The Chicago Blackhawks officially made their first notable move of trade deadline week, as they dealt defenseman Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers. This was after the right-shot defenseman was the subject of trade rumors for quite some time.
Yet, there is certainly a chance that the Blackhawks might not be done yet, as they have multiple other trade candidates to watch. Due to this, let's look at four Blackhawks who could be on the move next.
Jason Dickinson
Jason Dickinson is another veteran pending UFA who has a chance of being dealt by the deadline. With the Blackhawks having several promising young forwards in their system, it would make sense if they at least listened to offers on Dickinson. He could get them a decent return when noting that he is a solid veteran two-way center.
Ilya Mikheyev
Ilya Mikheyev is the pending UFA that the Blackhawks should be working hardest to sign to a contract extension. He has been a great addition to their roster since his arrival, as he has been a fantastic penalty-killer and has chipped in offensively. Yet, if the Blackhawks can't come to terms with him on an extension by the deadline, he could be a valuable trade chip for them to move.
Nick Foligno
If Nick Foligno lets the Blackhawks know that he wants to play for a contender, the veteran forward could end up being moved. At 38 years old, he likely will not have too many more chances to try to win the Stanley Cup, so it would be understandable if he wanted to play for a top team. However, if he wants to finish the year in Chicago, the Blackhawks won't be moving him.
Matt Grzelcyk
Grzelcyk is another pending UFA who could generate some interest from contenders. The Massachusetts native could be a nice addition to a playoff team's bottom pairing. He also has a lot of playoff experience due to his time with the Boston Bruins, so that adds to his appeal.
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Wins turned losses
As the calendar flipped to the first full month of the college baseball season, the Huskies ushered March in harshly, letting a series win — and not inconceivably, a sweep — fall through their fingertips this weekend.
UConn led late in all three games, held UNC Wilmington to just five runs through the first 28 innings of the weekend but secured just one win on Friday before blowing eighth-inning leads on both Saturday and Sunday to lose 2-1 and 7-2, respectively.
It was the kind of weekend that made Jim Penders say: “I don’t have any answers.”
Photo: UConn Athletics
Let’s recap…
Reigning Big East Pitcher of the Week Charlie West took the ball to start UConn’s lone win. He battled control issues as he walked six but limited the damage to two earned runs across four-plus innings thanks to nine strikeouts.
“(West) doesn’t get rattled, he kept competing,” Penders said postgame. “He didn’t have his command today, obviously, a lot of freebies from the mound. But he stayed in there, he kept battling. You want him out there because he has such a calm demeanor.”
Los Medanos transfer Chase Taylor followed up a solid weekend in Arizona with his first multi-RBI performance at the Division I level. The junior brought Chris Polemeni home with a bases-loaded walk in the second before doubling in the fourth, his first extra base hit of the season, to even the score at two runs apiece.
The score remained until the ninth when the Huskies plated three to jump out front. Nater Wachter recorded an RBI single, Bryce Detwiler scored on a wild pitch and Jackson Marshall pushed another across with a walk, giving UConn the lead and a pair of insurance runs heading to the ninth. Charlie Hale recorded the win, pitching 4 1/3 strong in relief of West, allowing just three baserunners and striking out four.
The Huskies late-inning heroics dried up by Saturday, however, as the Seahawks tied the series with a 2-1 walk off victory in the 12th.
The Huskies led 1-0 entering the eighth inning on the shoulders of Cayden Suchy, who twirled seven shutout innings and allowed just four hits. The lone RBI came courtesy of a Chris Cancel double, but the lead disappeared in Paxton Meyer’s first inning in relief. The righty allowed a single, a sac bunt to advance a runner, and a game-tying double.
Meyers settled in, retiring 11 hitters in a row until the fateful 12th inning. In three outings since allowing four earned in one inning to Kansas State, the Brown transfer has thrown 8 1/3 innings, allowing just the aforementioned earned run.
UConn served up the win on a gold platter in the 12th, botching a bunt play to all a walk-off. With a pair on, UNCW pinch hitter Brady Thompson laid a sacrifice bunt down in front of the pitcher’s mound. Third baseman Maddix Dalena charged in to field the ball, but checked to see if there was a potential play at third base. A rushed throw to first sailed into the outfield and Seahawks’ shortstop Kevin Jones trotted all the way around from second to score the winning run with ease.
From the seventh inning on, UConn managed a base runner in all but the 11th. Three times they were caught stealing, stranding all others in a disappearing act from the offense.
“The bats were abysmal,” Penders said. “Aside from Chris Polemeni, Chris Cancel… we didn’t do anything offensively.”
“Seemed like we saved our worst at-bats for whenever anybody was on second base,” he continued.
Sundaysaw the Huskies again blow a late-inning lead, allowing a six-run eighth-inning explosion as the Seahawks ripped away a 7-2 win and the series victory.
Despite the lopsided final score, UConn needed just six outs to lock down a would-be 2-1 win. A fourth inning home run from Will Tyrrell gave the Seahawks a 1-0 advantage, though Nater Wachter stole it back in the sixth with an opposite-field two-run home run, his second of the season.
A second-straight solid start for Oliver Pudvar also helped UConn’s cause. The left-hander went five innings as he fanned seven and allowed just one run to keep the Huskies within striking distance. Greg Shaw III gave UConn a pair of scoreless innings before turning the ball over to closer Sean Finn, who was quickly jumped by the Seahawks’ offense.
Finn lasted just 2/3 of an inning, completely losing sight of the strike zone as he allowed a slew of base runners, including four straight walks to end his day. Garret Garbinski came on, inheriting bases loaded, and allowed a barrage singles to blow the game open. Between the two UConn pitchers, seven straight Seahawks reached base in the deciding inning. Finn penciled four earned to his ledger before Garbinski recorded a strike out to put a bandaid on the lost frame.
An Anthony Belasario double was moot in the ninth as the Huskies never threatened a comeback, giving the win and the series away in one fell swoop. A 4-7 record hangs over UConn’s heads as it prepares to host its first home game of the season Wednesday.
“We had our best swings in the ninth inning after it was out of reach,” Penders said. “You can’t play this game afraid. I hope our hitters can take a lesson from our starting pitchers all weekend. See the confidence that they had… the anxiety is all over (the hitters’) faces. It’s oozing out of their bodies, and that’s gotta change. We don’t have a drill for that. We don’t have a pill for that. Twenty percent of the season is gone. There’s got to be a sense of urgency.”
Ouch.
Photo: UConn Athletics
Takeaways
The UConn lineup has been streaky and this weekend was without a doubt its worst of the young season. The Huskies swatted just .121 on the weekend while striking out 37 times. They were outscored by the Seahawks in the aggregate, 11-8.
Where UConn did find consistency was the defensive side of the ball. Save for the debilitating Dalena error in game two — a big exception — the Huskies played a clean weekend of defensive baseball. Dalena’s blunder was UConn’s lone error on the weekend and the team turned four double plays, including three on Sunday night.
While the Huskies struggled with batted balls, UConn earned 18 free passes, with 13 coming on walks and 5 on hit batsmen. It isn’t enough to make up for the high strikeout totals in each contest, but it does demonstrate some semblance of plate discipline.
Playing good fundamental baseball is laudable, but it doesn’t win ballgames.
Still, the Huskies are going to need more out of their role players in games where their bigger bats, such as Evan Menzel and Jackson Marshall, can’t get it done. On the weekend, Menzel and Dalena both went hitless across a combined 25 at bats, while Marshall recorded a singular hit in 12 at bats. The two left eight runners on base over the three-game set.
The injuries are hard to ignore. Tyler Minick, Connor Lane — Jim Penders confirmed he took a ball off the face during batting practice that will sideline him for the time being — and Rob Rispoli were all absent from the lineup this weekend. Perhaps their return could inject some life into a floundering offense.
Weekend Winners
Chris Polemeni and Chris Cancel
Polemeni finds himself on the list for the second-straight week and did plenty to earn that honor. Hitting .625 this weekend, the outfielder gave the Huskies five hits, including a three-knock performance on Sunday.
The redshirt junior could not sit still on base. He went an aggressive 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts, wreaking havoc on the base paths for the Huskies and scoring four of UConn’s 8 runs. A slight knock for his lone caught stealing in the seventh inning of Saturday’s loss when an insurance run could have prevented the 12th-inning meltdown.
“Chris Polemeni had an awesome weekend. Really proud of him,” Penders said. “Chris Cancel, a guy who didn’t have a single at-bat coming into the weekend, he looked like he wanted to be out there… both Chris’ had nice weekends.”
Cayden Suchy
Suchy once again shined against the Seahawks. With seven shutout innings, it was his first scoreless appearance of the season and his longest. He also threw nine less pitches than in his 6 2/3 inning start against Arizona. Not only are the results improving, but he is becoming more efficient in achieving them.
The sophomore also posted a career-high 12 strikeouts against just one walk. Suchy has pitched well enough to be considered an early season Big East Pitcher of the Year candidate.
Nater Wachter
Wachter had his best weekend as a Husky. The outfielder posted a pair of multi-hit games and provided three RBI over the course of the weekend.
The junior notched a pair of clutch hits, driving in the go-ahead run in Game 1 and homering in the middle innings of Game 3 to give the Huskies their only lead of the day.
Charlie Hale
Hale was exceptional once again in relief on Friday. After West departed, Hale picked up the final 4 ⅔ innings and allowed just one hit and a pair of walks in his second scoreless outing of the season and second win.
Over four appearances and one start, the right hander has now worked to a minuscule 1.23 ERA.
“Hale did an awesome job. He loves to compete and he’s fun to watch,” Penders said. “He doesn’t light up the radar gun (but) it doesn’t matter. He’s gonna take on the hitter and throw a lot of strikes and kind of calm the waters a bit.”
Oliver Pudvar
Pudvar has picked up steam with each start. What stuck out for Pudvar in this one was his seven strikeouts. After punching out just three in each of his first two starts, the lefty showed renewed swing-and-miss potential for the first time this season while also keeping the walk total low. It seems the lefty is back to business, having struck out 73 last season, good for the second-best total.
The redshirt junior walked just one in the outing after allowing no free passes in his second start. That combination of limiting contact and emphasizing control could be dangerous if he shows that he can demonstrate it consistently. Pudvar can shine in a late-weekend starting role after he was relied upon so heavily last season to be an ace.
Huskies in the Pros
In the absence of any RPI or Bracketology updates, we will use this space this week to highlight a few former UConn ballplayers continuing their careers throughout different levels of professional ball.
George Springer
The greatest position player in UConn baseball history is still getting it done late in his illustrious MLB career. Springer had a monstrous season last year at age 35, hitting .309 with 32 homers as the Blue Jays advanced as far as Game 7 of the World Series. Entering the final season of a six-year, $160 million contract he signed prior to the 2021 season, Springer has appeared in just two games of spring training as he ramps up for the new year.
Ben Casparius
On the other side of the World Series was Ben Casparius, who appeared in 46 games for the Dodgers last year, recording over 75 innings with an ERA a touch over 4.50. In two innings thus far this spring, he’s allowed one home run, his lone baserunner. The two-time World Series champ should be a mainstay in Los Angeles’ bullpen as it eyes its third-straight title.
P.J. Poulin
Poulin made his MLB debut last year and appeared in 28 games for the Nationals in the second half. The southpaw recorded a 3.65 ERA, striking out 27 and walking 13 in 24 2/3 innings. His spring is off to a good start as he hopes to remain a fixture of Washington’s bullpen in 2026, pitching three scoreless innings.
Anthony Kay
After two seasons in Japan with the Yokohama Bay Stars, Kay returned stateside to join the White Sox on a two-year, $12 million deal, signed in December. The lefty last appeared in the MLB in 2023 with the Mets and aims to slot in at the back of Chicago’s rotation. In two starts this spring, Kay had pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing two earned with four strikeouts and four walks apiece.
Ryan Daniels
The Twins plucked Daniels from UConn in the MLB draft and quickly sent the 2025 Big East Player of the Year to Single-A ball. He played just two games for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, failing to record a hit in nine plate appearances. Daniels landed on the injury report multiple times before retiring in December of 2025, according to MILB.com’s Mighty Mussels transaction report.
Ian Cooke
Cooke joined the MLB Draft League following his final season in Storrs, looking to boost his stock after going undrafted in 2025. The righty appeared in 14 games for the Frederick Keys, going 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA across 19 innings, striking out 33. The 2026 MLB Draft League season is set to get underway in June.
Brady Afthim
The Reds took Afthim in the 13th round of last summer’s draft, assigning him to rookie ball with the ACL Reds in August. Less than a month later, he was promoted to Class A’s Daytona Tortugas of the FSL. The closer had just a quick cup of coffee, two innings pitched, before the season’s end, but he is still listed as active on MiLB.com, presumably in Reds minor league camp ahead of the 2026 season.
Sam Biller
Biller signed with the Mets as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 season. He played six games with the Single-A affiliate St. Lucie Mets, recording 4 hits in 17 at-bats (.235 AVG) with one double, one RBI and three walks. Biller was released by the Mets last month.
On Deck
The Huskies take the field at Elliot Stadium for the first time since May 17, when they hosted former Black Bear turned UConn infielder Evan Menzel and Maine in a 5-1 win. New Haven, playing their first season as a Division I program, will make the short trip before the Huskies head to Virginia for three with Old Dominion.
Wednesday: vs. New Haven, Storrs, CT, 7 p.m. (UCONN+)
Friday: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, VA, 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, VA, 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday: at Old Dominion, Norfolk, VA, 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
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Magic City is famous throughout Atlanta. Photograph: Prince Williams/WireImage
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet has called on the Atlanta Hawks to abandon their collaboration with a famous strip club.
Magic City is an Atlanta institution and been mentioned in a string of hip-hop records, as well as hosting rappers such as Drake, Lil Yachty, Migos, Jack Harlow and Future. It is also popular with athletes: past visitors have included Michael Jordan, while MLS’s Atlanta United celebrated their title at the club in 2018. The club gained widespread attention in 2020 when the Los Angeles Clippers’ Lou Williams visited the club after leaving the NBA’s quarantine bubble during the Covid pandemic.
The Hawks recently announced a theme night with Magic City for their game against Orlando Magic on 16 March. The night will feature a performance from Atlanta native TI, while fans will be able to buy Magic City’s famous wings and branded hoodies.
However Kornet, a devout Catholic, said he disapproves of the night, writing in a Medium post that it “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
In a press release, the Hawks said Magic City is an “iconic cultural institution,” and praised “its pivotal role in hip-hop and Black culture.”
However, Kornet noted that the press release made no mention of the fact that Magic City “is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’”
Kornet added that he believed the night was inappropriate for many NBA fans.
“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience,” he wrote. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 05: Stephen Curry #30 talks with Will Richard #3 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Warriors defeated the Suns 101-97. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors failed to beat a Southern California team on Saturday. They’ll try again tonight. Two days after a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors are hosting the LA Clippers tonight at the Chase Center. The good news is that the Clippers aren’t playing very good basketball these days. The bad news is that the Warriors are, once again, the walking dead.
Here’s the full injury report.
Warriors
Out — Kristaps Porziņģis(illness)
Yep, unfortunately, Porziņģis is still out. Steve Kerr unfortunately created some unnecessary drama by speaking about whether or not Porziņģis has POTS, but regardless of the answer to that, the one-time All-Star will miss his fifth straight game. He’s only played once since the Warriors acquired him nearly a month ago.
Out — Will Richard (right ankle sprain)
This is a big loss for the Dubs. Richard has been playing wonderfully lately, and is so important to everything they do on defense. Speaking of defense…
Out — Gary Payton II (left ankle impingement)
No Richard and no GPII spells bad news for Golden State’s perimeter defense. Some people will have to step up.
Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)
It’s an 11th straight missed game for Curry. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’re going to see him anytime soon.
Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery)
It’s been more than a month since Butler tore his ACL. I still feel bummed writing this segment of the injury report.
Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as though we’ll see either Curry brother anytime soon.
Clippers
Out — John Collins (neck soreness)
Collins is have a strong first year with the Clippers, and he’s been fairly healthy. This will be just his sixth absence of the season.
Out — Bradley Beal (left hip fracture)
No new news here, as Beal suffered a season-ending injury right at the start of his Clippers tenure. A bummer to see.
Enjoy the game, everyone! It tips off at 7:00 p.m. PT on Peacock and NBC Sports Bay Area.
Danny Wolf attempts a shot during the Nets' March 1 loss to the Cavaliers.
Danny Wolf was instructed to miss a free throw intentionally in the closing seconds of Sunday’s loss to the Cavaliers, but the rookie’s admittedly “too hard” attempt missed the rim entirely for a violation that essentially ended the Nets’ last chance to come back and win.
Coaches and teammates jokingly gave him a hard time afterward, but they agreed that the mistake should not detract from what was likely the strongest performance of Wolf’s initial NBA campaign.
The 6-foot-11 forward put up a career-best 23 points with three made 3-pointers, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in 27 minutes off the bench.
“Obviously, you see the points, but it’s nine rebounds, five assists, one turnover; that’s elite,” coach Jordi Fernández said after the game. “Very happy for him. Well deserved. He was confident from the beginning, all the shots looked really good.
“He can handle, get to the rim. He did everything, and you cannot control all the time if you’re going to be able to score at that level, but the good things and the good intentions were there.
“So huge growth in this game for him, and happy to see it because he deserves it.”
The 21-year-old Wolf was the final of an NBA-record five first-round picks by the Nets in 2025, selected at No. 27 overall out of Michigan.
Danny Wolf attempts a shot during the Nets’ March 1 loss to the Cavaliers. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Each has started at least five games, led by lottery pick Egor Dëmin’s 45.
Wolf has started eight times but ranks second to Dëmin among the quintet with averages of 8.9 points in 20.5 minutes over 46 appearances entering consecutive games Tuesday and Thursday’s against the Heat in Miami.
The lottery-bound Nets have dropped eight straight games to sink within a half-game of the Pacers for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
“I have another [22] games left to improve on this year to finish my rookie year, but I gotta go game by game and hopefully we can string together some wins,” Wolf said. “I think you have a bunch of guys in the NBA, and most guys come from winning teams, whatever level that is. However long I can think of my basketball career, I’ve been a part of winning teams, and you know the feeling.
Danny Wolf dribbles the ball during the Nets’ March 1 loss to the Cavaliers. NBAE via Getty Images
“This is the first time I’ve been a part of — I don’t want to say we’re a losing team, obviously our record is 15-45 — but we’re the youngest team in the NBA, and there’s a lot of valuable lessons.”
One of those for Wolf will be to not repeat his mistake on the intentionally missed free throw if that situation arises again.
“It’s harder to miss the way I missed it than it is to make a free throw,” Wolf said. “After I made the first one, my thought process was to hit the front of the rim, but I threw it definitely a little bit too hard.
“You live, and you learn; it’s something new that I needed to know that I need to work on that I didn’t know before. So, that’s definitely on me.”
Assistant coach Juwan Howard was seen talking and laughing with the rookie right after the play, “understandably so,” Wolf added.
Teammate Michael Porter Jr. said he also joked with Wolf that “maybe he’s been in the weight room too much,” but the team’s scoring leader also stressed that shouldn’t be the focus after the rookie’s overall performance Sunday.
“His all-around game — outside game, 3s, getting to the lane, layups, throwing dimes, post-ups — I thought that he was spectacular and played with a high motor and was all over the floor,” Porter said. “So he’s just got to be able to replicate that, and through misses and makes, be able to play like that.
“I thought he didn’t start the game off making his first couple of shots, but I could still see in his energy and his aggression that he was going to have a good game, regardless.”
Dëmin (plantar fascia management) remains out for Tuesday’s game, while Nic Claxton (thumb) is probable.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 2: Kyshawn George #18 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 2, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards faced the Houston Rockets on Monday night at Capital One Arena. The Wizards made 19 of their 35 3-point attempts, but that hot shooting wasn’t enough as they lost to the Rockets, 123-118.
Julian Reese, who signed a two-way contract with the Wizards on Saturday, started at center in his NBA debut with Anthony Gill (illness), Anthony Davis (finger sprain), Alex Sarr (hamstring strain) and Tristan Vukcevic (thigh contusion) all sidelined.
Kyshawn George, who made his first five shots in Saturday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, opened 3-for-4 from the field with an early eight points. Bilal Coulibaly came alive toward the end of the first half, scoring 11 of his 14 first-half points in a three-minute stretch where he made three straight 3-pointers.
But Washington had no answer for Alperen Sengün, who scored 19 first-half points as he dominated the paint. The Wizards trailed 60-51 at halftime and faced an uphill battle against a talented Rockets squad.
That battle became even tougher after three straight Wizards turnovers allowed Houston to open a 16-point advantage. But Washington refused to go away, embarking on a 10-0 run that started with Reese’s first NBA bucket and ended with a Bub Carrington triple.
Tempers flared in the third quarter when Tari Eason shoved Jamir Watkins twice before a mini scuffle broke out. Eason received two technical fouls, which resulted in his ejection. Watkins received a technical foul.
Trae Young walked onto the court to argue with officials, which resulted in his ejection. So, before Young makes his Wizards debut on Thursday, he might be suspended for Tuesday’s game for leaving the bench area during an in-game altercation.
Once the dust settled, Houston pulled away to earn a dominant victory. Washington dropped its fifth straight game and fell to 16-44 on the season.
Coulibaly finished with a season-high 23 points and made five triples, which marked a career high for threes made in a game.
Kyshawn George, who took a hard screen in the first half, left the game in the third quarter and didn’t return due to a left elbow sprain.
Zion Williamson said the criticism he faces from people “comes with the territory,” but what’s been the toughest thing for him during his career was hearing people question how much he cares.
The Pelicans’ star took part in a sit-down interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews on Monday’s edition of “NBA Today.” He was asked what the most difficult thing has been during his six year NBA career, which has been hindered by injuries.
“There are pros and cons to being in a certain position. Critics come with the territory,” Williamson said. “The part that would get at me the most is, people saying I didn’t care and I care a lot. I really care and when you’re not on the court and you just have to sit on the sideline, how much my critics hate it, I hate it more than them. Because I don’t want to be on the sideline, I want to be out there on the court. That was a part of the process of looking in the mirror. Am I doing enough? Am I really doing what I need to do?
Zion Williamson talks with ESPN’s Maria Taylor. ESPN/X
“Going through all those injuries and missing lots of time because of it, it did a lot on my mental, but it also helped me grow as a pro.”
Williamson has struggled to stay healthy during his time in the NBA and critics of the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft have bashed him for everything from his fitness and his weight to whether he cares about playing.
During his rookie season, he played in just 24 games and didn’t make his debut until Jan. 22, 2020, after suffering a torn meniscus during the preseason.
He missed all of the 2021-22 season and had his 2022-23 campaign cut short due to a hamstring injury that limited him to just 29 games.
Williamson is on track to surpass 50 games, which he has only done twice in his career, although he tweaked his ankle during a win over the Jazz on Saturday night.
"The part that would get at me the most is people saying I didn't care. I care a lot… How much my critics hate it, I hate it more than them. I don't want to be on the sideline. I want to be on the court"
The Pelicans star said that missing his third year in the NBA was the “most difficult point” of his career.
“There was a lot of criticism on my weight, my care for the game,” he said. “But the whole time I’m looking at a doctor and the doctor is telling me that, ‘yeah we’re going to perform this surgery, but if this surgery doesn’t work we really don’t know the next step.’ And people are saying what they’re saying and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. It is what it is. I’m in Portland rehabbing, not knowing if my foot’s going to heal.
“And it was frustrating and I was really low because I just wanted to play basketball. I just wanted to play the game I loved, but everytime you turn the TV on and every time I checked my phone, it was nothing but negative criticism. And at the time, it did a lot.”
Rob Gray-Imagn Images
When Williamson has been healthy, he has been a presence in the front court.
For most of this season, Josh Hart’s 3-point shooting was a surprising weapon for the Knicks.
From the start of the season to the All-Star break, he was shooting 40.7 percent from deep — which would represent a career-best. But in six games since the break, he shot just 24 percent from behind the arc.
Was his first-half shooting sustainable? Is his recent form a sign of things to come? Or will he end up somewhere in the middle, as he has been most of his career?
Hart went just 1-for-6 in Sunday’s 114-89 win over the Spurs at Madison Square Garden. He seemed to grow hesitant with his shot, passing up open looks.
“The frustrating thing for me [is I’m] in a slump,” Hart said after the game. “The confidence is coming and going.”
Hart’s ability to at least be a competent 3-point shooter is vital to the Knicks starting lineup and coach Mike Brown’s 3-heavy offense. Felllow starters Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are usually strong 3-point shooters. Hart tends to be the weakest among them in that regard — meaning opponents often match up their center on him defensively, allowing their big man to sag off of Hart and camp in the paint as a rim protector and help defender. It’s what the Spurs did Sunday, putting Victor Wembanyama on Hart. That also allows opponents to have a wing guard Towns, who usually operates outside the perimeter rather than as their center.
But for much of the season, Hart has made opponents pay for that decision. Given his current shooting struggles, though, he’s had to adjust.
Knicks guard Josh Hart drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama gives chase. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
“I ain’t make a damn thing, so I gotta do something else,” Hart said. “That’s all I’m thinking about. … I’m putting the work in; I gotta make sure I play my game, shoot my shots with confidence and those kinds of things. But if you can’t hit the side of a barn, you gotta do something different. Wemby’s in a deep drop against me, I gotta make sure I have the opportunity to get guys wide-open shots on some of those handoffs, pitch backs, stuff like that.”
Characteristically, Hart still has found ways to impact winning. When he’s not making his 3s and opponents sag off him, he uses that extra space to become even more aggressive as a screener, as a ball handler forcing the defense to collapse and in crashing the offensive glass. He finished with seven assists and 10 rebounds in Sunday’s win.
At one point during the third quarter, he set a screen to free up Brunson, who missed his shot. Hart then grabbed the rebound, kicked it out to Bridges and then got it back from Bridges, who cut toward him to initiate a dribble handoff. Hart handed it off to Bridges and subsequently set a screen for him to create space, and Bridges promptly drilled the 3.
Knicks guard Josh Hart reacts on the court against the Spurs. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
For good measure on the other end of the floor, he poked the ball away from De’Aaron Fox, leading to a breakaway for Anunoby (who missed the dunk).
“Shooting, it was probably, obviously, one of my worst games of the season, worst three- or four-game stint,” Hart said. “But I think, for me, I was extremely happy in terms of how I was able to get past that and affect the game in different ways. Obviously, don’t want to have an abysmal shooting night like that, but for me, I was able to help guys get shots, defensively bring it.”
There is a portion of the fan base that constantly calls for Hart to be removed from the starting lineup, especially when he struggles with his shot, in favor of Landry Shamet or, when healthy, Miles McBride. While each is a more consistent shooter, neither possesses nearly the playmaking or rebounding prowess of Hart. Both also are better in shorter stints rather than in heavy workloads that Hart regularly logs.
In terms of shooting, Hart was a positive for most of the year rather than a weakness. Whether he can return to that production will be a key X factor heading into the postseason.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa has set his rotation for the World Baseball Classic.
It won’t be either of the reigning Cy Young award winners taking the ball in the pool play opener on Friday night in Houston against Team Brazil, rather Giants ace Logan Webb.
Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes will then go back-to-back in Games 2 and 3, respectively.
Mets young right-hander Nolan McLean is currently penciled in to follow them as the starter in the pool play finale against the Italians, but it remains to be seen if he will be ready.
McLean was expected to join the club in Arizona for Monday’s team workout session, but he instead remains with the Mets as he fights through an illness, per NY Post's Joel Sherman.
DeRosa still doesn’t know if he’ll have to readjust things ahead of the March 10th meeting.
“We’ll reassess that day-to-day,” he told reporters including ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
If USA is able to advance past pool play, Skenes, Webb, and McLean have already said they'll make two appearances.
Skubal, on the other hand, is only expected to pitch once.
It also remains to be seen exactly how Clay Holmes will be used as well, as the Mets stretched him out to four-ups and 60 pitches in his second start of the spring on Sunday.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Matt McLain #9 of the Cincinnati Reds up to bat during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds took on the Chicago Cubs for the first time this spring on Monday afternoon, and when the dust settled the back of just about every hitter’s baseball card looked as rosy as could be.
Chief among the batting culprits on the day was one Matt McLain, he of the .220/.300/.343 line in 577 PA during the 2025 season. Now another year removed from his 2024 shoulder/oblique surgery, McLain swatted two more homers during the Reds 17-9 drubbing of their NL Central rivals, and has begun to more and more look the part of the guy who broke out as Cincinnati’s best hitter in 2023 prior to his injury.
The question manager Terry Francona has been asking of his lineup since he came to Cincinnati was who would hit in the #2 spot in the order. McLain, based on his pre-injury work, was precisely the kind of hitter who profiled as Tito’s go-to hitter there, someone who could break up the lefty-heavy top of TJ Friedl and Elly De La Cruz (from his strong side). Last year, it just didn’t work, and McLain found himself dropped to the bottom of the order, his excellent glovework the lone real reason why he didn’t lose more chances later in the season.
From what we’ve seen early on this spring, though, his efforts to get back to the player he was before surgery have paid off in spades. As Charlie Goldsmith noted after the game today, McLain has not only picked up a longer bat with which to attack sliders away from him better, he’s been putting in countless hours of work to protect that part of the plate (and his swing) with both approach and positioning within the box. And if it keeps up at all akin to what we saw today (and within the last week), the Reds will be in a much, much better position to stomach Ke’Bryan Hayes in the lineup everyday as a glove-only guy.
One of those you can have. Two, you cannot.
Monday’s action against the Cubs also featured a Noelvi Marte dinger, another Sal Stewart blast, two-times on-base for Friedl (with a pair of runs scored), a Rece Hinds tater, and a 2-hit, 3-ribbie outing from Hayes that was good enough for me to probably shut up for at least a day or so about his struggles to hit. All that after starter Brady Singer became the latest Reds starter to get shelled in his first outing of the spring, something that’s not at all concerning…just yet.
The Reds will have the day off on Tuesday before taking on Team Cuba on Wednesday in an exhibition for the latter’s ramp up to the upcoming World Baseball Classic. We don’t yet know who will start that game for the Reds, or exactly how we’ll be able to follow it (aside from audio-only on 700 WLW), but we do know first pitch will take place at 3:05 PM ET at Goodyear Ballpark.
PHOENIX — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge walked into Team USA’s clubhouse Monday morning, stared at his uniform, and felt his heart race when he put it on over his massive shoulders.
So, this is what it means to represent the United States of America.
While players like Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, Bobby Witt Jr. and Pete Crow-Armstrong have already played a handful of times in international tournaments for the USA, this is the first time Judge has ever played for his country.
“Several of us probably have people who serve in the military or people we know that served in the military,’’ said Judge, captain of Team USA. “That was the first thing I thought of was there's individuals out there that have sacrificed everything for this country to allow me to have my wife safe at home and my daughter safe at home. And I get a chance to come out here and play a kid’s game.
“So that was really just floating through my head, just the history of this country, what it's been through, and the people that have sacrificed the biggest sacrifice. So even now there's conflict going on, people are sacrificing. ... A lot of things are happening in the world right now, you know. So, I just count my blessings every day I get a chance to come out here and play the game that I love.’’
Really, just having the name on the back of his jersey, Judge laughed, got his attention considering the Yankee jerseys don’t have names on the back of their uniform.
“It's kind of weird seeing my name on the back of the jersey to start,’’ says Judge, “but I flipped that right over and looked at the front where it said, “USA.’ For me, it just really hit home.’’
This was Team USA’s workout day before playing two exhibition games against the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before leaving for the WBC’s first round in Houston. Judge spoke to the team before they took the field, still in awe of the abundance of talent surrounding him in the room, and knowing what this means to everyone.
There is Tampa Bay Rays reliever Griffin Jax, who graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, and Pittsburgh Pirates Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, who attended the Air Force Academy for two years. There is Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Whitlock, whose father Larry, served in Vietnam. And plenty of others who have close family members or distant relatives who served in the military.
When USA manager Mark DeRosa called Skenes to invite him on the team, and even had a presentation prepared to help convince him to play, Skenes didn’t need to hear another word.
"He was like, 'I want to do this for every serviceman and woman that protects our freedom,'" DeRosa said. “That’s all that needs to be said. There’s something very special about representing your country.
“We take it seriously. We want to enjoy the game and have fun, but certainly understand the responsibility that comes with it.’’
And there’s Detroit Tigers two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who is in line to earn in excess of $400 million as a free agent this winter. He hadn’t planned on participating in the WBC, but ignored the advice of his agent and others to pitch for Team USA, even if it’s just for about 50-55 pitches Saturday against Great Britain.
“It speaks volumes, definitely, because of what's ahead of him,’’ Judge said. “You know, he's got the two Cy Young awards, but this guy's about to make half-a-billion dollars here in the next offseason. So, for him to put it all on the line for his country, and come out here and show up for us ...
“You know, maybe it is just one game, but you know there's a risk with everything you do, and for him to take that risk and come out here and be with us, you know, the boys love it. They're hyped in the clubhouse.’’
Who knows, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa says, if Skubal enjoys the experience enough before he returns to the Tigers camp in Lakeland, Florida, could he change his mind and return to Team USA for the semifinal or championship game?
Certainly, there will be some heavy campaigning from his teammates.
“He’s in a different situation than anybody here,’’ DeRosa said. “And to be honest, I'm over the moon that he decided to join us. I didn't think he was going to, based on everything he has, trying to win three Cy Youngs and going into his free-agent year.’’
Judge can certainly relate. He was a free agent after the 2022 season, and couldn’t commit to playing in the World Baseball Classic. He wound up signing a nine-year, $360 million contract to return to the Yankees, but had already decided he would stay in spring training camp no matter where he signed.
Yet, after watching the exhilarating 2023 WBC, with Team Japan beating the USA in the finals with Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout for the final out, and how much joy the players experienced, Judge wasn’t about to miss this opportunity. He took great pride speaking to his teammates Monday, telling them it was an honor to wear the same uniform.
“The room has a presence,’’ Judge said. “Not just the players, but the coaching staff, too. You got All-Stars, Silver Sluggers, World Series champs. And some of the best baseball players who ever played the game in one room. It was pretty cool to get a chance to address them ... To get a chance to be captain for your country, it’s pretty hard to describe.’’
Said DeRosa: “Aaron is a special cat, a special guy. He’s the best hitter in the game. His presence is undeniable when he walks in the room. So, for him to put his heart and soul behind this, it’s huge.’’
Certainly, with the WBC coming on the heels of the United States winning the Olympic gold in men's and women’s hockey, has Team USA hyped to continue the run, Judge says. Alex Bregman, who was on Team USA’s WBC championship team in 2017, says he has never been on an international team that didn’t win the title. Bryce Harper, who last played in an international tournament in 2009 when he was 16, says he’s more stoked than ever to represent the U.S. after watching the gold medal hockey games.
“I mean, everybody watched the Olympics and saw what the women’s and men’s teams did winning the gold,’’ Harper said. “I mean, I was glued to the TV for those two, three weeks. So, I definitely think it’s a stepping stone into what we’re doing right now. I think a lot of people are super excited to watch us play.’’
While Team USA has won the WBC just once in the five times it has been played since 2006, they are the favorites this time around, particularly with their prized pitching staff. It’s easily the best collection of talent they’ve assembled, with DeRosa convinced the team is almost flawless. The team is so loaded that Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. is the team photographer.
Team USA is scheduled to start San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb in Game 1 on March 5 against Brazil, Skubal in Game 2 on March 6 against Great Britain, Skenes in Game 3 on March 9 against Mexico, and New York Mets starter Nolan McLean in the fourth and final pool game March 10 against Italy.
“This is a 'Field of Dreams,' to be honest with you,’’ DeRosa said. “I wanted to build a true team, a team that the other countries would look at and say, “There’s no weakness.’ The lineup is right-left-right all of the way down. Everyone knows their role. The bullpen is split neutral. Mason Miller is the best closer in the game. You got versatility off the bench. We got selfless guys. We got high character, speed, power.
“This is a team that kind of feeds off each other, not just throw an All-Star team in there.
“This is a true team.’’
A team that has one 6-foot-7 captain, with players who have won six MVP awards and six Cy Young Awards.
“There is,’’ Judge said, “a lot of greatness in that room. Pretty special.’’
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 30: Cam Smith #11 of the Houston Astros bats in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Daikin Park on August 30, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
4
We’re about halfway through spring training, and if you’ve read anything I’ve written before, you know I’m not in the business of overreacting to one Grapefruit League box score. One game means nothing. Two games mean nothing. Even a week can be misleading.
But at some point, the sample size stops whispering and starts talking.
So here’s the question, Astros fans: What is your drop-dead date for Dana Brown to show you he’s willing to fix this outfield before Opening Day?
Because whether anyone wants to admit it or not, there’s a logjam of mediocrity forming and it’s getting harder to ignore.
The Outfield Problem No One Wants to Call a Crisis
I have been consistent on one point: I am not in favor of trading Isaac Paredes just to make a move. That’s not strategy, that’s panic.
The only way dealing Paredes makes sense is if you’re acquiring a legitimate, everyday corner outfielder, preferably one who hits from the left side and lengthens this lineup immediately. And that’s a tall order this late in the spring.
But here’s the uncomfortable reality: The current outfield mix isn’t exactly forcing Brown’s hand in the opposite direction.
Between:
Zach Dezenzo
Joey Loperfido
Cam Smith
Shay Whitcomb
and an abbreviated spring from Jake Meyers
“Disappointing” might actually be too generous.
The bats have been quiet. Too quiet. And while spring numbers shouldn’t dictate roster decisions in a vacuum, trends matter, especially when they mirror what we’ve already seen.
Cam Smith and the Patience Question
The most glaring concern? Cam Smith.
After a rough second half to his rookie season, this spring was supposed to be about confidence, adjustments, growth. Instead, the same inconsistencies are resurfacing.
So now the real question becomes: How long are the Astros willing to let him figure it out at the big-league level?
Development is important. Patience is necessary. But so is contending.
If this team still views itself as operating within the Golden Era window, then “learning on the fly” can’t come at the expense of wins in April and May.
The Jake Meyers Dilemma
Meyers is a fascinating case study.
He was reportedly on the trade block all offseason, and clearly, Brown didn’t find a deal he liked. So here we are, as long as he is healthy, he remains the incumbent in center field, although Smith has seen some time there as well.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: last season felt like a career year. The time to move him was when his value peaked.
If his bat regresses, and history suggests that’s possible, the window to extract meaningful value shrinks fast. Betting on internal improvement is one thing. Betting against regression is another.
Sugar Land Seems Imminent, At Least For Some
Loperfido. Whitcomb. Dezenzo.
All intriguing. All talented. All probably starting the year in Sugar Land.
There’s nothing wrong with that. Development matters. But let’s not confuse “interesting depth” with “reliable production.” If this team is counting on one of these young players to suddenly stabilize the outfield by Opening Day, that’s a gamble, not a plan.
The Jesús Sánchez Ripple Effect
Then there’s the undercurrent to all of this: the decision to move on from Jesús Sánchez.
Reports out of Toronto Blue Jays camp suggest coaches there believe Sánchez was misused in Houston, that adjustments to his plate approach limited his power in an effort to prioritize on-base production.
Those coaches are gone now. The dugout has changed. The philosophy may be shifting, but the dammage is done.
Here’s the risk: if Sánchez rediscovers his left-handed power stroke elsewhere, something he flashed with the Marlins, and the Astros are still searching for outfield stability in May, that trade will be scrutinized heavily.
Brown clearly believed last season’s sample size was enough to move on. Time will tell if that conviction was foresight or miscalculation.
So When Is the Deadline?
That’s the heart of it.
Is it:
The final week of spring training?
The last exhibition game?
Or are you willing to give it two weeks into the regular season?
Because the clock is ticking.
This isn’t about making a move just to win the back page. It’s about recognizing that instability in the outfield can snowball quickly, especially in a division that won’t wait around for you to figure it out.
Paredes’ name will surface in trade talks. Meyers could be included in the right deal. But the real evaluation won’t be who the Astros are willing to give up.
It will be who they are able to bring in and whether that player meaningfully upgrades this roster.
So I’ll leave you with the same question:
Astros fans, what’s your drop-dead date?
Because if this is still a championship-caliber organization, the answer shouldn’t be “whenever.”
This wasn’t real life — just a simulation — but if you’re a Colorado Avalanche fan, maybe don't watch this.
In a virtual showdown against the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado hung around early thanks to stellar goaltending from Mackenzie Blackwood, but a third-period surge from L.A. proved too much as the Kings skated away with a 4-1 win on NHL 26.
First Period
The Kings dictated the pace for much of the opening frame, hemming Colorado in its own zone and firing pucks from all angles. Blackwood stood tall, turning aside quality chance after quality chance to keep things scoreless.
But with 2:41 remaining in the period, Los Angeles finally broke through. Trevor Moore capitalized on a rebound in the slot, batting the puck past Blackwood to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.
Things didn’t get much smoother for Colorado late in the period. Josh Manson was whistled for interference — a call that may or may not have been influenced by some classic EA Sports Frostbite chaos — sending the Avs into the intermission shorthanded.
Second Period
The shot clock told the story early. Nearly a minute into the second period, the Kings held an 18-6 advantage in shots on goal.
After successfully killing off the penalty, Colorado began to find its footing. Gabe Landeskog tried to generate momentum on the right wing but was forced to dish the puck off under pressure rather than absorb a heavy hit from the Kings’ defense.
Midway through the period, Ross Colton ripped a wrister labeled for the top corner, but Filip Forsberg came up with the save.
Colorado finally broke through with 9:08 remaining in the period. Cale Makar accepted a pass from Devon Toews, walked into space, and unleashed a 100.6 mph slap shot that beat Forsberg cleanly for his 18th goal of the season — and his third in the past two games. Just like that, it was 1-1 and a brand-new game.
The Avalanche kept pushing. Martin Nečas weaved through the neutral zone with a dazzling rush before stopping up and firing a slap shot, but Forsberg flashed the glove to keep the game tied heading into the third.
Third Period
Colorado’s momentum didn’t carry over.
The Avalanche opened the third looking disjointed, and the Kings took advantage. With Blackwood under siege yet again, Warren Foegele eventually broke through, giving Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
The turning point came with 9:36 remaining. Makar rang a slap shot off the post, and the puck caromed all the way to center ice. Taylor Ward collected it in stride, raced in on a breakaway, and beat Blackwood to extend the Kings’ lead to 3-1.
Frustration began to mount for Colorado. Nathan MacKinnon was sent to the box for interference, and moments later Corey Perry was penalized for cross-checking Brent Burns, leading to a stretch of four-on-four play.
The Avalanche briefly had a five-second power play but couldn’t convert — yes, even in simulation form, the power play struggles followed them.
Artemi Panarin added an empty-net goal with seven seconds remaining to seal the 4-1 final in this digital edition of Avs vs. Kings.
By The Associated Press (AP) — Luke Kornet called on the Atlanta Hawks to cancel their upcoming collaboration with Magic City, saying he and other NBA players were surprised by the team's decision to promote the adult entertainment club.
The San Antonio Spurs center wrote Monday that allowing the March 16 event during the Hawks' game against the Orlando Magic “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
“Regardless of how a woman finds her way into the adult entertainment industry, many in this space experience abuse, harassment, and violence to which they should never be subjected,” Kornet added in a blog post.
The Hawks announced the promotion last week, saying it would include a live performance by Atlanta native T.I., and have two versions of Magic City's famed chicken wings and a special hoodie available for purchase.
But Kornet noted that the press release “failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’” Therefore, he asked the Hawks to cancel the promotion.
“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience,” Kornet wrote. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Luke Kennard #10 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate during the first half of their game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (36-24) will remain at home as they host the New Orleans Pelicans (19-43) on Tuesday. L.A. looks to sweep the season series against New Orleans for the second season in a row.
The Lakers commendably took care of business over the weekend by stringing together back-to-back blowout victories against Pacific Division counterparts. It doesn’t fully make up for the losing skid they recently endured, but it’s certainly a good sign that this team is back on track.
The best part of the last two victories was that several developments stood out, all of which could be considered integral for the Lakers’ success in this last stretch of the season and playoff time.
Here’s what we saw in the last two games:
Luka Kennard stepping up
Kennard put up 27 points off the bench in the two games, making him the highest scorer among the non-starters. This is a huge development for the purple and gold because not only does Luke improve their bench scoring, but he also provides another threat in their above-average offense with his ability to space the floor, cut to the basket, screen for his teammates and operate off the ball at all times.
The last two games showed how huge an X-factor the newest Laker can be every single game and that’s a huge advantage for them.
Lakers got their shooting rhythm back
The common denominator in the Lakers’ three-game losing streak was their shooting struggles. It happens to most teams and it’s a matter of how quickly they can snap out of it. The Lakers were able to do that over the weekend thanks to a number of things.
Austin Reaves and LeBron James shot better, there was more ball movement on offense and there was an improved mix of lineup and rotations. These all played a role in their victories over the last two games and the hope is for the team to carry them over moving forward.
The team winning means good vibes are back
For as inconsistent as this team has been all season, what has never been a problem is their chemistry. They seem to know how to have fun around each other and that becomes more prominent when they win games. Just look at how Rui Hachimura was the target of laughs prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings last Sunday.
Rui replaced Lebron for the pregame routine and couldn’t throw the ball correctly😭
Vando and everyone can’t stop laughing. Laravia telling him where to aim and Luka is like forget it 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/hPWBdpHD9w
Or when the team was cheering on Maxi Kleber, who had himself a night against the Kings as well:
Maxi Kleber said he feels his teammates reactions from the bench in his big plays like his two posters Sunday in win vs. SAC:
“Every time I do something, you know, you look to the bench, everybody's celebrating. So obviously it's good push for me, good push for the team.” pic.twitter.com/gMgQ6YlxNA
All these prove that the team is not entirely in disarray and there are a couple of things worth being hopeful about moving forward. Only time will tell if it’s enough to make a huge impact for the Lakers’ success down the line.
But in the meantime, they’re worth taking note of as each game passes. Let’s see if the Lakers can continue to build on their recent success and make it three wins in a row against the Pelicans on Tuesday.
Notes and Updates
The Pelicans team that the Lakers will face are also one of the worst defensive teams in the league because they struggle to guard the perimeter and allow too many easy transition points. They also don’t rebound the ball very well and don’t really have the depth on offense to make up for their flaws. The Lakers should be able to take advantage.
Moreover, the Lakers have owned the Pelicans over the last two seasons as they’ve won nine out of their last 10 games against them.
There are no injuries stated on the Lakers’ injury report for this one.
