CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand won the toss and chosen to bowl Wednesday in the fifth and deciding Twenty20 against South Africa at Hagley Oval.
After a run of low-scoring matches, the series is level at 2-2. South Africa won the first match by seven wickets, New Zealand won the second and third by 68 runs and eight wickets, respectively, and South Africa won the fourth by 19 runs.
Both teams named unchanged lineups for the first time this series.
South Africa has retained spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who made an impressive debut in the fourth match at Wellington on Sunday.
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Lineups:
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Jimmy Neesham (captain), Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foukes, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears.
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, Connor Esterhuizen, Rubin Hermann, Dian Forrester, Jason Smith, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Prenelan Subrayen, Ottneil Baartman.
An MLB season is a marathon, not a sprint. Still, it never hurts to get off to a fast start.
Opening Day marks the starting line for 30 teams on their 162-game race to the postseason. A win is obviously the goal, but a loss to start the season isn’t the end of the world. Just look at some of the teams that have lifted the Commissioner’s Trophy.
In the 123-year history of the World Series, a majority of champions have started their title runs with an Opening Day win. However, a handful of recent World Series winners have proven that an Opening Day defeat is more than surmountable.
Let’s look back through over a century of MLB history and see how eventual World Series champions fared on Opening Day.
How many World Series winners lost on Opening Day?
Forty-one of the 121 World Series winners lost their first game of the season.
It was not a common trend in MLB’s early days. Between 1903 and 1934, six teams lost on Opening Day and went on to win it all.
The impact of a team’s Opening Day result noticeably dropped at the turn of the century. Since 2000, eventual World Series winners are just 15-11 on Opening Day.
What is the worst start to the season for a World Series winner?
The Atlanta Braves made history in 2021 by becoming the first MLB team to start a season 0-4 and wind up winning the Fall Classic.
Five other teams in MLB history overcame 0-3 starts to a season on their way to a championship. Six more started 0-2.
The remaining 109 World Series champions either won on Opening Day or picked up a victory in the second game of the year. That includes the 1933 New York Giants, who remain the only World Series winners to tie their season opener.
How every World Series winner fared on Opening Day
Here is the Opening Day result for every World Series winner in MLB history:
1903 Boston Americans: Won 9-4 vs. Philadelphia Athletics
1905 New York Giants: Won 10-1 vs. Boston Beaneaters
BOTTOM LINE: Orlando looks to stop its six-game skid when the Magic take on Sacramento.
The Magic are 22-15 in home games. Orlando is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 51.1 points per game in the paint led by Franz Wagner averaging 10.9.
The Kings are 6-29 in road games. Sacramento gives up 121.2 points to opponents and has been outscored by 10.4 points per game.
The Magic score 115.7 points per game, 5.5 fewer points than the 121.2 the Kings give up. The Kings average 110.8 points per game, 4.0 fewer than the 114.8 the Magic give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Feb. 20 the Magic won 131-94 led by 30 points from Paolo Banchero, while Maxime Raynaud scored 17 points for the Kings.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wendell Carter Jr. is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 7.5 rebounds for the Magic. Banchero is averaging 26.4 points and 6.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 18.2 points and 4.1 assists for the Kings. Raynaud is averaging 18.9 points and eight rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 4-6, averaging 120.7 points, 42.1 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 8.3 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.7 points per game.
Kings: 5-5, averaging 114.4 points, 45.0 rebounds, 28.0 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.6 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Jalen Suggs: out (illness), Anthony Black: out (abdomen), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).
Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Precious Achiuwa: out (back), Russell Westbrook: out (foot), Killian Hayes: out (toe), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Nique Clifford: out (foot), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Denver will try to keep its four-game home win streak intact when the Nuggets play Dallas.
The Nuggets are 26-16 in conference matchups. Denver is 8-11 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Mavericks have gone 12-32 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas is 5-7 in one-possession games.
The Nuggets average 120.8 points per game, 1.8 more points than the 119.0 the Mavericks allow. The Mavericks average 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.6 fewer made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the Nuggets allow.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Nuggets won the last meeting 118-109 on Jan. 15. Jamal Murray scored 33 points to help lead the Nuggets to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tim Hardaway Jr. is scoring 13.8 points per game and averaging 2.6 rebounds for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 25.0 points and 12.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Naji Marshall is averaging 15.3 points and 3.3 assists for the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 123.0 points, 43.7 rebounds, 31.4 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points per game.
Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 115.2 points, 44.6 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.5 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Caleb Martin: out (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Daniel Gafford: day to day (shoulder), Brandon Williams: day to day (concussion protocol).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland takes on the Miami Heat after Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 136-131 win over the Orlando Magic.
The Cavaliers are 29-17 in Eastern Conference games. Cleveland is 2-5 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Heat have gone 22-20 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is the Eastern Conference leader with 46.7 rebounds per game led by Bam Adebayo averaging 9.8.
The Cavaliers are shooting 47.9% from the field this season, 1.9 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Heat allow to opponents. The Heat average 5.3 more points per game (120.2) than the Cavaliers give up (114.9).
The teams play for the third time this season. The Cavaliers won the last matchup 130-116 on Nov. 13. Jarrett Allen scored 30 points to help lead the Cavaliers to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Evan Mobley is scoring 18.3 points per game and averaging 8.9 rebounds for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 22.7 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Adebayo is averaging 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 119.1 points, 43.4 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 121.9 points, 43.4 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.4 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: Craig Porter Jr.: out (groin), Jaylon Tyson: out (toe), Jarrett Allen: out (knee).
Heat: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) celebrates a three point shot against the Denver Nuggets in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Phoenix Suns had themselves another heartbreaker tonight. Devin Booker had a chance to add another game-winner to his resume, but it was just off the mark.
Wow. Devin Booker had a clean look to win the game. Left it just short
It was a physical game with plenty of runs and swings from two potent offenses. Nikola Jokic had another effortless triple-double, pouring in 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 17 assists on 9-16 FG. Denver had seven players score 9 or more points, including 21 from Jamal Murray.
The Suns had their own balanced attack, with six players pouring in 11 points or more. Devin Booker finished with 22 points and 8 assists on 5 of 14 shooting. Jalen Green chipped in with 21 points of his own on 6 of 13 shooting from the floor. Phoenix also got some key contributions from its role players, with Grayson Allen adding 21 points and Royce O’Neale chipping in with 17.
This is the type of loss that all but punches your ticket into the play-in, barring an otherworldly finish to the final 9 games of the season.
Game Flow
First Half
The teams opened the game trading buckets early on. Then, the Suns turned it up a notch offensively to create a bit of separation.
A pair of Royce O’Neale and Collin Gillespie triples paced Phoenix. Gillespie poured in 8 points in a hurry against his former team to give Phoenix a 25-16 lead.
The Suns led by as many as 11 points in the opening quarter, despite getting outrebounded 15-9. Denver had 16 points in the paint in the opening quarter to Phoenix’s 12.
Phoenix also did a strong job of taking care of the basketball, as they did not commit a single turnover while dishing out 10 assists as a team in the opening 12 minutes.
After one, the Suns held a 35–28 lead. Collin Gillespie led the way with 8 points. Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale each had six points, connecting on a pair of threes each. One of those Allen threes just so happened to be the 1,000th of his career.
Jalen Green had himself quite the second quarter, pouring in 11 points in a flurry. From a straight-up “movement” perspective, it was the bounciest and most explosive he’s looked as a Sun.
Then came the response from Denver. They opened the 2nd quarter on a 13-6 push to even things up at 41 about halfway through the quarter.
A balanced Denver attack offensively was tearing the Suns’ defense apart, as the Nuggets took a 52-50 lead, which led to a Jordan Ott timeout to regroup.
The timeout did not slow the momentum, as the Nuggets continued to dominate the interior and extend their lead to 12. Denver poured in 39 points in the quarter, taking complete control offensively.
At the break, the Nuggets led 67-57. Jokic had a casual 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists at the half. Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen led the way for Phoenix with 11 points each.
Second Half
The physicality of the third quarter picked up quite a bit, with Phoenix showing they were not going down without a fight.
Jokic kept carving up Phoenix’s defense as a playmaker, but the Suns got a boost from Royce O’Neale and Jalen Green to propel the offense after a mediocre 2nd quarter.
Every Phoenix right hook was answered with a Denver jab, it seemed. Until they didn’t.
Jordan Goodwin drilled a corner three to make it a four-point game, 94-90, with 1:14 left in the third. That was followed by a steal and a Grayson Allen three-pointer to make it a one-point game.
The offensive explosion led to some great defensive energy, including this rejection by Man Man.
Denver led 97-95 after three. The Suns scored 38 points in the quarter, making up ground from the previous dud of a second quarter.
The 4th quarter saw plenty of that continued intensity from both sides. Jordan Goodwin picked up full-court in his typical pesky fashion.
The Nuggets deployed a “hack-an-Oso” at the end of the game. He struggled all night from the line, but drilled a pair of late attempts to make him 3 for 7 on the night.
A late-game foul on Devin Booker put Jokic on the charity stripe in what was a three-point game, and he split the pair. The next possession, Booker drew a trip to the line and drilled them both to make it a two-point game with 1:21 remaining in the game.
Jalen Green slashed aggressively to the lane for a scoop and score to even it at 121 apiece. Jamal Murray answered with a tough fadeaway jumper, and Booker quickly responded with a mid-range hit of his own. Tied at 123 with 29.1 seconds left.
Jokic drilled an easy floater with 11.5 seconds left to give Denver a two-point lead. Timeout Suns. Devin Booker tracked down an errant pass from Royce O’Neale in the backcourt, leading to a scrambled possession, but ultiamtely Book got a clean look from three with a chance to win it. No good. Game over.
Up Next
The Suns will have a few days off but remain at home and host the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
The Vegas Golden Knights came out flying Tuesday night, controlling play early and dictating tempo—but what followed was a sharp unraveling that turned a promising start into a lopsided 4–1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
Vegas did everything right in the opening minutes except the one thing that matters most: score. The Golden Knights piled up early pressure, firing nine shots and holding Winnipeg without one for nearly the first 10 minutes. Yet by intermission, they were trailing—a familiar and frustrating theme—as Kyle Connor punished a rare defensive lapse, converting one of Winnipeg’s first legitimate chances into a 1–0 lead.
The lone goal for Vegas.
From there, the game didn’t just shift—it tilted irreversibly.
Winnipeg seized full command in the second period, with Mark Scheifele orchestrating the turning point. The veteran forward delivered a composed yet clinical performance, registering a goal and two assists while igniting a decisive surge—two goals in under two minutes—that transformed a fragile one-goal game into a commanding three-goal cushion. What had been a contest defined by Vegas’ early control quickly became one dictated by Winnipeg’s efficiency and opportunism.
The Golden Knights eventually found a lifeline on the power play, with Colton Sissons finishing to trim the deficit. But the response lacked staying power. Vegas went 1-for-5 with the man advantage, and too often their offensive zone time dissolved into low-danger sequences against a Jets team that defended with structure and patience, forcing play to the perimeter and neutralizing second-chance opportunities.
Behind it all, Connor Hellebuyck provided the stabilizing presence. The Winnipeg netminder turned aside 26 shots, absorbing Vegas’ early surge and maintaining composure as momentum swung. His performance didn’t just preserve the lead—it ensured there would be no path back.
Scheifele later punctuated the night with an empty-net goal, sealing both the result and a signature performance that underscored Winnipeg’s ability to weather pressure and strike with precision.
For Vegas, the loss adds to a growing pattern that’s becoming difficult to ignore. Strong starts have become routine; sustaining them has not. Despite flashes of cohesion, the Golden Knights have now dropped four of their last five, with recurring lapses turning early control into eventual frustration.
The blueprint is evident. The follow-through remains elusive.
Until that disconnect is resolved, even their best beginnings will continue to fade into the same disappointing end.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Mikael Granlund scored twice, Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Thursday night.
Mason McTavish and Troy Terry also scored for the Ducks, while John Carlson had three assists and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots.
Anaheim grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second period, only to see Vancouver rally and tie the game twice before McTavish scored the winner at the 5:45 mark of the third.
Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Drew O’Connor scored for the Canucks, while Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson each contributed a pair of assists. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves.
Pettersson’s second assist of the night marked the 500th regular-season point of his NHL career.
Anaheim remains atop the Pacific Division with a five-point cushion on the second-place Edmonton Oilers.
Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas returned to the lineup after serving a five-game suspension for the knee-on-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
The blow left Matthews with a torn knee ligament that required season-ending surgery.
The Canucks got solid play from their special teams. DeBrusk and Boeser each scored power-play goals, and the penalty kill weathered a 95 second five-on-three before conceding Granlund’s goal late in a penalty to defenseman Elias Pettersson.
The Ducks fell behind 1-0 in the opening frame, then outshot Vancouver 14-12 and scored a pair of goals over a 2:24 span.
McTavish got his first goal in 15 games. He buried his 14th goal of the season at the 5:45 mark of the third period, blasting a one-timer over Lankinen’s glove from the faceoff dot to give the Ducks a 4-3 lead.
Pettersson tallied his 500th regular-season point in his 533rd game. Thomas Gradin is the lone Canuck to hit the milestone faster, doing so in 529 games.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 06: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives past Quenton Jackson #29 and Aaron Nesmith #23 of the Indiana Pacers during the second quarter of an NBA game at Crypto.com Arena on March 06, 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (46-26) aim to quickly get back on the winning column as they conclude their six-game road trip against the Indiana Pacers (16-56) on Wednesday.
Los Angeles looks to sweep the season series for the second straight year in a row.
The Lakers winning streak finally came to an end on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons. It was a bummer, but one that was bound to happen. After all, all good things come to an end and there’s always that next opportunity for them to build another streak. That can start as early as Wednesday’s game against the Pacers.
Now with a record of 23-14 in road games this season, the Lakers will close their current road trip against a Pacers team that has lost nine out of its last 10 games. Indiana is actually coming off a thrilling victory against the Orlando Magic — who the Lakers barely beat over the weekend — so it’s not like the Pacers are purposely losing games right now. Yes, their season is pretty much done, but it’s still too early to shut down their key players.
So on Wednesday, expect Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin to suit up. The Lakers didn’t have a problem with them in their last matchup at Crypto.com Arena because Luka Dončić went berserk. There’s a possibility that could happen again, especially since Indiana has no answer for him.
This Pacers team is statistically the worst in the league, rankingbottom five on offense and defense. Frankly speaking, losing to them is inexcusable, especially given how tight the race is now in the competitive Western Conference standings. The Lakers have to make sure that Siakam won’t be the best player on the floor on Wednesday night and guys like Jarace Walker and Nembhard don’t play extraordinarily well.
At this point, Indiana is playing with house money, so there’s no pressure on their side. It would be nice if the Lakers could take control of this from start to finish, unlike against the Pistons. In fact, most of their games in this road trip have gone down to the wire.
Hopefully though, they don’t always depend on their clutch performance to save them because, as we saw last game, it doesn’t always go their way. Let’s see if Wednesday’s game against the Pacers unfolds in a more dominant way for the purple and gold.
Notes and Updates
Random but something worth looking out for as of late: Austin Reaves’ minutes. Over the last 10 games, AR is averaging nearly 39 minutes per game. Before getting hurt, it was a little less than that. Part of why Reaves has been playing more is because head coach JJ Redick has shortened the rotation. It’ll be interesting to see if this continues.
Another trend worth noting is the decrease in LeBron James’s shot attempts. He hasn’t complained about it and likely won’t, but that’s also what happens when he’s playing alongside Reaves and Dončić. Still, James has the ability to impact the game in multiple ways and it’s been a joy to watch.
For the Lakers’ injury report, Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness) and Adou Thiero (left knee soreness) are questionable while Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) is doubtful.
As for the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles recovery), Johnny Furphy (ACL recovery) and Ivica Zubac (rib fracture) are out.
Nembhard (calf contusion), Aaron Nesmith (rankle), Siakam (knee sprain) and Toppin (injury management) are all probable.
Five straight double-digit midweek wins to start the season have given way to back-to-back embarrassing losses for the No. 2 Texas Longhorns with the latest coming at Schroeder Park on Tuesday after head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s team took a seven-run lead before giving up nine unanswered in a 9-7 defeat by the Houston Cougars.
Command issues continued for Max Weiner’s pitching staff after moving freshman right-hander Sam Cozart to the weekend bullpen despite a solid start by sophomore right-hander Jason Flores, who allowed one hit over three scoreless innings, hitting two batters before departing after Texas took a 4-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
Freshman right-hander Brody Walls worked around a one-out double in his first inning, entering the game again after the Longhorns scored three runs in the fourth only to allow a one-out bunt single, hit the next batter with his first pitch, and then issue a four-pitch walk.
When redshirt junior Ethan Walker came out of the bullpen, the junior college transfer traded a run for an out, but couldn’t limit the damage when Houston standout Tre Broussard drove in two runs with a single to center field to make it 7-3.
A 1-2-3 sixth inning from Walker was the final scoreless inning for the Longhorn relievers as junior right-hander Hudson Hamilton gave up a solo home run to former Texas outfielder Easton Winfield on his second pitch to start the seventh inning. Winfield entered the game hitting .200.
On an 0-2 pitch to the next hitter, Hamilton gave up a double down the left-field line before managing a strikeout, but lost the strike zone in walking the next batter on four pitches.
With senior right-hander Max Grubbs into the game, the defense for the Longhorns misfired when a throwing error by junior catcher Andrew Ermis allowed an unearned run to score, although Grubbs was able to retire the final two batters of the inning.
The eighth inning went even more poorly for Texas. Graduate left-hander Cal Higgins replaced Grubbs to start the frame and induced a groundout to second base by the leadoff batter, then allowed the game-tying home run on the next pitch.
Winfield continued to torment his former team with an infield single that prompted Schlossnagle to call in junior right-hander Thomas Burns. In a sign of things to come, Burns struck out the first batter he faced on an 0-2 pitch that hit him, gave up a four-pitch walk, and allowed an 0-2 RBI single. After walking Broussard, Burns couldn’t find the strike zone at all on another four-pitch walk to hand the Cougars a two-run lead heading into the ninth inning.
The Texas batters went down 1-2-3 in the ninth to end a poor hitting performance that only featured three hits for the Longhorns, who were able to take advantage of 11 walks and three errors by the Cougars, but also stranded 10 base runners in going 2-for-12 (.167) with runners on base, 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position (.167), and 1-for-6 (.167) with the bases loaded, missing multiple opportunities to create a bigger, more secure lead.
But after the last several weeks, it’s not clear how big of a margin is actually secure with a bullpen that is suddenly in chaos as the back end has melted down with multiple poor appearances from two of the experienced, high-leverage arms — Higgins and Burns, who are both struggling to throw strikes and are giving up big hits when they do manage to find the zone.
The bottom line is that Texas has lost two straight midweek games to teams with extremely mediocre records in addition to blowing consecutive Friday night leads in conference play. So there’s mounting concern heading into the Red River Showdown that begins on Thursday against No. 8 Oklahoma in Austin, exacerbated by a shaky offense that doesn’t feature many options for Schlossnagle with the injury to sophomore outfielder Jonah Williams and the 2025 MLB Draft defections of Jack Moroknek and Kaleb Freeman.
The Calgary Flames extended their season-best run to four straight wins on Tuesday night, edging the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a shootout at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Dustin Wolf turned aside 23 shots and came up with the key stops late, while Zayne Parekh and Olli Maatta each scored their first goals of the season to help Calgary claw back twice in the game.
Los Angeles struck early, opening the scoring just 2:35 into the first period. Joel Armia found Quinton Byfield at the blue line with a slick feed, and the Kings forward broke in alone before finishing on the backhand through the wickets of Wolf. Drew Doughty picked up the secondary assist as the Kings carried a 1-0 lead through the opening frame.
The second period didn’t offer much in terms of chances, but Calgary found a goal late. At 14:50, Olli Maatta got just enough of a one-timer, off a pass from Victor Olofsson, and beat Darcy Kuemper to even the score. It marked Maatta’s first goal as a Flame. Ryan Strome also drew an assist on the play.
Wolf made sure the game stayed tied heading into the third, turning aside a pair of quality chances with two big pad saves in the final minutes of the period.
The Kings wasted no time restoring their lead in the third period. Just 17 seconds in, a puck chipped out of the zone landed on Byfield’s stick, sending him in alone again. This time, he beat Wolf clean with a blocker-side shot to make it 2-1, with Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere adding assists.
Calgary responded on a two-man advantage (13:02). Zayne Parekh found space in the high slot and snapped a wrist shot past Kuemper to tie the game, 2-2. Matt Coronato and Matvei Gridin picked up assists on the power-play marker.
Overtime settled nothing despite a wide-open extra frame. Olofsson generated a pair of strong looks, and Morgan Frost rang a shot off the post on a 2-on-0, but the game remained deadlocked. In the shootout, Yegor Sharangovich scored the winner, despite losing the puck as he deked to the backhand, it slowly slid forward and slipped through Kuemper’s legs to seal the win.
Blake Coleman was noticeable from the opening shift. He pressured pucks, set the tone on the forecheck, and logged strong minutes on the penalty kill. His effort level hasn’t dipped, even this late in the season.
2. Flames finding momentum
Calgary is in the middle of its longest winning streak of the year, now four straight victories during this six-game homestand. It’s a stretch that’s brought some life back into the group.
3. Parekh rewarded
Zayne Parekh continues to trend upward. Both of his NHL goals have come against the Kings, and this one, scored on the power play, felt like a long time coming given how he’s been playing.
Miles McBride is in the final stages of his rehab from sports hernia surgery.
McBride has been scrimmaging with some of the Knicks’ younger players and coaches recently. Before Tuesday’s game, McBride was seen on the court doing his traditional pre-game warm-up routine.
All of these signs point to McBride returning to the court in the coming days.
The Knicks have nine regular season games left in the season. Their next game is in Charlotte on Thursday, the first of a four-game trip that concludes in Memphis next Wednesday.
McBride joined the team on its recent West Coast trip. I’d assume he is with them on this upcoming trip.
Whether he returns during the road trip or shortly thereafter, you should see McBride back on the court very soon.
He has been out since Jan. 28. At the time, he was sidelined with an ankle injury. McBride then underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia shortly after the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
For the most part, the Knicks have played well in McBride’s absence. They are 20-7 since Jan. 28. Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara and Jordan Clarkson are among a group of players who have filled the void with McBride out.
But there is no doubt that they are a better team when he’s healthy. Before he got hurt, McBride was averaging 13 points, 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and one steal per game while hitting 42 percent of his threes.
KAT CALL
At the suggestion of assistant coach Rick Brunson, Brown went with a smaller lineup in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. Thanks to Jalen Brunson’s brilliance and that smaller alignment, the Knicks overpowered the Pelicans in the fourth on Tuesday. Karl-Anthony Towns played five minutes in the quarter and did most of his damage earlier in the game. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds. It was his 51st double-double this season. That is the most in the NBA. If Towns has looked more comfortable on offense lately, there’s a reason for that.
Brown has made some adjustments to his offense to help Towns on that end of the floor.
“I had to adjust to him…and that’s what a season’s about,” Brown said after Tuesday’s game. “We’re not playing the same way offensively as we did to start the year. So I had to make some adjustments to try to figure out how I can get him involved a little bit better, get him to feel a little more comfortable and it’s showing a little bit. He’s obviously put in the work but ... it’s a two-way street and it’s good to see him playing at the level he’s playing at right now.”
When asked about the adjustments, Brown shared some specific details.
“When he is at the four spot, we’ve really simplified it so that he doesn’t have to think as much. And when he doesn’t have to think as much, he can just react,” Brown said.
He added that some of the offensive tweaks were implemented to put Towns in his preferred spots on the floor.
“He loves being at the top of the floor; he’s not always there, but we’ve added a couple more things that put him there with appropriate space,” Brown said. “And then we found a post-up and an iso situation for him that is pretty good from a spacing standpoint in how he likes to operate. Those things, we didn’t have at the beginning of the year for him. So again, he's made adjustments, he’s kept working, he continues to work, but as the head coach, I have to make adjustments, too. Especially with him being one of our two best players.”
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Yegor Sharangovich scored in the fourth round of the shootout to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh, each with their first goals of the season, scored in regulation time for the Flames, who have won four games in a row for the first time this season. Dustin Wolf stopped 23 shots.
Quinton Byfield scored both goals and Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves for Los Angeles, which has points in seven of their last nine but just three victories. They have dropped four straight.
With the loss the Kings fall three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.
Calgary tied the game 1-1 at 14:50 of the second period when Ryan Strome and Victor Olofsson combined to set up Maatta as the three veterans the Flames added at the trade deadline combined to get Calgary on the scoreboard.
Olofsson was part of the Nazem Kadri deal with Colorado. Maatta came over from Utah in the MacKenzie Weegar trade. Strome was picked up from Anaheim for a seventh-round pick to replace Kadri at center.
Maatta has one goal and five assists in 10 games with Calgary after recording just a single assist in 22 games with the Mammoth.
Byfield’s second of the night 17 seconds into the third period restored the Kings’ lead, but Parekh tied it with a power-play goal at 13:02.
After Morgan Frost and Artemi Panarin exchanged goals in the first three rounds of the shootout, Sharangovich’s winner came when he mishandled the puck but it slipped through Kuemper’s pads.
His offensive prowess easily stood out on the box score. But what was more impressive to the crowd at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night was OG Anunoby’s late-game defense.
The ninth-year forward had the hard job of locking down a healthy and active Zion Williamson.
He shared the load with Karl-Anthony Towns, but Anunoby was the one who delivered in crunch time as the Knicks beat the Pelicans 121-116 for their seventh straight victory.
OG Anunoby blocks a shot by Zion Williamson during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 121-116 win over the Pelicans on March 24, 2026 at the Garden. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
In the fourth quarter, as the Knicks led 100-94 with nine minutes to play, Williamson, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick, backed Anunoby into the paint and attempted to spin and shoot over him.
The Knicks’ star defender denied him, jumping up and swatting the ball to the baseline.
Williamson clapped his hands twice at the missed opportunity as Knicks fans roared for the rejection.
It all came down to “anticipating,” Anunoby said after the win.
Before that, the 28-year-old also grabbed a steal off the Pelicans star as he lost control of the ball. On the other end, former Pelican Jose Alvarado found Mohamed Diawara to convert a jump shot.
Anunoby finished the night with three steals and one block.
“Our defensive player of the game was OG,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He guarded a lot of different players throughout the game, but to close the game the way he did against Zion, he’s a monster. He’s a handful for anybody but for OG to be able to do the job that he did on him down the stretch was huge.”
The last time the Knicks faced Williamson, he had his way with them with 32 points on Dec. 29.
Mitchell Robinson (left) and OG Anunoby double team Zion Williamson during the second quarter of the Knicks’ win over the Pelicans. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
On Tuesday, the Knicks held him to 22 points on 8-of-10 from the field, but it wasn’t the same dominant feeling as before.
“I was just trying to make it difficult for him,” Anunoby said. “Trying to make the catches difficult, push them out further and then just play one-on-one defense. I have great teammates who help me out, communicating what’s behind me. Just executing.”
Anunoby also didn’t miss a beat offensively, scoring 21 points and helping the Knicks get one step closer to the East’s No. 2 playoff slot. He shot 7-for-16 from the field and tallied four rebounds and four assists.
He also owned a plus-17 rating.
“We have great defensive pieces all over the floor, so we’ve just been executing, communicating better and it’s been showing on the court,” Anunoby said.
The Knicks coach went out of his way to praise the surging Jordan Clarkson, who is playing his way back into the rotation.
“Jordan has been playing well on both ends of the floor,” Brown said after the Knicks’ 121-116 win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. “He’s giving it to us defensively and he’s giving it to us offensively. I tell ya, his ability to read the defense and make timely cuts and finish in that painted area is a lot of fun to watch. It just adds another dimension to what we’re trying to do.”
Jordan Clarkson, who had 10 points and five assists, drives past Herbert Jones during the second quarter of the Knicks’ 121-116 win over the Pelicans on March 24, 2026 at the Garden. Getty Images
Clarkson, who was expected to be a key addition to the bench unit when the Knicks signed him this offseason, started the year playing meaningful minutes but appeared buried on the bench for most of the middle of the year.
During this seven-game winning streak, though, he has regained an important role. He finished with 10 points and five assists Tuesday.
Most importantly, he is showing off different parts of his game, particularly his defending.
He’s always been known as a shot-happy microwave scorer, but it’s been his effort — and focus — on the defensive end that is earning him minutes again.
“You can see the level of awareness and sense of urgency that he plays with now, especially on that end of the floor,” Brown said. “What I like more than anything else is his physicality on the ball. You feel him. He’s relentless with it.”
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson puts up a shot as New Orleans Pelicans forward Karlo Matkovic jumps to defend during the third quarter. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Miles McBride has progressed to scrimmaging in his rehab from surgery to repair a sports hernia.
He had already been taking contact in practice. McBride has not played since Jan 27.
McBride went through a normal workout on the court prior to Tuesday’s game.
It’s not the first time that he has worked out prior to a game, but it continues to be a positive development in his rehab.
Mohamed Diawara’s jersey from his rookie debut — in which he only played 34 seconds and did not register a stat — sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $5,376 on Monday.
The Knicks sent Ariel Hukporti to the G-League to play with the Westchester Knicks rather than have him available against the Pelicans.
Hukporti recorded 32 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks with Westchester.
Karl-Anthony Towns was named the NBA’s Community Assist Award winner for February.
He was recognized for “leading a digital coat drive to support local families in need, investing in youth development initiatives in the Dominican Republic and serving as a consistent advocate for social justice and underserved communities.”
Towns was presented with a plaque by president Leon Rose and executive vice president William Wesley prior to Tuesday’s game.
The NBA and NBPA Foundation will donate $20,000 to the Dominican Women’s Development Center in honor of Towns’ efforts.
