CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 1: Collin Sexton #2 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 1, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
An absolutely, unequivocally, monstrously disastrous—which still might be putting it mildly—second half by the Milwaukee Bucks snapped the Chicago Bulls’ 11-game losing streak Sunday afternoon at the United Center. The Bucks scored eight points in the fourth quarter. Eight. It’s the first win for Chicago since January 31. They went 0-for-February, for crying out loud! Bobby Portis led Milwaukee with 18, and Collin Sexton had 22 for the victors.
Myles Turner opened the game with back-to-back catch-and-shoot triples, propelling an early 8-0 Bucks run. Chicago tied the game midway through the period and were briefly in front, but Ryan Rollins and Cam Thomas splashed consecutive threes to stake Milwaukee ahead again. The Bulls knotted it up again twice inside the three minutes, though AJ Green and Cam Thomas answered each time to avoid falling behind. After one, the visitors led 32-30. Chicago took 21 shots in the first, and 18 came from deep.
Both sides mostly traded buckets in the opening two minutes before a 17-0 Milwaukee run gave them their largest margin yet at 16, forcing a Billy Donovan timeout at the 6:34 mark. All five of the Bucks’ field goals during that three-and-a-half-minute stretch were assisted. In the ensuing two minutes, the Bulls reduced their deficit to 10 thanks in part to two Bucks turnovers and a Bulls offensive rebound. Doc Rivers reassembled his starting lineup, and they suffered a couple similar miscues as Chicago cut it to seven… before a fast-break three from Green, plus the foul. He’d hit another in the final minute, part of an 11-2 Bucks run that cemented their 66-51 halftime edge.
After coughing the ball up seven times in the first half, the Bucks had six turnovers in the third’s opening five minutes. Chicago capitalized, whittling Milwaukee’s advantage to eight before Rivers finally called a timeout at 7:12. The starters kept bleeding points, and a couple missed layups by Kevin Porter Jr.—who got T’d up as he was subbed out—didn’t help, making it a one-point game inside five minutes, all part of a 22-7 Bulls run. A sloppy game at that: the Bulls made a number of gaffes too. Bobby Portis scored 11 in the next three-ish minutes, helping them rebuild an eight-point lead. But poor defense in the final minute made it 89-87 Bucks entering the fourth, a 36-23 quarter in Chicago’s favor.
Matas Buzelis immediately evened the score, and Collin Sexton’s jumper gave the Bulls their first lead since the clock read 10:57 back in the second. That was part of a 16-0 Chicago run spanning the quarter break, punctuated by Buzelis posterizing Ports at the rim, and Doc called his second timeout of the fourth exactly a minute after the first. The Bulls’ run extended to 27-0—twenty-seven to zero—before a KPJ free throw finally gave the Bucks their first points in 7:32 of gameplay. More stinky defense and shot selection put Chicago up 19 before Doc waived the white flag as Gary Trent Jr. and Gary Harris came to the scorers’ table with under five minutes to go. The Bulls kept mopping the floor with the Bucks, finishing the game on a 39-8 run going back to the final minute of the third.
Stat That Stood Out
There are several ways to go here, but we’re going with Milwaukee’s utter ineptitude shooting the ball in the second half: 10/47 from the floor. “Good” for 21.3%.
Mar 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen catches a line drive comeback hit against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dodgers didn’t tie their Cactus League game on Sunday, but settled for 4-3 win over the Angels at Camelback Ranch.
Mookie Betts made his game debut on Sunday and played four innings at shortstop. He grounded out to shortstop in both of his plate appearances, but reach on the first of those thanks to a fielder’s choice at second base. That allowed Betts to score from first on Freddie Freeman’s double to the wall in left center in the first inning.
“It’s going good. I don’t throw it nearly as far as Yoshi, but from when I first started to now, it’s a night-and-day difference. Even me just throwing the ball across the diamond, it’s a lot different than last year in a very positive way,” Betts said. “Yoshi, what he did, going back to back, and how he stays healthy, why not?”
Not-for-long balls
Landon Knack allowed a home run every 18.5 plate appearances last season, 12th-highest rate in the majors among pitchers with at least 40 innings. So it wasn’t all that surprising that the Angels homered twice within Knack’s first four batters faced.
A double ended Knack’s first inning at 26 pitches. After a brief conversational embrace with manager Dave Roberts just off the mound, Knack watched the rest of the first inning from the dugout. Rather than re-enter in the top of second inning, which is allowed by the lax rules of spring training, Knack’s day was complete.
Staying on schedule
Most of the relief pitchers on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster have pitched every third day so far this spring, and bullpen mainstays Jack Dreyer, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia each pitched a scoreless inning on Sunday. Vesia struck out the side in the fourth inning against the Angels and this spring has retired all nine batters he faced, with five strikeouts. What a way to make a living.
Kyle Hurt, after missing all of last season while rehabbing, struck out two in his perfect frame as well, making his third appearance, every third day. Edgardo Henriquez and Paul Gervase are on the docket to pitch Monday against the Rockies, on that same schedule.
Making the most of it
With the Dodgers showing restraint in playing some regulars until a little after the spring schedule started, the team leader in starts in the Cactus League is non-roster outfielder Zach Ehrhard. Acquired with outfielder James Tibbs III from the Boston Red Sox last July in the Dustin May trade, Ehrhard was the designated hitter on Sunday for his seventh start in 10 days.
Ehrhard singled in the second inning, then went first to third on a dump single to right field, then challenged old friend Chris Taylor’s arm in center field to score on a sacrifice fly, showing the aggressive baserunning that led to 37 steals in 41 attempts in the minors last season. The 23-year-old Ehrhard this spring has six hits, including three doubles in his 17 at-bats (.353/.450/.529), plus two walks and a hit by pitch.
Tibbs is tied for the team lead with eight games played, and Sunday was his sixth start, this time in right field. His opposite-field home run in the sixth inning tied the game at 3-3, part of a two-hit game for the former first-round pick.
The Dodgers take a trip to Scottsdale to take on the Colorado Rockies on Monday afternoon (12:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Ryder Ryan will be first on the mound for Los Angeles, with Jimmy Herget taking the ball first for Colorado. Ryan, like many other relievers in camp, will be pitching three days after his last outing.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill throws during spring training workouts Sunday, February 15, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Today’s Cactus League game gave us a good opportunity to get a first look at two pitchers who will figure prominently into the team’s plans this year, Chad Patrick (who started the game) and Trevor Megill (who was first out of the bullpen). The lineup also got a chance to test themselves against a 2025 All-Star in Royals starter Kris Bubic. Unlike their previous few games, in which the Brewers had scored at least five runs in five straight games, this was a low-scoring affair in which the Milwaukee offense had very little going.
But it didn’t look like that right at the beginning. The top of the Brewers’ order kept yesterday’s hit parade going: Luis Rengifo led off with a single off of Bubic, and after a Garrett Mitchell strikeout, Gary Sánchez and Akil Baddoo singled too, scoring Rengifo. Brock Wilken and Jesús Made struck out to end the inning, but Milwaukee was up 1-0 early.
Patrick greeted old friend Isaac Collins in the bottom of the frame by striking him out looking with a perfectly-placed cutter on the low inside corner. Patrick walked the next two batters but worked out of it, as Made made the play on a scalded Carter Jensen ground ball to second to end the inning. The Brewers got nothing in the second except for a two-out infield single from Luis Lara.
Josh Rojas led off the Royals’ second with a double, and he came around to score after a wild pitch and an RBI groundout. Michael Wacha entered for the Royals in the third and retired Mitchell, Sánchez, and Baddoo in order, with strikeouts of Mitchell and Baddoo. The bottom of the third was Megill’s inning: he got the first two, then issued a two-out walk to Jac Caglianone, but erased him with a pickoff. His fastball was sitting at 97-98, which seems encouraging for this point in the season.
Megill spoke to reporters about the outing after the game and said his elbow trouble from the end of last season is no longer an issue:
Trevor Megill on his first Cactus League outing, thoughts on spring velo, and how last season changed the course of his career. pic.twitter.com/cRnyh91UL0
Milwaukee got some hard contact on Wacha in the fourth but had nothing to show for it. After he started the inning by striking out Wilken, Wacha gave up batted balls of 108 and 105 mph to Made and Jeferson Quero, respectively, but both resulted in outs. Grant Anderson replaced Megill, and the Royals were all over him; three of the first four batters he faced hit balls over 100 mph, the first of which was a Carter Jensen solo homer (Josh Rojas also lined out, and John Rave hit a single). But despite the hard contact, Jensen’s homer was the only run against Anderson, and the Royals led 2-1.
Cooper Pratt led off the fifth with a solid single, but nothing came of it; Lara struck out (on a ball that he unsuccessfully challenged), Rengifo grounded into a fielder’s choice, and Mitchell grounded out to second.
The Brewer pitcher in the fifth was Craig Yoho, and Collins rudely greeted him with a double to left. He scored when the next batter, Jonathan India, singled, but Yoho recovered to get Pasquantino, Caglianone, and Jensen in order to end the inning.
Little else happened after that. Neither team scored again, and the Brewers only got baserunners when Pratt was hit by a pitch in the seventh, when Mike Boeve walked and Eddys Leonard singled in the eighth, and when Ramón Rodríguez doubled and was followed by a Daniel Dickinson infield hit in the ninth. Peter Strzelecki, Jacob Waguespack, and Garrett Stallings pitched scoreless innings in the sixth, seventh, and eighth.
Not much of note offensively for Milwaukee today; eight hits, with the only extra-base hit being Rodríguez’s ninth-inning double, and no players with more than one hit. The pitching staff performed fairly well; Megill was the highlight, while Patrick, Yoho, and Anderson all allowed a run.
The Brewers are off tomorrow, then get back in action with an interesting little twist on Tuesday when they take on Great Britain’s World Baseball Classic team in an exhibition.
MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 28: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Miami Heat on February 28, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The question has been raised throughout the season. Should the Houston Rockets have made last offseason’s trade for Kevin Durant?
Those who say no will likely reference Houston’s eerily similar winning clip to last season. To that point, the Rockets have gone 37-22 through 59 games in 2025-26. One year ago, they had the same record at the same point.
Which has been used to make the argument that the Rockets didn’t get better with Durant.
However, that actually undersells the point. Especially considering what all has happened to the Rockets, from a roster standpoint.
Their infrastructure has been shaken, due to injury. Fred VanVleet, Houston’s lone table-setter over the last two seasons, hasn’t played.
(Which we’ve heard endlessly, I know).
Houston has struggled to get into their sets. The pick-and-roll action (which seems to be the only offensive gameplan in Ime Udoka’s toolbelt) has been rather..meh. Amen Thompson has the will to fill that void but he doesn’t have the know-how.
Alperen Sengun has missed a handful of games (and has faded defensively). Tari Eason has missed 22 games.
Steven Adams’ loss might be the most pivotal across the league this season.
Jabari Smith Jr. has been very inconsistent throughout the season. Durant has been the only constant.
Even at 37-years-old. He ranks third in minutes per game and fourth in total minutes played.
He’s also bailed the Rockets out in a litany of offensive possessions, hitting shots with an insanely high degree of difficulty.
And has even had to take on a playmaking role (which hasn’t always been pretty, I agree).
But imagine if Houston didn’t make that trade. Jalen Green has missed most of the season.
When he has played, he’s flashed the same inconsistencies and/or hot-and-cold propensity. Dillon Brooks has certainly been missed this season, but he’s also benefited from having an ample amount of freedom to let it fly and chuck. He’s taking 17.4 shots per game, which is a career-high.
Yet and still, his efficiency has been….meh. 50.7 percent effective shooting (which is worse than either of his two seasons in Houston), and 54.7 true shooting (which is also worse than either of his two seasons with the Rockets, but almost identical to his first season with the Rockets in 2023-24).
Brooks wouldn’t have been able to replace (or even match) the production that we’ve seen from Durant this season.
This trade was a no-brainer. Even upon revisiting it.
Houston would be a lottery team without Adams, VanVleet, and Durant. And if you were to undo the trade and place Green back on the roster this season, they would’ve been without him too.
It’s also worth noting that Houston spent years seeking a closer, even with Green on the roster. Because he didn’t prove capable of being a consistent closer.
So even if they didn’t make the deal for Durant (which carried a lower than usual asking price), they would’ve still likely moved those pieces for someone else, eventually.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the third quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 01, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The bright lights of Madison Square Garden have a way of exposing every flaw. On Sunday afternoon, they illuminated one in particular for the San Antonio Spurs: when the offense stalls, everything else can unravel with it.
San Antonio opened the game with energy against the New York Knicks, building a double-digit lead behind sharp ball movement and early defensive intensity. For a brief stretch, the Spurs looked poised to dictate tempo on the road. They pushed the pace, forced tough shots, and found clean looks in transition.
Then the mud set in.
What began as a promising first quarter dissolved into a prolonged drought. The Knicks answered with a punishing run that flipped the scoreboard and the tone of the game. San Antonio’s offense grew stagnant, possessions ended with forced jumpers late in the shot clock, and turnovers fueled New York’s transition attack. By the time the dust settled, the Spurs had been buried under a decisive 29-4 surge that spanned the end of the first quarter and the start of the second.
It was the kind of stretch that changes everything, that saw rotations tighten, confidence waver, and the margin for error disappear.
“We have to understand the delicacy of every possession,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “I think that run led us to be very hesitant, very unsure. The best version of us is fast-paced, space. Ball movement and body movement. So, I give them (Knicks) a lot of credit for that.”
The Spurs managed just 41 points by halftime, their rhythm nowhere to be found. Shots that had fallen early began to clang off the rim. Entry passes were deflected. Dribble drives were swallowed up by a physical Knicks defense. Every small mistake seemed to be worse than the last.
Victor Wembanyama did his best to lead the Spurs to victory, scoring 25 points on 47 percent shooting to go along with 13 rebounds and four blocks. Devin Vassell continued his hot run as of late, adding 18 points to help Wemby in the scoring column.
“For some reason, we were hesitant,” Wembanyama said. For myself, I was hesitant on threes for some reason. We had some dumb live-ball turnovers, and we gave them life. We should have been better during that run in the first quarter. That was the game.”
When the second half began, San Antonio searched for a spark. There were flashes: a quick scoring burst, a defensive stop that hinted at momentum, but each flicker was quickly extinguished. New York responded to every mini-run with poised execution, whether through second-chance opportunities on the glass or a made perimeter shot.
The Spurs’ struggles were not limited to one area. Rebounding lapses extended possessions. Turnovers handed the Knicks easy points. Defensive rotations arrived a step late. And when the offense fails to generate quality looks, even solid defensive stretches can feel wasted.
By the fourth quarter, the outcome had taken shape. The Knicks, fueled by the Garden crowd, continued to apply pressure, stretching the lead beyond reach. San Antonio’s bench saw extended minutes as the final margin swelled to 25.
Losses in March often reveal more than they conceal. For a young Spurs squad, Sunday was a reminder of how quickly control can slip away against a disciplined opponent on its home floor.
The Garden can amplify triumph, but it can just as easily magnify shortcomings. On this day, the Spurs were left searching for answers in a defeat that underscored the work still ahead.
“Games like this can test your poise and compsure,” Johnson said. “There’s things to improve upon and things to learn from this. We have to understand that this is what it is going to feel like.”
Game Notes
As good as Wembanyama was on Sunday, he caught the turnover bug. He gave the ball away seven times on the afternoon, the most on the team. As a unit, San Antonio turned the ball over 21 times. I don’t care who you’re playing, it is very hard to win against anyone like that.
The Spurs’ guard trio had a rough afternoon. De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle combined to score 28 points on 11-30 shooting from the floor.
Mikal Bridges just loves playing against the Spurs, scoring 25 points on 59 percent shooting. He also added five triples to pace the Knicks.
I’m not kidding when I said I had to Google Mohamed Diawara. He had a solid outing for the Knicks and if he can perform like that, the Knicks have a nice bench unit in the postseason.
LAS VEGAS , NV - NOVEMBER 13: CC Sabathia presents during the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, November 13, 2025 in Las Vegas , Nevada. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! As of this morning, Opening Day is officially this month, and the World Baseball Classic this week. What have the Bombers been up to this week? Let’s find out!
Congratulations, CC!
This past Wednesday, the Yankees announced that CC Sabathia will be the next Yankee to be enshrined in Monument Park, as his No. 52 will be retired this September.
Of course, that wasn’t the only Sabathia-related news this week. The Hall of Fame lefty also revealed that he had knee replacement surgery last month. Fortunately, he has seven months to work back to health so he can take the mound and throw out the first pitch when his number is retired.
Yankees outfielder and former top prospect Jasson Domínguez served as the team photographer during Thursday’s game, as the Yankees piled on the runs with their A-lineup.
Media Day Pics
We have some more photos from Media Day — this time, from minor leaguers.
Yankees first baseman/catcher Ben Rice celebrated his 27th birthday this week. The Yankees honored his special day by giving him a gift — Ben’s Original Rice!
We wrap up this week with some more daily shenanigans from the Yankees’ social media team. This week, in honor of the US Olympic team winning the gold medal in both men’s and women’s hockey, they asked the players to take a shot on goal with some, uh, comically-sized hockey sticks.
Visitors score twice in last 12 minutes to draw 3-3 in Rome
Sevilla come from 2-0 down to draw derby at Real Betis
Juventus maintained their hopes of reaching next season’s Champions League after bouncing back from two goals down to draw 3-3 at their top-four rivals Roma with nearly the last kick of the game. Federico Gatti lashed in Juve’s leveller in the third minute of stoppage time to give the visitors a point in Rome that keeps them four points behind their opponents in fourth.
Juve were trailing 3-1 with 12 minutes remaining after goals from Wesley França, Evan Ndicka and Donyell Malen gave the hosts a commanding lead in front of more than 65,000 delighted fans. But Jérémie Boga volleyed Juventus back into the game and just as Roma looked as if they would hold out for the win Gatti pounced on a poorly defended free-kick to snatch an unlikely point.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 29: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic takes a foul on the way to the basket by Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on October 29, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2021 No. 1 pick is facing off against the 2022 No. 1 overall pick as the Detroit Pistons and Cade Cunningham go against the Paolo Banchero-led Orlando Magic. Belief in Paolo seems to ebb and flow depending on his efficiency, something Cunningham fans know well until last season. In his most recent contest, he flirted with a triple-double, notching 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 113-108 loss to the Houston Rockets. What Paolo doesn’t have that Cade can rely on even when his shot isn’t falling is quality defense and the ability to orchestrate his team’s entire offense.
Banchero relies much more on his scoring to be effective on a nightly basis. One night, you get a great game like against the Rockets, or the 36-point outing in a one-point win against the Lakers the prior game. But in his past 10, he’s shooting just 41% from the floor and 34% from deep. And there is another play from his draft class at his heels looking to establish himself as one of the best of 2022 — Jalen Duren.
Duren is on a tear recently, dominating on offense, owning the glass, and more than holding his own on defense. In Duren’s past 10 games, he’s averaging 31.6 points per game on 65% shooting He, Banchero, and the two OKC boys — Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have formed a solid little top four in their draft class.
And while first thoughts when considering Orlando will always turn to Banchero, Detroit really needs to watch out for Desmond Bane. He’s hot from deep lately, and the Pistons have been giving up threes in a big way lately. If they let Bane go for 30-plus, it is going to be a long night.
Game Vitals
When: 6 p.m. ET Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons -5
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Ny’Ceara Pryor scored 16 points, Fatmata Janneh had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and surging Texas A&M defeated slumping No. 19 Mississippi 66-58 in a regular-season finale on Sunday.
The Aggies (14-11, 7-9 SEC) head to the conference tournament on a five-game win streak while Ole Miss (21-10, 8-8) has lost four in a row.
Texas A&M never trailed and there was only one tie. Still, the Rebels were within 57-55 with 5:40 remaining in the game. Pryor then hit a 3-pointer to start a 9-2 run for the Aggies and they allowed only one point in the final four minutes.
Cotie McMahon had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Rebels and backup guard Tianna Thompson scored 12.
Salese Blow scored 11 points off the bench for the Aggies.
Pryor scored seven points in the first quarter, including one of Texas A&M's three 3-pointers in the first 4 1/2 minutes as the Aggies raced out to a 15-5 lead. They led 23-13 heading to the second quarter.
Mississippi knocked down four 3-pointers in the second quarter and the Rebels were within 32-30 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Aggies scored the last five points of the second quarter and the first six points of the third, building a 43-30 lead.
McMahon scored five points in a 7-0 run that got the Rebels within 48-43 inside of two minutes in the third, but Texas A&M pushed the lead to 53-45 heading to the fourth.
Up next
The conference tournament runs Wednesday through Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina. Ole Miss finished in a four-way tie for sixth place and Texas A&M finished tied with Alabama for 10th place.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings fired coach Jim Hiller on Sunday after losing five of their past six games and falling out of playoff position.
D.J. Smith was named the interim replacement for the rest of the season in the first coaching change by general manager Ken Holland, who kept Hiller behind the bench when he took over the front office last May. Player development coach Matt Greene is joining Smith’s staff as an assistant.
“I want to thank Jim Hiller for his dedication, professionalism, and the commitment he showed to our players and our team every day: He is a respected coach and person, and we appreciate the work he’s done behind our bench,” Holland said. “At this point in the season, we believe a change in leadership is necessary to give our group the best opportunity to reach its potential and compete at the level we expect. These decisions are never made lightly, but our responsibility is to position this team for success now and moving forward.”
Hiller was in just his second full season in the charge of the Kings, who looked lifeless in an 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Fans broke into repeated chants of “Fire Hiller!” while the Oilers poured it on in the second and third periods of Los Angeles’ largest defeat of the season by far.
One night earlier, Los Angeles allowed five goals in the third period of an embarrassing 6-4 loss to short-handed Vegas in both teams’ first game back from the Olympic break. A 2-0 win against Calgary on Saturday was not enough to save Hiller’s job.
Hiller went 93-58-24 with the Kings and made the playoffs twice, but never won a postseason series.
The 56-year-old Hiller was a longtime NHL assistant who got his first chance to lead a team when the Kings promoted him to replace the fired Todd McLellan in February 2024. He righted their season and got the Kings to the playoffs, but they lost in the first round to Edmonton — just as they had in each of the previous two seasons under McLellan.
Los Angeles tied its franchise records for victories (48) and points (105) last year in its first full campaign under Hiller, but they landed in yet another first-round matchup with the Oilers — and Connor McDavid sent them packing yet again in six games.
Hiller maintained McLellan’s commitment to defense-first hockey as the Kings’ primary identity, even if it sometimes meant playing a boring style for fans.
Holland addressed their offensive problems by acquiring high-scoring Artemi Panarin in a trade with the Rangers before the break, but the Kings then lost star forward Kevin Fiala for the season when he broke his leg while playing for Switzerland at the Olympics.
With back-to-back losses out of the break, Los Angeles slipped three points behind Seattle, which is in position for the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.
“We didn’t feel good tonight,” Hiller said immediately after the 8-1 shellacking from Edmonton. “I don’t feel good standing here. Those players don’t feel good today, but we’ve got a job to do.”
Smith was the coach of the Ottawa Senators from 2019 to 2023, leading four non-playoff seasons before he was fired 26 games into his fifth season. He joined the Kings’ staff after Hiller replaced McLellan.
He is the Kings’ fifth coach since the firing in 2017 of Darryl Sutter, who led Los Angeles to its only two Stanley Cup championships.
The Kings haven’t won a playoff series since raising that second Cup in 2014, winning just nine total games in six first-round exits.
Hiller is just the second coach fired in the NHL this season. Columbus replaced Dean Evason with Rick Bowness in January.
The Mets optioned RHP Alex Carrillo to Triple-A Syracuse and reassigned LHPs Anderson Severino and Matt Turner to minor league camp, New York announced after Sunday's 4-3 spring training win over the Houston Astros.
Seventy players remain in the Mets' major league camp.
Carrillo, 28, allowed one hit and one walk in one inning of work this spring. He scattered seven runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two in 4.2 innings over three games with New York last season.
Severino and Turner closed out Sunday's game against Houston.
Severino, 31, allowed one hit while striking out two and walking one in two innings over two games this spring. The 26-year-old Turner, meanwhile, yielded one hit while striking out five and walking two in three innings across three games.
The Nashville Predators are the closest they've been this season to moving into the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference: one spot out.
On Saturday, with a 2-0 lead against the Dallas Stars and needing two points to tie the Seattle Kraken and surpass them in wins for the final spot, the opportunity was "for the taking."
However, Nashville gave up three unanswered goals, including the game-winning conversion in overtime to Jason Robertson, in a 3-2 loss to the Stars. Once again, Nashville finds itself on the outside looking in.
"The game was there. It was for the taking," Steven Stamkos said. "Both teams had stretches where they were the better team, and we obviously had a great start...but you can't just sit back."
The joy of being in playoff position was going to last at most two hours anyway as the Kraken defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 5-1, to move back into the second Wild Card spot.
However, losing a point to the Stars puts the Predators off-pace with the Kraken, now needing to win two games instead of one to potentially surpass Seattle in the standings.
The Predators have accomplished a lot in dragging themselves out of the basement in the NHL, but have been chasing the Wild Card for nearly two months now, coming up to it, but failing to cross the threshold.
"We're disappointed in not getting two (points), but coming out of the break and getting three of four is positive," Stamkos said. "We need as many points as we can. We're trying to stay the course and we've gotten on a little streak of collecting points. We'll take it."
Nashville will host two teams this week that are in desperate positions as well. Both Detroit (Monday at 1 p.m. CST) and Boston (Thursday at 7 p.m. CST) are in Wild Card positions, with Washington just two points behind the Bruins for the final spot.
While the Predators have a wide 6-3 win over the Red Wings this season, they've dropped an overtime result to the Bruins, losing 15 seconds into the extra frame.
An early start to Monday's game benefits the Predators, as a victory will give them a feel of where they stand before the evening games start.
Seattle also hosts the best team in the Eastern Conference, Carolina, and Los Angeles (62 points, tied with Nashville) hosts Colorado, the best team in the NHL. Of the three, the Predators have the "easier" opponent.
After Saturday's disappointing loss, head coach Andrew Brunette said the key is to get back to the basics and even get into a learning mindset.
"We have to grow our game, build our game. It was a great experince for our group to go through...We've got some really good teams coming in this week. It's another big week for us."
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Christian Ramírez scored in the 82nd minute on Sunday to help Austin FC beat D.C. United 1-0.
Ramírez headed home the rebound of a shot by Besard Sabovic that was redirected at the goal line by defender Silvan Hefti. The 34-year-old Ramírez, who has 56 career goals in MLS, was acquired off waivers Friday from the LA Galaxy.
Brad Stuver had two saves for Austin (1-0-1).
Sean Johnson had eight saves, which included a diving parries early in the first and second halves, for D.C. United (1-1-0).
Austin had 56% possession and outshot D.C. United 16-8, 9-2 on target.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 11: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics goes in for a layup against Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena on November 11, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia 76ers (33-26) at Boston Celtics (39-20) Sunday, March 1, 2026 8:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #60, Home Game #29 TV: NBC/Peacock, NBCSB, NBCSP Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 97.5 Fanatic, Sirius XM TD Garden
The Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers for the 4th, and final, game between them this season. All 3 games so far have been decided by either 1 or 2 points. On opening night, the 76ers won 117-116 in Boston. On December 31, The Celtics won 109-108 in Philadelphia. Then, on November 11, the 76ers won 102-100 in Philadelphia.
The Celtics beat the 76ers 3-1 last season and they were also 3-1 against the 76ers in the 2023-24 season. The Celtics are 275-202 overall all time and they are 157-59 all time at home against the 76ers. The Celtics are playing on the first night of back to back games. They will travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Monday. The Celtics are 7-3 in the first of back to back games.
Like the Celtics, the 76ers made a couple of moves at the trade deadline to get under the tax line. They traded Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in exchange for draft picks. They also traded Eric Gordon to Memphis to gain flexibility to convert Dominick Barlow from a 2-way contract to a standard contract. Like the Celtics they are staying under the tax line with 10 day contracts and will still have to sign another player eventurally.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1.5 games ahead of 3rd place New York , 3 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 6 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 7.5 games ahead of 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 25-13 against Eastern Conference opponents and 8-5 against the Atlantic Division. They are 19-9 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a win in their last game.
The 76ers are 6th in the East, 11.5 games behind 1st place Detroit, 6 games behind 2nd place Boston, 3 games behind 4th place Cleveland, and 1 game behind 5th place Toronto. They are 1.5 games ahead of 7th place Orlando and 2 games ahead of 8th place Miami. They are 21-19 against Eastern Conference opponents and 8-6 against the Atlantic Division. They are 17-11 on the road 5-5 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 3 games.
The Celtics are at home for the 2nd straight game having played Brooklyn on Friday. After this game they will play Milwaukee on the road in back to back games. Next, they are back home for games against Charlotte and Dallas before a tough 3 game road trip through Cleveland, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City. Then they host Washington, Phoenix and Golden State. Then, it is one game at Memphis before a 3 game home stand against Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Atlanta.
The 76ers will return home after this game to host San Antonio and Utah before playing Atlanta and Cleveland on the road. Then they play Memphis at home before playing at Detroit Next they host Brooklyn and Portland before heading out on the road to play at Denver, Sacramento and Utah before returning home to play Oklahoma City and Chicago.
Although many were guessing that Jayson Tatum would return for this game because the game was moved to NBC, he remains listed as out on the injury report. Baylor Scheierman joins him on the injury report as questionable due to a fractured left thumb that he suffered against the Nets on Friday. If he can’t go I would guess that Ron Harper, Jr or Hugo Gonzalez would start, but you never know what Joe will do.
For Philadelphia, Joel Embiid is listed on their injury report as out due to a right oblique strain. Embiid reported soreness on his right side following the 76ers’ win over the Heat on Thursday and tests determined it to be a strain that will keep him out at least 3 games. I’m guessing that Andre Drummond will start in his place. Paul George is out due to a suspension for failing a drug test. Johni Broome is also out with a knee injury.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey
Derrick White | NBAE via Getty ImagesTyrese Maxey | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs VJ Edgecombe
Baylor Scheierman | Denver Post via Getty ImagesVJ Edgecombe | NBAE via Getty Images
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Kelly Oubre, Jr
Jaylen Brown | Getty ImagesKelly Oubre, Jr | Getty Images
PF: Sam Hauser vs Dominick Barlow
Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty ImagesDominick Barlow | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Nikola Vucevic Jordan Walsh Delano Banton (10-day)
2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga John Tonje Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Baylor Scheierman (thumb) questionable
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla 76ers Reserves Quentin Grimes Kyle Lowry Justin Edwards Trendon Watford Cameron Payne Adem Bona Jabari Walker
2-Way Players Dalen Terry MarJon Beauchamp Tyrese Martin Injuries/Out Johni Broome (knee) out MarJon Beauchamp (illness) questionable Joel Embiid (oblique) out Paul George (suspension) out Head Coach Nick Nurse
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Tyrese Maxey Maxey is averaging 29.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc. In the first 3 games against the Celtics, he averaged 29 points, 5 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1 block while shooting 45.6% from the field and 58.3% from beyond the arc. He is quick and shoots the ball well and so the Celtics will have their hands full defending him but they must make it a priority to slow him down.
Jaylen Brown vs Kelly Oubre, Jr Oubre is averaging 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds. and 1.7 assists. He is shooting 46.9% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc. In the 3 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 13 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists while shooting 44.8% from the field and 27.8% from beyond the arc.
Honorable Mention Baylor Scheierman vs Vj Edgecomb Edgecombe is one of the leaders for Rookie of the Year. He is averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 43.1% from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc. In the first 3 games against the Celtics, he averaged 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 45.8% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to be ready for him and defend him both in the paint and on the perimeter. If Sheierman can’t play, then Hugo Gonzalez, or Ron Harper Jr or, knowing Joe, anyone else on the team may start in his place.
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is a key to winning this, and every, game. The Celtics defense has been getting better as the season has gone on. In the first 20 games of the season, the Celtics were 18th on defense. In the 2nd 20 games, they ranked 12th. In the last 16 games, they have the 3rd best defense. Overall, they are 7th with a defensive rating of 112.1. The 76ers are 16th with a defensive rating of 114.2. The Celtics must play tough lock down defense in this game if they want to beat the 76ers.
Rebound – Rebounding is also one of the biggest keys to winning every game.. The Celtics are 30-8 in games that they tie or out-rebound opponents. They are just 9-12 in games tin which they are out-rebounded. They simply have to fight harder to grab rebounds than their opponents. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics need to move the ball and find the open man. They play their best when they share the ball. They are 25-2 when they have more than 25 assists in a game. However, the Celtics need to take care of the basketball and limit turnovers. They have to make careful passes and also be aware while dribbling and not drive into a crowd or allow a defender to steal the ball since the 76ers average 19.2 points off turnovers per game.
Effort and Focus – The Celtics have to put out more effort in this game than the 76ers. The 76ers play hard and the Celtics have to play harder. They have to be more aggressive on the boards, in going to the basket, in diving for loose balls, and just playing harder overall. They also have to stay focused on taking good shots and making them. They can’t afford to lose focus or to allow the 76ers to play harder than them. X-Factors Home Game – The Celtics need to feed off the energy of the crowd and hopefully, the 76ers will be distracted by travel and the hostile crowd. The Celtics should also be motivated by the fact that the 76ers came into their building on opening night and beat them there. The Celtics should protect their home court and play harder because of it.
Coaching – Joe Mazzulla is in his 4th season as Celtics’ head coach. He won a title with a very talented team that was packed with shooting stars. Now he has to win in a different way since his personnel has changed and so far he is doing a great job of it. Nick Nurse is in his 8th season as a head coach overall and his 3rd as the 76ers head coach. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019. The 76ers returned their core this season and added a very talented lottery pick and so Nurse has a lot to prove with this team.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 26: Gabe Vincent #4 of the Atlanta Hawks goes to the basket during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at State Farm Arena on February 26, 2026 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. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks (30-31) aim for .500 in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers (29-32) who are on the second leg of a road back-to-back set.
Starting lineup:
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Start Time: 6:00 PM EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)
