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USC keeps season alive with double-OT win over Rutgers in Big Ten tourney

In some ways, USC's Big Ten tournament opener Wednesday was a lot like this basketball season as a whole -- the Trojans flashed their compelling potential before seeming to run out of steam on the way to what looked like a deflating finish. After letting a 15-point lead entirely slip away as Rutgers led by 4 points inside the final 30 seconds, the Trojans came through with the defensive stops they needed, two Wesley Yates free throws and a clutch driving layup from Desmond Claude to tie the game and force overtime. It would take two extra periods, but No. 14-seeded USC eventually found a final surge while pulling away from No. 11 Rutgers for a 97-89 double-overtime win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

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Surging NHL Sophomore Adam Fantilli Fuels The Blue Jackets' Playoff Drive

Adam Fantilli (Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)

The Columbus Blue Jackets emerged in the NHL this season in more ways than one.

Three-quarters into the season, the Blue Jackets find themselves in a playoff spot with a legitimately good chance of holding on and getting into the post-season.

Sean Monahan re-emerged as well by logging 41 points in 41 games as the Blue Jackets’ top center until he got injured on Jan. 7.

Since then, sophomore Adam Fantilli elevated his game to another level. He became a point-per-game center who can take over a shift – and a game – when he’s most needed.

For Columbus to hold off the rest of the pack in the battle for the wild-card spots, Fantilli must continue to fuel its playoff drive.

Fantilli has 23 points in 23 games with 12 goals over the span, highlighted by a hat trick against the New York Rangers last weekend. That massive performance came in a pivotal game that held off the Rangers and solidified the Blue Jackets’ playoff standing. 

Since Monahan’s wrist injury on Jan. 7, Fantilli has scored at a rate of 2.66 points per 60 minutes at even strength, according to evolving-hockey.com. That ranks Fantilli in the top 25 NHL players who have played at least 300 minutes (roughly top-six forward minutes) over that period. Only Matvei Michkov (2.85) and Will Smith (2.7) have scored at a higher rate over that time among under-21 talent, and both have played significantly smaller roles for their teams, barely meeting the 300-minute criteria. 

Fantilli’s rocked a 66-percent goal share since becoming the Blue Jackets' No. 1 center, outscoring his opponents 31-16 since Jan. 7. While that’s largely due to the step he’s taken offensively, his defensive game’s massively improved as well, which coach Dean Evason noticed.

“I wish there were inside looks at where he was at the start of the year and how his commitment to playing the game the right way, how his commitment to playing defense, is commitment to being a good leader and teammate (have grown),” Evason told reporters on Monday.

Fantilli has always had the skating and strength to be a dominant two-way force, but his mental development is most notable. He’s tracking play much more effectively in his own zone, filling gaps in the middle of the ice and battling for loose pucks down low. When he gets the puck back on his stick, he’s showing off the explosive skating and transition ability up ice that he’s been known for. 

Jake Christiansen, Kirill Marchenko and Adam Fantilli (Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images)

If the Blue Jackets will make the playoffs, it will be because Fantilli – and other youngsters Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko, and Dmitri Voronkov – continue their strong play. But if Fantilli maintains his pace from the last 23 games, we could see him surpass the 30-goal and 60-point plateau as a 20-year-old.

Playing upward of 20 minutes on most nights, Fantilli’s asserting himself as the centerpiece for the Blue Jackets' run toward the playoffs. He is showing why there was the conversation about him being a first-overall caliber player in his draft year, even though he eventually went third overall after Connor Bedard (CHI) and Leo Carlsson (ANA). 

He’s been a force of nature in every league he’s played in whether it was the GTHL, the USHL or the NCAA. Fantilli is on his way to becoming an everyday impact player in the NHL. 

What could be the greatest era in Columbus Blue Jackets hockey is emerging. Fantilli will be an instrumental part of that.

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Sabonis out for Kings vs. Warriors game with hamstring injury

Sabonis out for Kings vs. Warriors game with hamstring injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings are ready to bounce back from an ugly home loss Monday night, but they’ll have to do so without their star center.

Domantas Sabonis, who originally was questionable for Sacramento’s NorCal showdown Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, will miss his sixth consecutive game with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.

Sabonis was cleared for on-court activity Saturday and practiced with the team Wednesday, but the team likely is being cautious with his return.

Kings backup big man Jonas Valančiūnas, who has stepped up in that starting role in Sabonis’ absence, likely will get the start against the Warriors.

Before his injury, Sabonis was averaging 19.5 points on 59.6-percent shooting from the field and 43.2 percent from 3-point range, with a league-leading 14.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 56 games this season.

In five games without Sabonis, Valančiūnas, who the Kings acquired at this year’s trade deadline, is averaging 13.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting, with 12.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in five games.

Kings forward/center Trey Lyles is questionable with left leg soreness, and Jake LaRavia was upgraded from questionable to available for Thursday’s game.

For Golden State, Jonathan Kuminga, who has missed the last 31 games with a nagging ankle sprain, is listed as probable. Gary Payton II was upgraded to available, and Brandin Pódziemski is out with a bilateral back strain.

The Warriors (37-28), who have won five consecutive games and 10 of their last 11, sit in the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed entering Thursday’s contest.

The Kings (33-31), who are coming off a 133-104 blowout home loss to the New York Knicks, currently are ninth in the West.

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George consulting with doctors on injuries, procedure possible

George consulting with doctors on injuries, procedure possible  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Paul George is weighing his injury treatment options. 

On Monday, a Sixers official said George (left groin soreness) was “receiving treatment and continuing to consult with physicians.” The official said George would be re-evaluated before the Sixers’ game Friday night vs. the Pacers. 

Three days later, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported George is “consulting with doctors this week on treatment options for his groin and knee injuries, including a possible procedure.” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark confirmed that report. 

George’s first season with the Sixers has been highly disappointing and injury-checkered. He hyperextended his left knee during the preseason and re-injured it on Nov. 20. He’s also dealt with a “lingering” groin problem and a left pinkie finger injury. The 34-year-old confirmed on Feb. 20 that he’d recently been taking injections to play through pain and said he was “just trying to give this team everything I have.” 

George hasn’t played since the Sixers’ March 4 loss to the Timberwolves. He had seven points on 3-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and six assists that night.

Overall, he’s averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 41 appearances.

The Sixers are 22-43 and draft lottery odds now appear far more pertinent than the postseason. The team has ruled Joel Embiid (left knee injury), Eric Gordon (right wrist surgery) and Jared McCain (left lateral meniscus surgery) out for the season. 

Along with those players, George, Tyrese Maxey (lower back sprain and right finger sprain), Kyle Lowry (right hip injury management) and Lonnie Walker IV (concussion) were listed as out on the Sixers’ injury report going into their matchup with Indiana.

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Rafael Devers changes tune on moving from third base to DH

Rafael Devers changes tune on moving from third base to DH originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A more open-minded Rafael Devers spoke to the media Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Boston Red Sox slugger made his first public comments since Feb. 17, when he initially stated he would not be open to moving from third base to designated hitter with the arrival of Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman. However, after productive conversations with manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, Devers has softened his stance.

“We spoke already, and I’m good to do whatever they want me to do,” he said, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “I’m here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that and they know where I stand, but I’m just ready to play.”

Moving Devers to DH with Bregman at third would greatly improve Boston’s infield defense, one of the club’s biggest weaknesses in 2024. Devers is the only third baseman in MLB history to lead the position in errors for seven consecutive seasons, committing 12 last year.

While Devers’ newfound willingness to DH is encouraging, the three-time All-Star’s absence from spring training games has raised concerns. He explained why he hasn’t been in the Red Sox lineup while confirming he plans to make his spring debut Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.

“Yeah, it’s just my decision, you know,” Devers said, via Browne. “Like I said, my shoulders are fine. They’re good. It was just my decision to want to take a little bit more time to get right. I hadn’t picked up a bat from the end of last season to when I got here in January, so I just felt like I needed that little bit of extra time.”

Bregman was initially expected to be Boston’s Opening Day second baseman with Devers remaining at third. However, this spring, Bregman has played almost exclusively at the hot corner with no appearances at second. That suggests he is all but locked in as the Red Sox’ third baseman for 2025.

If Devers does move to DH, the next question is how Masataka Yoshida fits into the equation. Yoshida served as the team’s primary DH throughout 2024 and was expected to reprise that role before Bregman’s arrival. Even if the Red Sox give him more time in the outfield, there’s a logjam there as well, with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Rob Refsnyder, and top prospect Roman Anthony all expected to play key roles.

Cora has plenty to think about over the next couple of weeks as he finalizes his Opening Day roster. Boston will begin its 2025 campaign March 27 with a four-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.