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Hawks add unnecessary drama, finish off top-seed Detroit 130-129

Mar 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) brings the ball up the floor against the Orlando Magic during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Pistons have the Hawks’ number so far this season, but with a healthy squad and no Cade Cunningham available, Atlanta had a chance for some get back tonight.

Both teams were blazing red hot to begin the game, including these warmup shots for Onyeka Okongwu:

Atlanta got out in transition and poured it on there, too.

It was an avalanche against the second-rated defense in the NBA with the likes of Nickeil Alexander-Walker absolutely engulfed in flames the entire first quarter to the tune of 14 points:

After one, the Hawks led 37-29.

Jonathan Kuminga was a sparkplug off the bench, chipping in with some good deflections on the defensive end:

And hitting some buckets on the other end:

Jalen Johnson flashed some brilliant passes in the first quarter, but he got involved scoring-wise in the next period:

Johnson was completely unstoppable in the second quarter, and with Cunningham out he was easily the best talent on the court in the first half. His 15 points helped the Hawks push their lead up to as much as 21 points.

The Hawks went into halftime with their heads high leading 73-55. But things can turn on a dime quickly in the NBA. The team needed to come out focused and ready to close out the game in a second half.

And like clockwork, the Hawks gave up an immediate 19-0 run to the Pistons (22-0 if you span halftime). The Hawks couldn’t buy a bucket — nor could they handle Jalen Duren down low.

The Hawks gave the lead up entirely, but they managed to recover and string together some good possessions later in the quarter. Alexander-Walker helped quiet the storm:

After three quarters, the Hawks suddenly found themselves in a close one, 98-95.

Detroit continued to feast on Atlanta’s mistakes, jumping in front of lazy halfcourt passes for a pair of ‘pick-2’ scores.

It was a scrappy affair for the first portion of the fourth quarter, and that helped the Hawks get into the bonus early. But they still couldn’t handle Duren down low, including him drawing a sixth and final foul on Okongwu.

But CJ McCollum put the team on his back, registering eight straight points for the Hawks all by himself. He even hit this circus one-legged shot with the shot clock all the way down:

The Hawks grabbed ahold of a 118-116 lead with less than two minutes remaining despite their numerous turnovers to this point. And after a long possession with multiple offensive rebounds, McCollum hit another tough two plus the harm:

But a Duncan Robinson triple and a Pistons stop gave Detroit a chance down two with around 13 seconds left in the contest.

And Tobias Harris answered the call with a turnaround jumper off a sideline inbounds pass. Tie game with 9.5 seconds left.

McCollum created for himself a decent look, but his stepback jumper didn’t fall. The teams headed to overtime.

Atlanta’s offense ran like a well-oiled machine for the first few minutes of overtime. But Detroit had an answer for every time the Hawks jumped out to a multiple possession lead.

Detroit found themselves down just one, 130-129, with a chance to win with 8.2 seconds on the clock. After a foul to give, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren both had shots to win the game but failed:

The Hawks mercifully closed this one out, 130-129.

Johnson dropped a monster double-double with 27 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. McCollum also added 27 big points.

The Hawks are now guaranteed at least a .500 record at 41-32 and head to Boston to try to keep the good times rolling.

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SEE IT: Yankees' Jose Caballero loses first ABS challenge in MLB history on Opening Day

Jose Caballero made himself the answer to a trivia question on Opening Day in what would be a 7-0 Yankees win.

The Yanks shortstop entered the history books by simply tapping his head after taking a first-pitch strike in his second at-bat of the season.

With New York up 5-0 after a five-run second, the history-making moment occurred with the first pitch of the top of the fourth inning when San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb tossed a91 mph sinker that was up-and-in and called a strike by home plate umpire Bill Miller.

"I wanted to go for it," Caballero said after the game.

The umpire got the call right as the pitch clipped the inside corner and the top of the strike zone, as confirmed by the quick review.

"It was really close. I didn't have an issue with that one," manager Aaron Boone said of the challenge after the game.

Caballero said he was a "little bit" surprised he didn't get the overturn. "I thought it was a little higher than what it showed, but at least it was close."

Despite the strike call on the challenge being upheld, Miller was far from perfect on the night. The very next pitch was a sinker that was well off the inside corner and called a strike. Caballero clearly looked perturbed, but didn't challenge. Had he lost it – he wouldn't have – that would have been it for the Yankees for the rest of the game.

Caballero, who knocked in the first run of the season with an RBI double to left, would ground out on the next pitch.

On the ABS system, Caballero said he thinks it will be good as it will "keep everyone accountable."

"It gives us a chance to really see if we are good with the zone or not," he said after his 1-for-4 day.

Of course, it was "cool" to make baseball history, but Caballero said he just wishes "it was the other way around."

The shortstop was the first to take the leap, but there were a few chances earlier in the game. 

To name a few, on the second batter of the game, the first pitch from Webb to Aaron Judge was high, but called a strike. The third pitch of the at-bat was called a ball, but caught the bottom of the zone, so Miller’s two early missteps evened out. Judge would strike out swinging on a pitch off the inside corner on a 3-2 count.

In the second inning, Judge took a 1-0 fastball above the zone for a called strike that shouldn't have been. He later struck out as he started the day going down on strikes in his first four times up.

Giants third baseman Matt Chapman took a first-pitch cutter above the zone in the top of the first inning from Max Fried that was above the zone. Chpman would ground into a fielder's choice to short, with the Yanks getting an out at second base.

San Francisco catcher Patrick Bailey missed the biggest chance in the home half of the second with one out and a runner on first base when he was called out on strikes by Miller on a Fried fastball that was well off the inside corner.

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Giants win first ever ABS challenge in MLB history

San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb throwing a pitch.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb works against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO — Baseball’s new reality has arrived.

Blink, and you’d miss it.

The Giants came out on the winning side of the first Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) challenged pitch in MLB history.

Giants starter Logan Webb dotted the upper outside corner to the first Yankee to bat in the top of the fourth inning Wednesday night, and home plate umpire Bill Miller ruled the pitch a strike.

Logan Webb dotted the upper outside corner to the first Yankee to bat in the top of the fourth inning. AP

The batter, Jose Caballero, tapped the top of his helmet. He wanted to challenge the call that put him down 0-2 in the count.

The process was over in a matter of seconds. Call confirmed.

The result was about the only thing that went in the Giants favor early on in the opening game of the MLB season. Caballero doubled home a pair of runs as the Yankees opened a 5-0 lead in the second inning.

In his second trip to the plate, Caballero was a part of history.

New to MLB this season, each team has the ability to challenge at least two ball-strike calls per game. While umpires continue to make the majority of the calls, the Automated Ball-Strike system can be used to confirm or overturn those rulings when initiated by the batter, pitcher or catcher.

AP

Teams combined for an average of 4.3 challenges per game during spring training. The Giants were among the best in the majors, thanks to Patrick Bailey’s ability behind the plate.

Even with Bailey’s prowess, the Giants weren’t aggressive in deploying their challenges.

In his first at-bat, Bailey was called out on a pitch that was off the plate inside. He opted to walk back to the dugout rather than risk a challenge.

While teams start with two challenges, they only lose them when they are unsuccessful. Catchers were more likely to issue challenges than hitters or pitchers in spring.

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DraftKings says it has used 'March Madness,' other terms for 5 years in response to NCAA complaint

DraftKings has been using “March Madness” and other familiar terms to refer to the NCAA Tournament for more than five years and has the legal right to do so, the sportsbook said in a court filing Wednesday in response to a complaint filed by the NCAA last week.

The NCAA is seeking an emergency temporary restraining order to stop DraftKings from using registered trademarks associated with its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

The complaint for trademark infringement, filed in the Southern District of Indiana, requests that DraftKings stop using “March Madness,” “Final Four,” “Elite Eight” and “Sweet Sixteen” and variations of those terms to promote its business.

In its response, DraftKings described those terms as “the universally recognized names for the tournaments and their rounds, used by millions of college basketball fans, journalists, and participants in the sports-betting ecosystem. They are the same words used by other online sportsbooks, who have not been singled out by the NCAA’s fevered complaint.”

DraftKings said the NCAA had asked for the restraining order “based on a contrived and manufactured ‘emergency,’” and it noted that the NCAA has a commercial agreement with a company whose business is providing in-game data to sportsbooks.

The NCAA said it actively avoids any appearance of affiliation with gambling and said in the complaint that DraftKings’ use of the terms confuses customers by making it appear the NCAA is on board.

DraftKings said its use of the terms is protected under the First Amendment, arguing the NCAA's trademark claim would fail on the merits.

“No trademark gives any organization the right to monopolize the language fans, players, journalists, and sportsbooks use every day to accurately refer to college basketball tournaments,” the company said in a statement.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

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Luka Doncic scores 43 as road weary Lakers hold off late Pacers rally

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots over Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic pulls up for a jumper over Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith during the first half on Wednesday at Indianapolis. (Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

Even LeBron James couldn’t muster the energy. With a wide-open lane in the ending moments of the Lakers’ 137-130 win over the Indiana Pacers, James simply dumped off a pass to Jake LaRavia. The 24-year-old had hops to put the finishing touches on the Lakers’ successful six-game trip.

Tired and shorthanded, the Lakers punctuated their extended trip with a fifth win Wednesday. Luka Doncic effortlessly scored his league-leading 14th 40-point game of the season, 43 points and seven assists.

The NBA's leading scorer appeared ready to settle for simply his 11th consecutive 30-point performance — which is tied for the longest streak of such games in the last 20 years — after the Lakers opened a 20-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but he returned to the game because Indiana, despite having the worst record in the NBA, was still pressuring with its starters. The Pacers (16-57) trailed by as many as 29 in the third quarter and trimmed the deficit to six with 27.9 seconds left.

“I think everybody was a little bit tired,” Doncic said. “It's been a long trip, but we got the win in the end; that’s what matters."

The wear and tear of an intense trip in which the first five games all came down to the final minutes didn’t faze Doncic. He nearly outscored the Pacers alone in the first quarter, putting up 21 while the Pacers trailed 45-28. He threw a lob to Maxi Kleber for a dunk in the third quarter then pumped both of his fists. Doncic nailed a step-back three from the top of the key, held his follow through and hopped backwards on one leg.

The Lakers (46-26) toyed with the struggling Pacers (16-56) for much of the night. Indiana’s Andrew Nesmith and Pascal Siakam fell over each other trying to contest a Euro-step layup by James, who then posed over them and pointed to the Pacers players. Nesmith and Siakam could only grimace at each other.

James finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Austin Reaves had 25 points and eight assists Jaxson Hayes dunked seven times as the center had his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds, both season highs.

While players typically would drag through the end of such a long trip, Hayes found home-cooked fuel. Hayes stayed with his parents in his hometown of Cincinnati on Monday night after the Lakers’ win in Detroit. He woke up to a full home-cooked breakfast from his mother, who stacked plates of pancakes, eggs and bacon in front of her son. He scoped out properties he’s hoping to buy in the summer and hung out with his dad all day. The family made the hour-and-a-half drive to Indianapolis and had dinner Tuesday night.

“Best way to end the trip for sure,” Hayes said with a blissful smile.

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, and Pacers center Jay Huff reach for a rebound.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, who finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, battles Pacers center Jay Huff for a rebound during the first half Wednesday. (Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

Hayes brought the energy for the shorthanded Lakers, who were without Deandre Ayton (back soreness), Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) and Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness). Smart and Hachimura remain day-to-day as they missed their second consecutive games while Ayton was ruled out immediately before the game. Even the reinforcements were shorthanded as rookie Adou Thiero missed the game because of left knee soreness.

Thiero, who has been back and forth between the NBA and the G League‘s South Bay Lakers, played 29 minutes in a G League game on Saturday and flew directly to Detroit for Monday’s game. He played two minutes against the Pistons, making his first appearance in a first half of a game since Dec. 7, but his knee didn’t feel good the following morning, Redick said. The team held the forward out for precautionary reasons, Redick said, as Thiero has struggled with injuries in both knees this season.

The Lakers relied on another part-time G League contributor to carry them through a sloppy fourth quarter. Bronny James had four points, two steals and one block in 13:22 off the bench. Lakers coach JJ Redick said the second-year guard's pull-up free-throw line jumper with 3:55 to go “was big to kind of settle us.” It stopped a 6-0 run by the Pacers.

It was just the second game father and son have shared the court together this season. The elder James had the perfect shirt for the occasion. He walked out of the locker room wearing a gray T-shirt with a photo of him and his son on the front. Across James’ shoulders on the back read “The Chosen 1.” Across the bottom of the shirt, it read “The 1 who chose.”

“Felt like this was a game we really needed him,” Redick said of Bronny James. “It was a game that [we needed] his athleticism, his defense. … I think the biggest thing with him is he's got a lot of confidence right now.”

The Lakers have won 13 of their last 15 games to vault to third place in the competitive Western Conference. They have six of their last nine regular-season games at home and, after this grueling stretch, they can’t get there soon enough.

“Do we have to do this?” Redick said quietly as he sat down for his postgame news conference.

He knew everyone in the room wanted to get home.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Jazz Chisholm doubles down on 50-50 challenge in mic’d-up Opening Day chat: ‘Why not shoot for the stars’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees player throwing a baseball while San Francisco Giants player slides into a base, Image 2 shows Oswald Peraza adjusting his sleeve during a baseball game
Jazz Chisholm Yankees

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is embracing the challenge he set in spring training.

In the early days of camp in Tampa, Fla., the Yankees second baseman said his goal for 2026 is a beefy one — hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases.

That feat has only been accomplished once, by Shohei Ohtani two seasons ago.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. throws to first base as Luis Arraez slides during the second inning of the Yankees-Giants opener at Oracle Park on March 25, 2026. Getty Images

But while talking with the Netflix broadcast in the second inning of Opening Day in San Francisco, Chisholm said he isn’t backing down from the challenge.

“Why not shoot for the stars and land on the moon?” Chisholm, who later stole his first base of the year, said during the Yankees’ 7-0 win. “I felt like every time I shoot low I end up low.”

Chisholm, in his first full season with the Yankees last year, blasted a career-high 31 homers with as many stolen bases, going 30-30 for the first time in his career. He became the first Yankee to go 30-30 since Alfonso Soriano in 2003.

He explained in February that he wouldn’t have set the goal for himself publicly if he didn’t believe he could accomplish it.

“I’m not going to say nothing that I don’t think I can do,” he said after getting on base twice in his spring debut, a 2-0 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. “I’m always going to speak positive into the atmosphere. I’m never going to tell myself or tell anybody that, ‘Oh, I’m just going to have a year where I hit 10 home runs and hit .250.’ Who does that sound like? A loser. That’s a loser.”

Chisholm, in the final year of his contract, started the season by getting drilled by a pitch from Giants ace Logan Webb in the second inning, scoring a run in a five-run Yankees outburst. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a single.

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Yankees’ Jose Caballero takes first official crack at ABS pitch challenge system

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Jose Caballero challenges a strike call durin the YAnkees' opening game against the Giants
Jose Caballero used the ABS system on Opening Day.

SAN FRANCISCO — José Caballero made history Wednesday night, just not successfully. 

The Yankees shortstop became the first player to challenge a pitch using the automated ball-strike system during the regular season. In a 7-0 win over the Giants at Oracle Park, he tried to get Logan Webb’s first pitch of the fourth inning flipped from a strike to a ball. 

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The only problem was that upon review, the pitch clipped the corner of the strike zone and remained a strike, proving home plate umpire Bill Miller correct and costing the Yankees one of their two challenges. 

“I wanted to go for it,” Caballero said. “I thought it was a little higher than what it showed. But at least it was close.” 

Despite the unsuccessful bid, Caballero still ensured his place in baseball history. After the game, his helmet was in the process of being authenticated to become an artifact in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Presumably, another helmet, hat or catcher’s mask will be joining it in the coming days as the first successful challenge. 

Jose Caballero used the ABS system on Opening Day.

Aaron Boone said before the game that he wanted the Yankees to be aggressive in using the ABS, while also keeping leverage in mind. Caballero was certainly aggressive, but it was not a leverage situation in a 0-0 count with the Yankees leading 5-0. 

“It was really close,” Boone said of the pitch. “I didn’t have an issue with that one.” 

Moving forward, Boone hopes the Yankees will be able to take advantage of the ABS, with no one (yet) forbidden from using a challenge. 

“I feel like we’re going to be good at it,” Boone said. “That’s the expectation. I’m sure we’ll continue to evolve with it. My thoughts on it now maybe are a little bit different than even at the start [of camp], somewhat. So I would imagine as the season unfolds, those things will continue to evolve and we’ll try to exploit it as best we can.” 

Jose Caballero became the first player in MLB history to challenge a call with ABS during the regular season. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Optioned to Triple-A as the odd man out in the four-man rotation to begin the season, Luis Gil threw live batting practice at the club’s player development complex Wednesday and built up to 80 pitches. It was the first of three outings he will make before likely jumping into the rotation when the Yankees need a fifth starter, around April 10. 

“He had like 10 strikeouts, threw the ball well,” Boone said. “The intensity was there. I haven’t seen it, but sounds like it went really well.” 

Gil will throw again in Tampa in five days — either another live batting practice or perhaps an extended spring training exhibition — and then head to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start a game before he is ready to return to the big leagues. 

Boone’s counterpart across the field Wednesday was making his major league debut. Giants manager Tony Vitello became the first man to make the jump straight from college head coach to major league manager. 

“Everyone’s got a different path,” Boone said. “He came in with a lot more experience coaching and managing and things like that than I did, obviously managing really successfully — or head coaching really successfully — in the college ranks. I know he’s obviously had a ton of success and earned the opportunity and the right to be here. 

“I’ll be available for any advice starting in a few days,” Boone added with a chuckle. 

The Yankees made the procedural moves to finalize their 26-man roster Wednesday, placing Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole on the 15-day injured list and Anthony Volpe on the 10-day injured list, as they continue recovering from surgery.

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Ann-Renée Desbiens earns 5th shutout and the Victoire beat the Frost 3-0 to sweep season series

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Hayley Scamurra and Lina Ljungblom each scored their third goal of the season, Ann-Renée Desbiens earned her fifth shutout, and the Montréal Victoire beat the Minnesota Frost 3-0 on Wednesday night to sweep the season series.

Montréal (11-4-2-5) has earned points in 10 straight games (6-2-2-0), a streak that began with an overtime win at Minnesota on Jan. 21. It's the longest such streak in PWHL history since Toronto's 11 in 2024.

Catherine Dubois scored her second goal of the season to open the scoring with 40.7 seconds left in the second period. Dubois took advantage of a Minnesota turnover with a quick one-timer.

Scamurra made it 2-0 early in the third when she controlled a loose puck in front of the net and tucked it around goaltender Maddie Rooney.

Ljungblom matched her goal total from a year ago to help Montréal improve to 9-2-1-1 when scoring at least three goals this season.

Minnesota (11-3-3-5) is 7-2-0-0 since Jan. 4 when facing any team other than Montréal. The Frost are 0-0-2-2 against Montréal in that span, scoring two or fewer goals in each game.

Rooney had won her previous seven straight for the Frost.

Up next

Montréal travels to Detroit to play the New York Sirens on Saturday as part of the Takeover Tour.

Minnesota remains home to play the Boston Fleet on Sunday.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark takes photos at Pacers-Lakers game

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has become a regular at Indiana Pacers games held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, especially games played during the NBA team’s 2025 playoff run.Clark appeared to take in the Pacers’ home game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday as a media member. She was spotted taking photographs from the photo positions located along the baselines behind the baskets.She spent the first half taking photos, but returned to the crowd to take in the second half of the game as a fan.

It wasn't her first time serving in a media capacity; she spent time on the NBC broadcast before a game between the Lakers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1.

Will Caitlin Clark play in Indiana?

Caitlin Clark returns to Indiana for her third season with the WNBA franchise. She played in just 13 games in 2025 before having her season cut short due to injury.

Clark has averaged 18.5 points, 8.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in 53 career WNBA games played.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caitlin Clark was courtside photographer at Pacers-Lakers game

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Lakers close out road trip with win over Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 25: Jarace Walker #5 of the Indiana Pacers, Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers boxes out during the game against the Indiana Pacers on March 25, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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

After seeing their win streak come to an end in Detroit on Monday, the Lakers bounced back in Indiana on Wednesday, closing out their six-game road trip with a win over the Pacers, 137-130.

LA’s lone blemish during this stint away from home was against the Pistons as they finished 5-1.

The Lakers jumped out to a big lead early by not committing a turnover until midway through the second quarter, then rode strong shooting across the board to keep their double-digit lead nearly throughout.

Indiana had a great tanking effort by making a spirited late comeback, but all it did was make the final score look closer than the game ever was.

LA shot 56.2% from the field and 39.1% from the 3-point line while also tallying 29 assists.

It was the Jake LaRavia game to start as he racked up two steals and a dunk early. Luka Dončić drained two 3-pointers and had eight points. All five starters for LA scored to go up 10 early before former Laker Jay Huff hit two straight triples for Indiana. 

At the 7:33 mark, the Lakers were up six. 

Luka entered double figures with 10 points after converting on a pair of free throws. LeBron James threw down an emphatic dunk over Huff, extending LA’s lead to eight. 

The team continued to keep their foot on the gas with Luke Kennard coming in and knocking down two triples, while Jarred Vanderbilt also drained a 3-pointer.

A major positive for Los Angeles was zero turnovers in the quarter. Luka continued to dominate, ending the period with 21 points to help the Lakers to a 17-point lead.

The second period began with LeBron converting on a layup. Pascal Siakam responded with a layup on the other end. Jaxson Hayes scored two buckets in a row with the help of LeBron, who was up to five assists in the half with his nine points. 

At the 5:29 mark, Los Angeles was up by 22. 

Indiana then surged with a 10-2 scoring run, featuring triples from Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard, that cut the deficit to 16. The Lakers started turning the ball over, giving up three after playing a clean game for most of the half. 

LA stopped the run by scoring four in a row. 

Most of the rest of the half involved free throws for both teams, minus a dunk from Siakam and a layup from LeBron. At halftime, the Lakers were up by 16. 

The third period began with Austin Reaves knocking down a 3-pointer for LA. Huff responded with a dunk on the other end.

Hayes then scored seven in a row. He was playing well as the Pacers struggled to stop him in the third. The lead extended to 23 for Los Angeles.

Reaves and LaRavia were having an excellent defensive game, combining for six steals. The lead had extended to as much as 29 before Indiana’s 12-4 run.

At the end of the third, LA was up by 20. They ended the quarter with Luka draining a triple and throwing up a lob to Maxi Kleber for a dunk. 

The final frame started with T.J. McConnell converting on a jumper. He scored again, pushing his point total to 17. Bronny James threw down a dunk that had the crowd dazzled. 

An 8-2 run from Indiana made it a 16-point deficit. Siakam was ejected with 5:08 left in the game. The Pacers were putting together a commendable comeback, chipping away at the deficit. 

With 1:29 left, it was a 10-point lead for LA. 

Reaves converted on a jumper to add some cushion on the lead. Indiana then scored five in a row, making it a seven-point deficit. LeBron converted on a pair of free throws with 33 seconds left.

Walker drained a triple with 28 seconds left, making it a six-point lead for Los Angeles. Luka was fouled and converted on both free throws, sealing the win. 

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 43 points, five rebounds and seven assists. LeBron notched 21 points with nine rebounds and eight assists. Reaves had 25 points with eight assists and two steals. 

Hayes had 21 points with 10 rebounds and two blocks. Kennard logged eight points off the bench. LaRavia ended with six points, five rebounds and four steals. Kleber grabbed four rebounds and had two steals. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday at 7:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

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Caitlin Clark works as a photographer for the Indiana Pacers as they host LeBron and the Lakers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was taking a different kind of shot while the Indiana Pacers hosted LeBron James, Luka Doncic the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

Clark, donning a photographer’s vest, was credentialed by the Pacers as a photographer and snapped pictures along the baseline. She was presented with a folding seat with her personal logo before the game.

“Got some good stuff coming,” Clark posted on social media.

Clark is entering her third season with the Fever. After missing most of last season because of injuries, she returned to action earlier this month in the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament. She led the United States in scoring at 11.6 points per game as the Americans went 5-0.

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

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Sixers obliterate Bulls as Embiid, PG make impressive returns

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates with Paul George #8 against the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 25, 2026 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It turns out having your max contract players available is more helpful than not.

The Sixers took care of business as they welcomed guys back, blowing out the Chicago Bulls 157-137 Wednesday night. It’s the most points they’ve scored in a game since 1986.

They are 40-33 and can pull into a tie for the sixth seed should Atlanta lose, though the Hawks own the tiebreaker.

After missing his last 13 games, Joel Embiid was back to lead all scorers with 35 points shooting 12-of-17 from the floor along with six rebounds and seven assists. In his first game back from his 25-game suspension, Paul George found his shot as the game progressed, finishing with 28 points shooting 11-of-22 from the floor. He also had six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

VJ Edgecombe acclimated well to having some guys back, putting up 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting along with six boards and six assists. Josh Giddey led the Bulls with 23.

The Sixers were only down Tyrese Maxey (finger strain), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow strain) and Johni Broome (meniscus tear) while the Bulls were missing Anfernee Simons, Zach Collins, Jaden Ivey, and Noa Essengue.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • George coming up with deflections as soon as the game tipped off was a great sign; as was Embiid scoring on his first four touches of the night. The most impressive part of the Sixers’ start was Edgecombe being able to reverse course and get this layup off after he had fully committed to a two-handed dunk.
  • The defensive intensity the Sixers started the game with wasn’t able to survive the timeout Chicago took 90 seconds into the game. Embiid’s heater kept the Sixers out in front as he put up 15 in the first.
  • Justin Edwards has already understandably seen his role decrease with some guys getting back, but he had an impact jumping right off the bench. He beat his defender off the dribble to get to the hoop before knocking down a three moments later. Edgecombe wasn’t working in those big flurries like Embiid. He did most of his work in the quarter at the line but he put up 11 himself. He did a good job manning the second unit as the Sixers pushed their lead to 12.

Second Quarter

  • George was off with his first three jumpers of the night, but he finally got on the board by driving through Josh Giddey to the post. Cam Payne and Adem Bona put together nice shifts, the former hitting a pair of threes while the latter was able to put back a layup while picking up a couple of blocks on the other end of the floor.
  • Staggering these guys is certainly the way to go big picture-wise, but with this opponent the Sixers probably could have snuck in a few more minutes with Embiid and George together — the two still haven’t played together a ton. They did have a really nice possession together where Embiid found PG on the baseline, then George immediately dumped it off to Dominick Barlow who was cutting down the lane. There are plenty of reasons they may struggle with continuity, but the Sixers did move the ball well in this half.
  • Embiid technically only made two field goals in the quarter as he did most of his damage in the second from the line. After missing his first five shots of the night Quentin Grimes finally buried a three before hitting a finger roll layup. After making another three himself, Edgecombe capped off a great half of passing by hitting George right in the shotpocket on a skip pass, getting the three up with no extra movement. Isaac Okoro was able to get a quick put-back layup in before the buzzer, cutting the Sixers lead to 19.

Third Quarter

  • Thanks to having such a lethal jumper, Embiid was able to takeover the game early without really having to exert himself. Both starting bigs for Chicago leaving the game to injury probably helped as he was much more intent on attacking guys on the block to start the second half. He started that campaign with a bang, sealing his defender and power-stepping to dunk over Matas Buzelis. He was still in the mood to show off after that, slapping his swing pass to Edgecombe on the following possession.
  • The Sixers didn’t ever really have to turn up their intensity on defense to match those opening minutes, but they started piling up deflections again as the quarter went on. There was a stretch where they had a steal on three straight possessions, using those fast breaks to really make the score look ugly.
  • The only knock on George’s night had been that his jumper wasn’t falling, and he rectified that by making all four of his attempts in the quarter. As his longest shift of the night wore on, Embiid did go back to attacking with the jumper. By this point in the game the Sixers were pretty much getting wherever they wanted. Edwards was having a good night, but the lane opened for him like the Red Sea for a wide open dunk as the Sixers stretched their lead to 48.

Fourth Quarter

  • Under normal circumstances the veterans should take a seat for the rest of the night, but having not played since January, George can definitely use some more run to get his legs under him. After opening the quarter with a three, he really fell into a groove. He pulled up for a pair of midrange jumpers before doing so from behind the arc again as well before the Bulls called a timeout. Not that the timeout stopped him — he hit another three off the dribble before the Bulls started throwing heavy doubles at him. His night did not last much longer.
  • It took a couple rounds of the benches being emptied, but even the birthday boy himself Kyle Lowry saw some minutes in this one. It took two attempts, but he knocked down a three to contribute to the Sixers having their highest scoring night in 40 years.
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Yankees start season with second-inning explosion against Giants ace Logan Webb

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees' José Caballero, right, hits an RBI double in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, left, during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, Image 2 shows San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb reacts after a two-run single
Yankees

SAN FRANCISCO — The Yankees weren’t the Bronx Bombers early on in their season-opener against the Giants, but it didn’t stop them from putting together a second-inning rally.

They scored five runs in the top of the second at Oracle Park — all with Giants ace Logan Webb on the mound.

Ben Rice grounded out to start the inning before Giancarlo Stanton singled to right-center for the Yankees’ first hit of the night.

José Caballero, right, hits an RBI double in front of San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, left, during the second inning of the Yankees-Giants opening night game on March 25, 2026. AP
Trent Grisham watches his two-run triple during the Yankees’ five-run second inning against the Giants. AP

Webb then hit Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a pitch and José Caballero opened the scoring with a double to left.

And the bottom of the lineup continued to produce, with Ryan McMahon following with a two-run single up the middle to make it 3-0.

Giants ace Logan Webb reacts after giving up a two-run single during the Yankees’ five-run second inning. AP

An Austin Wells single kept the rally going and Trent Grisham’s triple to right-center gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead.

The outburst ended with back-to-back strikeouts by Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger.

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Rangers make pre-Opening Day roster moves

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Andrew McCutchen #4 of the Texas Rangers bats during the third inning of the spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 21, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the Texas Rangers playing the first game of their season tomorrow, they announced the formal procedural moves to finalize their roster today.

First of all, the Rangers have purchased the contract of outfielder/DH Andrew McCutchen. To make room for him on the 40 man roster, the Rangers have designated outfielder Dairon Blanco for assignment.

Infielder Cody Freeman has been placed on the 10 day injured list.

Pitcher Cody Bradford has been placed on the 15 day injured list.

Veteran NRIs Austin Gomber, Cal Quantrill, Josh Sborz and Tyler Wade are staying with the organization and being assigned to Round Rock.

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LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Golden State Warriors, 10:00 PM ET

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 23: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors watches play during the third quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on March 23, 2026 in Dallas, 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Late night Nets in Golden State! They have 17 wins to their name and most fans are really just holding out hope for May. Until then it’s just an excruciating wait game. Sure, we’ll miss it when it’s gone, but these late games mid-tank are a brutal reminder how meaningless these games are – or feel.

🏀 KEY INFO

Who: Brooklyn Nets (17-55) at Golden State Warriors (34-38)
When: 10:00 PM ET
Watch: YES Network

💬 DISCUSSION

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