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Lucas Raymond's Shot Is A Weapon, And The Red Wings Need Him To Use It

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While the good news is that Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond has produced at a point-per-game pace this season with 67 points in as many games played, the not-so-good news is that he's hit a bit of a scoring snag. 

Raymond has one goal and an assist in his last seven combined games, several of which have been when the Red Wings were missing both Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, their top two centers. 

There’s no question about Raymond’s offensive talent, but his recent production hasn’t matched what the Red Wings need from one of their top scoring threats during such a critical point in the standings race.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

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On Thursday evening, the Red Wings picked up one of their best wins of the season, rebounding from a 1-0 deficit in the third period against the Montreal Canadiens to earn a 3-1 victory. 

Early in the first period, Raymond maneuvered around a Canadiens defenseman and found himself all alone in the slot with a perfect opportunity at a high-danger scoring chance.

Instead, he passed up on the shot and tried to feed the puck to David Perron, who was tied up at the side of the net.

Head coach Todd McLellan, who recently said Raymond’s shot totals are lower than they should be, explained that while he would have liked to see a shot in that situation, he understands that Raymond’s hockey instincts may have led him to pass.

“The easy answer for me is to say yes," McLellan said afterward. "We watched it live… for some reason in that moment, he read something or saw something and chose not to (shoot). Would we like him to shoot? Yes, but I’m not going to crucify the young man because he chose to move the puck over."

“Would I like to see him shoot there? Yes, but he’s playing the game, and his instinct told him to go somewhere with it." 

Raymond, who finished the game with a single shot on goal, has shown so far in his career that he possesses one of the more elite releases amongst NHL forwards.

Now more than ever, with the standings ultra-tight and with team captain Dylan Larkin still unavailable because of a lower-body injury he sustained earlier in the month, Detroit needs Raymond to put more pucks on net - because when he does, good things usually follow. 

"We do need him shooting the puck, because he can fire it," he said. 

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JJ Redick on Luka Dončić 60-point game: ‘It was a superhero performance’

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after making a three pointer during the fourth quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Luka Dončić is the NBA’s leading scorer, so him putting up points for the Lakers isn’t typically a tale worth telling.

But he really outdid himself on Thursday night against the Heat. He was originally listed as questionable to play in the contest due to right hip soreness.

Considering that the game against the Heat was the second leg of a back-to-back, no one would’ve blinked an eye if Luka took the game off to get his body right.

However, Luka pushed through and didn’t just suit up for the Lakers, he was the star of the show.

Dončić scored a whopping 60 points, extending LA’s win streak to eight and scoring more on the Miami Heat than any player ever has.

After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised his superstar’s efforts.

“It was a superhero performance,” Redick said. “I thought him really keeping us afloat early was really important. And then all the groups there in the second quarter really did a nice job. The group that started, obviously, the second half that got us the lead was great. But he just made big shots, he made tough shots, made a lot of right reads. When he gets it going like that, some of it is you just kind of let him go.

“His teammates felt that. They saw that. We look for some advantages in some places. The Horns Chin Clear that we ran for the off-ball three was just a big time screen from [Ayton], a big time pass from LeBron and a big time shot from Luka. I thought that was one of the bigger buckets he had. But then had the crazy stepback three in front of their bench. I mean, you just go down the list. The shotmaking was unreal tonight.”

The way Luka got his 60 was incredible. Only 15 of his points came from the free throw line and many of his shots were difficult.

According to the NBA’s tracking data, most of his shot attempts came after multiple dribbles. He took 10 shots with 3-6 dribbles and converted 70% of them. And he went 5-10 on the shots where he took seven or more dribbles.

And the player Luka scored the most against? That would be Heat All-NBA defender Bam Adebayo. Dončić scored 22 points over him, going 7-9 from the field.

At this point in his relatively young career, nothing Luka does should shock anyone.

But he raised his level to another stratosphere in this game. He is the first Laker to score 60 since Kobe Bryant did it in the last game of his career. Luka is leading the league in 40-plus games at 13 and, due to him hitting nine threes against Miami, he is now the franchise leader in 3-pointers made in a season at 232, surpassing the record set by D’Angelo Russell.

He may have been a superhero on Thursday, but the Wonder Boy always has the ability to make an ordinary game into an extraordinary one.

It’s what makes him a generational talent and why the future in LA looks brighter by the day.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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UCLA starts Men's NCAA Tournament without leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau

UCLA started the Men's NCAA Tournament shorthanded.

Forward Tyler Bilodeau was ruled out just before the Bruins’ first-round matchup against the No. 10 seed UCF Knights. He was listed as questionable on the NCAA injury report prior to East region contest on Saturday, March 20.

Bilodeau sprained his right knee during UCLA's win over Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament earlier this month.

Bilodeau absence is a blow to the No. 7 seed Bruins. The senior forward is UCLA’s leading scorer, averaging 17.6 points per game. He was selected third-team All-Big Ten this year.

Without Bilodeau, the Bruins will rely on guards Donovan Dent, Trent Perry, Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. to carry most of the scoring load. All four guards average more than 10 points per game this season.

Bilodeau, a 6-foot-9 senior, played his first two collegiate seasons at Oregon State before transferring to UCLA in 2024.

UCLA is hoping for a deeper run in this year’s NCAA Tournament. The Bruins won their first-round matchup last season against Utah State but were bounced out in the second round by Tennessee.  

UCLA is 23-11 this season and finished sixth in the Big Ten.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyler Bilodeau out for UCLA vs UCF in March Madness first round

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Mark Pope goes through full range of March Madness emotions with Otega Oweh game-tying shot

For a few grueling seconds, Mark Pope’s soul left his body, with the Kentucky men’s basketball coach’s sullen facial expression saying it all.

Then, with a flick of the wrist, his star player banked it right back into place.

In one of the more eventful and chaotic four-second sequences in NCAA tournament history, Pope’s Wildcats team gave up a go-ahead 3-pointer to Santa Clara with 2.4 seconds remaining only to immediately respond with a 3 of its own, with Otega Oweh firing it off the glass from just past midcourt as time expired to send the game into overtime and ultimately deliver Kentucky an 89-84 victory in a first-round matchup on Friday, March 20 in St. Louis.

REQUIRED READING: Otega Oweh saved Kentucky's season Friday. He might have done more than that

While Oweh played the role of hero on a day in which he scored a career-high 35 points, it was Pope’s range of emotions to the waning seconds of regulation that stood as some of the enduring images from the Wildcats’ thrilling triumph.

After Allen Graves buried a 3 for Santa Clara to break a 70-70 tie in the 7-versus-10 matchup, Pope looked out at the court stoically after intently providing defensive instructions to his players only seconds earlier. He remained that way as Oweh’s shot went up and raised his arms in joy after it passed through the net and calmly said “Let’s go” to his players as they passed by him.

Kentucky went on to outscore Santa Clara 16-11 in the extra period to move on to face No. 2 seed Iowa State in the second round of the tournament on Sunday.

Any fear and disappointment Pope might have felt after Graves’ shot would have been understandable. 

Though Pope, a team captain on Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team, was greeted with excitement when he was hired by his alma mater in 2024, his second squad at the school fell well short of the massive expectations that greeted it. The Wildcats went 21-13 in the regular season and finished ninth in the SEC, despite having a roster worth a reported $22 million. That roster, though, was built in part around a big man coming off a significant injury from the previous season who only appeared in only four games this season (Jayden Quaintance) and a point guard whose poor shooting made him a curious fit for Pope’s 3-heavy offense (Jaland Lowe, who, for good measure, was also severely limited by injuries this season).

Pope guided the Wildcats to a Sweet 16 in his first season in 2024-25 and improved to 46-25 at Kentucky with the win Friday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Pope feels every emotion of March Madness after Otega Oweh game-tying shot

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Braves trim roster, option Dylan Dodd; reassign JR Ritchie, four others

NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 13: Dylan Dodd #46 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Friday, March 13, 2026 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves have trimmed their camp roster down to 36 players today after optioning left-handed reliever Dylan Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett and reassigning top pitching prospect JR Ritchie, catcher Sandy León, utilityman Luke Williams, and outfielders José Azócar and Ben Gamel to their minor league camp.

Dodd, who pitched well out of Atlanta’s bullpen last season, had an option remaining making his chances to stick on the Opening Day roster as the third left-hander in the bullpen an uphill battle due to the organization prioritizing roster flexibility.

The four position players who were reassigned are all big league veterans who have been part of the Braves organization in past seasons, with the exceptions of Gamel. They all inked minor league deals with Atlanta this off-season and could see time with the big league club at some point in 2026 if they stay with the organization.

Gamel has a strong enough Spring Training that Jurickson Profar’s 162-game suspension opened the door slightly for him to open the season with Atlanta.

Ritchie appears to not be part of the Opening Day roster – something that seemed more and more plausible after an impressive showing in Florida. There is still a chance he could open the year in Atlanta, but it seems the Braves will start him in Gwinnett, barring an injury in the final week before the Braves open against the Kansas City Royals on March 27.

Atlanta will have to make 10 more transactions to get the big league roster down to 26 players.

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Colorado Rockies Spring Training Game No. 28 Thread: Juan Mejia vs. Nick Pivetta

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Juan Mejia #47 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch against the San Diego Padres 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 Colorado Rockies dropped a high-scoring affair yesterday, falling 14–11 to the San Francisco Giants. Willi Castro and Kyle Karros each had two hits to lead the offense, but bullpen struggles proved costly—most notably Seth Halverson, who continued to have a tough spring. 

Tonight in Peoria, the 12–13 Rockies take on the 14–11 Padres, where temps could still be triple digits at first pitch. The roster is now trimmed to 40, and with Opening Day just one week away, the lineup is largely made up of regulars. 

Juan Mejia opens on the mound for Colorado and enters with a 3.38 ERA and four strikeouts across 2.2 innings this spring. He also threw three clean innings for the Dominican Republic in this year’s World Baseball Classic. 

In 2025, Mejia posted a 3.96 ERA across 61.1 innings with 68 strikeouts, showing the ability to miss bats and handle consistent bullpen work. The Rockies view him as a key bullpen piece this year, relying primarily on a fastball/slider combination. 

Nick Pivetta gets the start for San Diego. The 33-year-old right-hander is being counted on to anchor the Padres’ rotation after a standout 2025 season (2.87 ERA, 190 strikeouts over 181 innings).  Pivetta has dealt with minor arm fatigue that pushed back his schedule, and San Diego has been cautious with his workload so far this spring. 

On the field, the results haven’t been sharp — he’s allowed multiple runs in every outing and carries a 7.88 ERA this spring. He works primarily off a four-seam fastball, mixing in a curveball and sweeper as his primary secondaries. 

Sound off in the comments — what are you watching for tonight?  

First Pitch: 7:05 PM MDT  

TV: Rockies.tv, Padres.tv 

Radio: Padres – KWFN 97.3 

Lineups: 

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ST Game 29: Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres

PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a Spring Training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Peoria Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres, March 20, 2026, 6:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

  • Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
  • Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
  • Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

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ST Game 28: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers

MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Marco Gonzales #32 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a Spring Training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on February 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images

San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers, March 20, 2026, 6:05 p.m. PST

Watch: None

Location: Camelback Ranch – Glendale, AZ

Listen: None

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

  • Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
  • Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
  • Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

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LIU walk-on scores first career points in March Madness, erupts in celebration

March Madness has just about everything, from future NBA stars to unlikely heroes. But sometimes, it can also uncover heartfelt moments, even in the midst of a blowout.

That's what happened during No. 16 seed LIU's 92-58 loss to No. 1 Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 20. The game was virtually over by halftime, but it still provided the Sharks with lifelong memories – especially one player in particular.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness scores: See the big shots, moments, highlights in today's first round

Sophomore guard Eddie Munyak, a 6-foot-1 walk-on guard, entered for LIU in the final moments of its loss to one of the national championship favorites and had his one shining moment. He waved for the ball multiple times while the Sharks were down 80-53, and when he finally received the pass, he fired from 3-point range and banked the shot off the backboard through the net for his first career points.

It was only Munyak's second appearance in a game this season, last seeing the floor for two minutes against Le Moyne on Jan. 29. He was expectedly hype after sinking the shot, putting his arms out as he ran back on defense in jubilation.

"He'll remember that for a lifetime," play-by-play commentator Kevin Harlan said on the broadcast. "This is the beauty of this tournament."

Despite Munyak's 3-pointer having no impact on the game's conclusion, his LIU teammates erupted on the bench after he hit his first-career shot. Sometimes it means more than just wins and losses, especially as the Sharks have never won an NCAA Tournament game.

The teams that make deep NCAA Tournament runs in 2026 will be riddled with future professional players. Munyak won't be one of them, but he certainly made a memory that'll last a lifetime against Arizona.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LIU walk-on scores first career points in March Madness, goes crazy

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NHL 26 Predicts Avalanche vs. Blackhawks

The Colorado Avalanche will earn a playoff berth tonight at United Center.

If NHL 26 has their way, the Avalanche will get the victory in a 2-1 effort.

Nic Roy and Brett Kulak scored for the Avs and Mackenzie Blackwood made 17 saves in the winning effort.

Brett Kulak scored a virtual goal in this one.

Andrew Mangiapane lit the lamp in the third period for the Blackhawks and Spencer Knight stopped 35 of 37 shots.

First Period

Just over four minutes into the game, Knight fumbled a routine cover up and had to make a diving stop, but that prevented the Avalanche from scoring the opening goal of the game.

At nearly the six-minute mark of the frame, Nazem Kadri ripped a slap shot from the slot, but Knight made the blocker save.

Halfway through the period, the Avs had outshot the Blackhawks 6-1. The second shot for Chicago came off a one-timer blast from Hawks defenseman Alex Vlasic, but Blackwood was quick with the glove.

At the end of the first, the game was scoreless, while the Avalanche held a 12-6 advantage in shots on net.

Second Period

Colorado took a 1-0 lead 5:08 into the second period when Roy one-timed a feed from Josh Manson from the slot that clanged off the left post and into the net. Manson initiated the breakout, but rather than pass, he carried the puck through the neutral zone and deep into the Blackhawks defensive zone before finding Roy waiting for his opportunity, and he made the most of it

On the next play, following a poor clear from the Blackhawks, Kulak intercepted the puck in front of the net and fired it by Knight, who had no chance of catching up to it. And just like that, we quickly went from a tie game to a 2-0 score in favor of the Avs.

Despite the fact they were getting outgunned, the Hawks continued to fight. Connor Bedard teed up a nasty slap shot from the left circle with nearly five minutes to go in the period, but that was snagged by Blackwood with the fancy glove.

At the end of two periods, the Avalanche held a 2-0 lead and a 24-12 edge in shots on net.

Third Period

Chicago got on the board 7:10 into the third period to spoil Blackwood's shutout when Mangiapane took a pass from Ryan Donato in the slot and ripped a backhand by a diving Blackwood to make it a 2-1 game.

Gavin Brindley attempted to one-hand deke his way by Knight just over halfway into the period, but Knight was able to poke check the puck away and cover it up for the whistle.

Knight was pulled for the extra attacker with 38 seconds left in the game. Colorado was unable to score on the empty net and the Hawks were unable to tie the game as the Avs took home the 2-1 win.

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Jameis Winston will appear on Netflix's opening night MLB coverage

If you thought it was odd to see a WWE wrestler on the coverage of Netflix's NFL games on Christmas, that was just the appetizer.

Netflix will televise on March 25 its first-ever MLB game, the opening-night game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants. On Friday, Netflix announced that New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston will be a “special guest” for the event.

Yes, Winston played baseball at Florida State. His initial NFL contract with the Buccaneers prevented him from playing baseball. And he's a compelling TV presence — funny, entertaining, charismatic.

Still, he doesn't come from the MLB ecosystem. Baseball aficionados will regard it as unusual to see him on the broadcast.

Netflix doesn't seem to have an issue with unusual. This year's Christmas games included clunky in-game interviews with former NFL players. It distracted from the action, and it made the presentation of the game seem amateurish.

There could nevertheless be a strategic benefit to Winston's presence. "Eating a W" becomes an easy way to add a little something to the ball before a pitch.

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Nebraska Baseball Drops Series Opener at Michigan, 2-1

Caleb Clark throws at Michigan | Nebraska Athletics

Friday nights between Michigan and Nebraska always seem to turn into pitchers duels. It started off very precariously for both teams on the mound for different reasons, but after they settled down, the offenses went dormant.

Nebraska started the scoring in the first. Mac Moyer led off the game with a hit as he seemingly does every game. This one however was pulled into right field, which is very unlike Moyer. He cruised into second with a double. Catcher Jeter Worthley followed up with a sharp single. Case Sanderson then lifted a ball to left. The Michigan left fielder seemed to fight the sun and dropped the ball, allowing Moyer to score. The Huskers couldn’t do any more damage, ending the half inning up 1-0. Usually a bad omen if you can’t get a big inning on a starter despite being gifted an out.

Husker hurler Ty Horn really had a hard time in the bottom of the inning. He had issues controlling his off speed pitches. Combine that with the size of the zone shrinking to about a 6 inch square and it was a huge relief to get out of there with no runs allowed.

Michigan wouldn’t be denied in the next inning. Senior outfielder Greg Pace Jr hit s hard grounder right back up the middle. He stole second base, and then came home as a ball just barely sneaked between short stop Dylan Carey and second baseman Jett Buck, tying the game at 1-1.

Horn continued to struggle in the 3rd, not locating his breaking pitches and his fastball having a seemingly different zone for the umpire. Three Michigan singles scored second baseman Carson Luna to go up 2-1.

Michigan’s starting pitcher Kurt Barr had his slider working to perfection from the start. Other than the error in the first inning, Nebraska rarely even threatened through 6 innings. Multiple times with a runner on base, he would come back and strike out the final batter to end the inning.

In the 4th Ty Horn found his off speed pitches and went on a run. He struck out the side, part of six straight strikeouts before walking Michigan’s best hitter, Colby Turner with 2 outs in the 5th. He would have to retire at 102 pitches at that point, having thrown way too many pitches in the first couple innings. His line on the day was 4.2 innings, 2 runs on 6 hits with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks. A good battle despite not having anything but a fastball early and an adventurous zone.

Barr made it through 7, getting just an absolute gift of a strikeout call on Rhett Stokes to lead off the inning. The ball ended up about 6 inches off the ground on the chalk line making up the left handed batters box. Moyer then singled to right. He appeared to swipe second baseman despite being beaten to the base by the ball. He was called out on the field and the umpires seemingly couldn’t see an angle where the glove touched his shin after he slid into the back of the base. Barr struck out Worthley for his 10th and final strikeout, to go with no walks.

Caleb Clark threw 2 innings of no hit ball in relief of Horn. He struck out 1 and walked 1. Tucker Timmerman came in to take his spot with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th. He pitched perfect against 3 batters, striking out 2. Grant Clevenger came in and struck out the last batter in the 8th.

The Huskers threatened in the 9th, Miken Miller led off, his first at bat since Florida State due to injury. He hit a chopper to 2nd that was too tough to get him out at first. Preston Freeman came in to pinch run for the catcher, representing the tying run. He didn’t last long, as Drew Grego hit a ball sharply right at the short stop for an easy double play. Devin Nunez gave the Huskers another chance as he took a ball to the hand on a checked swing. Rhett Stokes poked a ball through the right side, bringing up the top of the lineup. Moyer worked a full count, but rolled over a ground ball to the first baseman to end the game. 2-1 Wolverines.

The Husker offense had come in red hot, excelling at getting lead-off runners on. Today that only happened in the 1st and 9th innings. It’s no surprise those are the innings that included their single run and next biggest threat of the game.

Nebraska’s 4-6 hitters of Buck/Carey/Overbeek were a combined 0 for 9 with 4 strikeouts (3 by Carey) and a ground into double play. A Buck walk and Overbeek hit by pitch were the only ways they reached base. Those guys have to be big time contributors for this team to reach their goals.

The two teams are right back at it tomorrow, with first pitch in Ann Arbor at 1pm CDT.

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Braden Smith sets NCAA all-time assists record, breaks Bobby Hurley's mark

There's a new assist king in college basketball.

Purdue guard Braden Smith is the all-time leader in assists, breaking Bobby Hurley's record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Queens on Friday, March 20. The senior from Indiana got the record on a dish to Trey Kaufman-Renn in the first half.

Smith now has 1,077 assists in his four year career with the Boilermakers. Purdue fans at the game gave Smith a standing ovation for the achievement.

One of the most prolific passers in the sport, Smith entered his senior year within striking distance of reaching Hurley's record from his time at Duke from 1990-93, and has continue to find buckets for teammates. He entered the day averaging nine assists per game, second-most in the country.

Hurley previously told USA TODAY Sports he has "always admired" how Smith plays. He was surprised his record stood for more than 30 years, and while he said he couldn't dictate who was worthy of breaking it, Hurley believed Smith was the right player to become the new leader.

"To have someone that would take it down, (Smith) would be the type of person that I would really respect having the record," Hurley said.

Purdue guard Braden Smith looks to pass the ball against the Queens University during the first round of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Enterprise Center in St Louis.

Smith collected the record after a sensational run in the Big Ten tournament that was capped off with the conference title.

He entered conference championship week with 1,029 assists, in fourth place of the leaderboard and 47 assists away from Hurley's record. There was uncertainty if he would be able to beat the record by the time his career was over, but he was dishing it out at an incredible rate in Chicago to set himself up to break the record in the first round of March Madness.

The guard went into March Madness needing just two assists to set the new record.

It was nearly foretold by Purdue coach Matt Painter, who told USA TODAY Sports in January the record would "come because you get to the championship game of the Big Ten tournament, you get to the Final Four." Turns out, he didn't need March Madness to do it.

Smith told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the tournament he was "ready to just get it over with" so he could put all of the attention toward winning Purdue's first national championship. Now with that in hand, the decorated guard can go for the two goals he had for his senior season.

"That's one of the reasons I came back, was to win and to get the record," he said. "Obviously, wanted to do it at a place that I've been for the three years prior. For me, just to be around a great bunch of guys and obviously great coaching staff, and do it with them, I think it makes it more special."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Purdue's Braden Smith breaks NCAA assists record set by Bobby Hurley

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Spring Game #28: Athletics versus Cubs Game Thread

MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics takes the mound before a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at HoHoKam Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Two evening games in a row? What is this, the regular season?

We got another nightcap for you guys as the Athletics play host yet again, this time to the Chicago Cubs. Both teams are just days away from the beginning of their regular season campaigns and are fine tuning their rosters and alignments. The Cubs tonight are actually split up, with half coming to Mesa to take on the A’s and the other half playing host to the Reds on the other side of town. These games still technically don’t matter, but they’re starting to have more weight to them the closer Opening Day comes, for both of these squads.

For the Athletics on the mound tonight they’ll be going with the newly-named Opening Night starter in Luis Severino. The right-hander is set to make his final exhibition appearance, which includes both spring with the A’s and his time playing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Dominican Republic. Sevy is looking to put the finishing touches on his ramp up for the regular season and we’ll be hoping to see some zeros on the scoreboard tonight.

Here’s your A’s lineup for Friday night’s contest:

The A’s are mixing up the lineup a little bit but not too much. We have a new leadoff man tonight in Lawrence Butler, who will be playing right field tonight. That’s a huge update as the final step in Butler’s rehab from patellar tendon surgery is manning the outfield grass. The club is also apparently anxious to get him as many plate appearances as possible after his abbreviated camp.

The rest of the top half of the lineup looks like how you’d expect, with Kurtz and Langeliers again batting back-to-back near the top of the order. The interesting part of tonight’s lineup is near the bottom half of the lineup card though. We’ll be getting to see Jeff McNeil log some time on the grass himself as he slides from second base to center field, displacing Denzel Clarke from the starting nine. And taking McNeil’s spot at the keystone is Andy Ibanez, who is likely to break camp with the club. Could this be an alignment that the A’s actually go to if Clarke’s bat isn’t up to snuff?

The Cubbies will send right-handed veteran Jameson Taillon to the mound themselves for what’ll be his own final spring tune up. The righty has had a tough camp so far but spring stats don’t matter. Still, it’d be nice to rough him up and get another win for our guys in Green & Gold.

The Chicago lineup tonight shakes out like this:

We’ll be seeing a mix of the Cubs’ regulars as well as backups. Shouldn’t be too difficult of an assignment for Severino but these guys are getting ready for the season themselves. Everyone wants to hit the ground running and that starts in these games over the final week.

Predictions? A win? A loss? A Nick Kurtz home run? Doens’t matter just yet but let’s still have fun with it on a great Friday night. Let’s go A’s!

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The superstars are sidelined for Warriors vs. Pistons

Steph Curry and Cade Cunningham embracing after a game.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons hug after the game on March 8, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors are in desperate need of a win tonight, when they visit the Detroit Pistons in the fourth stop on their six-game road trip. It certainly won’t be easy, as the Pistons boast an Eastern Conference-best 50-19 record. It is made easier by the fact that Detroit will be without their superstar point guard … but then again, so will the Warriors.

Here’s the full injury report for both teams for the 4:30 p.m. PT game.

Warriors

Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)

The Warriors keep expressing optimism that we’ll see Curry before the season ends, but we’re running out of time. This is his 20th consecutive absence, and there are only 12 regular season games on the schedule after leaving the motor city.

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery)

Butler, on the other hand, has no chance of returning this year, but we all knew that. Hopefully his rehab and recovery are going well following January’s ACL tear.

Out — Moses Moody (right wrist sprain)

Moody’s injury initially didn’t appear serious, but it has really lingered. This will be his ninth straight game on the sidelines, which is a big bummer given how well he was playing before sustaining the injury.

Out — Al Horford (right soleus strain)

This isn’t the usual case of Horford resting because the Warriors have a back-to-back (they visit Jonathan Kuminga and the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night). No, Horford is straight up injured, and his status for the rest of the season is in doubt.

Out — Quinten Post (right foot injury management)

Thank goodness that Kristaps Porziņģis is healthy, since the Dubs are without their other two centers. Given that this is just an injury management day for Post, I would assume that he’ll be on the court on Saturday.

Out — Seth Curry (left adductor strain)

Still just four games played this year for the younger Curry brother. What a bummer of a year for him.

Available — LJ Cryer (left hamstring injury management)

After being sidelined for two games, Cryer returns. He’ll certainly see action tonight, given the number of names that aren’t available.

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Pistons

Out — Cade Cunningham (left lung pneumothorax)

Cunningham was putting together quite an MVP campaign before suffering a collapsed lung. Thankfully that’s not quite as scary or serious as it sounds, and it’s still expected that the young superstar point guard will be ready to rejoin the Pistons before the playoffs.

Out — Isaiah Stewart (left calf strain)

Beef Stew is having a typical solid year, averaging 10.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He’s a menace in the paint, so his absence is a blessing for a Warriors team that is missing Horford and Post.

Out — Marcus Sasser (right hip soreness)

Sasser has struggled with injuries this season, including missing Detroit’s first 23 games. Now he’s back on the sideline after playing nine consecutive games.

Out — Bobi Klintman (G League assignment)

A second-round pick a year ago, Klintman remains very raw. He’s appeared in just 19 games over his two NBA seasons.

Questionable Available — Jalen Duren (right ankle soreness)

The first-time All-Star this year was listed as questionable, but was just announced as good to go. That’s bad news for the Warriors, and means the Dubs are going to need some serious defense and rebounding from Porziņģis and Draymond Green.

Questionable Out — Kevin Huerter (right shoulder contusion)

Similarly, Huerter was listed as questionable, but was ruled out shortly before tip.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation!