal of the season, the fourth time in five seasons he's accomplished this feat. After starting off slow, Darcy Kuemper played a big role in the third period and the extra periods, stopping key shots in the clutch, finishing with 30 saves on 34 shots.
The good news in the loss is that Los Angeles gets a point, now tied with the Predators and Sharks for the final playoff spot, making their next game against the Predators crucial.
The Kings' next matchup will be against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday at 4:00 PM PT.
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Daniel Susac (6) started his first big league game as the San Francisco Giants played the New York Mets at Oracle Park in San Francisco, on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Daniel Susac had to wait four seasons to get to the majors, then another six games just to make his big league debut. All that patience paid off on Thursday night.
The former Arizona Wildcats catcher went 3 for 3 with a walk in his first career start, helping his hometown San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets 7-2. He became the first Giants player to reach base four times in his first start since 2006.
In his first @MLB start, Daniel Susac came to the plate four times and reached base all four times 👏 pic.twitter.com/1WFo2sRCyE
The 24-year-old Susac, who made his MLB debut as a defensive replacement on Wednesday, wasted no time in his first plate appearance, sending a first-pitch curve ball into right-center field for a single. He singled through the left side of the infield on the next pitch he saw, then drew a 4-pitch walk in his third at-bat and singled up the middle to end the evening.
Per OPTA Stats, Susac is the first catcher with three hits and a walk in his first MLB start since Mike Piazza in 1992.
Susac, who played for Arizona in 2021-22, was a 1st round pick of the Oakland (now Sacramento) Athletics in the 2022 MLB Draft. Blocked at the big league level by other prospects, Susac helped Las Vegas reach the Triple-A championship game last season and then was not added to the Athletics’ 40-man roster in the offseason.
That made him available for the Rule 5 Draft, which allows teams to pick up players from others’ farm systems who aren’t on the 40-man. Those drafted must remain on the MLB roster all season or be offered back to their original team.
Susac was selected by the Minnesota Twins, who then traded him to the Giants. A Northern California native, Susac’s older brother AndrewSusac made his MLB debut with San Francisco in 2014.
At the UA, Susac was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2021 when he helped the Wildcats reach the College World Series, and as a sophomore was an All-American and Golden Spikes Award semifinalist. In 125 career games he hit .351 with 24 home runs and 126 RBI.
After sufficing a three-goal lead and needing to go to a shootout, Luke Evangelista scored in the eighth round of the shootout to give the Nashville Predators a critical 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
In the winning shootout goal, and the only conversion by either team, Evangelista faked a shot on the forehand before pulling it to the backhand and beating goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
The Predators came out of the gate hot, outshooting the Kings, 18-9 in the first period and taking a 2-0 lead. Filip Forsberg netted his 35th goal of the season from an odd angle and Zach L'Heureux scored on the backhand.
L'Heureux had a goal disallowed in the first minute of the game as it was ruled that he had knocked down a Ryan O'Reilly feed with a high stick.
In the early second period, Jonathan Marchessault put away a Matthew Wood rebound to make it 3-0. Adrian Kempe scored four minutes later to get the Kings on the board, but Steven Stamkos responded with his 37th of the year.
Nashville was in a comfortable place up 4-1 halfway through the second period. However, it allowed three unanswered goals, two in the second and one in the third, allowing the Kings to force the game to overtime.
This was the 30th time the Kings have gone to overtime this season and 19th overtime loss, both of which are NHL records.
Nashville generated just two shots on net to LA's one in overtime. In the shootout, O'Reilly, Forsberg, Stamkos, Marchessault, Erik Haula, Tyson Jost and Roman Josi all missed on their attempts before Evangelsita scored.
Despite the Predators picking up the extra point, they are still not in the Wild Card position. San Jose also has 79 points but has played one fewer game than the Predators, giving it the tiebreaker.
Nashville does have the tiebreaker over the Kings in regulation wins.
Juuse Saros made 29 saves on 33 shots in the victory, shutting down every Kings shooter in the shootout.
This won't be the last time the Predators will see the Kings, as they will be back at Crypto.com Arena on Monday.
Nashville will face the Sharks next in San Jose on Saturday at 9 p.m. CST, a game that will break another tie in the Wild Card race.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the third Thunder player to win the MVP award since 2014 last year [Getty Images]
The Oklahoma City Thunder condemned the Los Angeles Lakers to one of the heaviest defeats in their history - one made more painful by an injury to star Luka Doncic.
Reigning NBA champions Thunder claimed a commanding 139-96 victory, helped by 28 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as they improved their league-best record to 61-16.
The Lakers have only been beaten by a greater margin on six occasions, with this 43-point loss just six points short of their worst margin of defeat against the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
It was a first defeat in five for the Lakers, who must now wait to learn the severity of Doncic's left hamstring injury after the Slovenian appeared emotional as he exited the court during the third quarter.
Doncic, who had scored 40 or more points in each of his previous three games and five of his past seven, will have an MRI scan on Friday, Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed.
The Lakers had won 13 of their previous 14 games as they seek to hold on to the third seeding in the Western Conference, behind Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, before the play-offs begin on 18 April.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning Most Valuable Player, finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Isaiah Joe added 20 points for the Thunder.
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 15 points despite struggling with back pain, and LeBron James added 13 in 26 minutes.
Thunder's 139 points were the most conceded by the Lakers this season and the 43-point defeat was the team's heaviest since a 44-point loss to Philadelphia in November 2023.
The Mets offense, as a whole, is struggling, but Bo Bichette is starting to look more like himself, and Thursday proved that.
Bichette's box score shows he went 1-for-4, but he could have easily had three hits and driven in a lot more runs. It started in the first, when he lined a double to left field to score the game's first run. He then took Robbie Ray very deep in the third inning. Bichette launched an 86 mph slider to straightaway center. The ball exited the bat at 104 mph and went 390 feet. Unfortunately for Bichette and the Mets, it needed to go 391 feet as Harrison Bader leapt and caught it at the top of the wall.
"I don't know, I thought I hit it OK," Bichette said after the game of the near-homerun. "I mean, if I thought I got it, I would've came out of the box a little different."
After a strikeout in the fifth, Bichette's night ended similarly to the robbed home run. He hit a liner that first baseman Casey Schmitt jumped and snagged on a line, before stepping on first base to complete the double play that ended the eighth.
"Bo had some really good at-bats today," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "That first inning, that double. The one he drove to centerfield. I thought the at-bats from him today looked like Bo Bichette."
Bo Bichette's first extra base hit as a Met is a double to drive in Juan Soto for the game's first run! pic.twitter.com/O17d90QVoI
The high-profile free agent signing hasn't lived up to his billing in the early going. Entering Thursday's game, Bichette was just 3-for-27 with no extra-base hits. Bichette even admitted that he didn't feel like himself in the first series against the Pirates, but it seems the infielder has found his stroke, especially over the last couple of games.
Although the hits haven't been there, the at-bats look better. He struck out eight times in the first three games, he's struck out just once since and that includes Thursday.
"Other than the first three games at home, he’s settling in nicely," Mendoza said. "Not trying to do too much. When he does that, he’s a pretty good player."
But Bichette's re-emergence has not translated to much offense for the team overall. After going 0-for-11 with RISP in Wednesday's series finale against the Cardinals, they were 0-for-3 on Thursday.
"I mean, we've faced some pretty good pitchers recently. Or pitchers that have pitched well, that's part of it," Bichette said of the team's struggles. "I think for the most part, guys are having good at-bats. Maybe the contact is just not where we need it... This is baseball, so things go up and down, not that you're OK with it. You need to figure out a way to be better, but this is baseball. We'll show up tomorrow and do it again."
Bichette was asked about his two hard outs -- the near-homerun and the linedrive double play had xBAs of .680 and .520, respectively -- and whether the team is just a bit unlucky to start the season.
"Maybe, but that's not something to fall on. Should always be looking to do better, be better," Bichette said. "So that's what we'll do. Good thing about baseball, we get to do it tomorrow.
"I think people are looking at everything, every day throughout the whole season. Some years you get off to good starts, some years you don't. Just part of it."
San Antonio Spurs (58-18, second in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (49-28, fourth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio plays the Denver Nuggets after Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points in the Spurs' 127-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The Nuggets are 31-16 in Western Conference games. Denver leads the Western Conference with 121.4 points and is shooting 49.5%.
The Spurs are 33-14 in conference matchups. San Antonio averages 119.6 points and has outscored opponents by 8.3 points per game.
The Nuggets average 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 13.1 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs average 13.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Nuggets won 136-131 in the last meeting on March 13. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 39 points, and Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nikola Jokic is averaging 27.7 points, 13 rebounds and 10.8 assists for the Nuggets. Murray is averaging 25.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is averaging 18.5 points and 6.2 assists for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 126.4 points, 45.8 rebounds, 33.1 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points per game.
Spurs: 10-0, averaging 124.3 points, 51.2 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.1 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji: day to day (hip), Peyton Watson: day to day (hamstring), Tim Hardaway Jr.: day to day (knee), Spencer Jones: day to day (hamstring).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Victor Wembanyama: out (injury management).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Washington Wizards (17-59, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (40-37, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington will try to stop its three-game road slide when the Wizards face Miami.
The Heat are 24-23 in Eastern Conference games. Miami is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 12.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Kel'el Ware averaging 2.9.
The Wizards are 11-35 in conference matchups. Washington is 2-2 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Heat score 120.4 points per game, 3.9 fewer points than the 124.3 the Wizards give up. The Heat average 112.7 points per game, 5.5 fewer points than the 118.2 the Heat allow to opponents.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Heat won the last matchup 150-129 on March 10, with Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adebayo is scoring 20.3 points per game with 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 20.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 44.4% over the past 10 games.
Bub Carrington is averaging 10.2 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 2-8, averaging 119.6 points, 41.6 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.3 points per game.
Wizards: 1-9, averaging 113.2 points, 36.6 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.6 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (illness).
Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Kyshawn George: out for season (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana faces Charlotte in Eastern Conference action Friday.
The Hornets are 24-24 against Eastern Conference opponents. Charlotte is fourth in the Eastern Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up just 111.4 points while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.
The Pacers are 14-33 against conference opponents. Indiana is 6-34 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Hornets average 116.2 points per game, 4.5 fewer points than the 120.7 the Pacers allow. The Pacers average 13.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Hornets allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Hornets won 133-109 in the last matchup on Feb. 27.
TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is averaging 19.6 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Coby White is averaging 18.7 points over the last 10 games.
Jay Huff is averaging 9.4 points and 1.8 blocks for the Pacers. Pascal Siakam is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 46.1 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 6.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.1 points per game.
Pacers: 3-7, averaging 121.4 points, 38.4 rebounds, 34.2 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.3 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: PJ Hall: out (ankle).
Pacers: T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Obi Toppin: day to day (foot), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: out (back), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Jarace Walker: out (back), Pascal Siakam: day to day (knee), Aaron Nesmith: out (neck), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
