Cameron Green has sent a statement to Australia’s Test selectors with a century for Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield clash with New South Wales at Sydney’s Cricket Central.
Bobby McMann has 2 goals and an assist in his visa-delayed Kraken debut against Canucks
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Bobby McMann had two goals and an assist in his Kraken debut and Seattle beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on Saturday night to end a four-game losing streak and move within a point of the final wild card in the West.
McMann went from Toronto to Seattle at the trade deadline, but was delayed because of a visa issue that was resolved Friday.
His new linemates also had three-point nights, with Matty Beniers finishing with a goal and two assists, and Jordan Eberle added three assists.
Jared McCann and Jamie Oleksiak added goals for the Kraken, and Brandon Montour had two assists. Philipp Grubauer stopped 32 shots.
Evander Kane and Marco Rossi scored for NHL-worst Vancouver. Nikita Tolopilo made 28 saves. The Canucks have five games left on an eight-game homestand.
McMann scored on a power play at the end of the first period and added his second early in the third. Seattle got him for a a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft and a conditional second-round selection in 2027.
Up next
Kraken: Host Florida on Sunday night.
Canucks: Host Florida on Tuesday night.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Choiniere scores 2 goals, Lloris has 4th consecutive shutout as LAFC beats St. Louis 2-0
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mathieu Choiniere scored twice — the 27-year-old's second career multi-goal game in MLS — and Hugo Lloris had his fourth consecutive shutout on Saturday night to help Los Angeles FC beat St. Louis City 2-0.
Loris finished with four saves for LAFC (4-0-0), which has outscored its opponents 8-0 this season. The 39-year-old Lloris, who had 12 clean sheets in each of his first two seasons with the club, joined Roman Bürki (St. Louis, 2025) as the only players in MLS history with four consecutive shutouts to open a season.
Choiniere, in his ninth MLS season, went into the game with 12 goals in 132 career appearance.
Choiniere intercepted a pass near midfield, raced to the top of the penalty arc and slipped a rolling shot inside the left post to open the scoring in the 73rd minute. Then, in the 81st, Choiniere ripped a shot from near the right corner of the penalty box that skipped between the legs of defender Timo Baumgartl and bent inside the left post to make it 2-0.
Bürki had three saves for St. Louis (0-3-1).
LAFC's Denis Bouanga hit the crossbar with a shot in the opening moments and Nate Ordaz had his shot from the center of the area bounce off the right post.
Players for both teams wore black armbands with “IL” in white lettering to honor Ilona Löwen, the wife of St. Louis City's Eduard Löwen, who died Monday following a two-year battle with brain cancer. Eduard Löwen, who signed with St. Louis as a designated player in 2022, has not played this season.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Austin Reaves' equalizer, Luka Doncic game-winner lift Lakers over Nuggets
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to prove they have what it takes to be considered a contender in the Western Conference this year.
Luka Doncic and the Lakers defended home court on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, beating the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in overtime.
The Lakers have now won five straight games and eight of their last nine games. The team improved to 42-25 overall and sits third in the conference.
Doncic produced 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for a triple-double against Denver. It was the Slovenian’s seventh 30-point triple-double this season and the 55th of his career.
Doncic broke free of a double team to hit a jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime to break a 125-125 tie and give Los Angeles the edge.
LUKA. CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/slrRwgyZZy
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 15, 2026
“I felt like it was the best atmosphere since I've been a Laker,” Doncic told reporters after the game. “The whole crowd was into it and was really special to witness that."
The clutch performance followed Doncic's previous game, where he nearly put together a triple-double. He had 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
Austin Reaves helped send the game to overtime when he intentionally missed a free-throw attempt and collected the rebound to score a jumper and tie the game at 118 with 1.9 seconds left in regulation.
AUSTIN REAVES GRABS THE BOARD OFF HIS OWN MISSED FREE THROW AND TIES THE GAME 😲
— NBA (@NBA) March 15, 2026
WE ARE GOING TO OT! pic.twitter.com/aPZAJkEpxM
Reaves finished the game with 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists. LeBron James added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists and Marcus Smart scored 21 points.
Austin Reaves said "I love you" to the ball after his clutch shot 😂❤️ https://t.co/0J9yTjyUwjpic.twitter.com/0qDfw3DdYF
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 15, 2026
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic game winner, Austin Reaves play lead Lakers to OT win
Luka Doncic’s game-winner lifts Lakers to OT win over Nuggets
For 30 ½ minutes on Saturday night, the Lakers were in the driver’s seat while hosting the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. And then the Nuggets were in control.
And then each team gave the other their best shots.
But the Lakers had the best shot: a game-winning 17-foot fadeaway jumper from Luka Doncic in overtime to give the Lakers a 127-125 dramatic win over the Nuggets to close out a 5-0 homestand they had three of their best victories of the season during.
“He just made a great basketball play, got to his spot and hit a tough shot,” coach JJ Redick said. “And that was a great moment for him. I’m happy for him.
Doncic capped off the game with another big play when he blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s last second-shot attempt, sealing the victory for the Lakers.
But Doncic wasn’t alone in his late-game heroics.
There was LeBron James, at 41 years old, fully extending his body while diving on the floor for a loose ball to force a jump ball with the Lakers down, 112-111, with 54.6 seconds left in regulation.
“Just living in the moment – understanding the impact of the game, the implications of the game and our opponent and what we’re trying to build,” James said. “Every possession matters.”
What a play from LeBron James pic.twitter.com/0SNCCrYPwA
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) March 15, 2026
After the Lakers lost the jump ball, Marcus Smart picked Aaron Gordon’s pocket, making a layup in transition to momentarily give the Lakers a one-point lead in regulation. And when the game went into overtime, Smart once again stepped up with a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers a 125-123 lead with 31 seconds left.
Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton also made big plays on both ends of the floor to help the Lakers beat the Nuggets.
Doncic didn’t have the most efficient shooting night (10 of 26), but he recorded a 30 point-13 assist-11 rebound triple-double.
Reaves led the Lakers with 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, making big plays in his own right during a game several Laker plays did.
Smart made five 3-pointers and recorded five steals, finishing with 21 points, while LeBron James added 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with a 24 point-16 rebound-14 assist triple-double.
What it means
The Lakers improved to 42-25 on the season, moving back up to third in the Western Conference’s standings.
They won the regular season series over the Nuggets (41-27), 2-1, with Denver staying at sixth in the West.
The Lakers are on a five-game winning streak.
Turning point
With the Lakers down 118-116 with 5.2 seconds left in regulation, Reaves intentionally missed his second free throw before grabbing an offensive rebound off of his own miss and hitting an eight-foot floater to tie the game at 118 apiece.
“I knew I was going to miss,” Reaves said. “I wasn’t going to give the ball an opportunity to go in. Some people shoot it high and they end up making it on accident. But I don’t think my ball ever got over 10 feet.”
End of 4Q: Lakers 118, Nuggets 118.
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) March 15, 2026
Austin Reaves intentionally missed the 2nd FT and made the runner to send Lakers-Nuggets into OT.
Lakers' first overtime game of the season. pic.twitter.com/urt7OGNvDi
Co-MVPs: Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
Both of the Lakers star guards made big plays down the stretch to put the Lakers in position to beat the Nuggets.
They combined for 62 points, 19 assists, 18 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals.
Stat of the game: 6
Saturday marked Doncic’s sixth career game-winning field goal in the final five seconds of a game (five in the regular season, one in the playoffs), according to the Lakers.
Up next
The Lakers will kick off a six-game road trip when they play the Rockets on Monday at Toyota Center.
It’ll be the first of two matchups in Houston, with the Lakers playing the Rockets again on Wednesday.
Hawaii beats UC Irvine 71-64 to win Big West and clinch first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Isaac Johnson scored 22 points to lead No. 2 seed Hawaii to a 71-64 victory over top-seeded UC Irvine on Saturday night for the Rainbow Warriors' first Big West Championship title and NCAA Tournament berth since 2016 — coach Eran Ganot's first with the program.
Hawaii (24-8) led for most of the game and took the lead for good on Johnson's layup with about 10 minutes to play. UC Irvine pulled to 66-64 with 38 seconds left but Harry Rouhliadeff answered with a layup and then Dre Bullock followed with a breakaway two-hand slam dunk to help seal it for the Warriors.
Rouhliadeff, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 78-63 win against Cal State Fullerton in the semifinal, finished with 15 points and a season-high 12 rebounds against the Anteaters for his second double-double of the season. Bullock also scored 15 points to go with seven rebounds for the Warriors.
Jurian Dixon scored 17 points for UC Irvine (23-11). Derin Saran and Kyle Evans added 13 points apiece and Andre Henry had 12.
Hawaii entered 0-3 in matchups against UC Irvine in the tournament (2013, 2018 quarterfinals and 2015 finals).
___
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Wilyer Abreu uncorks epic bat flip after putting Venezuela ahead in stunning WBC upset against Japan
In a World Baseball Classic already filled with cinematic moments, with epic home run celebrations and moments capturing the magnitude of these games on the international stage, Wilyer Abreu just added another one to the list.
Abreu, a Red Sox outfielder playing for Venezuela, took a 2-1 pitch from Japan pitcher Hiromi Itoh and crushed it 409 feet over the right-field fence in the sixth inning, giving Venezuela the lead for good with a three-run blast during its eventual 8-5 upset in the quarterfinals on Saturday night loanDepot Park in Miami.
After Abreu swung, he watched his ball’s flight trajectory for a moment.
Then, another moment.
He turned toward the Venezuela dugout, already erupting with cheers, and pumped his bat once before launching it high in the air and beginning to shuffle down the first base line.
“That was an exciting moment,” Abreu said in a postgame television interview. “I tried to at least tie the game with a sac fly. He gave me a really good pitch to hit. I made good contact. I’m very excited for this win. Now in the semifinals I hope I can do the same thing I did today.”
It was a stunning moment, one that meant Japan — and Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani — failed to defend their WBC title after winning it in 2023.
Abreu, 26, was hitting seventh in a batting order that already includes Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. — who homered in the first inning off Yoshinobu Yamamoto — and Royals star Maikel Garcia, whose two-run homer in the fifth inning trimmed Japan’s lead to one.
Then, Abreu uncorked the swing for the ages.
Ezequiel Tovar added another homer in the eighth inning that extended Venezuela’s lead, while former Yankee Gleyber Torres also flew out to the wall in that same frame.
Venezuela will now face Italy in the semifinals on Monday.
The United States and the Dominican Republic will square off in the other semifinal on Sunday night.
— with AP
Celtics win over Wizards powered by two “great friends”
BOSTON — When Neemias Queta finally checked out of Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards, Luka Garza shot to his feet and slapped Queta’s chest in congratulatory fashion. Queta had just completed one of his best games of the season — tallying 24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal — and Garza was eager to celebrate.
Such has been a common sight on the sidelines. Whenever one Celtics big man has put together a strong performance this season, the other center celebrates the success as though it were their own.
“We definitely are great friends,” Garza told CelticsBlog before Saturday’s game.
So, in typical fashion, as Queta exploded for a career-best 22 points in the first half, Garza was the first to his feet after every basket, pumping his fist at every putback and crafty finish that Queta converted.
Then, in the second half, the roles had somewhat reversed, and Garza was the one hitting shot after shot, finishing the game with 15 points.
This time, it was Queta leaping to his feet every time Garza
“When I’m on the bench, I’m just trying to cheer him up as much as I can,” Queta said. “Maybe learn a little bit with the crashing, and be[ing] able to get offensive rebounds.”
The two big men — who rarely share the floor — together combined for 39 points on Saturday, their highest-scoring total as Celtics teammates. The two have very different cultural backgrounds — Queta grew up in Portugal, Garza in Virginia — but have become fast friends in Boston.
And, they’re bonded by a similar uphill journey to make it in the NBA. Both centers were drafted in 2021, in the second round; Queta was picked 33rd by the Sacramento Kings, and Garza was picked 52nd by the Detroit Pistons. Both have fought for two-way contracts, and in moments, felt their future in the NBA was in jeopardy.
“There’s just a level of respect there from both of our journeys of coming to the league and both being second-round draft picks, both being in and out of the G League, not really getting a chance,” Garza told CelticsBlog before Saturday’s game. “And then, obviously, this year being the year that both of us get the biggest opportunities of our careers. So, I think there’s a lot of support for each other through that.”
Now, both are playing their best basketball, having received their most extended opportunities yet.
After being the Celtics’ fourth-string center last year, Queta has started every game he’s appeared in this season. He’s averaging 10 points and 8.4 rebounds in 25 minutes a night, having established himself as one of the league’s elite big man defenders.
Garza is averaging a career-high 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game, having appeared in 56 of the Celtics’ 67 games. He’s shooting 42.1% from three — a stark improvement from his 27.8% clip last year. Compared to Queta, Garza’s role has been more inconsistent; he’s dealt with stretches of DNPs and more limited minutes, especially in the weeks after Nikola Vucevic’s arrival in Boston.
But Luka Garza has always stayed ready
Despite fluctuating opportunities, Garza’s mindset and preparation have never wavered. So, when Vucevic fractured his ring finger last Friday, Garza was ready to slot back into the rotation.
“If I’m not playing, I’m really focused on growth and development and working on what I can do to improve when the next chance comes,” Garza said. “That helps keep my mind right in shape and all those kinds of things. So when it does come, then I’m ready.”
Another key?
Garza’s game-day routine never changes, regardless of how things have gone of late.
“The last three years in Minnesota, more often than not, I wasn’t going to check in, but I still kept the same routine, just because you never know what can happen,” he said. “And I’ve seen guys who don’t do that, and then the opportunity comes, and they’re not ready. And those small opportunities that you take advantage of can change your life, can change your career.”
It’s that type of preparation that has allowed Garza to pour in 15 points on 5-6 shooting in 15 minutes on Saturday. And, during game action, when Garza is on the sidelines, he’s scouting Queta’s every step.
“During the game, I’m mostly watching him, because that’s my position, that’s what’s happening in the game – I’m locked in on him,” Garza said. “I’m locked in on how he’s setting screens, how they’re treating him. If they’re trying to go under, if they’re trying to go over.”
If Queta’s positioning is at all off on either end of the floor, Garza tries to note that too. Anything he observes from the sideline is critical information he’ll use when he checks into the game. In particular, Garza looks to study Queta’s defensive positioning, which has become critical to the Celtics’ success.
“I’m always just kind of watching and seeing, and that leads to learning a lot from him, especially defensively, and just how he anchors the paint and his positioning, especially in deep situations when he’s playing kind of a deeper drop,” Garza said. “And, there are certain times that I’ll be in that [coverage] as well, and that’s something I’ve always looked to improve on and get better at.”
And, when roles are revesed and Queta is on the sidelines, he takes it as an opportunity to study Garza’s uncanny ability to offensive rebound.
“He’s such a workhorse,” Queta said. “And, he really gets his imprint on the game.”
For Joe Mazzulla, both players have been critical to the Celtics’ success this season.
“They’re both different in their versatility,” Mazzulla said. “They both can impact matchups. They both can impact coverages. You can play different coverages with them defensively. They both do a great job of playing off of each other, having an understanding that they need each other, and that our team needs both of them to be really good, and they both have an understanding of what each guy can do. When you have that, it’s just part of being a good team. It’s a credit to those guys for helping us be that.”
Off the court, the two have grabbed dinner and gotten to know each other in a more meaningful way.
“Neemi’s an awesome dude,” Garza said. “This team, in general, is really connected.”
Queta and Garza’s underlying friendship has been one of the many strong relationships key to the Celtics’ success. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman are in theory competing for minutes, but that hasn’t stopped them from being the best of friends.
“At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is to win,” Mazzulla said.
All season long, Queta and Garza have helped the Celtics do just that.
Shohei Ohtani homers, but Japan eliminated by Venezuela
For the first time in the history of the World Baseball Classic, Japan won’t be in the semifinals. They were out-slugged by Venezuela 8-5 on Saturday night at loanDepot Park in Miami. Venezuela is into the semifinals of the WBC for the first time since 2009, and with the win clinched a berth into the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Maikel Garcia hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, and Wilyer Abreu hit the go-ahead three-run shot in the sixth to give Venezuela the lead for good. Of the 17 total hits in the game, 10 were for extra bases, including five home runs.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled at the start, needing 57 pitches to record his first nine outs. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit the second pitch of the night out for a leadoff home run, but Shohei Ohtani answered the call in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff blast of his own.
Sarah Langs at MLB.com noted that no major league game has ever featured two former league MVPs each hitting a leadoff home run, which made this WBC quarterfinal quite the rarity.
Venezuela hit consecutive doubles for another run in the second inning, driven in by Ezequiel Tovar, who has Yamamoto’s number at this point. The Rockies shortstop has eight hits in 12 at-bats against Yamamoto, with two home runs and two doubles. But lukily for Yamamoto, one of those outs was a strikeout to end the third inning, when Venezuela stranded a leadoff double.
With three doubles and a home run on Saturday, Yamamoto allowed four extra-base hits in a start for just the second time in 60 starts since joining the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The other time came last June 13 against the Giants at Dodger Stadium.
But after Japan scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning, including a three-run home run by Shota Morishita for a 5-2 lead, Yamamoto remained in and pitched a perfect fourth inning, retiring his final six batters faced. Yamamoto allowed those two early runs but nothing else in his four innings, with five strikeouts and a walk in his 69-pitch effort.
Japan did not score after the third inning, at one point held hitless for 13 straight at-bats by Emmanuel De Jesus, José Buttó, Angel Zerpa, and Andrés Machado, including two strikeouts of Ohtani. Those were the only times Ohtani struck out in five games in this tournament. In all, he had six hits, including three home runs and a double, in 12 at-bats plus five walks, three of them intentional, hitting .500/.647/1.333 with six runs scored and seven RBI.
Japan reached the semifinal round in the first five World Baseball Classics, including tournament wins in 2006, 2009, and 2023.
Earlier in Saturday quarterfinals action in Houston, Italy remained undefeated, this time holding on to beat Puerto Rico 8-6.
Edwin Díaz hit a batter, walked another, and threw a wild pitch, but pitched a scoreless ninth inning, with two strikeouts. In three appearances during the WBC, the Dodgers right-hander pitched three scoreless innings with one hit, one walk, one hit batter, and allowed two steals, but also struck out seven of his 12 batters faced.
Catcher Will Smith is the only Dodgers player still active in the World Baseball Classic.
Remaining WBC schedule
- Sunday semifinal: USA vs. Dominican Republic, 5 p.m. PT (FS1)
- Monday semifinal: Italy vs. Venezuela, 5 p.m. (FS1)
- Tuesday championship game, 5 p.m. (Fox)
Carlos Alcaraz stays positive after winning streak ended by Daniil Medvedev at Indian Wells
Spanish world No 1 falls to first defeat of tennis season
Medvedev wins 6-3, 7-6(3) to set up final against Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz said he was finding it tough to constantly have a target on his back and was surprised by the level of performance from Daniil Medvedev after the Russian handed him his first defeat of the season at Indian Wells.
Medvedev’s 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over the world No 1 in the semi-finals ended the Spaniard’s 16-match winning run to start the season. World No 11 Medvedev will play Jannik Sinner in the final on Sunday.
Continue reading...Dejan Joveljić haunts former team, Lasse Johnson shines in debut as Sporting KC edges Galaxy 2-1
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Dejan Joveljić had a goal and an assist against his former team, Lasse Johnsen had a goal and an assist in his league debut and Sporting Kansas City beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday night.
Neither team found the net until Joveljić used assists from Manu García and Johnsen to score two minutes into stoppage time for a 1-0 lead at halftime. García earned his first assist after tallying nine as a rookie last season.
Joveljić, along with Stephen Afrifa, set up an insurance goal by Johnsen in the 74th minute for a 2-0 advantage. Afrifa's helper was first this season and his second in 39 appearances.
That proved necessary for the victory after Marco Reus used his head for an unassisted score in the 82nd minute to cut the Galaxy's deficit to a goal. Reus scored for the first time this season and the seventh time in 31 career matches.
John Pulskamp finished with four saves to help Sporting KC (1-2-1) earn its first victory of the season while putting an end to a seven-match losing streak on the road dating to last season.
Novak Micovic saved two shots for the Galaxy (1-2-1).
Joveljić totaled 34 goals and 11 assists in 106 starts with LA from 2021-24. He had 15 goals and six assists during the Galaxy's championship run in 2024 when he scored the second goal in a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bullls. His third goal this season gives him 21 along with three assists in 36 matches with Sporting KC.
Los Angeles played without Gabriel Pec, who was suspended for the match after receiving a red card in a 4-1 road loss to the Colorado Rapids last week. Joseph Paintsil was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The Galaxy have a slim lead in the all-time series 29-28-18, including a 19-9-9 record at home.
Both teams posted home victories in two matchups last season.
Up next
Sporting KC: Hosts Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Los Angeles: At Portland Timbers on Sunday.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Hardaway, Rowe set pace as UTSA defense swarms in 54-40 win over Rice for American Conference title
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Ereauna Hardaway and Cheyenne Rowe each scored 13 points and UTSA held Rice to a season-low score beating the Owls 54-40 on Saturday in the American Conference title game on Saturday.
Idara Udo added 11 points for No. 6 seed UTSA (18-15) which clinched its first championship — and NCAA Tournament berth —since joining the American.
Hailey Adams was the only player for top-seeded Rice (28-5) in double figures with 12 points.
UTSA led 20-13 at halftime as the two squads recorded the lowest scoring half in the history of American Conference tournament play. The Owls drew within 24-20 to start the third quarter, but UTSA went on a 10-0 run in which Udo scored half the points and the Roadrunners stayed up by double digits for the remainder. Damara Allen's basket with 5:04 left made it 48-30.
Rice's only regular season conference defeat occurred when it hosted UTSA in a 61-52 loss on March 7.
UTSA knocked off second-seeded East Carolina 54-44 on Friday night and also held the Pirates to their lowest scoring total of the season.
UTSA last reached the NCAA Tournament in the 2009 season as a member of the Southland Conference. It was the program’s sixth conference championship appearance overall, and the Roadrunners now have an even record in conference championship play.
UTSA won consecutive titles in the Southland in 2008 and 2009. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Luka Doncic hits game-winner with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime as Lakers beat Nuggets 127-125
Luka Doncic made a fall-away jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 on Saturday night.
Austin Reaves forced overtime when he rebounded his intentionally missed free throw and made a floater with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation.
Doncic created enough distance from Spencer Jones to make the 17-foot shot, finishing with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as he continued his spectacular play during Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak. Doncic then blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s desperation heave following a Denver timeout.
Reaves finished with 32 points, making the first free throw and then perfectly executing his missed second attempt off the front of the rim after the Nuggets fouled him to prevent a tying 3-point attempt leading 118-115 with 5.2 seconds left.
Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 27 points and Hardaway finished with 20.
Jamal Murray fouled out 31 seconds into overtime, finishing with five points, six rebounds and six assists on a miserable 1-for-14 night.
Houston, the Lakers, Denver and Minnesota all came into Saturday with 41 wins as they jockey to be as high as the third seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets already held tiebreakers over the Rockets and Timberwolves by virtue of having won the season series against both teams, but the Lakers denied them a clean sweep in the crowded middle.
Deandre Ayton had four of his nine points in overtime and Marcus Smart hit a 3-pointer to put Los Angeles up with 30 seconds left, only for Jokic to score a driving layup up off the glass over Ayton to tie it with 15.1 to go.
Up next
Nuggets: Host the 76ers on Tuesday.
Lakers: Visit the Rockets on Monday.
Doncic drills a buzzer-beating OT jumper as Lakers beat Nuggets
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic made a fall-away jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 127-125 on Saturday night.
Austin Reaves forced overtime when he rebounded his intentionally missed free throw and made a floater with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation.
Doncic created enough distance from Spencer Jones to make the 17-foot shot, finishing with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as he continued his spectacular play during Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak. Doncic then blocked Tim Hardaway Jr.’s desperation heave following a Denver timeout.
Reaves finished with 32 points, making the first free throw and then perfectly executing his missed second attempt off the front of the rim after the Nuggets fouled him to prevent a tying 3-point attempt leading 118-115 with 5.2 seconds left.
Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists for his 27th triple-double of the season. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 27 points and Hardaway finished with 20.
Jamal Murray fouled out 31 seconds into overtime, finishing with five points, six rebounds and six assists on a miserable 1-for-14 night.
76ERS 104, NETS 97
PHILADELHPIA (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored a season-high 28 points and Philadelphia held on for a victory over Brooklyn.
Grimes had eight rebounds for the short-handed 76ers, who were missing Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., among other players. Justin Edwards scored 19 points while adding three steals.
Danny Wolf had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who lost their third straight game. Josh Minott added 14 points.
The 76ers entered halftime up 53-31. Adem Bona’s free throw with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter gave Philadelphia the lead for good at 88-87.
HAWKS 122, BUCKS 99
ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 30 points, Jalen Johnson had his 12th triple-double of the season and Atlanta beat Milwaukee Bucks for its ninth straight victory.
Johnson finished with 23 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as Atlanta extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA. McCollum made seven 3-pointers and moved ahead of Paul Pierce into 16th place on the career list with 2,147.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 20 points for the Hawks, who led 60-52 after a first half with six lead changes and four ties. The Hawks then broke it open in the third quarter by outscoring Milwaukee 35-26, with McCollum scoring 11.
Ryan Rollins scored 22 points for the Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo after he sprained his left ankle during Milwaukee’s 112-105 loss to Miami on Thursday. Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
SPURS 115, HORNETS 102
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 32 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks in his return from a one-game absence, leading San Antonio to a victory over Charlotte.
Miles Bridges had 22 points and Kon Knueppel added 20 for Charlotte, which had won two straight and eight of 10.
The Spurs have won 17 of 19 to tighten their grip on second in the Western Conference. San Antonio (49-18) is 7 1/2 games ahead of No. 3 Houston (41-25) and three games behind Oklahoma City (52-15) for first.
The Spurs closed their longest homestand 5-1, with their only loss coming as Wembanyama watched from the bench because of a sore right calf in a 136-131 loss to Denver on Thursday that snapped a five-game winning streak.
Wembanyama had an immediate impact with 18 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the first half.
CELTICS 111, WIZARDS 100
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a season-high 32 minutes, Neemias Queta had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Boston withstood a late charge to beat Washington for its 11th straight loss.
Tatum had his second double-double since making his season debut earlier this month. Jaylen Brown added 16 points to help the Celtics snap a two-game skid.
Boston’s lead grew to 30 points in the third quarter, but Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla kept Tatum on the court to allow him to reach a high for minutes in the four games he’s played in since his return from Achilles tendon surgery. He had been capped at 27 minutes in his previous three games.
Washington, which was coming off erasing a 17-point deficit to force overtime in a loss at Orlando on Thursday, chopped Boston’s lead to 12 in the fourth quarter. But the Celtics got a layup from Tatum and 3-pointer by Sam Hauser to help them close it out.
Tristan Vukcevic had 22 points to lead the Wizards.
MAGIC 121, HEAT 117
MIAMI (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 27 points, Desmond Bane added 21 and Orlando beat Miami, becoming the second team in the last 30 years to beat the same opponent five times in one season.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 15 for the Magic, who won their seventh straight and snapped Miami’s season-best, seven-game winning streak.
Orlando led by as many as 22, before Miami twice got within two in the final 18.5 seconds.
Orlando (38-28) moved a game clear of Miami (38-30) in the race for fifth in the Eastern Conference, plus is 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2023-24 season.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 22, while Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell each had 20 for Miami, which hadn’t gone 0-5 against one team since doing so against New York — then coached by now-Heat President Pat Riley — in 1992-93.
The only other instance in the last three decades: New Orleans went 5-0 against Sacramento in 2023-24.
Yankees news: Kyle Carr among four spring training cuts
NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees reassigned four pitchers from spring training camp Saturday morning. The four non-roster invitees — Michael Arias, Kyle Carr, Dylan Coleman, and Dom Hamel — will continue to ramp up at the team’s minor-league complex. Carr, MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 Yankees prospect, is the most touted of the bunch and allowed one run in four innings while punching out four in big-league camp. The transaction leaves the club with 54 players on their spring training roster, not including 11-year veteran Rafael Montero, a non-roster invitee who has been unable to join camp due to visa issues.
MLB.com | Paul Casella: Carlos Rodón threw 30 pitches against live batters Saturday morning, an encouraging sign as he works back from elbow surgery. “I feel like I had more, like I could have gone more, but obviously can’t do that yet,” he said after the session.
With a host of other pitching options in spring camp, the Yankees plan to slow-play the Rodón’s recovery, ensuring he has plenty of time to ramp up. Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers appear poised to open the season behind ace Max Fried in the rotation, with swingman Ryan Yarbrough and prospects Elmer Rodríguez, Carlos Lagrange, and Ben Hess waiting in the wings.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: With Rodón and Gerrit Cole slated to begin the season on the IL, Fried is leaning into his role as the unquestioned ace of the Yankees’ staff. “He loves the craft of pitching,” said Aaron Boone. “He loves all that being on a team is about. He’s similar to [Aaron Judge] in that way, where it’s team above him, is how he kind of embodies it. Super accountable. Demands a lot of himself and his teammates.”
The four-time Gold Glover has been hands-on this spring, including helping provide focus to a bunt defense drill. “He drives a lot of the conversation, too,” Boone said. “A lot of the drill stuff that we’ve done, fundamental stuff, he’s a big voice and is pushing guys and is asking questions. He’s kind of setting the tone and setting the standard.”
SNY | SNY Newsdesk: Several Yankees continued to leave their mark on the world stage during World Baseball Classic quarterfinal action the past couple days. Aaron Judge notched a double and a walk for Team USA in its victory over Canada, with his teammate David Bednar working out of a two-on, no-out jam in the seventh. Austin Wells hit a three-run homer off the bench for Team Dominican Republic, staking the team to a three-run lead that walked off Korea via mercy rule.
There weren’t as many Yankees in action yesterday for Puerto Rico vs. Italy and Japan vs. Venezuela. Fernando Cruz went four-up/four-down with a pair of strikeouts in relief, but Puerto Rico’s WBC run came to an end against old friend Francisco Cervelli’s Italy club. So Cruz will soon return to Yankees camp, as will pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez, who threw three scoreless innings of one-hit ball against Cuba in pool play.