Memphis Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant has been officially shut down for the remainder of the season, the team announced Tuesday night.
Morant, 26, has been sidelined since Jan. 21 with a UCL sprain in his left elbow that he has since been rehabilitating.
However, a recent consultation advised the team to shut Morant down for the remainder of the season after lingering pain. So, the Grizzlies did just that.
"Following a recent consultation to advise on lingering discomfort, it was recommended that Morant receive a PR (platelet-rich plasma) injection to further optimize ligament healing," the team said. "Morant will begin offloading the elbow following the injection and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season."
The Grizzlies star is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Memphis has a 24-47 record and remains in the 11th spot in the Western Conference. There are 11 games left. Although it's not yet mathematically impossible, it's highly unlikely the Grizzlies make the postseason, let alone the NBA Play-In.
Morant has averaged 19.5 points, the lowest since his second season in the league. He's added 3.3 rebounds and tied a career-high with 8.1 assists per game. He shot 41% from the field. Morant appeared in 20 games during the 2025-26 season for Memphis.
He's appeared in 79 games in the previous three seasons with the Grizzlies, who selected Morant with the second overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Murray State. Morant won the NBA Rookie of the Year award and is a two-time All-Star and led Memphis to four playoff appearances since joining the league in 2019.
Additionally, the team announced Brandon Clarke is out for the season with a right calf strain.
"Recent imaging indicated that additional healing is required prior to clearance for high-intensity court work. Clarke will continue his rehabilitation program and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season," the team said in a news release.
Clarke is also expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Grizzlies center Zach Edey underwent a procedure to address lingering discomfort in his left elbow. The team said he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the 2026-27 season, with Clarke and Morant.
Pro tip: When Caleb Bonemer is sizing you up, pitchers, get real scared. | (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Caleb Bonemer 6´1´´ 195 pounds Age: 20 2025 South Side Sox Top 100 Prospect ranking 17 2025 High Level Winston-Salem (High-A) Age relative to high level -3.1 SSS rank among all shortstops in the system 1 Overall 2025 stats (Low-A/High-A) 107 G ⚾️ 12 HR ⚾️ 64 RBI ⚾️ .281/.401/.473 ⚾️ 29-of-37 (78.4%) SB ⚾️ 75 BB ⚾️ 101 K ⚾️ .938 FLD% ⚾️ 4.3 WAR
The White Sox drafted Caleb Bonemer in the second round in 2024. Drafted out of high school in Okemos, Mich., his selection might have been predestined: Not only was Bonemer an Area Code affiliate of the White Sox, but on the day Bonemer was born fellow infielder Tadahito Iguchi launched a three-run homer to help defeat Boston, 5-4, in Game 2 of the 2005 ALDS.
In both his junior and senior seasons, Bonemer earned the Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year award. Bonemer signed with the White Sox for $2,997,500 rather than attending the University of Virginia.
Bonemer made his pro debut in 2025, with a somewhat surprising/aggressive assignment to Kannapolis. The shortstop immediately laid to rest any concerns about rushing him, as he utterly destroyed Low-A pitching. After untold highlights and numerous citations from South Side Sox as minors Player of the Week, Bonemer packed his bags and headed up to Winston-Salem, where he would play more than three years young for the level. All Bonemer did then was up his slugging to an outrageous (.611) degree, mashing seven extra-base hits in 11 games.
Heading into 2026, Bonemer is a consensus No. 1 overall prospect in the eyes of most prognosticators, and reaching as high as No. 26 among MLB prospects according to Baseball Prospectus, No. 27 at Baseball America.
Expect Bonemer to start in Double-A Birmingham this season, and if you doubt his ability to club his way to Charlotte before season’s end, you just weren’t paying attention in 2025.
2026 Top 100 Prospects no longer in the system 15. Peyton Pallette, RHRP (lost to Cleveland in the Rule 5 draft) 31. Gage Ziehl, RHSP (traded to Boston on Feb. 1, 2026) 43. Ronny Hernandez, C (traded to Boston on Nov. 18, 2025) 51. Drew Dalquist, RHRP (declared free agency, signed Triple-A deal with San Diego Padres) 66. Andre Lipcius, 1B (declared free agency) 84. Caleb Freeman, RHRP (declared free agency, signed Triple-A deal with Toronto Blue Jays) 90. DJ Gladney, RF (declared free agency, signed Double-A deal with New York Yankees) 98. Luis Pineda, C (declared free agency)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists — and a rare fighting major in the second period — to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.
Kyle Connor, Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti also scored for Winnipeg, which snapped a five-game home skid against Vegas.
Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves to snap his six-game winless streak against the Golden Knights.
Colton Sissons scored the lone goal on the power play for Vegas. Adin Hill stopped 17 shots.
Scheifele dropped the gloves with Brett Howden late in the second period in just his 10th career fight in his 15th NHL season. Scheifele capped the scoring for the Jets with his 32nd goal, an empty-netter with 1:18 left.
Early in the second period, Iafallo and Perfetti scored just 118 seconds apart, giving the Jets a commanding 3-0 lead.
Sissons made it 3-1 in the second when he scored on the power play, the third straight game in which Vegas converted with the man-advantage.
Connor’s first-period goal gave him a point in 30 home games, extending his NHL-leading mark for the most home games with at least one point this season.
Up next
Golden Knights: Start a four-game homestand against Edmonton on Thursday.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers enters the court before the game against the Orlando Magic on March 24, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have their best defensive effort, but their offense more than made up for it as they defeated the Orlando Magic 136-131.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents that player performing to our expectations for them.
James Harden
26 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds
Harden and Paolo Banchero spent much of this game attacking each other in isolation. Harden didn’t fare well defensively in that matchup, but he made up for it by getting clean looks at the other end.
This game was a great example of how Harden can completely change a game with his ability to manage an offense. He made sure that they got the right shot every time down the court.
He also made this absurd pass, which counts for something.
The Cavs came into this game with the third-best offense in the league since Harden’s debut. Performances like this show why.
That said, the defense was bad. Some of that blame falls on Harden’s shoulders. That’s going to knock his grade some.
Grade: B-
Donovan Mitchell
42 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Mitchell has struggled to find his rhythm since injuring his eye before last Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though his eye still doesn’t look 100%, his game looks a lot closer to what we’ve come to expect, as he was once again playing at an All-NBA level.
The Magic weren’t able to keep Mitchell from getting to the paint. This created space for him to get his outside shot off. And once he does that, it’s impossible to contain him, including down the stretch as he put the Magic away late with a runner going to the basket for his 40th point.
This all resulted in an efficient 42-point performance on 14-22 shooting.
As with Harden, Mitchell’s defense wasn’t great. That’s going to knock down what was a spectacular offensive performance.
Grade: B+
Evan Mobley
19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block
This wasn’t the most impressive statistical performance from Mobley by just looking at his point total, but the process was good offensively. He hunted out mismatches and then took advantage by either getting the easy basket or setting up his teammates around him. This led to him being a perfect 8-8 from the floor.
Mobley wasn’t bad on defense, but you would hope that having the Defensive Player of the Year would help keep a bad Magic offense from scoring 131 points. That is going to drop his grade down some as well.
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Max Strus
11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Struss did a lot of things well on the court, including running the pick-and-roll as a secondary initiator.
More importantly, he hit three of his eight triples, which were much needed. He came into this game going 3-15 from deep in his last three contests.
Grade: B
Keon Ellis
2 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Ellis did some good things on the defensive end once again, but he needs to provide something more offensively if he’s going to be a meaningful part of the playoff rotation.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson ripped the team’s defensive effort. But on a night that the Cavs desperately needed what Ellis can provide on that end, the offense was too inconsistent for him to be out there to close the game.
Grade: D+
Dennis Schroder
6 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound
Schroder has seemed out of place the last few weeks. That continued again. He wasn’t able to make a noticeable impact outside of a few baskets in the fourth quarter. That’s disappointing from someone who provided so much in the first few weeks after the trade.
Grade: D+
Dean Wade
2 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound
Wade wasn’t able to get his shot to go, which limited his effectiveness offensively. And while he provided good defense, he wasn’t anything special on that end, on a night Banchero got whatever he wanted offensively.
Grade: D-
Thomas Bryant
9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Bryant continues to be a star in his role, even if that role is mostly a minor one in the grand scheme of things. He’s done a good job of anchoring lineups where he’s the only big and he’s done a great job of spacing the floor when he’s out there with Mobley.
Tonight, Bryant was perfect from the floor (4-4) and finished tied with Strus for the best plus/minus on the team at +13. You really can’t ask for more from your third center that was forced into duty with Jarrett Allen out of the lineup.
Grade: A
Sam Merrill
19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Merrill continues to fit extremely well with Harden. The two have developed a great chemistry with Merrills off-ball movement. That was on display once again as Harden continually found Merrill for easy baskets, including an easy layup on a baseline out-of-bounds that felt like two free points.
But to credit all of Merrill’s success to Harden would be a mistake. He’s more than made the most of his opportunity in the starting lineup. That was on display again as he was an impactful all-around scorer, as he went 2-6 from deep and finished four of his five shots in the paint.
Merrill is going to make it a real conversation as to whether he should be left in the starting lineup once Allen returns.
DALLAS (AP) — Jack Hughes scored twice in New Jersey’s four-goal first period, and the Devils handed Dallas consecutive losses in regulation for the first time in two months, beating the Stars 6-4 on Tuesday night.
Jesper Bratt and Connor Brown also had goals as the Devils put four of their first five shots past Jake Oettinger to end the Dallas goalie’s career-best point streak at 14 games. Oettinger was pulled after the first period.
Wyatt Johnston had two goals to reach 40 for the first time in his career, and Jason Robertson scored his 39th for Dallas, which hadn’t lost two in a row in regulation since dropping three straight from Jan. 13-18.
Johnston’s second goal was his NHL-leading 24th on the power play, extending his franchise record set two nights earlier in a 3-2 loss to Vegas.
Playing for the first time since clinching a Western Conference playoff spot, the Stars lost to an East also-ran and fell seven points behind NHL-leading Colorado, their Central Division rival.
Hughes beat Oettinger one-on-one for both his goals, the latter when Luke Hughes connected with him on a two-line pass for a breakaway and a 4-1 lead 17:19 into the first. Hughes has eight goals in eight games after going without one in his first five games following the gold medal-winning goal for Team USA against Canada in the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Johnston tied his career high with his 38th assist when Robertson got Dallas within a goal midway through the second period.
New Jersey’s Timo Meier and Mavrik Bourque of Dallas traded third-period goals before an empty-netter from Dougie Hamilton.
Casey DeSmith replaced Oettinger and gave the Stars a chance late by stopping the first 12 shots he faced. Jake Allen had 23 saves for the Devils.
Up next
Devils: At Nashville on Thursday on the fourth game of a five-game trip.
Stars: At the Islanders on Thursday to start a four-game trip.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 14: Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets is defended by Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at American Airlines Center on January 14, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What, really, is there to be gained for the Dallas Mavericks (23-49) as they prepare to face the Denver Nuggets (44-28) on Wednesday at Ball Arena?
A draft lottery ball or two? A feint glimmer of sunshine in an otherwise dreary season and amidst a stretch of just four wins in the team’s last 27 games? Surely not a rogue win against a quality opponent. Surely not that, right?
Not so fast, my friend.
Just because the Mavericks are actively avoiding the win column these days doesn’t mean a winning result is out of the question on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CDT.
Middling in Denver
The Nuggets have gone just 13-13 over the last two months. Dallas has already beaten Denver twice this year. Sure, those two wins came before February’s trade deadline, with a completely different Mavericks roster, but the Nuggets will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back set on Wednesday, while the Mavs will roll into town after a day off.
Denver had just started Tuesday night’s game at the Phoenix Suns at the time of this writing.
Wednesday’s game will mark one week since the Nuggets blew a 125-118 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies, whose tactics toward avoiding wins has been even more creative than the Mavericks’ have lately. Ty Jerome nearly completed his first-career triple-double in that loss, coming up just one rebound and one assist shy to go along with 21 points for the Grizzlies in the win that snapped Memphis’ eight-game skid.
Despite the mediocre stretch, Denver still sits in fourth in a crowded Western Conference playoff race and still has plenty to play for. The Nuggets just haven’t been firing on all cylinders lately.
The NBA Rookie of the Year race is far from a foregone conclusion, with Monday’s NBA broadcast crew going so far as advocating for giving the award to both Flagg and Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Kneuppel, who averages 19.1 points on 43.4% 3-point shooting and five rebounds per game as Charlotte makes a push in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The last time the NBA had co-Rookies of the Year was 1999-2000, when Steve Francis and Elton Brand shared the honors. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd shared the award for the 1994-95 season with Grant Hill of the Detroit Pistons.
It will be interesting to see whether Flagg or Knueppel can separate himself from his former roommate as the race goes down to the wire.
Support staff
Which members of the current Mavericks roster should stick around as Flagg’s running mates? Good showings against quality opponents surely hold some weight in the conversation, as does the individual value each player holds in the offseason trade market.
P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have both rebounded in recent games after underwhelming stretches of play earlier in the season, but is either of them the right fit for the future? Marvin Bagley III worked himself into irrelevance in recent years after being selected second overall in the 2018 NBA Draft but has raised eyebrows at times since being traded to the Mavericks in a deadline day deal six weeks ago.
Klay Thompson’s shooting stroke seems to have returned recently as well, not that any of this has led to more wins for the Mavericks. With the team’s most glaring need at the guard position and a stout draft class awaiting those with their eyes set on the top of the class, it’s easy to see a future where all four of those role players return for the Mavericks next season. Not many teams may be willing to part with decent draft capital for any of them.
We may as well sit back and evaluate their fit as the Cooper Flagg Era takes shape.
How to watch
The Mavericks and the Nuggets tip off at 9 p.m. CDT on Wednesday from Ball Arena in Denver. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and streamed on MavsTV and NBA League Pass where available.
MONTREAL, CANADA - MARCH 24: Jakub Dobes #75 of the Montréal Canadiens celebrates an empty-net goal by teammate Jake Evans #71 (not pictured) during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on March 24, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montréal Canadiens defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the game but they were unable to hold the lead or light the lamp again as the Montreal Canadiens defeated them, 5-2 on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
The Hurricanes played well enough, they outshot the home team 42-19, but they could not finish nor could they solve goalie Jakub Dobes, who picked up the win.
Nikolaj Ehlers got the scoring started just two minutes and change into the game when he rocketed a shot on goal that deflected in off a Montreal player to make it 1-0. It was a powerplay goal, giving Carolina four powerplay goals in the last two games.
Jordan Staal found himself all alone in front of the opposing net and made no mistake to make the score 2-0 and the Canes were cooking. It was Staal’s 18th of the season.
The Hurricanes did an outstanding job limiting Montreal’s shots though the home team scored on a deflected goal as they were outshot, 16-4 in that opening period.
The Habs picked up their play in the second as they scored twice to make it 3-2 at the second intermission.
While the Canes had some chances, including a couple of breakaways, they could not score again.
Montreal put the game away later in the third when the puck got past K’Andre Miller and Ivan Demidov scored on his breakaway attempt to make it 4-2.
The Canadiens later scored an empty-netter to close out the scoring.
Alexander Nikishin played over 20 minutes in this affair for the first time in awhile, (20:49). He led the team with four blocked shots.
The game did not help Fred Andersen’s save percentage as he allowed four goals on the 18 shots he faced.
It was reported that Charles Alexis Legault was recalled for the game in case a defenseman could not go. (Someone was not feeling well). He was returned to Chicago when he was not needed.
The Canes returned home and will take a day or two off as they prepare to face the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Mar 27, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; The Budweiser Clydesdales runs around the warning track before the opening day game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals have shared a detailed schedule of what Opening Day will look like on Thursday. It will start with a pep rally starting late morning and won’t conclude until the Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays kick off the 2026 season in the afternoon.
10:30am – 1pm – Pep Rally at the Busch II Infield at Ballpark Village
12 noon – Gates open at Busch Stadium
12 noon – 12:55pm – Cardinals batting practice
12:55pm – 1:50pm – Rays batting practice
2:30pm – Pregame ceremonies including the Budweiser Clydesdales
2:37pm – St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famers motorcade
2:49pm – St. Louis Cardinals 2026 team motorcade featuring players, manager and coaches
3:05pm – National Anthem
3:10pm – Ceremonial First Pitch by 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, 2006 World Series Champion Gary Bennett, and 1996 National League Central Champions Brian Jordan & Tom Pagnozzi
3:15pm – First pitch of the 2026 season
Here are some other important things to note. The St. Louis Cardinals said that the following Hall of Fame players are expected to participate on Thursday includes Tony La Russa, Scott Rolen, Ted Simmons, Ozzie Smith,Vince Coleman, Al Hrabosky, Jason Isringhausen, Ray Lankford, Willie McGee, Mark McGwire, Édgar Renteria, & John Tudor. In total, the Cardinals expect 40 alumni to be a part of Opening Day.
Marian (35-2) claimed the third NAIA title in program history and denied Dordt (34-3) a three-peat. The Defenders were in the championship game for the fourth time in the last five years.
After scoring just nine points in the second quarter, Marian took the lead for good during a 20-6 run in the third. Dordt was just 5 of 15 from the field in the frame.
Senior Kenna Kirby added 14 points and Kiley McNally, twin sister of Abbey, had eight points and 12 rebounds for the Knights, who dominated the glass 49-35. Abbey McNally was named the tournament MVP.
Macy Sievers and Gracie Schoonhoven each scored 15 points for the Defenders. Aubrey Burkhart added 14 points.
Dordt led 32-28 after Olivia Harazin beat the halftime buzzer with their fourth 3-pointer of the game. The Defenders finished 6 of 15 from behind the arc.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Erik Cernak scored a tiebreaking goal with 2:53 left in the third period when Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson misplayed a carom off the end boards and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Wild 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Cernak scored his second of the season after Charle-EdouardD’Astous' pass traveled the length of the ice and bounced off the end boards toward Gustavsson, who failed to control the puck with his glove. The puck went between Gustavsson's legs into the crease and Cernak pounced, sending it into the open net.
Tampa Bay rallied from a two-goal deficit, scoring three goals in the second period and five unanswered overall over the second and the third to win for the fourth time in five games and fifth time in seven.
Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel also scored, while Brandon Hagel and Pontus Holmberg added an empty-netter goals in the final minutes. Andrei Vasilevskiy had an assist and made 20 saves to win his fourth straight start. Guentzel's goal was his 32nd of the season and the 300th for his career.
Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist, and Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber also scored for the Wild, who have lost five of their last seven games. Gustavsson stopped 19 of the 23 shots that he faced.
Minnesota jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first and a 3-1 lead in the second before Tampa Bay bounced back. Raddysh and Guentzel scored in approximately a three-minute span of the second to tie the game at 3. Cernak, Hagel and Holmberg completed the scoring in the third for Tampa Bay.
The Wild had a potential go-ahead goal disallowed with 1:18 left in the second period after Tampa Bay challenged. After a review, it was decided that Raddysh was knocked to the ice and into the crease, prohibiting Vasilevskiy from a possible save.
For Minnesota, Joel Eriksson Ek was back in the lineup after missing three games with lower-body injury and Kirill Kaprizov returned after missing two games, also with a lower-body injury.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate a three-point basket made by Harden during the first half against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena on March 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell combined for 68 points, Evan Mobley posted a balanced night with 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers downed the visiting Orlando Magic 136-131 to inch one step closer to clinching a spot in the playoffs. Paolo Banchero paced the Magic with 36 points and Tristan Da Silva added 18 points and six rebounds.
The Cavs surrendered 39 points in the first quarter to an Orlando team that can only be regarded as pedestrian on that end of the floor. The Magic are 15th in points per game (115.4), 20th in field goal percentage (46.3), and 27th in three-point percentage (34.4). At the halfway point, the Magic were on pace for 136 points and were shooting 52% overall and 42% from deep, and they kept that going all the way to the finish. Cleveland’s defense left a lot to be desired, especially on close-outs and simply losing defenders off switches. There is some level of simply allowing open shots, and even a team like the Magic will make a team pay.
Orlando played the way they wanted to, and the Cavs did not impede them on that path all too much. They shot the ball beyond what they have all season and were able to play a physical brand of basketball that is meant to shake opposing teams out of their comfort zone. A lesser Cavs team would have crumbled under the pressure, but a better one probably would not have allowed themselves to be in this place from the start. Nevertheless, Cleveland pulled it together at the end
Mobley started off the game aggressively, plowing through defenders and seemingly making a concerted effort to maintain a level of momentum from the last few games. That fizzled out rather quickly, but his stat line was still respectable. It remains a work in progress, especially against a physical team like Orlando. He remained looking more like a big man, cleaning up shots and getting baby hooks to fall, instead of being a focal point. Which, in this case, when both guards were playing exceptionally well, is not as glaring.
Speaking of those guards, Mitchell and Harden carried the offensive workload all night. Mitchell led all scorers with 42 points and shot a blistering 63% from the floor. But his cold-blooded floater with 13.7 seconds left is what sealed the deal for the Cavs, using his body to generate just a window of daylight. For good measure, he then iced the game with two free throws.
Harden exhibited some of that legendary offensive superiority, demonstrating his ability to bend a defense at will. His passing is always a weapon seemingly everywhere on the floor, as he hit another touchdown pass to Dean Wade in the first quarter. But Harden also stayed in attack mode the whole night, something he did not do initially when traded to Cleveland. Several times he initiated a switch to get onto Goga Bitadze and, instead of trying to find a pocket, just attacked him head on. That lead to layups, fouls, or at least the defense had to respond by sending an extra defender.
The Cavs allowed the Magic to make it closer than it needed to be, but the result is the same: a key win in a close fight in the middle of the Eastern Conference.
It’s a quick turnaround for the Cavs, who will get Miami tomorrow night on the second half of a back-to-back. Tip is at 7:30 pm.
Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) chat during the third inning of a spring training game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Dodgers failed to score a run in the final game of the Freeway Series against the Angels on Tuesday night, but Ohtani’s 11-strikeout performance provided reassurance that he is ready for regular season work out of the Dodgers rotation.
On the eve of MLB opening day, the Dodgers started the first frame strong with two strikeouts by Ohtani and a spinning throw from shortstop Mookie Betts to retire Nolan Schanuel.
Jack Kochanowicz was having a great game himself against the Dodgers offense. The right-hander struck out four through three scoreless innings.
Shohei reached double digits in strikeouts before the end of the fourth inning.
The Dodgers were hitless against Kochanowicz. Ohtani’s lead-off single in the bottom of the fourth against Nick Sandlin was the first base hit for the Dodgers on the night.
The Angels were the first to get on the board. Josh Lowe, Travis d’Arnaud, and Oswald Peraza hit three consecutive singles and drove in a run against Ohtani in the top of the fifth.
Ohtani allowed one run on four hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks on 86 pitches. Pitcher Ohani and hitter Ohtani both looked locked in.
Pitcher Ohtani struck out six straight Angels during one stretch of the game. This start felt quite different from his spring training debut on March 18 when Shohei Ohtani described his early outings as an “extension of a live BP (batting practice) situation.”
Ohtani looked season ready on the mound and at the plate, but the rest of Dave Roberts’ final spring game lineup for the didn’t convert a run all night.
Antoine Kelly took over for Ohtani and his two bases-loaded walks gave the Angels a 3-0 lead.
The Dodgers didn’t collect their second hit of the game until Max Muncy’s two-out double in the bottom half of the fifth. They stranded another two runners in the seventh.
Justin Wrobleski pitched three scoreless innings with five strikeouts in his final exhibition relief appearance.
The Cactus League champions wrap-up their spring schedule with a record of 20-9.
UP NEXT
Real baseball starts Thursday for the Dodgers when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks for the celebratory first series of the season. The opening game of the three-game series against the Snakes starts at 5:30 p.m. PT on NBC. World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes on fellow right-hander Zac Gallen in the Dodgers home opener.
Dave Roberts offered only the slightest of hedges on Tuesday afternoon.
As he’s done all spring, the Dodgers manager reiterated that the team will be cautious with Shohei Ohtani’s workload in his return to full-time two-way duties this year.
On occasion, the club could look to give the four-time MVP extra days off between pitching outings or shorten his leash if it appears he is tiring during a start.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 Tuesday in his final spring tune-up. AP
However, with Ohtani now two years removed from his second career Tommy John surgery, the hope is that the 31-year-old right-hander will be able to go wire-to-wire as a pitcher this year.
And if he does, Roberts has no doubts he will be a Cy Young candidate.
“Oh, yeah,” Roberts said. “Because of just talent, ability, will. If he does that, he’ll be in the conversation, absolutely. I have no doubt.”
Roberts only had to wait a few hours to have his faith further confirmed.
In Ohtani’s last tune-up of the spring, the one-of-a-kind superstar once again looked superb.
Though Ohtani’s final line was four-plus innings and three runs allowed, it belied the dominance he displayed for most of the night.
In Ohtani’s last tune-up of the spring, the one-of-a-kind superstar once again looked superb. AP
Against the Angels’ likely Opening Day lineup, he struck out 11 batters and allowed only one hit before the fifth. Of the 35 swings the Angels took against him, 17 resulted in whiffs and only one netted a hard-hit ball of at least 95 mph.
All those K’s ballooned Ohtani’s pitch count, forcing him from the game at 86 pitches after three straight singles to lead off the fifth. Entering the night, Roberts said the goal was to get Ohtani into the sixth.
Still, when he walked off the rubber, the Angels had managed only one run against him, and a sparse Chavez Ravine crowd was giving him a standing ovation.
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“He’s ready to go,” Roberts said. “The intensity was there. The focus was there. And the execution and all that stuff was there.”
Ohtani will next take the rubber for his regular-season pitching debut next Tuesday against the Guardians.
It will be the start of what he hopes is his first complete season as a pitcher since joining the Dodgers –– and perhaps a run at the one piece of hardware he has yet to win in his decorated career.
Ohtani will next take the rubber for his regular-season pitching debut next Tuesday against the Guardians. AP
Here are four other takeaways from the Dodgers’ spring finale:
Cactus champs: Even with a 3-0 loss to the Angels on Tuesday night, the Dodgers clinched the best spring record among Cactus League teams with a 20-9-2 mark –– not that it means much to the two-time defending World Series champions. “Not at all,” Roberts joked this week when asked if he cared about his team’s spring title. “Unless it’s a correlation to winning the World Series.”
Wrobo relief: Justin Wrobleski will start the season as a bulk reliever who will likely piggyback with Ohtani (or Roki Sasaki if he struggles to pitch deep into games). On Tuesday, he looked perfectly comfortable in the role, coming out of the bullpen to retire all 12 batters he faced over four perfect innings with five strikeouts. Wrobleski can also serve as the Dodgers’ sixth starter when needed.
Caught my eye: A big reason Santiago Espinal made the Opening Day roster was because of his strong and versatile defense. On Tuesday, he put it on display by making two impressive plays on ground balls: one at second base and another after later moving to third.
Up next: The Dodgers are off Wednesday before kicking off their 2026 campaign with Thursday’s Opening Day game against the Diamondbacks.
There's no bait to be taken by the Nashville Predators from the Sharks as they picked up their 14th straight win over San Jose, 6-3, on Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.
Wild Card Standings Update
WC1: Utah - 80 PTS (vs. Edmonton)
WC2: Nashville - 77 PTS (vs. San Jose, W 6-3)
1. Los Angeles - 74 PTS (at Calgary, L/SO 3-2)
2. Seattle - 72 PTS (at Florida, L/SO 5-4)
3. Winnipeg - 72 PTS (vs. Vegas, W 4-1)
4. San Jose - 70 PTS (at Nashville, L 6-3)
Red hot start
One of the most criticized aspects of the Predators' season has been their starts, as they've either been outshot or given up the first goal in the majority of their matchups.
That was not the case against the Sharks as the Predators netted five goals in the first 20 minutes of the game, tying a franchise record for most goals scored in the first period.
The record was originally set in an 8-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 28, 2009.
"I really liked our mindset in the 1st period," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "We got off on the right foot. We've had so many of these conversations in this room about not starting right. We started on time, and we got to our game pretty quickly."
Filip Forsberg was a massive part of that effort, recording a goal and an assist in that first period. He'd add a primary assist on a Steven Stamkos power play goal in the second period for three points on the night.
Forsberg now has 12 points (5 goals and seven assists) in five games and was named the NHL's 2nd Star of the Week on Monday. With 11 games left, he's eyeing a third straight 70-plus point season, recording 62 so far.
"Everyone came ready to play," Forsberg said. "Obviously, we're getting rewarded, which is nice. We did a lot of the right things, got on their defensemen and got pucks back. It set the tone for the rest of the time."
Matthew Wood, Roman Josi, Luke Evangelista and Brady Skjei all got involved in the scoring as well in the first frame. Skjei scored just his second goal of the season and first since Dec. 9.
"I've had some looks and just haven't gone in this year," Skjei said on his scoring. "We're just talking about hopefully, the floodgates will open a little bit here at the end of the season."
A push from Marchy
Jonathan Marchessault's production has risen as of late, after inconsistent play throughout the season.
The 35-year-old forward has 25 points in 51 games, but eight of them have come in just March alone. Against the Sharks, he had three assists and now has seven points in the last five games.
"I'm playing better hockey and part of a team that's trying to make a push for a playoff spot," Marchessault said. "Everybody has a great mentality and is in a great spot in the lineup. We're playing good hockey right now."
A lot of credit for Marchessault's production spike goes to a new line centered by Wood and Forsberg, opposite Marchessault on the wing. The trio has generated five goals over the last five games.
"It makes a big difference," Marchessault said. Fil (Forsberg) is an amazing world-class player, but Woody is the one who facilitates a little bit of everything for Fil and me. He's low and slow in the middle, always available, and we have a lot more possession in the pocket."
Staying in the race
Mar 24, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Nashville jumps to 77 points after winning its fourth straight game, now eyeing a first Wild Card spot, within three points of the Utah Mammoth.
While the Predators are in a very different place than they were at the beginning of the year, Brunette still references last season and how the team's mindset has not changed since then.
Nearing the playoffs, the Predators are not so much viewing themselves as underdogs as a squad out to prove they are finally living up to the potential promised last season.
"Our mindset from the end of last year to today has been the same," Brunette said. "You can always get the results, but we were out to prove that last year was a little bit of an apparition, that we're better than what we showed. Full credit to the group when the waters got a little rough there early. We dug in even deeper, and we stayed with it, and we didn't abandon ship."
In a game with major postseason stakes against a shorthanded opponent, the Detroit Red Wings fell short of rising to the occasion on home ice.
The Ottawa Senators, who entered the contest trailing Detroit by a single point in the standings, leapfrogged them with a 3-2 victory at Little Caesars Arena.
The Senators, who are 8-2 in their last 10 games, now have 85 points on the season compared to Detroit's 84.
The Red Wings entered the contest on the outside looking in at the postseason, with a 51 percent chance of advancing at puck drop. A regulation win would have raised those odds to 66 percent, but the loss dropped them to 37 percent.
Making the setback even more difficult to stomach for the Red Wings, who welcomed back team captain Dylan Larkin after a seven-game absence, the Senators had played the night before in Manhattan, and were also missing top defensemen Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot.
Instead, it was a rookie by the name of Carter Yakemchuk who made his NHL debut a memorable one.
Yakemchuk picked up his first NHL point by assisting on Brady Tkachuk's power-play goal, giving the Senators a 1-0 lead in the first period just minutes after the Red Wings had a would-be power-play goal of their own disallowed after replays showed they were offside.
Yakemchuk then tallied his first NHL goal early in the second period, beating goaltender John Gibson through a screen after the Red Wings failed to clear the puck.
Not long after that, veteran Lars Eller increased Ottawa's lead to 3-0, beating Gibson glove side from in close. At that point, boos began to rain down from the increasingly restless sellout crowd of Red Wings fans.
They soon had a reason to cheer, as Dominik Shine redirected a pass from Simon Edvinsson past Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark, giving them a spark of hope.
Larkin buried a power-play goal early in the third period, bringing Detroit back to within a goal and bringing the energy back into the venue.
Unfortunately, it's as close as they would get. Not only did Detroit fail to convert on a critical power-play opportunity late in regulation, but they also had three prime scoring chances denied by Ullmark in the waning moments.
Detroit struggled to gain the zone on the ensuing power play, which came after Ridley Greig leveled rookie Emmitt Finnie along the half-wall. Finnie remained down on the ice for several moments and needed assistance from trainer Piet VanZant to get off; he was subsequently placed in concussion protocol.
There are still 11 games remaining in the regular season for the Red Wings, who now head on the road for a fourth straight divisional matchup, this time against the first-place Buffalo Sabres, the NHL's hottest team and biggest surprise story since mid-December.
While there is still a path for the Red Wings to break their playoff drought, their margin of error continues to shrink by the day.
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