WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) — Olivia Moultrie scored early in the second half to give the Portland Thorns a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League season opener on Friday night.
It was the first road shutout for the Thorns against the Spirit since 2021. Portland fell to the Spirit 2-0 in the semifinals of the playoffs last season at Audi Field.
Moultrie broke through for the Thorns with her goal in the 52nd minute off a pass from Pietra Tordin. Moultrie broke by defender Tara Rudd and finished with a shot that Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver couldn’t reach.
The Spirit, who went on to play in the NWSL title game last season but fell 1-0 to Gotham, welcomed a sellout crowd of 19,215 for the game.
Trinity Rodman started for the Spirit after signing a three-year deal to return to the team in the offseason. The effort to keep Rodman prompted the NWSL to adopt the “High Impact Player” rule, which allows teams to go up to $1 million over the league's salary cap to sign players who meet certain criteria.
Hal Hershfelt had a shot from distance in the 75th minute hit the cross bar as the Spirit scrambled to equalize. Rodman had a header that popped up and over the goal in the final minutes.
Shortly thereafter, Sophia Wilson, who didn't play for the Thorns last season while on maternity leave, subbed into the game.
There were questions around the Thorns this season after losing midfielder Sam Coffey to Manchester City in the offseason. Portland is also playing under a new coach, Robert Vilahamn, who joined the team for the first time earlier this month.
Andi Sullivan was unavailable for the Spirit with an illness.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers, as they seemingly always do, made the Knicks sweat.
But there’s a reason there’s such a disparity in where the two teams are in the standings. By the end, it showed.
Jalen Brunson, after scoring 23 points in the first half — including an 8-0 run by himself — went quiet after halftime. Already without Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart (both out with knee soreness), they badly needed
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to step up on the offensive end. And Anunoby responded to the call with 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Bridges drilled a key 3-pointer that extended the Knicks’ lead to seven with just under two minutes to play, then Anunoby’s dunk gave them a nine-point lead and pretty much put it out of reach as the Knicks survived with a 101-92 win over the Pacers Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“OG was huge for us,” coach Mike Brown told The Post after the game. “His ability to attack the rim tonight was big time, especially with the force that he did to get the nine free throws. He was a man on a mission.”
Anunoby finished with 25 points along with eight rebounds and five assists. Bridges, who finished with 11 points, reached double figures in scoring for the only time of this now-completed five-game road trip, during which the Knicks went 3-2.
OG Anunoby attempts a shot during the Knicks’ March 13 win against the Pacers. NBAE via Getty ImagesMitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers on March 13, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NBAE via Getty Images
And Mitchell Robinson, in the starting lineup without Towns, made a big impact. He recorded a career-high 22 rebounds — nine of them on the offensive glass — and added 12 points.
And Brown won two key challenges in the fourth quarter that won possession back for the Knicks.
The Pacers, despite being the worst team in the Eastern Conference and without their best player in Pascal Siakam (and really two best players, if you count Tyrese Haliburton), never make it easy for the Knicks. The Knicks were without two starters, but they entered Friday 26 ½ games above the bottom-feeding Pacers, who have spent most of this season trying to lose and keep their top-four protected pick.
Yes, the Pacers eliminated the Knicks from the postseason the last two years, but these aren’t those Pacers. For everyone else this year, they’ve been a punching bag. For the Knicks, they are a stress test.
The first two matchups between these two teams were chaotic nail-biters. Brunson hit a clutch 3-pointer in a one-point win in December and the Knicks lost in overtime in an embarrassing loss in February. Friday was another case where you would never know the gigantic gap in the records.
“Coach [Rick] Carlisle does a great job, he’s been doing a great job his entire career,” Brunson told The Post. “He’s gonna have them ready to play, regardless.”
Leading by 13 in the third quarter, the Knicks allowed the Pacers to go on an 18-5 run to tie the game at 71 apiece with under a minute left in the quarter. Aaron Nesmith soon after hit a 3-pointer to give the Pacers the lead. But the Knicks outscored the Pacers by seven in the fourth quarter to end the road trip on a high.
Brunson was angered by an eight-second violation called on him in the second quarter and barked at the officials — then at Carlisle, who was motioning for it to be called — before the call was changed after the referees conferred with each other. Then Brunson proceeded to score the next eight points of the game, including a technical free throw. But he went just 1-for-6 from the field the rest of the way.
Landry Shamet defends during the Knicks’ March 13 win against the Pacers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectNew York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
His teammates picked up the slack, though.
“Big time,” Brunson said. “That’s what they do, that’s what they’re capable of. I have the utmost confidence in those guys, regardless of any situation.”
The win moves the Knicks just one game behind the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the East. And still, down there at the bottom of the conference, remain the Pacers.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 13: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For the Suns, coming off a back-to-back in Indiana with some injuries, it was going to be a battle. That was for sure the case, as even still shorthanded, they chose to fight throughout most of this game. Sadly, though, it was not enough, even though they tried to push this one open multiple times. The scoring fight in the fourth, alongside the Raptors’ paint dominance, was just too much for this team to handle. They end up falling to the Raptors 122-115, in a game they had in their back pocket.
This team is now 2-1 on their road trip, with important games coming up against the Celtics, Spurs, and Timberwolves. All is crucial to their final standings in this West that continues to prove a gauntlet. That being said they were some bright spots in this game that should not go unnoticed.
Devin Booker and Jalen Green combined to prove the doubters wrong about their backcourt pairing, and they continue to do so. We also got to see the rookie Rasheer Fleming have his best game for the club. Add that to Jordan Goodwin’s hustle and impact plays, and there were some positives to be shown even if the outcome was negative.
Game Flow
First Half
When this one kicked off, the Suns looked a bit jet-lagged to start, coming off the back-to-back vs the Pacers yesterday. Defensively, they were allowing the Raptors to drive and score inside, as both Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl started with 4 points each. The Raptors then had the lead, but Jalen Green came in to put that fire out and start one of his own. In the first five minutes, he was already 3/3 from beyond the arc and woke up the team to take the lead.
The Suns then found some rhythm as they traded baskets and free-throw trips with Toronto. That is right, ladies and gentlemen, so far after the first quarter, there have been 17 free throws combined from both teams. One key piece has been Jordan Goodwin, though, as he is trying to help this team create after being listed as available at the last minute. He had 5 rebounds in the first quarter. This has allowed the Raptors to have a 2-point lead, 30-28, after the first quarter.
Remember how I said they came into this game with some jet lag? Well, that could not be the opposite of the start of the second quarter. Here, the Suns took advantage of their stellar three-point shooting, as Green, Highsmith, and Allen all made a triple to push the lead to seven for Phoenix early.
After these timeouts, the team has some more motivation (I want to know what Ott says to them), and that is clearly on display in this contest. Another notable development from this quarter was the rookies breaking out once again. With each game, they continue to get better as the minutes go by, and Rasheer Fleming showed that in a nice little sequence. He had two huge blocks on back-to-back possessions, and then hit a three on the other end to keep the Suns up four.
Rasheer Fleming with the best sequence of his rookie year, so far.
The Suns were able to keep the lead for a bit before Brandon Ingram started getting hot for the Raptors. He had a stint on his own, like Booker, where they completely swung the momentum offensively with a run of their own. Luckily, the Suns have rookie Rasheer Fleming in, though, as he had another crazy block, totaling a career-high of three, and it is just the first half.
After being down two to enter the quarter, the Suns now lead three into the half. They are led by Jalen Green, who has 19 points so far and five three-pointers. After combining for 79 last night with Booker, they now have 36 in this first half. The Raptors are led by Brandon Ingram, who has 16 points.
Second Half
To start the second half, the team kept the same composure as the second quarter, aggressive, and they delivered. The Suns once again went with Green and Booker creating the offense, with both of them finding buckets early on, and Royce O’Neale got involved, making his first basket. As Ingram tried to match them, Green answered with a slam that was worthy of bringing the house down.
Jalen Green with the monster drive and slam
Also, peep Ighodaro screening his man all the way down into the paint. That's, ummm, how you clear room. pic.twitter.com/6RdEGXQbXl
Unfortunately, it was not all sunshine and rainbows in the third, though. As the team looked like they could make this game up to 10, the Raptors started to climb back. Finding easy baskets in the paint from Sandro Mamukelashvili and Ingram, still shooting hot, makes it now a three-point game. The Raptors at this point have outscored the Suns 40-24 in the paint, something the team has struggled with all year. Green, though, has seven made threes and, in this back-to-back, has seemed to convince his doubters wrong.
Luckily for the Suns, they have Devin Booker and Jalen Green, who show up when they need them most. Booker hit a buzzer-beater mid-range to end the third and put the team up 92-86, but they have 53 points combined after the third. Jordan Goodwin continues to do all the little things and show he deserves his appreciation as well.
The first-quarter start is now fantasy, as the team completely forgot about it. They continue to come out hot, with Green making another nice basket and Rasheer Fleming growing right in front of everyone’s eyes. He had a great steal and three makes on the other end to keep him in this lineup.
The team continues to make big buckets as Jalen Green is now up to 43 points and has tied a career high of 8 made threes. Alongside him, everyone in this rotation is making winning plays by playing hard defense, rewarding the offense with three-point makes.
The Raptors, though, will not back down as Ja’Kobe Walter starts making some threes. The Suns are trying to pry this one open, but when they reach double digits, Toronto comes on, crawling back. This time, they fought back enough to steal that lead right back. A scoring drought for the Suns could not come at a worse time, as the officials have their (own fun) too.
With 3:33 left, the Suns now see themselves down one and try to steal the third game of the road trip after an RJ Barrett three. He woke up in the fourth, making big shots late to keep this Raptors team with the lead, even after a clutch Royce O’Neale three. Ingram then made another jumper to bring his total to 36 points and to make the lead up to four. Green tried to make a dunk but was blocked by Scottie Barnes, and the Raptors then found Barrett for a layup to make it six. This was the end for Phoenix as they lost this one by seven and let a tough one get away.
Next Up
This team continues its road trip heading down to Boston to take on the Celtics on Monday. A game they are looking for revenge after getting embarrassed at home, without Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. Will Booker find his rhythm in TD Garden? Only time will tell.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 13: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons drives between DeJon Jarreau #77 and Jahmal Mashack #21 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on March 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons shared the ball and focused on feeding their big men inside in a 126-110 win over the overmatched Memphis Grizzlies. Jalen Duren led all scorers with 30 points on 12-of-15 shooting. Cade Cunningham didn’t even look like he broke a sweat in his 30 minutes of action. He scored 17 points on 11 shots and added 15 assists, eight rebounds, and three steals to his tally. If he wanted more, he could have gotten more of anything he wanted, but you could tell by early in the third quarter that the game was well in hand for the Pistons.
Not that Detroit didn’t make fans sweat for a little bit. Memphis was hitting everything from deep early, and Detroit was hitting Memphis shooters, sending them to the free-throw line on 3-point attempts three times in the first 13 minutes of the game.
But hanging around in a game and actually being in the game are different things, and Detroit never really seemed threatened in this one. They simply had too much working in their favor against a team starting 6-foot-7, 230-pound Oliver-Maxence Prosper at center and 6-foot-5, 206-pound Cedric Coward at power forward. Mainly, Jalen Duren, but you can also add Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and even Javonte Green to that list. The Pistons were getting pretty much anything they wanted, and Memphis could do little to stop them.
The Pistons dominated the painted area, with a 74-36 advantage. They capitalized on turnovers, with a 24-8 advantage on the fastbreak. They had a plus-14 rebound advantage and had 36 assists on 50 made field goals.
By controlling the paint, Detroit was also able to create space for shooters on the perimeter, as three to four defenders would regularly collapse on Duren when he would get the ball. Duncan Robinson hit two threes, Kevin Heurter hit two early threes, and Marcus Sasser was 4-of-8 on the night, almost all of them corner threes off of assists from kickouts.
It was a ho-hum game, but it was yet another opportunity for Detroit to wash the stink of their recent struggles off of themselves. It was also Detroit’s ninth win on the second night of a back-to-back. Their 9-2 record in that department leads the NBA.
They now have a three-game road trip, including what could be a tough game against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. After that, they play the Washington Wizards in consecutive games on Tuesday and Thursday. After another back-to-back wraps up Friday against the Golden State Warriors, they face the final tough stretch of their regular season schedule.
They host the Lakers, Hawks, Pelicans, then hit the road against the Wolves and Thunder, then come back home for the Raptors and Wolves again. Bear in mind, these games against Minnesota could also have drastic NBA Draft implications, as the Pistons hold swap rights with the Wolves.
If the Pistons manage to win around eight of those 11 games, they will be staring at 55 wins with five games remaining. That would already put them at the third-most wins for a Pistons team since the 1989-90 title season. Only one team has eclipsed 60 wins — the 2007-08 team that went 64-18 in the first year under Flip Saunders.
The unusual run out of Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha during Friday’s second ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka has ignited a spirit of cricket debate, with Tigers captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz accused of poor sportsmanship.
Austin Wells called game for the Dominican Republic on Friday.
In the seventh inning of a quarterfinal matchup against Korea, the Yankees backstop blasted a three-run homer down the right field line, putting the D.R. up 10-0 and thus enacting the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule.
With Friday’s win, the D.R. advances to the semifinals, making its first appearance there since 2013, where it wound up winning its first and only WBC championship.
“Trying to win today and be able to move to the next round was the goal,” Wells told reporters after the win. “Being able to help out today and be part of it was a lot of fun. Definitely a special moment.”
Wells’ home run put the D.R. up 10-0, thus enacting the WBC’s mercy rule. AP
The game was lopsided from the start, with the D.R. quickly notching seven runs across the second and third innings.
They were also to keep Korea’s hitters at bay, giving up just two hits and a walk through the seven-inning game.
Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sanchez started the game for the Dominican Republic, striking out eight through five innings of work.
Albert Abreu finished the game, throwing two perfect innings while striking out three.
Dominican Republic’s Austin Wells (28) gets doused as he celebrates with teammates after hitting a three-run home run to end the game early in the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against South Korea, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Miami. AP
Wells’ blast gave the D.R. its 14th home run of the tournament, tying a WBC record previously held by Mexico from the 2009 competition.
Manager Albert Pujols said that this year’s team has unmatched energy, and it’s something unique to the culture of the country.
“I just don’t think you can,” Pujols said Friday when asked how the energy could be replicated in the MLB, according to The Athletic. “That’s in our blood, that’s in our DNA. That’s how we play baseball.
Austin Wells of Team Dominican Republic celebrates his three-run home run with teammates in the seventh inning of the quarterfinal game against Team Korea in the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park on March 13, 2026 in Miami, Florida. Getty Images
“That responsibility that we have wearing this jersey, especially representing our country — the culture, the attitude, the way the guys go about it — I mean, you’re born with that, and sometimes, you know, that’s even harder to teach.”
Outfielder Julio Rodriguez has also opened up on his country pride, saying that winning for the Dominican Republic would mean more to him than taking home a World Series title with the Mariners.
“I love the Mariners,” Rodriguez said, according to Foul Territory. “They know I give my best for them every single time I step on the field, but winning the World Baseball Classic is at the top of the list.”
“This is for my country, this is for my town, this is for the people in my neighborhood,” he added. “It’s for everybody in the Dominican Republic.”
The Dominican Republic is slated to face Team USA-Canada in the semifinal round on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Kings (27-23-15) bounce back, defeating the New York Islanders (37-24-5) 3-2, for the second time this season to complete the season series sweep.
Los Angeles scored three times on its first nine shots and never trailed, building a cushion that proved crucial when the Islanders mounted a push in the final two periods.
Anze Kopitar also made history for the Kings' victory today, officially surpassing Marcel Dionne for the most road points in LA Kings history with 608 points. After the game, the Islanders showed their respect by shaking his hand before leaving the ice.
Anze Kopitar's first period goal marked his 608th career road point (221-387=608), surpassing Marcel Dionne (262-345=607) for the most road points in @LAKings history. https://t.co/ePCcBEfBlu
Los Angeles now has 69 points and is in sole possession of moving into the fourth seed in the Pacific Division if Seattle and San Jose lose.
Hot Start
The game began with the Kings scoring three goals in the first period, with Trevor Moore opening the scoring with an unassisted goal at 16:27, capitalizing on the fastbreak possession after blocking the shot on the other side of the ice.
Just under 10 minutes later, Anze Kopitar doubled the score, giving Los Angeles a 2-0 lead after burying the rebound shot from Mikey Anderson, moving him into history.
Los Angeles kept the pressure going after forcing a turnover on the Islanders. The Kings got a 2-on-2 breakaway led by Artemi Panarin, who delivered a slick feed to Adrian Kempe driving the net. Kempe finished the play with an incredible one-handed tip shot past Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin to extend the lead to 3–0.
The Kings' defense was once again impressive early on, holding the Islanders to just four shots in the period, outshooting them 10-4 in the opening frame. But, despite the early dominance, Los Angeles would go quiet on the offensive side, giving New York time to claw its way back into the game.
Emil Heineman got the Islanders on board midway through the second period after a deflection shot that went past Darcy Kuemper's glove and in, to cut the lead to 3-1.
The rest of the period would end with the Kings scoreless, but we're playing great defense, blocking shots, and forcing a lot of missed shots for the Islanders. The Kings had an impressive 23 blocked shots, constantly putting pressure on the Islanders whenever they tried to get a shot up.
Despite that, New York carried its one-goal momentum into the third period with Heineman once again scoring his second goal of the game to make it a one-goal game, setting up a tense finish in New York.
New York tried to get back in this game late, even had a chance with just three seconds remaining when they got in the face-off, but failed to get a shot up, and Los Angeles held on to the late push by the Islanders.
Key Stats
Darcy Kuemper had another solid game, finishing with 21 saves on 23 shots, once again looking healthy and comfortable at the right time of the season.
Los Angeles finished with 27 shots while killing off all three Islanders' power plays in a disciplined defensive effort.
Huge win for the Kings today, now they are in the playoff picture for the first time in over a month and can move up in the standings with a win tomorrow, and if the teams above them lose.
The Lakers will continue their road trip tomorrow, where they play the New Jersey Devils at 4:00 PM PT
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DALLAS (AP) — Evan Mobley matched his season high with 29 points, Donovan Mitchell had 24 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks 138-105 on Friday night in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Mobley had 16 points in the first quarter and was already up to 23 by halftime, the second-highest scoring half of his career. He went 12 for 15 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds while playing just 23 minutes.
James Harden finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who shot 61.5% from the field and were 18 for 38 (47%) from 3-point range.
Cooper Flagg scored 25 points for the Mavericks, who were coming off a victory in Memphis that snapped an eight-game losing streak. Naji Marshall had 17 points.
The Cavs led 38-21 after shooting 60% overall and on 3-pointers in the first quarter. Mitchell then scored 10 points in the second quarter and it was 67-50 at the break, with Mobley 10 for 12. The forward's best half was 28 points on Dec. 7, 2024, against Charlotte.
Mitchell made all five shots and scored 12 more in the Cavs' 41-point third quarter and Cleveland led by 35 in the final period.
Cleveland beat Dallas for the seventh straight time.
It says a lot about where the Islanders are that there was no attempt, not one, from their players to try to soft-pedal Friday’s loss, because this was a night when there could have been. Had they tried to go with the clichés — “We did a lot of good things,” “If we play like that every night, I like our chances” — you would have understood where they were coming from.
The Islanders had plenty of possession, plenty of chances. Their penalty kill was excellent. The top six started to roll after Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat were reunited midway through the second period and the 3-2 final certainly gave a better picture of the game than the 3-0 lead the Kings held earlier on.
Really, Los Angeles did not even look like the better team for most of the night.
Yet, here was Emil Heineman, who scored both the goals and came within an inch of a third, afterward:
“We have to acknowledge the point of time we’re in the season here, how important these games are. To not be ready when the puck drops is not good enough.”
And here was Horvat: “We can’t keep putting ourselves in that position. It physically and mentally wears on you.”
New York Islanders Center Anders Lee (27) pressures Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper during the third period at UBS Arena on March 13, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Islanders have been digging holes for themselves since the NHL returned from the Olympic break, and for the most part, they’ve done a pretty good job at climbing out. They nearly did Friday too, and for just about the entire third period, everyone inside UBS Arena thought they would.
Failing to, though, seemed to awaken the Islanders to the reality of the situation.
They came into the night hoping to pass the Penguins for second in the Metro; they exited it hoping that by the end of Saturday — when the Blue Jackets face the Flyers and the Islanders play the Flames — Columbus has not pulled ahead of the Islanders on the tiebreaker.
Indeed, there is a scenario where the Islanders wake up Sunday morning outside the playoff picture for the first time since Dec. 4. That would be the ultimate smack to a team for whom the postseason has taken on an inevitable feel even while in reality the Blue Jackets have rapidly gained ground over the last couple weeks.
One loss isn’t the end of the world but more urgency is warranted, and it certainly was Friday, when they had plenty of possession in the first period, but got just three shots on goal out of 22 attempts and made a series of mistakes to hand the Kings a 3-0 lead.
There was Scott Mayfield’s attempt that led straight to the Kings’ opening goal when Trevor Moore blocked his shot and came in unimpeded on a breakaway to score.
The two other goals the Kings scored in the first — one from Anze Kopitar off a rebound and the other from Adrian Kempe off the rush — did not come in that fashion, but Kempe’s goal came on the heels of an offensive-zone shift in which the Islanders just could not get a shot through, and Kopitar’s right after a power play.
“Instead of having the momentum, we gave them the momentum,” said coach Patrick Roy, who was not quite as self-critical as his players.
“Too complicated,” Heineman said, opting for that phrasing instead of saying the Islanders had played too fancy. “We have a lot of skill. We’re losing pucks and they’re just flying over us.”
New York Islanders Carson Soucy reacts during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Islanders went into the third period down 3-1, but with momentum decidedly on their side having dominated the 10 minutes leading into intermission, with Heineman scoring and Anders Lee having a few close calls.
Given that, and given the Islanders’ proclivity for the dramatic, it hardly counted as a surprise that Heineman scored for a second time just 3:38 into the second period, this time tipping in Matthew Schaefer’s shot to make cut it to 3-2.
The Islanders proceeded to play some of their best offensive-zone hockey of the year. Shift after shift they were up ice, pinching down the walls, holding the puck in, wearing out the Kings. Heineman nearly completed the hat trick with a third deflection that went off the bar.
New York Islanders Ilya Sorokin makes a save during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
It looked like a matter of time before the Islanders would tie the game.
And then the time ran out, with the score still frozen at 3-2 and the Islanders left to reckon with it.
“It wasn’t enough at the start,” Horvat said. “We just didn’t play a good 60 minutes.”
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 09: Willi Castro #3 of Team Puerto Rico fields a ball during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool A game presented by Capital One between Team Cuba and Team Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on Monday, March 9, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Monday, we asked which Rockie you thought was having the best WBC and who you were rooting for to win. Last night, we asked who you think will win the whole thing. Today, I present you the results from Monday’s poll:
The majority of fans believe that INF Willi Castro. Castro has gone 3-f0r-10 with a double and two RBI in four games for Team Puerto Rico. He has also drawn four walks and struck out twice with a stolen base.
Ezequiel Tovar went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in three games for Team Venezuela. He drew one walk, struck out twice, and stole a base. Juan Mejia has allowed just one hit in two scoreless innings for Team Dominican Republic.
Beyond individual players, Purple Rowers are overwhelmingly rooting for Team USA.
Unfortunately, Team Venezuela and Team Mexico have been eliminated, but we can still root for the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico!
What are your thoughts on these results? Do you agree? Have your answers changed since Monday? Let us know in the comments!
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DALLAS, TX - MARCH 13: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 13, 2026 at American Airlines Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a national game letdown, the Cleveland Cavaliers flexed their muscles from start to finish and beat down the Dallas Mavericks 138 to 105. Evan Mobley led the way with 29 points on a very efficient 12-15 shooting, while Donovan Mitchell and James Harden added 24 and 17 points, respectively. The Cavs led by 17 points at halftime, scored 41 points in the third, and led by as many as 35.
This is the type of game that the Cavs should be having against poor teams like the Mavericks. While Cooper Flagg is certainly an exciting player (he finished with 25 points, including 19 in the second half), he is not enough against what should be a championship contender like the Cavs. Dallas has the third-worst offensive rating in the league, are an equally bad three-point shooting team, and to add insult to injury, they inbounded the ball on the wrong side of the court in the third quarter. The better team did what they were supposed to do.
The Cavs set the tone with quality defense in the first half, with seven different players recording a steal and forcing 11 Dallas turnovers in total.
After a disappointing game from Mobley in Orlando, he righted the ship tonight against a Dallas team that really started Marvin Bagley III at center. The Cavs kept feeding him down low, and Mobley delivered with a monster game. Those 29 points tied his season-high, though the free-throw shooting still leaves something to be desired (3-7). As has been the case all season and last season, it comes down to consistency with Mobley in terms of energy on the offensive side of the ball. It is one thing to dominate bad teams, but it’s a new ball game against the best of the best in the league.
In a high-octane third quarter, where the Cavs had a scorching stretch of eight-straight made field goals, Harden showed off his slick handle and shot-making ability. That included draining a long three over Flagg and erasing Naji Marshall with a nasty crossover and comfortably hit the floater.
Since coming to Cleveland, Harden has been as advertised, and that was on full display against the Mavs.
Keon Ellis started in place of the injured Sam Merrill, and he produced in his absence. Ellis had 13 points and three rebounds on 5-9 shooting, but it’s the energy that is what makes him so important. Even up 25 points in the third quarter, Ellis was the first player down the floor to defend after he made a three, sprinting after his man. There is endless hustle in Ellis.
The Cavs were able to pull their starters and meaningful bench with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, an indication of their dominance all night. Nothing quite like a good old-fashioned beatdown to brighten the spirits. Cleveland will face Dallas once again on Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Tip-off is at 3:30 p.m EST.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at American Airlines Center on March 13, 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (22-45) got brushed aside on Friday by the Cleveland Cavaliers (41-26) at American Airlines Center in a 138-105 loss. Evan Mobley scored a game-high 29 points against a Mavericks front line consisting primarily of Marvin Bagley III and Dwight Powell. Cooper Flagg bounced back from a tough stretch of games after returning from his recent foot sprain for a team-high 25 points and five assists in the loss.
The Mavericks’ 12-8 start quickly turned into an 18-12 deficit with the first of two 10-0 Cavaliers runs in the first quarter. Mobley abused the depleted Dallas frontcourt on his way to 16 first-quarter points on 7-of-9 shooting. Craig Porter Jr.‘s runout layup in transition forced Mavs head coach Jason Kidd into his second run-stopping timeout of the quarter with 2:41 left.
Cleveland shot 6-of-10 from 3-point range in the first and 60% from the floor in the first, essentially eliminating the Mavericks’ chances for an upset with a 38-21 lead after one.
Flagg, who has struggled since his return from a foot injury five games ago, keyed a 12-0 Mavericks run early in the second quarter to cut Cleveland’s lead to seven, down 40-33 after Ryan Nembhard’s 3-pointer on Flagg’s fourth assist of the game with 9:21 left in the half. But back-to-back sensational finishes at the rim by Donovan Mitchell pushed the Cavs’ lead back into double digits in response to the run.
Mitchell sliced and diced the Dallas defense in the second on the way to 10 points in the quarter. The Cavs found wide open driving lanes against a porous Mavericks interior defense whenever they wanted. On the other end, Flagg made some plays distributing the ball off drives but had a hard time once again finding the bottom of the net to start the game. He came in shooting just 35.1% from the floor in the five games since his return and managed just 2-of-8 in the first half against Cleveland.
The Cavaliers led 67-50 at the half, fed in part by 11 Dallas turnovers.
Flagg started the second half with seven quick points, including a massive tomahawk slam and his first 3-pointer of the game on back-to-back possessions four and a half minutes into the third. He didn’t elevate quite as high as he has on some of his other spectacular slams throughout his rookie year, which may point to the lingering effects of his foot injury still being worked all the way out, but he’s still a sight to see when he gets going downhill.
Flagg scored all 13 of his third-quarter points in the first seven minutes of the frame, but the damage was done in the first half. The Cavs led 108-83 going into the fourth and coasted to the 138-105 win. Flagg scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half, while Mitchell finished with 24 points on 11-of-16 shooting for Cleveland.
Breaking down the rookie wall
Flagg hasn’t been quite the same since his return from the foot injury that kept him out eight games in February. To his credit, he still makes the right play nine times out of 10 and still affects the game on the defensive end, but his offensive production has taken a hit since about the 45-game mark. There are times during recent games that remind nightly viewers of his first 10 games, when he had wide eyes and hesitated on offense. One came late in Thursday’s second quarter, when he had James Harden defending him in a one-on-one situation and passed out of it to Nembhard with six seconds left on the shot clock. You’d love to see Flagg take on the challenge there, especially with a smaller defender in front of him.
It seems an opportune time to remind oneself that the guy is 19 years old and that, in the grand scheme of things, the Rookie of the Year Award doesn’t mean anything for his development. Plenty of big-time players have hit the proverbial rookie wall. Flagg played in 37 games last year in his only season at Duke. The Mavericks played their 37th game of this season back on Jan. 6.
It also seems an opportune time to remind oneself of the moment surrounding Flagg as well. The lineups he’s playing with are held together by duct tape and bubble gum. He’s playing a lot of point guard by default because the Mavericks guards are, well, awful. He’s on a team that, frankly, doesn’t care about winning. These are not ideal circumstances to grow the young man’s game. They are slightly better for growing the young man’s character, which is one valuable attribute he carried into the league with him even at such a young age.
Don’t worry about Flagg all that much if you didn’t like what you were seeing until his high-flying act in Friday’s third quarter. Charlotte’s Kon Kneuppel can have his trophy, if indeed that is the way it shakes down. He’s had an amazing year. Flagg’s day in the sun is coming.
Three’s a crowd
Let’s not kid ourselves. The Mavericks never had a chance in this one. Cleveland has too many weapons, and without a couple of the bigger bodies in the lineup (P.J. Washington, ankle; Daniel Gafford, rest), Mobley’s big night was all but inevitable.
The Cavaliers didn’t need to put it on the Mavs behind the 3-point line under these circumstances, but they did anyway, shooting 18-of-38 (47.4%) from beyond the arc in the win. Dallas made just 9-of-32 (28.1%) on the other end.
Harden shot 3-of-7 from deep, Dennis Schroeder and Jaylon Tyson combined to make 4-of-7 off the bench, and even Mobley shot 2-of-4 for the Cavaliers. Keon Ellis went 3-for-5 as well. Cleveland made a combined 12-of-19 from 3-point land in the first and third quarters in the brutal thrashing of the Mavs.
NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season and the Los Angeles Kings held off the New York Islanders 3-2 on Friday night.
Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced.
Emil Heineman scored twice for the Islanders, and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves. Bo Horvat added two assists.
Kempe scored on a wrist shot with 1:32 remaining in the first period to put the Kings up 3-0. Kempe now has five goals and four assists in his last six games.
After the game, the Islanders stayed on the ice and shook hands with Kings captain Kopitar, who is playing in his 20th and final season in the NHL.
NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season and the Los Angeles Kings held off the New York Islanders 3-2 on Friday night.
Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced.
Emil Heineman scored twice for the Islanders, and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves. Bo Horvat added two assists.
Kempe scored on a wrist shot with 1:32 remaining in the first period to put the Kings up 3-0. Kempe now has five goals and four assists in his last six games.
After the game, the Islanders stayed on the ice and shook hands with Kings captain Kopitar, who is playing in his 20th and final season in the NHL.
However, the Big 12 Player of the Year delivered one of the biggest shots thus far of March (and of his career) Friday night in an all-time thriller for No. 1 Arizona against No. 7 Iowa State in the Big 12 semifinals. With the ball in his hands in a tied game at 80-80 and time expiring, Bradly drove right, faded, shot, and found the bottom of the net for the buzzer-beating winner to send the Wildcats to Saturday's conference tournament championship game.
Bradley's shot at the T-Mobile Center came seconds after Tamin Lipsey hit a game-tying 3-pointer in front of the Cyclones bench to allow for the possibility of playing overtime in Kansas City on Friday.
"JB's one of a kind. He's put in the work like I've seen everyone else do on the team. We have the ultimate confidence in him. He won Big 12 Player of the Year for a reason," Bradley's teammate, Anthony Dell'Orso, told ESPN's Rece Davis, Jay Williams and Seth Greenberg after the game.
The Wildcats had to come from behind to win Friday's semifinal, as they trailed the Cyclones 43-37 after the first half. Arizona, which trailed as many as 12 points in the first half, finished the game on a 26-20 run against Iowa State to keep its chances of being a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament alive.
Bradley finished with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field with seven assists, two steals, two rebounds and a block.
Arizona will face the winner of Houston vs. Kansas in March 14's championship game at 6 p.m. ET.
