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James Harden helps Cavs to a road win while playing with a broken thumb

NEW YORK (AP) — Still recovering from a broken thumb, James Harden made a successful return for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.

Harden had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Cleveland's 106-102 victory at the Brooklyn Nets. The 11-time All-Star went 4 for 7 from 3-point range.

The 36-year-old Harden missed two games after fracturing his right thumb during Tuesday night's 109-94 win over the New York Knicks.

“You could see in the first half he's not 100 percent, obviously,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I thought in the second half though he had that stretch there where we were struggling, he kind of took over, got to the free-throw line, hit a couple 3s, so that was good.”

Harden was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 3. The 17-year veteran is averaging 19.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds in eight games with Cleveland.

The 6-foot-5 guard had eight points in the first half against Brooklyn, and the Nets led 52-46 at the break. But Cleveland rallied in the second half.

Harden made two foul shots and converted a four-point play to help the Cavs take a 70-64 lead with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

“We needed him tonight,” Atkinson said. “Obviously playing handicapped, he still played really well.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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Luke Kennard relishes creating ‘the blender’ for Lakers

Lakers player Luke Kennard
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 28, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO — After a game in which the Lakers’ three best players (Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves) all had strong performances, the team’s newest addition received the first name drop from coach JJ Redick after the blowout win over the Warriors on Saturday night. 

“And, boy, Luke Kennard, he just starts the blender for us,” Redick said. “We frankly have not had a ton of blender starters.”

Luke Kennard drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images

What does Kennard creating the blender look like?

Like what took place around the 7:14 mark of the fourth quarter when Kennard ghosted (faked) a back screen for Jake LaRavia before flying off a pindown from Maxi Kleber and relocated to beyond the 3-point arc in screen-the-screener action.

This forced Warriors big man Quinten Post to step out and close out on Kennard, who has shot 44.2% on 3s in his career and is shooting a league-best 49.1% on 3s this season. Kennard drove past Post to force the Warriors defense to collapse onto him inside the arc, with Kennard kicking out to Jarred Vanderbilt in the weakside corner. 

Three passes later, Kennard benefited from the blender he created, knocking down a step-back 3 over Gui Santos.

“Obviously, Luka gets two on the ball, AR gets two on the ball, LeBron will get two on the ball,” Redick said. “But just to be able to create a closeout and then make the right read and right play from there … Luke was huge for our offense.” 

The play was part of Kennard’s 16-point performance (6-of-10 shooting, 4 of 7 on 3s) against the Warriors, which was his highest scoring total since being traded to the Lakers on Feb. 5.

“Obviously, I’ve been here for a short amount of time, but when we are a team that gets in the paint and we share the ball, we have multiple passes on a possession, I feel like we’re a different team,” Kennard said. “We get a lot of great looks, and we can put up a lot of points. Obviously, we need the ball to be in (Doncic’s, Reaves’ and James’) hands to make plays for us, and that’s how it’s got to be. But for us guys coming off the bench, we need to be ready to play the right way, get the ball moving and just play with some pace.”

On the Lakers’ next possession and with Pat Spencer top-locking him, Kennard actually set the back screen for LaRavia by forcing Spencer to make contact with LaRavia’s defender (Nate Williams) to free up LaRavia for an alley-oop layup assisted by Marcus Smart. 

“That’s just connective offense right there,” Redick said. “And that’s just what Luke does.”

Kennard wasn’t credited with the statistic in the box score, but his screening made the play possible.

“Being a good screener, it’s something that you don’t really talk about much,” Kennard said. “You don’t kind of see the impact of what that can be. But JJ has put me in positions to be a screener. And I think just the gravity that I have is being one of the top shooters in the league, teams don’t wanna leave me. So being a screener, getting guys open, it gets me shots if I set good screens. I take pride in being a good screener.”

The Lakers value not only Kennard’s shooting but also what the other parts of his skill set can open for the offense.

“His ability to make plays, getting to the paint, uses his (shooting threat); because he shoots the ball so well, a lot of teams like to run him off the line,” James said. “But his ability to get into the lane and make plays for others as well has been a big part of what we want to do, too. Just making that extra pass, those kick-out plays and those extra ones, he’s damn good at it.”

And Kennard appreciates being able to show off his offensive tools.

“It kind of gives confidence in me, not just being a spot-up shooter,” Kennard said. “There’s been stops, I think, where that’s kind of what I’ve been, and I’ll find my role and try to do the best I can with that. But I think just creating havoc offensively, just getting in the paint … when we get in the paint and we have multiple passes on possession, we’re such a different team. I can kind of initiate some of that. If two guys are on, like Luka, Bron or Austin, and I get a swing pass, if I don’t have a shot, I can get in the paint and try to make a play. I pride myself on that, trying to make the right play every single time. I’ve been having a good time.”

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Giddey ties Pippen for franchise triple-doubles as Bulls rout Bucks 120-97

CHICAGO (AP) — Josh Giddey had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his eighth triple-double this season, and the Chicago Bulls used a 27-0 run to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 120-97 on Sunday and stop an 11-game losing streak.

Giddey had his 15th triple-double as a member of the Bulls, tying Scottie Pippen for second on the franchise list.

Collin Sexton added 22 points, and Matas Buzelis had 20, helping Chicago come out on top after matching the third-worst skid in franchise history. The Bulls were 0-11 in February and had not won since Jan. 31 at Miami.

Bobby Portis scored 18 points for Milwaukee. The Bucks missed 17 straight shots down the stretch in their second straight blowout loss.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his 15th consecutive game because of a strained right calf. The two-time MVP has not played since Jan. 23.

The Bulls trailed by 16 in the second quarter following a 17-0 run by Milwaukee and were down 66-51 at halftime. It was 89-81 late in the third when Tre Jones made two free throws for Chicago to start the decisive rally.

LAKERS 128, KINGS 104

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 28 points and nine assists, LeBron James added 24 points and Los Angeles finished a back-to-back set with a victory over Sacramento.

Austin Reaves scored 12 points for the Lakers, who also won at Golden State on Saturday to end a three-game skid. After a week of unimpressive play following the All-Star break, Los Angeles snapped back into form on the weekend, beating its two Northern California rivals by a combined 52 points.

Doncic made four 3-pointers as the NBA’s leading scorer played only the first three quarters, while James, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard hit three 3s apiece. The Lakers made 17 of their first 33 3-point attempts while the starters were still playing, flirting with the franchise record for 3-point shooting percentage before finishing 18 of 39.

The 41-year-old James had a pair of rim-shaking dunks that he celebrated with zeal during a comfortable win for the Lakers, who never trailed again after Sacramento scored the game’s opening basket.

KNICKS 114, SPURS 89

NEW YORK (AP) — Mikal Bridges had 25 points, Jalen Brunson scored 24 and New York snapped San Antonio's 11-game winning streak with a victory.

After going unbeaten in February, the Spurs were shut down to open March, never recovering from the Knicks’ 26-2 run in the first half and losing for the first time since Jan. 31 in Charlotte.

Victor Wembanyama bounced back from two quiet offensive games with 25 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, but a Spurs team that became the first in NBA history to go unbeaten and score at least 110 points in every game while playing at least 10 in a month fell flat after a fast start.

Mohamed Diawara had 14 points off the bench for the Knicks, who also beat the Spurs earlier this season to win the NBA Cup in Las Vegas.

Wembanyama had been limited to 12 points in each of the last two games. He was much sharper Sunday in his first game at Madison Square Garden since finishing with 42 points and 18 rebounds in a loss on Christmas 2024 in his first time playing on the holiday.

CAVALIERS 106, NETS 102

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden scored 22 points in his return to the lineup with a broken thumb and Cleveland snapped a two-game skid with a victory over Brooklyn.

Harden missed two games after fracturing his thumb earlier in the week. He bounced back and shot 5 for 9 from the field, 4 for 7 from 3-point distance and 8 for 12 from the line, with nine rebounds and eight assists. He was injured Tuesday night in a 109-94 home victory over New York. X-rays Wednesday showed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx. The 17-year veteran was traded by the Los Angeles Clippers to Cleveland on Feb. 4.

Jarrett Allen scored 20 points and Evan Mobley added 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Cavaliers improved to 12-1 in their last 13 games against the Nets. Sam Merrill finished with 15 points and Dennis Schroder had 10.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and Danny Wolf added 23 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn, which lost its eighth straight game and for the 11th time in 13 games. Nolan Traore contributed 17 points and Grant Nelson 11 as the Nets slipped to 15-45 overall.

TIMBERWOVLES 117, NUGGETS 108

DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 21 points, Bones Hyland had 15 of his 18 points in the first half against his former team, and Minnesota moved a game ahead of Denver in the Western Conference with a win over the Nuggets.

Minnesota swept its three-game trip to improve to 38-23 and jump into fourth in the West, beating Denver for the first time in four games this season.

There are just two games separating third-seeded Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers in sixth place, with Los Angeles set to host Sacramento later Sunday.

Nikola Jokic finished with 35 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists but couldn’t carry the Nuggets over their Northwest Division rivals. Jamal Murray had 25 points on 9-of-22 shooting, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range.

GRIZZLIES 125, PACERS 106

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Taylor Hendricks scored 19 points, Jaylen Wells had 18 and Memphis beat Indiana.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper added 17 points, and Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ryan Rupert each had 16 to help Memphis sweep the season series for the third time in five years.

Jarace Walker led Indiana with 21 points, and Micah Potter had 18.

Memphis took a 77-66 advantage four minutes into the third period.

The Grizzlies were without guard Ja Morant for the 17th consecutive game because of a left elbow injury. Rookie Cedric Coward sat out with a knee injury.

HAWKS 135, TRAIL BLAZERS 101

ATLANTA (AP) — Onyeka Okongwu scored 25 points, CJ McCollum added 19 and Atlanta rode a huge first quarter to an easy win over Portland.

Jonathan Kuminga had 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Hawks (31-31), who reached .500 for the first time since Dec. 23. They have won four straight games by an average of 26.5 points and moved into ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

Kuminga played his third game for the Hawks since being traded by Golden State. He is averaging 21.3 points and 7.7 rebounds with Atlanta after barely playing for the Warriors. He soared for a windmill dunk on a breakaway late in the fourth quarter that ignited the home crowd.

Atlanta shot 55% from the field, outrebounded Portland 54-38 and had 36 assists to 23 for the Blazers.

Jrue Holiday scored 23 points for Portland, which has lost its last two games. Donovan Clingan had 15 points, 15 rebounds and a team-high five assists.

PISTONS 106, MAGIC 92

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 11 assists, Tobias Harris scored 23 points and the NBA-leading Detroit beat Orlando for their sixth straight road victory.

The Pistons improved to 45-14, winning for the eighth time in nine games. They have won 10 of 11 on the road and are 21-7 overall away from home.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but also had nine turnovers. Tristan da Silva added 19 points and Desmond Bane had 17, but the Magic shot 30.7% in the second half and experienced a third-quarter collapse for the second time in three nights. They squandered a 19-point lead in less than four minutes in a loss to Houston on Friday night.

CELTICS 114, 76ERS 98

BOSTON (AP) — Neemias Queta scored a career-high 27 points and added 17 rebounds to help Boston recover from a slow start and rally to beat Philadelphia.

Jaylen Brown added 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Derrick White finished with 21 points and eight assists as the Celtics became the fourth team to reach 40 victories. They have won six of seven.

It was the 11th double-double of the season for Queta, who also had three blocks. He has three double-doubles — with at least two blocks in each — over his last five games.

Philadelphia cut what was a 16-point lead by Boston in the second half to 103-97 with just over four minutes to play. But Queta scored Boston’s next eight points to put the Celtics in front 111-98 and help close it out.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 33 points and six assists. VJ Edgecombe added 23 points as Philadelphia’s three-game win streak was snapped.

THUNDER 100, MAVERICKS 87

DALLAS (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, Chet Holmgren had 19 points and nine rebounds and Oklahoma City beat Dallas.

Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 59 consecutive road games, the longest streak in NBA history. The reigning NBA MVP played his second game after missing nine because of an abdominal strain.

The defending champion Thunder are 47-15, a half-game behind Detroit for the NBA lead. They have a three-game lead in West over second-place San Antonio.

The Mavericks, with star rookie Cooper Flagg among three regular starters sidelined, were held to a season low in points and saw the NBA’s longest active streak of triple-digit games end at 41. They are 21-39.

Caleb Martin scored a season-high 18 points to lead the Mavericks, who lost their eighth consecutive home game and 13th overall in the last 15. It’s their longest such home drought since dropping 12 straight in 1993-94.

CLIPPERS 137, PELICANS 117

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points and Los Angeles beat New Orleans to end a three-game losing streak.

Tenth in the Western Conference, the Clippers improved to 28-31. The Pelicans are 13th in the West at 19-43.

New Orleans star Zion Williamson sat out after injuring his right ankle at Utah on Saturday night. He had played a career-high 35 straight games.

Los Angeles never trailed. It led 43-32 after a quarter and had a 76-70 advantage at the half. It was 107-94 after three, and the Clippers stretched the margin to 26 in the fourth.

Jordan Miller added 19 points for Los Angeles. Derrick Jones Jr. had 17, Brook Lopez 16 and John Collins 15.

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Pistons vs. Magic final score: Cade outduels Banchero as Detroit cruises in second half

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 1: Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket as Tristan da Silva #23 of the Orlando Magic defends in the first quarter at the Kia Center on March 1, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Peter Joneleit/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Detroit Pistons outscored the Orlando Magic 56-35, behind 29 points from Cade Cunningham and 23 points from former Magic Tobias Harris. That second-half performance was a far cry from a sluggish first-half showing where the Pistons couldn’t hit a three to save their lives and couldn’t keep the Magic’s Paolo Banchero off the free-throw line.

Banchero was 12-of-14 from the charity stripe at halftime, and it looked like Detroit had no answers for a feisty Magic team that took a seven-point lead into the break. But the switch flipped in half No. 2. Banchero (24 points) had only seven points and two trips to the foul line in the second half. Meanwhile, the Pistons started hitting threes, getting transition opportunities, and imposing their will on their opponent.

Aside from a broken three, where he was just 2-of-9, Cunningham had everything working against the Magic. He was knifing inside for layups, hitting fadeaway J’s, and getting his teammates great open looks.

Just as impressive was Tobias Harris, who punished the team that drafted him by continually backing down his opponents for stepback jumpers on the baseline or clean looks on the elbows. He was 10-of-18 from the field and added seven rebounds of his own.

I don’t know if Harris was simply finding his shot within the flow of the game or if he pointedly wanted to punish the Magic and Banchero, who went viral for some trash talk against Unc last season. Me thinks it is the latter.

After a first half where you couldn’t credit many players with exemplary effort, it was hard to find any Piston who was giving anything less than 100% in the second half. Ron Holland was flying around, natch, and Ausar Thompson was deflecting passes and skying for rebounds. That included a poke-away steal at midcourt that led to a Thompson dunk with just over 1 minute left to put an exclamation point on the victory

The sequence gave Thompson nine points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and three blocks on the night. In other words, a vintage Ausar showing. Jalen Duren’s run of 25-plus points ended with a 16-and-10 showing against Orlando.

Banchero led the Magic with 24 points, but more than half of those were courtesy of free throws. He ended the night 5-of-10 from the floor with 11 rebounds, two assists, and nine turnovers. Desmond Bane, who has been shooting the nets off, had to settle for 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting.

The Pistons have now won 8 of 9, including 6 of the 7 games Isaiah Stewart was suspended for. Beef Stew has been out of the lineup since getting ejected in the Hornets game on Feb. 9. That means Stewart has had a three-week break to rest up and get his body right. He will be available on Tuesday as the Pistons visit Cleveland after an inexplicable and controversial 122-119 overtime win on Feb. 27.

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Infantino suggests players could be sent off for covering their mouths in confrontation

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has raised the prospect of red cards being shown to players who cover their mouths when confronting opponents.

The issue has been highlighted in recent weeks after Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior said he was racially insulted by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League match.

Prestianni, who denies the allegations, had approached Vinicius while covering his mouth with his jersey during Madrid's 1-0 win in the first leg of the playoff match. He was provisionally suspended for the second leg while an investigation was being carried out.

The issue of players covering their mouths was discussed on Saturday at a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

Measures could come into force at this summer’s World Cup.

“If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously,” Infantino told Sky News. “There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.

“I simply do not understand - if you don’t have something to hide, you don’t hide your mouth when you say something.

“That’s it, as simple as that. And these are actions that we can take and we have to take in order to be serious about our fight against racism.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Sharks edge Jets 2-1 on Misa OT goal

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Michael Misa scored 1:40 into overtime, and the San Jose Sharks topped the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Sunday for their second straight win.

Misa scored for the second straight game when he drove down the slot before beating Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. It was the fourth goal of the season for the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s NHL draft.

Will Smith also scored for San Jose, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 27 shots. The Sharks had lost five in a row before Saturday’s 5-4 victory over Edmonton.

Morgan Barron scored for Winnipeg, and Hellebuyck finished with 31 saves. The Jets lost for fourth time in five games.

PENGUINS 5, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 0

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau each had a goal and an assist, helping Pittsburgh beat Vegas.

Rickard Rakell and Egor Chinakhov also scored as Pittsburgh improved to 10-1-3 in its last 14 games. Erik Karlsson had two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 22 saves in his first shutout since opening night on Oct. 7 at the New York Rangers.

Vegas goaltender Adin Hill stopped 17 shots. The Golden Knights dropped to 4-7-2 in their last 13 games.

Vegas captain Mark Stone left late in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang gave Stone a seemingly harmless shove to the left arm with his stick in the neutral zone, though it may have caught him in the gap between his elbow and shoulder pads. Stone grimaced in pain, went down to one knee and skated off.

BLUES 3, WILD 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Pavel Buchnevich scored late in the third period and St. Louis snapped a 10-game road losing streak by beating Minnesota.

Logan Mailloux and Alexey Toropchenko also scored for St. Louis, and Joel Hofer stopped 22 shots.

Kirill Kaprizov scored to tie Marian Gaborik for the most goals in Wild franchise history with 218. Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves, but Minnesota lost its second straight after six straight wins. The Wild lost 5-2 Friday in Utah.

It was the first time in 42 games this season that Minnesota lost when allowing three or fewer goals in regulation.

With the game tied at 1, Buchnevich scored with 3:39 remaining. He took a backhand pass from Jimmy Snuggerud and beat Gustavsson with a wrist shot from near the right dot, extending his scoring streak to five games.

BLACKHAWKS 4, MAMMOTH 0

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Teuvo Teravainen scored twice, Arvid Soderblom made 22 saves for his first NHL shutout and Chicago beat Utah to end a three-game losing streak.

Nick Foligo, and Landon Slaggert also scored to help the Blackhawks win for just their second win in 10 games. Chicago had allowed at least three goals in eight straight games.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 24 shots for Utah. The Mammoth were shut out for the first time at home this season and the fifth time overall.

Teravainen opened the scoring on a power play with 55 seconds left in the first period. He controlled the puck off a blocked shot and snapped it around Vejmelka’s side.

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Why Dodgers’ Blake Snell isn’t down about delayed start to season

Dodgers ace Blake Snell
02/17/26: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell warms up during day five of spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

PHOENIX –– In Game 1 of last year’s National League Championship Series, Blake Snell made the start of his life.

Eight innings. No runs. One hit. Ten strikeouts. Utter, total and pure domination of the Brewers.

In the days that followed, however, he knew something wasn’t right. 

Blake Snell interviewed at Dodger Stadium. Getty Images

“After that start,” Snell recalled Sunday, “it was like, ‘Holy s—.’”

Turns out, the shoulder injury that dogged Snell for much of his debut season with the Dodgers didn’t end once he returned from the injured list in early August. Following that NLCS masterclass last October, his shoulder pain returned again –– and, despite Snell making three more outings in the World Series, continued to linger over most of the winter.

That’s why Snell now finds himself behind schedule leading up to the new season.

Entering spring training, he acknowledged he was going to slow-play his ramp-up, after spending most of the winter getting physical therapy on his shoulder. 

And this week, manager Dave Roberts confirmed the inevitable, acknowledging Snell’s chances of being ready for Opening Day are “probably zero” as he still waits to even throw off a mound.

In the past, this might have been a bigger frustration for the 33-year-old left-hander. Despite being a two-time Cy Young Award winner with what is widely regarded as some of the best raw stuff in the sport, questions about workload and durability have long followed him over his 10-season career.

Yet, when asked about his status Sunday, Snell sounded more upbeat than deflated by his delayed start to the season.

“I feel really good,” he told The California Post. “The whole offseason was tough. But finally, I’m where I want to be. So now it’s building up and getting ready for the season. … Trust my arm, get everything synced up.”

Last spring, Snell noted, he pushed himself too hard to be ready for the start of his first Dodgers season. He began his ramp-up several weeks early, after his $182 million signing in the offseason. He tried to pitch through shoulder pain that first popped up after an exhibition outing during the team’s season-opening trip to Japan. Although he started the Dodgers’ home opener, Snell went on the injured list following his next outing against the Braves a week later, missing the next four months with what the team described as shoulder inflammation.

Snell works out during spring training. AP

“Last spring, I was so excited to pitch, and I just got myself in a bad spot, getting ready too quick,” Snell said. “What I should’ve done –– once we went to Japan, that’s when I started feeling the shoulder –– I should’ve stopped. But I wanted to pitch Opening Day. And then I wanted to pitch against the Braves after that. And that’s when it was like, ‘Ah.’ I could barely get my shoulder up to throw after that. So then it took a while to get back to normal. … And in the postseason, I felt it again.”

What Snell is proud of, in hindsight, was his ability to “battle through” the playoffs.

He spun gems in the wild-card round (seven innings, two runs) and Division Series (six scoreless innings) even before his near-complete game in the NLCS. And though he struggled in his two World Series starts, his 1 ⅓ scoreless innings of relief in Game 7 allowed the Dodgers to get to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in extra innings.

“Pitching in the postseason is the best feeling in the world,” he said. “There’s no better feeling than pitching (in that atmosphere), the crowd, the excitement, all the emotions that go into each start. It’s a rush of adrenaline, man. So I want to pitch in more meaningful games.”

“But,” he added, “I gotta do everything right to get there.”

Thus, Snell is taking things slower this time around –– hoping to avoid the extended absence he endured last year.

He is still only out to 90 feet in catch play but has seen an uptick in his velocity in recent days. The Dodgers are hopeful he will be able to throw off a mound before the end of camp, at which point they can set a firmer target date for his return to the rotation.

“Sooner is better,” he said, noting his ultimate goal is to be in position to star in the playoffs again this fall. “But I’m taking my time, trusting them. … Just gotta take this slow, take the course.” 

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Padres have many decisions this spring

There is a lot going on in spring camp besides what we see in the games played. The backfields, the B games, the live BP and the bullpen sessions thrown are all just as important or more important as what we see on the field.

I spent three days this past week watching practice and games in Peoria, Ariz. There is quality competition for the last rotation spots and the last player spots on the 26-man roster. It is too early to pick a favorite, but I liked what I saw as far as options for the team.

Rotation arms

Griffin Canning will probably not be available for the start of the season. He is being slow-played as far as building up his field work. I saw some agility work and bullpen work but no simulated games or live BP while I was there. It seems the organization wants to be very conservative with building him up to start and to field his position.

Germán Marquez has had bullpen and live BP sessions. He has shown a mid-90’s fastball and has featured a slider, changeup and a knuclecurve in the past. His return from surgery of two years ago has not been successful so far. He pitched in Sunday’s game against the Giants and allowed three runs in two innings with two strikeouts and no walks allowed.

Marquez and Walker Buehler both get intensive, one-on-one sessions with pitching coach Ruben Niebla. Buehler pitched in a sim game on Saturday, Feb. 28 against the NC Dions of the KBO with velocity in the low 90s and issues with location but he pitched in three innings.

Triston McKenzie has increased velocity on his fastball but location/command has been an issue for him. Time will tell if he can improve and be competitive as the spring camp progresses.

JP Sears has low 90s velocity on his fastball and must command his pitches in order to be effective as a starter. He had a disastrous first start but improved and finished three innings with one run in his second start. He has been an innings-eater in the past with an ERA in the 4.3 to 4.5 range and could use his newly refined cutter to help him get back to that level this season. That profiles as an acceptable number five starter.

Matt Waldron had surgery on his hemorrhoidal issues and is out until he isn’t. It is possible he could start the season on the IL. His situation is difficult as he no longer has minor league options and must be on the roster in order to avoid being placed on waivers. His only start showed increased velocity and effectiveness over last season. Enough to make the improvements something to watch as he returns from surgery.

Marco Gonzales is another low velocity, command-based pitcher who is working his way through the spring. His 1.2 innings pitched in games so far has not been impressive but continued work will show if he is someone that could be competitive for the last spot.

Randy Vasquez has shown that he is serious about winning the fourth spot in the rotation. He came into camp slimmer than last year, with sustained velocity from the end of last season. His stuff is also playing up from last year and he has seven pitches to pull from in his mix a a starter.

Bullpen options

The bullpen depth is well-known and there will need to be important decisions made before the end of spring. Yuki Matsui is recovering from a groin strain and his availability for the start of the season is unknown. The back end of the bullpen seems set, barring injury, with Mason Miller as the closer and a combination of Adrian Morejón, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan and a healthy Jason Adam providing high-leverage relief.

The other three spots are the middle relievers. Matsui, when healthy, and Wandy Peralta are holdovers from last year and will be on the team unless there is a trade involving them. That leaves one spot for what would probably be a swing man or long-reliever. Ron Marinaccio, who is out of options, Kyle Hart and Bryan Hoeing are the leading contenders but we heard Saturday that Hoeing is experiencing elbow soreness and is being evaluated.

This would leave Bradgley Rodriquez and Alek Jacob off the roster and they have both been dominant so far this spring. This situation again suggests that a late spring trade could be an option to add more quality to the roster by trading from bullpen quality.

The line up

Manager Craig Stammen surprised most everyone by starting the spring with a different lineup than we have seen before. With the past week only providing consistency to that new lineup. Xander Bogaerts leading off with Jackson Merrill second, Manny Machado third and Fernando Tatis Jr. cleaning up.

Bogaerts has left for the WBC, along with Machado and Tatis Jr. The lineup will not look the same until they are all back from their WBC teams. Until then, there will be many different lineups and there will only be a week or so to set the final lineup before Opening Day.

Jackson Merrill has been a free swinger as the second hitter. Having Machado hit second or third, in rotation with Merrill, is not an issue but Tatis Jr. hitting fourth has many questioning the logic of having your best player getting less at-bats over the course of a whole season.

Position battles

Nick Castellanos and Miguel Andujar were signed to major league contracts and it is likely they are both on the roster. They would fill the 1B/DH jobs and be in rotation with Gavin Sheets.

Sung-Mun Song is the utility infielder and looks athletic with good range at third base. His challenge is adding shortstop and/or the outfield to his skillset.

That leaves one spot open for either another outfielder or an infielder between Ty France, Bryce Johnson, Will Wagner and Mason McCoy. Minor league sign Jose Miranda has four years of MLB experience and could be an option for staying with the organization as minor league depth. He has had a good spring at the plate so far, hitting .429 with six RBI.

Joe Musgrove

Joe Musgrove is slow-playing his return to the rotation with a lot of backfield work and a sim game thrown on Feb. 26. He threw into the third inning and 36 pitches with reported velocity in the mid-90s. His next step could be a Cactus League start early this week.

Luis Campusano

Luis Campusano is tasked with earning the backup catcher job and is getting lots of work behind the plate in every part of spring camp. He has shown increased focus and efficiency behind the plate, with a .966 fielding percentage in 5 games.

Team sale update

It was reported by both the San Diego Union-Tribune and The Athletic that a bid was placed last Wednesday by Vuori founder Joe Kudla and former San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees for purchase of the Padres. That report was amended on Friday to state that there was no bid from that party and that they had expressed interest in being part of a bid by another party for the team.

That shortens the list of reported bidders to three groups. Joe Lacob, owner of the Golden State Warriors, Jose E. Feliciano who owns English Premier League Chelsea and Dan Friedkin, who owns Italian Serie A Roma and English Premier League Everton.

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Hawks win fourth straight, defeat Blazers 135-101

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 1: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks dunks the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 1, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Sunday evening to face the Portland Trail Blazers. The Hawks came in on a three-game winning streak, with the Blazers being the final game of their recent homestand. As for the Blazers, this was their second game of a back-to-back after losing to the Charlotte Hornets yesterday.

The Hawks were able to get Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker back in the game after they missed the previous one against the Washington Wizards.

The Hawks started off raining three-pointers, with Onyeka Okongwu hitting a pair of them.

Dyson Daniels laid down the hammer on his former teammate, Vit Krejci, in a welcome back moment.

Okongwu didn’t stop knocking down threes in the quarter, and his total went up to four.

The defense and ball movement were on full display for the Hawks in the first, and it helped them build a double digit lead while also putting 40+ points on the board.

Jonathan Kuminga came in and lived at the free throw line, and was also a beneficiary of the ball movement.

Going into the second, the Hawks led 44-25.

The Hawks continued to maintain their lead as they kept making shots and getting stops on defense. Corey Kispert’s hot shooting from Thursday ran over to this game.

Alexander-Walker pulled some tricks out of his bag, getting to the rim after a few swifty handles.

Okongwu knocked down his sixth three-pointer of the game.

The Hawks shot 60% from the field in the first half, and going into the second, they trailed 75-58.

The third quarter started with a lot of ball movement and ended with a easy paint shot from Daniels.

Alexander-Walker found Jalen Johnson on this dime.

Daniels once again found a way to put Krejci on the highlight board, blowing past him for another floater.

The Blazers didn’t have much of an answer for the Hawks were doing, and even when they did knock down a few shots, the Hawks answered back.

Going into the fourth, the Hawks led 103-85.

Kuminga and CJ McCollum connected on this play for an easy two points to start the fourth.

The game was pretty much decided, but that didn’t mean the Hawks stopped competing. Okongwu was able to knock down his seventh three-pointer of the night.

Kuminga in the open lane is a problem.

Kuminga didn’t stop there, and threw down another crazy dunk minutes later.

The end of the bench came in after this play, and the Hawks walked away with their fourth straight win.

Okongwu finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, Kuminga finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, and McCollum finished with 19 points.

The Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Mets signing RHP Dan Hammer to two-year minor league deal

The Mets have reached an agreement with RHP Dan Hammer on a two-year minor league deal, according to MLB.com's Anthony Dicomo. 

Hammer was selected by the Orioles in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. 

He spent the first few years of his career in Baltimore's system before landing with the Rays in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft last year. 

The 28-year-old made 31 appearances in relief last season for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. 

Hammer has a 5.34 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 303 strikeouts in his minor league career. 

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Padres, Alex Verdugo agree on minor-league deal

Newest San Diego Padre Alex Verdugo (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images

According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Diego Padres and Alex Verdugo have agreed on a minor-league deal. The terms do not include an invitation to the big-league camp. Instead, Verdugo will report to the minor league facility in Peoria, Ariz. 

The 29-year-old outfielder was released by the Atlanta Braves last season after appearing in just 56 games. During his brief tenure, he struggled at the plate, batting .239 with 12 RBI and no home runs. It was very disappointing for both sides, as Verdugo had a promising start to his 2025 campaign. He hit .322 over his first 14 games with the Braves.

Verdugo was drafted out of Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz. by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in September 2017. The Dodgers dealt him to the Boston Red Sox as part of the package in the Mookie Betts blockbuster trade.

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Verdugo had his career-best offensive production in Boston. He hit .308 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The left-handed hitter hit a career-high 13 home runs in 2021, which he duplicated in his lone season (2024) with the New York Yankees. In 2022, Verdugo drove in 74 RBI in 152 games with the Sox.

In nine major league seasons, he has a career .270 batting average with 70 home runs and 328 RBI in 856 games. The Padres will be his fifth major league organization.

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Padres struggle against Giants pitchers, lose 9-1

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Ramon Laureano #5 of the San Diego Padres gets ready in the batters box against the Colorado Rockies during a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres scored a run in the top of the first inning in their meeting with the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Park in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Sunday, but it all went down hill after the top half of the inning.

The Giants responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning off Padres starter German Marquez who was making his first start as a member of the organization. Marquez was not bad, but he got some bad luck. A ball kicked off the glove of Ty France at third base and soft fly balls were able to find the grass just beyond the outstretched glove of a San Diego infielder or outfielder.

Marquez finished two innings and allowed three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and no walks allowed. San Francisco was able to get to Marco Gonzales who allowed two runs over three innings, Ethan Routzahn who allowed a run in his one inning of work and Stephen Yeager who allowed three runs over 0.2 of inning, giving them a 9-1 win.

San Diego did not have the same success at the plate. The Padres had a hit in the first, second and fifth innings and had two hits in the sixth inning. Jose Miranda doubled in the fifth and Ramon Laureano tripled in the sixth, which were the only extra-base hits of the game. Laureano was stranded at third after France was hit by a pitch and Sung-Mun Song struck out to end the inning.

The Padres return to action against the Athletics at the Peoria Sports Complex on Monday at 12:10 p.m.

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Ex-Blackhawks Forward Traded For Second Time This Season

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Boris Katchouk is on the move again.

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have acquired Katchouk from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Roman Schmidt. 

Katchouk started this season with the Tampa Bay Lightning after signing with them during this past off-season. Katchouk was then traded to the Wild back in late December in exchange for Michael Milne. Now, after spending a little over two months with the Wild organization, Katchouk is heading to Philly. 

Katchouk has primarily played in the AHL this season, where he has recorded five goals, eight assists, and 13 points in 29 games split between the Syracuse Crunch and Iowa Wild. He also played in three games for the Lightning this season before being traded to Minnesota, where he was held off the scoresheet. 

In 117 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks from 2021-22 to 2023-24, Katchouk recorded 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points, and 176 hits. He was acquired by the Blackhawks ahead of the 2022 NHL trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Brandon Hagel to the Lightning. 

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11 Takeaways from Cavs sloppy win over Nets in James Harden’s return to lineup

BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 1: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is introduced before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to defeat the Brooklyn Nets106-102, but it was far from a perfect game. Let’s get into why.

First, the Cavs struggled to keep control of the ball. They turned it over 17 times, which accounted for 17.9% of their offensive possessions (21st percentile). That would be concerning on its own, it coming against the 27th-ranked defense that is also in the bottom half of the league in forcing turnovers, makes it even more worrisome.

The Cavs are at their best when they get their bigs involved offensively, especially Jarrett Allen. Opponents know this as well and are packing the paint anytime one of Cleveland’s bigs is rolling or available for a pass inside. This led to more than a few of their turnovers on Sunday afternoon.

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Additionally, James Harden wasn’t as sharp as he usually is with the ball. He’s responsible for five of Cleveland’s giveaways. Some of these were uncharacteristically sloppy. This could also be a byproduct of playing through a broken thumb.

Opponents know that the Cavs want to get the bigs involved and that Harden isn’t 100%. This will make them more susceptible to turnovers, even against a poor defense like Brooklyn’s. Cleveland will need to be better in this area if they want to avenge Friday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Speaking of things that also went wrong on Friday, the Cavs — once again — nearly blew this game late.

They were up seven with a minute and a half left against a bad Nets team, and then proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot. The Cavs allowed the Nets to score on four of their final five possessions, committed two turnovers, and missed two crucial free throws of their own.

The combination of poor clutch defense and not effectively closing the game out at the line is also what did them in against Detroit. Evan Mobley’s big offensive rebound after a Dennis Schröder missed free-throw saved them from being in the same situation they were in then.

A better team than Brooklyn might’ve taken advantage. These late situations are where they miss Donovan Mitchell — who sat out his third straight game with a groin injury — most.

There were still good things to take from this game, particularly how Harden opens up the offense with his passing.

Harden wasn’t perfect, but the way he’s a threat to get the ball to everyone on the court unlocks the offense in a way few in the league can for their team.

Harden has the unique ability to both make every pass and see every opening as if he’s watching everything unfold in slow motion above the action.

This play is a good example of that.

I’m not sure if Harden ever actually sees Sam Merrill on this pass. What he does know is that there’s two defenders on the ball, and two down low taking away the inside pass, and the opposite wing is covered up as well. By process of elimination, the corner must be open, which is where he riffles the pass too.

Merrill was actually drifting away from the corner when he caught it, but the velocity of the pass gives him enough time to set his feet and square his shoulders for the on-balance three.

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Harden seems to make his best passes to Merrill.

This also illustrates how Harden just reads and reacts to everything so quickly. He keeps the decision tree open as long as possible, and if the defense gives a better opportunity to one of his teammates, Harden is going to get the ball to them even if he’s already going up with his own shot.

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There aren’t many players who can make passes like this.

Harden contributed a team-high 22 points in the win, but did so on just nine attempts from the field. He did a great job of getting to the line, as he took 12 free throws, which ties his most in a game in a Cavs uniform. Overall, he came into this game attempting over four fewer free-throw attempts in Cleveland than he did with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Most of the fouls he drew came from attacks off-the-dribble. That’s notable because if there were something he’d be hesitant to do coming back from a broken thumb, it’d be driving to the hoop.

Even though he did on Sunday, Harden hasn’t really looked to score since coming to Cleveland. With the Clippers, he was averaging 17.5 shot attempts per game. So far with Cleveland, he’s only taken 17 or more shots once in the eight games he’s played with the Cavs.

Throughout his career, Harden’s shot attempts have mostly reflected the context and offense he was in. In his prime with the Houston Rockets, he routinely averaged over 18 shots a game. When he’s playing off another star player, he’s adjusted his shot attempts down. This was most recently seen when he took under 15 shots a game alongside Joel Embiid when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden has mostly tried to set up his teammates in Cleveland. That’s what the situation has called for. And he’s done an excellent job of doing that so far. It’ll be interesting to see if that changes on Tuesday assuming Mitchell will still be out of the lineup.

The Cavs need Donovan Mitchell to play at a faster pace.

Harden’s deliberate style has helped the offense, but it’s done so most when he’s paired with Mitchell’s frenetic energy.

Mitchell has been a one-man break starter this season as the Cavs have gotten out in transition 1.9% more (90th percentile) when he’s on the court compared to when he’s off.

The Cavs were missing this on Sunday. They played at one of their slowest paces of the year, with only 95 possessions. They weren’t able to get anything easy in the open court and mostly relied on Harden and others to create in the half-court. It was good enough to get the win, but it wasn’t their best overall offensive process.

Mitchell and Harden’s opposite styles have blended nicely. That is more apparent when only one of them is on the court.

Keon Ellis has great hands, even if he has a broken finger. He finished with five blocks and three steals in this game. It’s nearly unheard of for a guard at his size to get his hands on the ball with such frequency.

Just look at some of these blocks and steals. I don’t think I’ve seen someone with this combination of size, closing speed, and hands. And he also never gives up on a player and has seemingly endless energy. He’s a complete game-changer on that end.

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In another life, Ellis would’ve made for a great free safety.

Evan Mobley is turning the corner. He has now strung together two good games, which is encouraging given how disjointed things looked offensively for him when he first came back from the calf strain after the All-Star break.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned on Friday that it typically takes Mobley time to find his groove after he returns from an injury. I wouldn’t say he’s found it yet, but the team did play its best basketball with him as they outscored Brooklyn by 24 when he was on the court.

Things are trending in the right direction.

Allen has continued his aggressive play.

He tied Mobley for the most shot attempts on the team (12), which is exactly what you want to see.

The Cavs have continually challenged Allen to be more involved offensively. He was when Harden was out for two games, and that carried over on Sunday when he returned to the floor. The offense will continue to be at its best when he’s involved like this.

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NHL Insider: Prior Deals Between Red Wings and Blues Could Fuel Deadline Intensity

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For the first time in a decade, the Detroit Red Wings have positioned themselves as buyers rather than sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline, which is just five days away (Friday at 3:00 p.m. ET).

Although Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is known for keeping his cards close to the vest, the club has been linked to several high-profile names, most notably Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues.

It's because of the recent trade history between the Red Wings and the Blues that a deal involving Thomas could make sense in the eyes of noted NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman. 

"I do think the conversations around him have intensified in the last few days," Friedman said on Sunday afternoon during a guest appearance on the NHL on TNT. "I think the Red Wings have been around there, and St Louis and Detroit have done deals before." 

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Earlier this week, Friedman indicated that Thomas being traded from the Blues could happen before Friday afternoon's deadline.

“I think it actually could potentially happen (before Friday’s deadline), and I have to say, I’m a bit surprised about that,” Friedman said. “I think it’s heated up around him a bit.”

In fact, Thomas isn't the only Blues player that the Red Wings could have eyes for. Because they are reportedly in the market for another right-handed defenseman, Justin Faulk fits that bill. 

The veteran blue liner, who has already tallied 11 goals with 32 points so far this season, is under contract through the end of next season and carries a $6.5 million cap hit. 

Meanwhile, Thomas is signed through 2031 and has an $8.125 million cap hit. In order to facilitate a trade for either player, the Red Wings would likely request that the Blues retain a portion of their cap hits. 

In recent years, Yzerman has made multiple deals with the Blues, not the least of which was the 2022 acquisition of defenseman Jake Walman, forward Oskar Sundqvist, and a 2023 second-round pick in return for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski.

Detroit's 2019 acquisition of Robby Fabbri in exchange for checking forward Jacob de la Rose became one of their more underrated moves, as Fabbri was a regular contributor when healthy. 

Additionally, Yzerman acquired goaltender Ville Husso from the Blues later that summer in return for the 73rd overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. 

Armed with multiple prospects, draft capital, and ample salary-cap space, Detroit has the necessary pieces to put together a trade package for one of Thomas or Pettersson. 

Given his Stanley Cup-winning experience and his knack to produce timely offense, the Red Wings will not be alone when it comes to bidding for his services. 

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