Alyssa Healy farewelled white-ball cricket in trademark style.
Cliff-hanger derby caps Rugby League's return to Las Vegas in pursuit of new American fans
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Rugby league's bid to crack into the U.S. sports market returned to Las Vegas on Saturday with its mission to convert Americans to this rugged brand of football drawing almost 50,000 fans to Allegiant stadium.
It's the third consecutive year Australia's National Rugby League has showcased the gritty sport in the entertainment capital.
How many locals showed up among the thousands of traveling fans from Australia and England on a day that saw three matches was not immediately clear, but the showcase delivered on the entertainment stakes capped by a cliffhanger between two historic rivals.
The NRL has committed until 2028 to play regular season matches in Las Vegas as part of a strategic plan to broaden an international audience for the sport and increase its sports betting revenue by playing Prime Time in the entertainment capital.
Australia has been courting the US market since 1987 when it played a State of Origin match between New South Wales and Queensland in Long Beach.
Bulldogs in derby win
A field goal in the second period of ‘golden point’ extra time by Canterbury Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton decided a brutally physical encounter against the St. George-Illawarra Dragons.
Tied at 14-14 at the end of regulation and with both teams missing chances in the first period of extra time, Crichton stepped up from 20 meters (yards) to nervelessly slot home his kick to give the Bulldogs a dramatic victory.
Crichton had earlier played in winger Jacob Kiraz for Canterbury's second try after Jacob Preston had opened the scoring for Canterbury.
The Dragons twice leveled the match with a rare try by prop Emre Guler, while Setu Tu scored acrobatically in the corner for a try on his NRL debut.
Dragons half Kyle Flanagan kicked a penalty goal in the final minutes of regulation to tie the game and force extra time.
Knights upset Cowboys
Earlier, the Newcastle Knights stunned the North Queensland Cowboys 28-18 in the NRL season opener.
The match was in the balance at 22-18 in the last 10 minutes, before Braidon Burns was penalized for a high hit on Knights star Kalyn Ponga and was sent to the sin bin by referee Ashley Klein.
Newcastle, which finished bottom of the NRL standings last season, seized on the extra man advantage with prop forward Trey Mooney barging over to seal the win.
Newcastle raced to a 12-0 lead with tries from Greg Marzhew and Fletcher Sharpe, before the Cowboys rallied after Heilum Luki and Murray Taulagi scored to level at 12-12 at half time.
Bradman Best and Dominic Young scored a quickfire double for the Knights after the break before Taulagi's second try narrowed the deficit.
Leeds thump Hull KR
Maika Sivo scored four tries as the Leeds Rhinos thumped Hull KR 56-8 in the first match at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday featuring two English clubs.
The Rhinos stormed to a 28-0 halftime lead. Converted tries to Brodie Croft, Keenan Palasia, Ryan Hall and a double to Sivo set the tone.
Leeds maintained momentum in the second half with former Parramatta Eel Sivo scoring twice more, while Croft added a second try and Cooper Jenkins crashed over twice.
Hull's only reply came through Joe Burgess, a lone consolation after their World Club Challenge win over the Brisbane Broncos last week.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Islanders have seemingly found secret to overtime success
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The last time the Islanders made the playoffs, it was in large part due to all the times they got a point for losing in overtime.
This time, if they make it, it will be in some measure because they haven’t lost a game during 3-on-3 play all year.
After two overtime wins on the two-game trip that wrapped up Saturday with a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jackets, the Islanders are 8-0 in games decided by an overtime goal, though there have been five shootout losses.
It’s a world removed from two seasons ago when they had 16 overtime and shootout losses.
“I think it’s a lot of puck possession,” Bo Horvat told The Post before the Isles beat the Blue Jackets. “But I think our structure within our 3-on-3 game, we don’t give up much. I find everybody sticks to their man-on-man and does it the right way.
“I think possession time — besides last game, that first shift when [Montreal] had the puck the whole time — for the most part, I think we controlled the game a whole lot. I think that’s a big part of the 3-on-3 for sure.”
That was certainly the case Saturday.
The Islanders lost the opening draw — interestingly, they’re slightly below 50 percent at the dots this year at 3-on-3 — but gained possession within a few seconds, and the Blue Jackets never touched the puck again.
- CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS
“I think you never know what’s gonna happen with overtime,” Simon Holmstrom said, having scored the winner off Tony DeAngelo’s outlet feed. “There’s always gonna be a lot of chances from both teams. It’s just a matter of possessing the puck and making the right plays at the right time. Getting the changes in, being able to keep them on the ice and get them tired. I think we’ve been doing a really good job of that this season.”
Coach Patrick Roy said he would not have made the challenge that Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness did in alleging goaltender interference on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s goal at 11:59 of the second.
“The contact was not in the crease,” Roy said. “If it’s not in the crease, I don’t know if I would challenge anything right now in the league.”
Ilya Sorokin stopped 27 of 30 shots in net for the Islanders while Jet Greaves saved just 22 of 26.
David Rittich is likely to start against the Panthers at home Sunday on the second end of a back-to-back.
Kent Johnson was a surprise healthy scratch for the Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Relief Pitcher Sleepers for 2026 Fantasy Baseball
Relief pitcher is not only the most volatile position in baseball, but their fantasy value can vary the most based on league depth and format. In any case, finding those late-round relief gems can go a long way towards a successful fantasy season. Last year, we had Aroldis Chapman and Daniel Palencia emerge from the late rounds to provide league-winning upside. Whether you’re looking for saves, a middle reliever for holds leagues, or stashing the next closers in waiting, we’ve got seven sleepers that could outperform their draft price.
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
ADP data taken from the NFBC Online Championships in February
2026 Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Sleepers
Clayton Beeter - Washington Nationals (NFBC ADP: 307)
The Nationals traded Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners this offseason, vacating the team’s ninth-inning role after Ferrer finished out the season with 11 saves. As things stand, Beeter appears to be the frontrunner to open the season as the closer. The 27-year-old right-hander was acquired from the Yankees last season and posted a 4.26 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings. However, he had made two appearances with New York before joining the Nationals and gave up six runs in those two outings. Beeter made 24 appearances with Washington, posting a 2.49 ERA and 1.02 WHIP across 21 2/3 frames. He has the strikeout stuff to be an excellent high-leverage reliever. The challenge for Beeter has always been throwing strikes. Even in his impressive run with the Nationals over the final two months, he posted a 16.7% walk rate. Limiting free passes would certainly help his cause in closing out games. Still, his strikeout upside and potential for saves make him a decent dart throw near the end of drafts.
Kirby Yates - Los Angeles Angels (NFBC ADP: 297)
Yes, Yates is 38 years old and coming off a 5.23 ERA while battling soft tissue injuries across 41 1/3 innings with the Dodgers. Still, he’s just one season removed from a 1.17 ERA and 33 saves with the Rangers in 2024. And despite the disaster performance, there were still some things to like under the hood. Yates maintained a strong 29.2% strikeout rate and a 16.5% swinging-strike rate that was better than his 15.2% mark in 2024. He also dropped his walk rate from 11.8% to 9.6%. There was also a clear marker of when his performance dropped off last season. Over the first month and a half, Yates looked very much like his 2024 self, striking out 31 batters to just five walks over his first 18 1/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA. He surrendered three runs on May 17 and landed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain. Yates was never able to get right from there, hitting the IL two more times with back and hamstring issues. Despite the age concerns, he comes into the season perhaps the healthiest of the viable closing options to open the year for the Angels, as late-inning hopeful Robert Stephenson reportedly dealt with a nerve issue over the offseason, putting his readiness for Opening Day in doubt. Given the strikeout ability we saw behind the disappointing surface stats, Yates is worth a dart throw for saves late in drafts with some upside if he can reclaim some of that 2024 magic.
Grant Taylor - Chicago White Sox (NFBC ADP: 331)
It’s fairly easy to dismiss Taylor by looking at his surface stats in his time with the White Sox last season. He recorded a 4.91 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 36 2/3 innings. However, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not delving a bit deeper into his intriguing skill set, which tells a whole other story. The 23-year-old right-hander was incredibly unlucky on balls put in play, with a bloated .420 BABIP. He struck out 54 batters for an excellent 34.4% strikeout rate and 24.8% K-BB rate. His ERA indicators suggest his talent level was more in line with a sub-3.00 ERA. This came after posting a 1.01 ERA and a 36.6% strikeout rate over 26 2/3 innings in Double-A. Not only was he prolific at missing bats, but he also suppressed the power of opposing hitters, giving up zero homers across both levels.
With Seranthony Dominguez stepping in as the primary closer, it’s unlikely Taylor will be deployed in a single-inning role that would put him in line for a share of saves. Instead, he’s likely be used in a versatile, multi-inning fashion with the goal of reaching 100 innings. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up with a handful of saves and falling into some wins while collecting 120 strikeouts, which would make him quite valuable regardless of format.
Matt Svanson - St. Louis Cardinals (NFBC ADP: 359)
One of the ambiguous situations around the league, Riley O’Brien and Jojo Romero ended the season splitting save chances for the Cardinals. While both had solid seasons on the surface, their underlying skills suggest regression, with K-BB rates of 11.6% and 10.2%, respectively. Struggles for the incumbents could open the door for Svanson, who displayed the best skills in the St. Louis bullpen and produced incredible numbers in his first full season. The 27-year-old right-hander posted a 1.94 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts over 60 1/3 innings. In contrast to O’Brien and Romero, Svanson finished with a strong 20.5% K-BB rate. The Cardinals may struggle to accumulate a high number of save chances, but keep an eye on Svanson as one of the more talented closers in waiting.
Garrett Whitlock - Boston Red Sox (NFBC ADP: 358)
After several seasons battling injuries and role ambiguity, Whitlock has fully developed into one of the best high-leverage relievers in baseball after a breakout 2025 season. He posted a 2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 91 strikeouts over 72 innings while recording 24 holds and seven wins. Those 91 strikeouts were top-10 in baseball among relievers behind a career-high 16.3% swinging-strike rate, with his sinker, slider, and changeup all generating whiffs. As the primary setup man in Boston, Whitlock makes for a great late option in holds leagues given his ratio stability, volume, and strikeout upside. And while Aroldis Chapman’s role in the ninth inning is secure, Whitlock is one of the higher-priority closers in waiting given that Chapman is entering his age-38 season.
Justin Sterner - Athletics (NFBC ADP: 333)
The Athletics struggled to fill the ninth-inning void left by Mason Miller following his trade to the Padres at last season’s deadline. Six different relievers recorded saves, and none with more than four. Sterner is a prime candidate to take the lead for save chances in 2026. After posting a mediocre 3.67 ERA in the first half, he really found his stride after the All-Star break, particularly over the final two months. From August on, he posted a 1.40 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, and a 33/4 K/BB ratio for a stellar 29.9% K-BB rate that was tenth in baseball among relievers during that span. If Sterner can maintain the 16.3% swinging-strike rate in the second half, along with the excellent walk rate, there’s a solid chance he’ll be working his way into a closer role that’s wide open in Sacramento.
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays (NFBC ADP: Undrafted)
Baker is another reliever who is easy to overlook based on 2025 surface stats. He posted a 4.06 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 68 2/3 innings with the Orioles and Rays. Of course, the Rays have a reputation for savvy moves and excellent pitching development. And the underlying skills point to better results ahead for Baker. The 31-year-old right-hander struck out 83 batters last season for a 30.3% strikeout rate while issuing just a 6.2% walk rate for a strong 24.1% K-BB. Some ERA indicators, including a 3.08 xFIP and 2.74 SIERA, further suggest he was much better than the 4.06 ERA he produced. The Rays are expected to utilize a closer committee. Manager Kevin Cash named Griffin Jax, Edwin Uceta, and Garrett Cleavinger, along with Baker, as pitchers who could get the nod for save chances. Uceta has been hampered by a shoulder issue early in camp. And Cleavinger is currently the only projected left-hander in the bullpen. If Uceta should miss time out of the gate, Baker could be the biggest beneficiary of save chances next to Jax.
Sacramento visits Los Angeles for conference matchup
Sacramento Kings (14-47, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (35-24, sixth in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lakers -13.5; over/under is 231.5
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles plays Sacramento in a matchup of Western Conference teams.
The Lakers are 24-15 in conference games. Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, allowing only 115.6 points while holding opponents to 48.6% shooting.
The Kings are 10-31 in conference matchups. Sacramento is 11-21 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 13.8 turnovers per game.
The Lakers average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 fewer makes per game than the Kings allow (13.1). The Lakers average 110.4 points per game, 5.2 fewer points than the 115.6 the Lakers allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Kings won 124-112 in the last matchup on Jan. 13.
TOP PERFORMERS: Luka Doncic is averaging 32.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.6 assists for the Lakers. Austin Reaves is averaging 17.9 points over the last 10 games.
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 18.4 points and 3.9 assists for the Kings. Nique Clifford is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 5-5, averaging 112.8 points, 39.4 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.0 points per game.
Kings: 2-8, averaging 111.5 points, 43.9 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.9 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Rui Hachimura: day to day (illness).
Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta faces Portland, aims for 4th straight home win
Portland Trail Blazers (29-32, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (30-31, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Atlanta; Sunday, 6 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hawks -5.5; over/under is 237.5
BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Hawks take on Portland.
The Hawks have gone 13-16 in home games. Atlanta averages 30.3 assists per game to lead the Eastern Conference, paced by Jalen Johnson with 7.9.
The Trail Blazers are 13-17 on the road. Portland has a 6-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Hawks average 117.1 points per game, 1.0 fewer point than the 118.1 the Trail Blazers give up. The Trail Blazers' 45.1% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.2 percentage points lower than the Hawks have allowed to their opponents (47.3%).
The teams play for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 16 the Trail Blazers won 117-101 led by 24 points from Shaedon Sharpe, while Onyeka Okongwu scored 26 points for the Hawks.
TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is averaging 23 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 19.3 points over the last 10 games.
Toumani Camara is scoring 13.0 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 6-4, averaging 116.4 points, 48.1 rebounds, 28.7 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 6-4, averaging 116.6 points, 45.8 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 8.1 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.9 points.
INJURIES: Hawks: Nickeil Alexander-Walker: day to day (foot), Jalen Johnson: day to day (hip).
Trail Blazers: Deni Avdija: day to day (back), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Dixon, Jester propel UC Irvine to 64-60 victory over UC Santa Barbara
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Jurian Dixon and reserve Jovan Jester Jr. both scored 13 points to help UC Irvine hold off UC Santa Barbara 64-60 on Saturday night.
Dixon added six rebounds and Jester grabbed four boards with four steals for the Anteaters (20-10, 13-5 Big West Conference). Andre Henry added 12 points off the bench.
Colin Smith had 16 points and six rebounds to pace the Gauchos (18-12, 11-8). Zion Sensley added 14 points and Aidan Mahaney scored 12.
UC Irvine led 32-23 at halftime.
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NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-03-01 16:10:26
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn scores career-high 42 as UNLV edges Nevada 85-83 in OT
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn scored a career-high 42 points and Tyrin Jones made a go-ahead layup with 12 seconds left in overtime to rally UNLV to an 85-83 victory over Nevada on Saturday night.
Gibbs-Lawhorn made 14 of 22 shots with eight 3-pointers and all six of his free throws for the Rebels (15-14, 10-8 Mountain West Conference). Jacob Bannarbie added 15 points and six rebounds, while Jones scored 12 off the bench.
Vaughn Weems scored a career-high 30 for the Wolf Pack (19-10, 11-7). Tayshawn Comer scored 15 but made only 3 of 12 shots, while Elijah Price added 10 points.
Weems had 12 points in the first half to help Nevada take a 37-35 lead into halftime. Gibbs-Lawhorn had 19 points in the second half and his 3-pointer with 37 seconds left tied it 74-all and forced OT.
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Bulldogs’ Stephen Crichton kicks golden-point winner in final seconds to beat Dragons
Canterbury defeats St George Illawarra 15-14 in Las Vegas
Knights beat Cowboys 28-18 in NRL opener at Allegiant Stadium
Canterbury skipper Stephen Crichton stood up like only he can to land a field goal with six seconds of golden point remaining to sink a gallant St George Illawarra 15-14.
A record Las Vegas crowd of 45,719 got their first taste of golden point and it took 89 minutes and 54 seconds of a cracking, old-fashioned arm wrestle to split the teams.
Continue reading...GameThread: Tigers vs. Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m.
Detroit Tigers vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Joker Marchant Stadium – Lakeland, FL
SB Nation Site: Bluebird Banter
Media: MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Warriors likely headed for NBA play-in tournament after Lakers loss
SAN FRANCISCO — If they hadn’t already, the Warriors can probably kiss any hopes they had of avoiding the play-in tournament goodbye.
Golden State looked listless, lackadaisical and downright lost at times Saturday night against the team it would have to chase down to secure anything higher than the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.
The Warriors quickly fell into a double-digit hole against the Lakers and never recovered in a lopsided 129-101 loss. In front of a national television audience, they fell behind by as many as 32 points — 17 just in the first quarter — and never cut the deficit to single digits.
The loss means the Warriors trail the Lakers by 4.5 games with 22 to play and would need to win their final meeting April 9 just to even the season series at two games apiece.
“It’s a lot. It’s a lot to make up in 22 games,” coach Steve Kerr acknowledged.
Steph Curry (knee) missed his 10th consecutive game, Kristaps Porzingis (illness) was ruled out shortly before tipoff and what was left of the Warriors’ starting five crumbled against the Lakers’ Big 3.
LeBron James (22 points, nine assists, seven rebounds), Luka Doncic (26 points, eight assists, six rebounds) and Austin Reaves (18 points) had all checked out for the final time by the midpoint of the fourth quarter and still individually bested the Warriors’ top scorer, Gui Santos (14).
Rookie Will Richard added to the Warriors’ injury woes, rolling his ankle and leaving the game in the second quarter.
Only more miles will be required to be put on the Warriors’ aging and ailing group the further they fall in the standings. As the No. 8 seed as it currently stands, they would need to either beat the seventh-seeded Suns on the road or prevail in a second play-in contest against the Trail Blazers or Clippers, who have the Nos. 9 and 10 spots all but locked down.
After the loss, the Warriors trail the Suns by three games for the No. 7 seed with a 2.5-game cushion on the Blazers in the No. 9 spot.
“We don’t even talk about it,” Kerr said. “That’s not anything that is worth discussing because we just have to try to go out there and win and see what happens.”
The Warriors emerged from the play-in last season to upset the Rockets in the first round. But the veteran group said the pedal-to-the-metal final two months of the season, including the play-in win, caught up to them as Curry went down injured and they lost to the Timberwolves in five games the following round.
Making matters more complicated, Golden State is already without Jimmy Butler for the rest of the season and is unsure when Curry will be cleared to return. The team is set to provide an update on his right knee Sunday, but Curry reportedly suffered a setback over the All-Star break and the ailment commonly known as runner’s knee already has a varying timetable.
In an interview with ESPN during the game, Curry said he expects it is “going to be a little longer” before he is cleared to return. Golden State hosts the Clippers on Monday.
Daniel Hillier holds out Lucas Herbert to win the New Zealand Open
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealander Daniel Hillier held off a late charge from Australian Lucas Herbert Sunday to defend his overnight lead and to win the 105th New Zealand Open by two shots.
Hillier also overcame strong winds and cold conditions to post a final round 67 for a 22-under four-round total of 262 at the par-72 Millbrook Resort. Herbert shot 67, finishing 20 under at 264.
The winner of the New Zealand Open receives automatic entry to The Open Championship but as Hillier already has qualified that prize passes to Herbert who will now play at Royal Birkdale from July 16.
Hillier, who was married earlier this week, led by one shot at 18 under coming into the final round. He made birdie, birdie, par, eagle, birdie to finish his third round and to seize the outright lead.
Hillier turned at 20-under Sunday, a shot ahead of Herbert who had just birdied the 10th hole. Hillier bogeyed the 10th and again saw his lead cut to one shot, but made birdies at the 11th and 12th holes to reestablish his lead.
Herbert had a chance to chip in on the par-three final hole to put pressure on the leader but his shot from off the green slid past the hole. Hillier was able to make par and was showered by champagne on the 18th green.
He became the first New Zealander since 2017 to win his national open.
“This is the second-best day of my life after my wedding earlier in the week,” Hillier said. "It was a lot more stressful coming down the stretch.
“This has been the absolute best week of my life. To break the Kiwi drought was very special. I've been dreaming of this a long time. I knew I had the game to do it but it was just a matter of not getting ahead of myself.”
Five-time PGA Tour winner Kevin Na of the United States shot a final round 72 to finish in a tie for 19th place.
Na has spent the last four years on the LIV tour but has decided to return to traditional tours in 2026 and made the New Zealand Open the first tournament on his return.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
João Klauss, Lucas Sanabria spark Galaxy to 3-0 victory over Charlotte
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — João Klauss scored two goals two minutes apart in the first 13 minutes — after a score by Lucas Sanabria — and the Los Angeles Galaxy cruised to a 3-0 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday night.
Sanabria gave the Galaxy (1-0-1) the lead in the 8th minute with an unassisted goal. Sanabria had two goals in 21 appearances as a rookie last season.
Klauss took a pass from Gabriel Pec and scored in the 11th minute, then scored unassisted two minutes later for a three-goal lead. Pec's first assist this season gives him 24 through his first 64 matches.
Klauss scored the lone goal in a 1-1 season-opening draw with visiting New York City FC. He came over in a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City in the hopes he'd help ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn ACL. So far, so good for the 29-year-old forward with 28 goals in 81 career appearances.
Novak Micovic needed to make just one save to notch his fourth clean sheet in his 26th career start for the Galaxy.
Kristijan Kahlina saved eight shots for Charlotte (0-1-1), which was coming off a 1-1 draw at St. Louis City on a goal by Pep Biel — one of 11 players in the league with double-digit goals and assists last season.
Up next
Charlotte: Hosts Austin FC on Saturday.
Los Angeles: At Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer
Player Grades: Lakers vs. Warriors
The Lakers took an important step toward capturing the Pacific Division title, one of the NBA’s most prestigious awards.
Jokes aside, it is interesting how little divisions matter in the NBA. Because so many teams make the playoffs, the divisions are kind of useless. In the past, division winners were guaranteed home court advantage, but that would make the current seventh-seed Magic and the Lakers the third seeds in the conferences.
The problem doesn’t have a clear solution, but outside of local rivalries, there isn’t much juice to these divisional games and never has been. Should the league make any changes? Should division standings have more of an impact on playoff seeding?
It feels like those games should matter more, but it’s unclear what that solution should be.
Anyway, the Lakers completely dominated in this one, as a team should when facing a Warriors side without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler or Kristaps Porzingis.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
Marcus Smart
29 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, +25
A very professional approach to this one from the team and Smart, who took this game seriously from the start with a strong defensive effort that helped them to an early lead.
Grade: B+
LeBron James
28 minutes, 22 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 7-13 FG, 4-6 3PT, 4-5 FT, +26
LeBron was sorely overdue for a good shooting night from three. In fact, he’s due for a whole lot of them in the stretch run of the season.
Grade: A
Deandre Ayton
20 minutes, 4 points, 10 rebounds, 2-5 FG, 0-2 FT, +14
The dominant win really overshadowed another poor showing from Ayton. I won’t harp on it too long to bring down the vibes, but there’s a growing argument for Hayes to take his starting spot.
Grade: C-
Austin Reaves
28 minutes, 18 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 7-11 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, +22
Reaves also needed a good game and had that in the first half. He was aggressive in attacking the rim and looked much closer to the version of Austin that opened the season.
Grade: A-
Luka Dončić
29 minutes, 26 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 9-17 FG, 4-9 3PT, 4-4 FT, +26
The Lakers led big in the first half despite Luka being largely a non-factor. He rectified that by hitting everything in the first four minutes of the third quarter. It was a very happy birthday for Luka.
Grade: A
Luke Kennard
27 minutes, 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 6-10 FG, 4-7 3PT, +14
This was pretty safely Kennard’s best game as a Laker, and not just because he hit four threes. His ability to attack closeouts and finish at the rim remains a valuable asset.
Grade: A
Jaxson Hayes
15 minutes, 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 3-4 FG, +18
Even if Hayes only played a short amount, it’s amazing how much different — and better — the offense looks with a center willing to roll hard to the rim and is a legitimate lob threat.
Grade: B
Jake LaRavia
27 minutes, 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 6-10 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-3 FT, +14
A lot of role players had good games for the Lakers with LaRavia among them. Some of his stats came in garbage time, but he was also hitting shots when it mattered, including the three that emptied the benches for both teams.
Grade: A-
Jarred Vanderbilt
12 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, -7
I appreciate Vando’s desire to posterize someone in garbage time. After he failed once, he kept at it and got one.
Grade: C+
Maxi Kleber
13 minutes, 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 2-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, -4
Another player who did most of his damage in garbage time. He had a nice finish over Draymond before then, though.
Grade: B+
Dalton Knecht, Kobe Bufkin
Two guys who saw some garbage time run. Bufkin got up five shots in six minutes. Admirable.
JJ Redick
A strong showing from JJ, but it was against the Warriors. Everyone should look good against the Warriors.
Grade: A
Saturday’s inactives: Rui Hachimura, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.