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Lakers hope comeback win over Pelicans gives the team a timely boost

Lakers center Deandre Ayton dunks in front of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as Lakers forward LeBron James watches.
Center Deandre Ayton dunks in front of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson duing the Lakers' defeat of New Orlenas on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A three-pointer clanked off the side of the backboard. Four players were whistled for technical fouls. Passes from the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans sailed out of bounds.

The errors added up to an ugly game. The result, however, was beautiful for the Lakers, who notched a 110-101 comeback win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. They clawed back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win their third consecutive game, showing the kind of resolve coach JJ Redick said he hasn’t seen since November when the Lakers started 15-4.

“Nights like this can change the trajectory for teams and players,” guard Marcus Smart said. “So hopefully this win and tonight, in the way, the fashion that we won it, kicks our confidence up.”

Here are three takeaways from the game:

Marcus Smart gives Lakers life

Lakers guard Marcus Smart passes the ball under pressure from Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers guard Marcus Smart passes the ball under pressure from Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

With calm feet and fast hands, Smart reached in to swat the ball away from a driving Trey Murphy III. The final defensive flourish from Smart put a fitting full-stop on the Lakers' win as the former defensive player of the year set the tone with four steals and three blocked shots and made a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter to spark the comeback.

“He gave us life tonight,” Redick said.

The 12-year veteran was the only Laker to play every second of the fourth quarter, proving to be a vital piece of the closing rotation along with stars LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.

Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, although he had seven turnovers. James fueled the Lakers during the third quarter, scoring the team’s first nine points and finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Reaves shook off a bad offensive night to score eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Read more:All five starters score in double figures as Lakers defeat the Pelicans

With so many offensive superstars around him, Smart has instead “starred in his role,” Redick said. The assignment is defense, a role Smart has dutifully filled his whole career.

“He’s just a winning player,” James said. “He always has been. Ever since I started watching him at Oklahoma State, all the way until being a pro.”

Jaxson Hayes stands up to Zion Williamson

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes takes a charge and falls after getting hit by Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes falls after Pelicans forward Zion Williamson commits an offensive foul as Lakers guard Austin Reaves watches at at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Matching the physicality of Pelicans forwards Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey was on the top of the Lakers’ scouting report. But the task is easier said than done.

Reaves admitted to being “terrified” of stepping in front of a driving Williamson to draw a charge. The 6-foot-6, 284-pound Pelicans forward is just as physical as he is athletic, creating a fearsome combination for defenders. Healthy for the first time in two seasons, Williamson led the Pelicans with 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting.

“We haven't seen somebody like that in a long time, right?” Smart said. “[With] his ability. But [being] willing to put your body there, take a charge, take an elbow to the face, box him out, go vertical, is definitely something that you got to be willing to do, and not everybody's willing to do it. And that's the difference in the game.”

Center Jaxson Hayes was up to the task. He absorbed a Williamson elbow in the fourth quarter and ended up in the front row of the stands holding his jaw. But the knock was worth it for the offensive foul that helped maintain the Lakers’ 14-0 run that quickly erased the Pelicans’ eight-point lead. The scoring streak started immediately after Hayes subbed back into the game with 7:20 remaining when he scored on his first possession, cutting to the basket for a dunk off an assist from Doncic.

Hayes had eight points, six rebounds and two blocks, playing nearly 23 minutes off the bench in his biggest workload as a substitute since Jan. 20 against Denver. After playing with Hayes in New Orleans during the center’s first two years in the league, Redick lauded the seventh-year pro's improvement. Hayes is sinking touch shots around the rim now. He has improved his decision making in the pocket. After getting benched for his defensive lapses last season, Hayes has impressed coaches with his consistent ability to stay vertical while protecting the rim. And he still brings the same trademark athleticism that made him the eighth overall pick in 2019.

“He consistently injects energy into the group when he runs the floor, blocks a shot, or he gets those dunks,” Redick said.

It's winning time

Lakers guard Luka Doncic motions across the court after Marcus Smart sank a three-pointer late in a win over the Pelicans
Lakers guard Luka Doncic motions across the court after Marcus Smart sank a three-pointer late in a win over the Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers steadied themselves with three wins over bottom-feeding teams. Now things get interesting.

With less than six weeks left of the regular season, the Lakers face a critical stretch of games that could shake up the playoff picture. Five of the Lakers’ next eight games are against the three teams directly ahead of them in the Western Conference, beginning with Thursday’s showdown in Denver. The Lakers are just half a game behind the Nuggets (38-24) for fifth place in the West. Behind conference favorites Oklahoma City and San Antonio, third and sixth place in the West are separated by just 1½ games.

Players are “aware” of the tight standings, Smart said. But the potentially season-defining stretch can’t be at the forefront of their minds now.

“We don't have the luxury to look ahead,” Smart said. “I think if we can stay that course and just focus [on] one game at a time, [we can] give ourselves a chance to do some things and catch a good rhythm.”

The Lakers also play fourth-place Minnesota (39-23) at home on March 10 and have consecutive road games at third-place Houston (38-22) on March 16 and 18.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Michael Phelps gives World Baseball Classic pep talk to Team USA

As the World Baseball Classic nears, the American team received a pep talk from arguably the greatest Team USA athlete in history: swimmer Michael Phelps.

Phelps reportedly spoke at a team dinner Monday night before attending Tuesday's exhibition win over the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale, Arizona, near Phelps' home in Paradise Valley.

“He was intense,” U.S. manager Mark DeRosa said, according to MLB.com. “I thought it was an awesome speech. Just kind of his mindset. Second place is not going to get it done. That was kind of his message to the guys. Kind of feeding off each other and coming together as a team.”

This World Baseball Classic, which runs from Thursday through the March 17 final in Miami, has Olympic ramifications.

The top two finishing teams from North and South America qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, not including the U.S., which has an automatic spot as host nation.

The Classic could also be a preview of the Olympic competition. It's possible that big leaguers could take part in the Games for the first time in 2028 should MLB owners and players come to an agreement.

Last month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said, "I feel pretty good about the idea (that) we’ll get there.”

Baseball is not guaranteed to be on the Olympic program after 2028, so Los Angeles could be the only opportunity for any players to experience what Phelps did 23 times in his career.

"It's the one thing I miss the most about being retired, right, not being able to stand on top of the medal podium with a gold medal around your neck while listening to your national anthem," Phelps told Fox Sports. "For me, when I was able to wear the stars and stripes, it was a massive honor. I know these guys are going to represent us well and go out there, have some fun, number one, but get the W, too."

Olympic Baseball
MLB players in 2028 Olympics? Rob Manfred ‘positive’ about interest, logistical issues remain
Active MLB players could participate in Olympic baseball for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

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Twins one-moment wonders: Caleb Hamilton clears the fence

Hamilton didn’t throw away his sho— that joke is over a decade old now. | Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Images

Last week, I wrote about the two Twins players whose MLB careers lasted one game. (And thanks to BH-Baseball for sharing, in a comment below the article, about Senators one-game, one-legged pitcher Bert Shepard.) If this were earlier in the offseason, I’d make this a series (and I still might, just next offseason); as it is, there’s another short-tenured player who came to mind that I’d like to recollect.

Through a middling 2022 season, the Twins got minimal offense from the catching position, with Gary Sánchez their primary backstop. On July 15, looking for help at that spot, they called up Caleb Hamilton from St. Paul. A 27-year-old career minor leaguer, Hamilton had been a 23rd-round pick of the Twins six years before; now, wearing #90 (yes, that’s the main reason I remember him), he debuted for the big club… and didn’t hit at all. Before being optioned back to the Saints on August 3, Hamilton appeared in just three games with Minnesota, coming to the plate six times without a hit, including four strikeouts.

But his time in the majors had yet to finish. The Twins brought him back up on August 23, and he remained with the team for the rest of the season, appearing in 19 more games, largely as a late-inning replacement. However, he started four games, and it is the third of those we come to.

The warm, sunny afternoon of September 25 saw the Los Angeles Angels taking on the Twins in the finale of a three-game series at Target Field. Hamilton batted ninth, catching for Dylan Bundy, and as soon as I mention Bundy, you know the game didn’t go well. Bundy lasted 3.1 innings and gave up five runs, including a homer to Mike Trout; Ronny Henriquez followed Bundy and kept the Angels’ tally at five, but the Twins, who had tacked on two early runs, could not narrow the deficit.

Until the bottom of the eighth.

With José Quijada on the hill for the visitors, Hamilton was due up as the third batter of the inning. Quijada struck out Jermaine Palacios and Jake Cave, but on the first pitch to Hamilton…

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Unfortunately, neither the game nor Hamilton’s career would feature further highlights.

Trevor Megill took the mound for Minnesota in the ninth and gave up five runs, turning a close game into a blowout 10-3 loss. And Hamilton made five more appearances for the Twins in ‘22 without a hit; he was waived and claimed by the Red Sox, for whom he appeared in four games the next season. After going hitless with Boston, Hamilton was granted free agency after 2023. He signed with the Angels the following season but never made the majors, and his playing career ended after ‘24. Hamilton did join the High-A (NYY) Hudson Valley Renegades as a defensive coach for ‘25, but the Renegades’ website no longer lists him as a coach this season, and I could not determine where or if he is coaching.

His home run on September 25, 2022, was the only hit of his career. But he made the most of that one hit, giving himself, his teammates, and everyone in attendance a moment to remember in an otherwise forgettable Twins season.

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How do you feel about the Orioles experimenting with Coby Mayo at 3B?

SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Coby Mayo (16) of the Baltimore Orioles fields his position during a spring training game against the New York Yankees on February 20, 2026 at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Plan A for the Orioles infield went out the window as soon as Jackson Holliday suffered a broken hamate bone. The backup plan for the infield followed not long after once Jordan Westburg’s sore oblique turned into “he has a partially torn UCL.” With two expected starters likely out for at least the first month of the season, in Westburg’s case potentially the whole season, we know that the team is going to have to get creative.

One part of that looks like it is going to be Coby Mayo taking a lot of the playing time at third base. This is the experiment the Orioles are running here in spring training and it sure seems to be a “get him as much practice as possible for the regular season” kind of thing rather than “we’re still not sure if we want to do this.” In about three weeks, we’re going to start getting an idea of whether this is an acceptable experiment for the Orioles chances of fielding as winning a team as they possibly can.

How do you feel about the potential for Mayo as a regular third baseman for at least April?

In the scouting world, there have always been doubts about whether Mayo could handle third base at the MLB level, because it’s tough for 6’5” guys to react on the hot corner. It is something of a desperate plan that’s brought the Orioles to this point for 2026… well, that and the fact that Mayo’s next most-likely home of first base was filled up by the long-term, big-money signing of Pete Alonso.

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2026 Cubs: Know your enemy, AL Central

The Cleveland Guardians never look great when the season starts and somehow, they manage to win. The Detroit Tigers have loaded up on pitching to try to squeeze a postseason year out of Tarik Skubal’s walk year. The White Sox are better. The Royals stood (mostly) pat. And the Twins, yikes.

Chicago White Sox

Key departures: Luis Robert Jr., Dominic Fletcher, Michael A. Taylor, Martin Perez, Cam Booser, Mike Tauchman, Bryan Hudson, Miguel Castro

Key arrivals: Anthony Kay, Oliver Dunn, Jarred Kelenic, Drew Romo, Tyson Miller, Luisangel Acuña, Jordan Hicks, Seranthony Dominguez, Austin Hays, Erick Fedde

The White Sox were a much better team in every way in 2025 compared to their disastrous 121-loss season in 2024. They won 20 more games — that’s good! They inaugurated a new manager, Will Venable, who is widely respected around the game.

This year they’ve finally moved on from Luis Robert Jr., who had a couple of disappointing years after looking like a true superstar early in this decade.

They signed Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, who’s already had a positive impact on the team. Colson Montgomery, a top prospect who struggled in the minors, hit 21 home runs in just 71 games. Kyle Teel looks like the real deal behind the plate.

The rotation is still a bit iffy. They acquired Jordan Hicks, who could start or relieve, and former Phillie Seranthony Dominguez will close.

They’re probably not a contender — yet — but they could easily improve another 10-15 wins this year.

At Wrigley Field: Aug. 17-18-19

At Rate Field: May 15-16-17

SB Nation White Sox site:South Side Sox

Cleveland Guardians

Key departures: Jakob Junis, Will Brennan, Sam Hentges, Jhonkensy Noel

Key arrivals: Colin Holderman, Shawn Armstrong, Codi Heuer, Carter Kieboom, Ben Lively, Rhys Hoskins

Every year, people say the Guardians will fade or fall off and every year, they go on a run and make the postseason.

This year should be no different. The Guards have a solid, if unspectacular, rotation and good bullpen. They signed homegrown superstar José Ramirez to a contract that will have him retire in Cleveland, likely on his way to Cooperstown. Ramirez is one of the most underappreciated superstars in today’s game — if he were playing in New York or Los Angeles he’d have already had tons of media attention.

Another unappreciated Guardian is outfielder Steven Kwan, whose numbers are solid if unspectacular, but who seems to always find ways to beat you.

And they might have made a really good under-the-radar signing in Rhys Hoskins.

At Cleveland: April 3-4-5 (includes the Guardians’ home opener on April 3)

SB Nation Guardians site:Covering The Corner

Detroit Tigers

Key departures: Tommy Kahnle, Rafael Montero, Chris Paddack, Paul Sewald, Randy Dobnak, Kevin Newman, Alex Lange, Justyn-Henry Malloy

Key arrivals: Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Scott Effross, Kenley Jansen, Phil Bickford, Austin Slater, Colin Poche

The Tigers lost their arbitration hearing with Tarik Skubal, all but assuring that this is Skubal’s last year in Detroit — that, and their signing of Framber Valdez to a three-year deal for $115 million.

Other than the signing of Justin Verlander, which should give feel-good vibes if not performance, the Tigers basically are running back the same team that ran out to a huge division lead last year — they had a 14-game lead on July 8 — before blowing it and finishing second to the Guardians, who they dispatched in a wild card series before they lost to the Mariners in a division series.

Now read that again. The Tigers were 59-34 after defeating the Rays on July 8 and had that 14-game lead. They went 28-41 after that — the only teams worse were the Rays, Angels, Twins and Rockies. Yikes.

Detroit will have to guard against that sort of slippage again.

At Wrigley Field: July 20-21-22

SB Nation Tigers site:Bless You Boys

Kansas City Royals

Key departures: Adam Frazier, Hunter Harvey, Mike Yastrzemski, Randal Grichuk, Kyle Wright, MJ Melendez, Angel Zerpa, Jonathan Bowlan

Key arrivals: Mason Black, Alex Lange, Isaac Collins, Nick Mears, Kevin Newman, Abraham Toro, Matt Strahm, Jorge Alfaro, Hector Neris, Aaron Sanchez, Eli Morgan, Elias Diaz

The Royals made the postseason in 2024 on a 30-game improvement from 2023. They took a bit of a step back last year, but still finished over .500, barely, at 82-80.

They are running back most of the same guys this year. They have a solid rotation and decent bullpen, and two young hitters — Jac Caglianone and Vinnie Pasquantino — who should continue to improve.

Of course, the offense is anchored by superstar Bobby Witt Jr., whose very good year in 2025 was just a smidge below his spectacular 2024. This is his age-26 season and I’d expect another good-to-great year.

Salvador Perez returns for his 15th year in a Royals uniform. Since the retirement of George Brett, Perez has become the face of the franchise. He doesn’t catch that much anymore — just 89 games started behind the plate last year — but even solid production for the next couple years could get him Hall of Fame consideration.

At Kansas City: Aug. 7-8-9

SB Nation Royals site:Royals Review

Minnesota Twins

Key departures: Jonah Bride, Genesis Cabrera, Thomas Hatch, Jose Miranda, Ryan Fitzgerald, Edouard Julien

Key arrivals: Josh Bell, Victor Caratini, Taylor Rogers, Jackson Kowar, Eduardo Salazar, Gio Urshela, Liam Hendriks, Julian Merryweather, Andrew Chafin

The Twins insist they’re competing this year.

Not with this roster they’re not. They had arguably a bigger selloff last summer than the Cubs did in 2021. And the results showed on the field — the Twins were 39-66 after June 1. Only the Rockies were worse, and not much worse (34-70).

To what was left, the Twins added… well, you can see above, a few retreads and miscellaneous waiver-wire guys. Their payroll ranks 24th of the 30 teams.

The Twins franchise has lost 100 games in a season just twice since 1955 — 102 losses in 1982 and 103 in 2016.

It says here that the 2026 Twins should join that list.

At Wrigley Field: July 17-18-19

SB Nation Twins site:Twinkie Town

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Good Morning San Diego: Padres snap skid; Jurickson Profar tests positive… again

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 19: Jurickson Profar #7 of the Atlanta Braves looks on against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on September 19, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Jurickson Profar - Getty Images

Fans of the San Diego Padres got their first glimpse of what Nick Castellanos could be if he breaks camp as a part of the big-league roster. Castellanos went 2-for-3 in San Diego’s 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday and that included a double and a two-run home run off the bat of Castellanos. He was signed with the expectation that he would provide slug on offense and compete for time at first base and designated hitter. Castellanos is not a refined first baseman by any means, but he has not looked lost at the position as he tries to get used to having his feet back in the dirt after years in the outfield. If he can do what he did against the White Sox and continue to improve defensively, he could be this year’s Gavin Sheets for the Padres.

Padres News:

  • The lineup construction under former manager Mike Shildt rarely changed. Fernando Tatis Jr. was the leadoff batter followed by Luis Arraez. Tatis and Arraez, when healthy and playing, were cemented into the top two spots. Under new manager Craig Stammen, it appears their will be some flexibility at the top of the lineup, but who is most often leading off for the Padres is unknown.
  • The Padres have a number of players vying for the fifth spot in the pitching rotation and while one may stand out among the rest, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune says San Diego will need a combination of pitchers to fill the role of the fifth starter.
  • Logan Gillaspie has been pitching well and could make the decision for Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla about who will make up their bullpen very difficult. San Diego is expected to have one of the top if not the top bullpen in MLB this season so breaking in could be a challenge for Gillaspie. Like the bullpen, the Padres’ starting rotation has yet to be decided and while he may not be ready for Opening Day, Griffin Canning is working to get back as soon as possible to add his name to the list of contenders.
  • Tom Krasovic of the San Deigo Union-Tribune looks at the path Walker Buehler took to land him in San Diego. The World Series-winning right-hander was once thought to be a draft pick of the Padres but instead he was passed and he enrolled at Vanderbilt. After three years in college he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the rest is history.

Baseball News:

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A Pod of Their Own: 30 raw eggs, affordability, and one other thing

Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space. 

This week, we begin by discussing some notes out of Mets camp, including Ryan Lambert’s unhinged energy (complimentary), Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta’s strong starts, the battle for the right field job, and more. 

Next, we choose our Dudes for 2026—underrated players who we think may make a big contribution to the Mets this season. 

In the second half of the show, we talk about the upcoming World Baseball Classic, David Rubenstein’s private equity firm’s shady dealings, Arte Moreno’s notion that fans don’t care about winning, and the Rangers making some questionable decor choices at Globe Life Field.

Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise. 

You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!

You can follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky (@apodoftheirown) and you can follow Home Run Applesauce on Twitter and Instagram (@HRApplesauce). You can also follow our co-hosts on Twitter and Bluesky: Allison McCague (@PetitePhD), Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162), and LindaSurovich (@LindaSurovich). You can also email the show at aa.apodoftheirown@gmail.com. 

Look for A Pod of Their Own in your feeds every week and don’t forget: there’s no crying in podcasting!

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Sebastian Cossa Called Up To Red Wings Under Emergency Conditions

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Fans of the Detroit Red Wings could soon be getting a look at highly-touted prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa at the NHL level for the second time in his professional career.

On Wednesday morning, the Red Wings announced that Cossa had been called up to the club under "emergency conditions" from the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Additionally, defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who cleared waivers, has been assigned to the Griffins.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

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Goaltender John Gibson left Monday afternoon's victory over the Nashville Predators after the opening 20 minutes of play and was replaced by backup Cam Talbot.

While head coach Todd McLellan indicated that Gibson suffered a "stinger" on the arm, it appeared as though he wasn't seriously hurt. 

However, because Cossa has been called up, the injury to Gibson could be more severe than initially thought.

Cossa, who has been one of the driving elements of the incredibly successful year for the Griffins, has gone 24-4-3 with an impressive 1.99 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and has also posted five shutouts. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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What to expect from Foster Griffin in his first start with the Washington Nationals

JUPITER, FL - FEBRUARY 12: Foster Griffin #22 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the bullpen during Spring Training workout day at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, February 12, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Lucas Casel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The first free agent signing Paul Toboni made was a bit of a mysterious one. He gave LHP Foster Griffin a 1-year $5.5 million deal after three excellent years in Japan. Griffin will get his first opportunity to test himself against big league competition tonight, in an exhibition game against Venezuela. 

Foster Griffin was a first round pick for the Royals back in 2014. However, things did not work out for the southpaw in the Royals organization. He did make his way to the big leagues after a long trek through the minors, but never established himself as a regular. Wanting to continue as a starter, Griffin went to Japan following the 2022 season.

In his three years pitching in NPB, Griffin was dominant. He posted a 2.57 ERA in 315.2 innings over in Japan. Griffin had his best season in 2025, posting a 1.52 ERA, but injuries limited him to just 89 innings. When he was healthy, Griffin used his deep pitch mix and command to dominate NPB hitters.

The biggest question mark for Griffin is whether his softer arsenal will translate to the MLB. His fastball averaged just over 90 MPH last season, which is why he could only get a relatively modest one-year deal despite elite production. As a lefty, it is easier to survive with less velocity, but it is a question mark.

Griffin made up for his lack of power with an extremely deep mix of pitches. He threw seven different pitch types last season. Griffin was able to have a different pitch mix against righties and lefties. Against righties, he leaned more on his cutter and changeup to go with the fastball. He also mixed in his sweeper, as well as a splitter and occasional curve. Griffin’s sweeper was his go to secondary against lefties. He also used a sinker to get ground balls. In Japan, Griffin learned to mix up his pitches beautifully.

That is what we will see from him tonight against Venezuela. I actually think he will rely even more on his secondary pitches in the MLB. Nats pitchers are moving away from fastballs in general, and Griffin’s deep bag of pitches gives him plenty of non-fastball options. Griffin threw his 4-seamer about 40% of the time in Japan, and I expect that to go down even more in the big leagues.

Like a lot of guys that go to Japan, Griffin really learned to pitch over in the NPB. He talked about his evolution in an interview before he signed. It was pretty cool hearing him talk about his time in Japan. Griffin described it as a second chance at baseball. He also went into detail about some of the new pitches he learned. Like many pitchers who go to Japan, Griffin picked up a splitter. He also found a sweeper grip that worked for him over there.

Don’t get it twisted, Foster Griffin is not going to come back to the MLB looking like an ace. However, his new found craftsmanship gives him a chance to be a solid back of the rotation starter. If anything, Griffin will be tough on hitters because they don’t have the book on him yet. Hopefully, Griffin can take advantage of that and get off to a hot start. If that happens, the Nats could potentially move him at the deadline.

Griffin has been held back so far this spring, but he is finally getting a chance to show what he’s got tonight. All we have seen from Griffin is videos from live BP sessions. It is not much to go off of, but he seemed to really befuddle CJ Abrams in the one video we have of him throwing.

Venezuela will be a major first test for Griffin. They have a lot of star power in their lineup. The Venezuelans feature the likes of Ronald Acuna Jr., Salvador Perez, Eugenio Suarez and Jackson Chourio among others. This lineup is as good as any he will see in the MLB. 

I will be watching to see what his pitch mix looks like and if he is able to find a tick or two of velocity. Griffin was asked to go deep into games over in Japan. Maybe, he could tick up to 91-92 if he does not have to conserve himself as much. Every tick matters for pitchers, especially when you don’t have a ton of velocity.

Overall, Griffin is an interesting story and someone I am curious to watch. He is very likely to be in the rotation, so I want to see what the lefty has got. Griffin made a few big league appearances in 2020 and 2022. However, with his new pitches, Griffin is a different guy now. I really do not know what to expect.

Entering the season, Griffin is the wild card of the rotation. There is a chance his stuff does not translate to North America. However, the track record of pitchers who dominate in the NPB coming to the MLB is pretty strong. 

While both are soft-tossing lefties, Nats fans should not confuse Griffin for Shinnosuke Ogasawara. Griffin was much more productive in Japan, with far more swing and miss in his game. The Nats will be counting on Griffin to be a solid starter, and it is an intriguing gamble to take. I am excited to see what he has got tonight against a tough lineup.

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Will Jurickson Profar ever play for the Braves again?

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 27: Jurickson Profar #7 of the Atlanta Braves ducks out of the way of an inside pitch during the MLB game between the Pittsburg Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on September 27, 2025 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

You know the saying — yeah, that one. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice—if you fool me you can’t be fooled again.

Erm, anyway.

Look, I’m no stranger to, “You did what?“ I live in a house with two children under eight, a male orange cat (if you know, you know), two dogs that were rescued from not-so-great situations that don’t quite know how to be dogs, and, well, me. Even so, you have to think that ”take a PED-related sanction in MLB basically a calendar year after you took a prior PED-related sanction in MLB” is its own special case of a bruh moment.

What’s done is done at this point, and the Braves now need to scramble (again, for the same reason). But, technically, Jurickson Profar isn’t banned for 2027. Assuming there is a 2027 MLB season, anyway. Will the Braves just cut Profar for his duplicate transgressions? Will they somehow retain him and actually use him in 2027, even though he’ll have played for like three months in the span of over two years?

What do you think? To be clear: not what you think they should do, but what they will do.

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Wizards Earn Semi-Competitive Loss to Orlando Magic

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 3: Justin Champagnie #9 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 3, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Wizards lost another one — this time a reasonably competitive game (at least for a while) against the Orlando Magic. The final margin: 17.

That 17-point final gap sounds big for the words “reasonably competitive,” and those words in this case are not intended to convey the idea that the Wizards ever had a serious chance of winning. They did play Orlando about even in three of the four quarters, though it always felt like the Magic were just better and would eventually go on a run.

Will Riley goes for a layup in the team’s loss to the Orlando Magic. | Getty Images

That happened in the third quarter, which the Magic “won” by 13.

Although I’ve written variations of this next point many times the past couple years, it bears repeating: this kind of loss is by design. I mean, they gave 33 minutes to JuJu Reese, 31 to Leaky Black, and 20 to Sharife Cooper. This is not to slander any of them — if they work very hard and smart, each of them has the ability to be on NBA rosters and maybe in a team’s rotation for the next several years.

Possibly.

At this point, they’re G-Leaguers, 10-day, and two-way guys. Which is to say, not ready to offer serious competition to a professional team making a push to get their collective stuff together in time for the playoffs. Maybe that will be the Wizards in the future.

Thoughts & Observations

  • Trae Young will make his Wizards debut on Thursday against the Utah Jazz. Expect a tight minutes restriction, especially if he’s playing well. This one — and Sunday’s game at the New Orleans Pelicans are must lose for the Wizards.
  • After deploying a tiny lineup that got bludgeoned inside by the Houston Rockets, Washington opened even smaller. Kyshawn George was out with a “sprained elbow,” so head coach Brian Keefe started Will Riley, who’s…yet to develop muscles. Somehow, the Wizards (slightly) out-rebounded the Magic.
  • Coulibaly picked up two fouls in the first two minutes of the game. Keefe left him in, and he committed his third foul with five minutes left in the period. Given the team’s goals, and the reality that he wasn’t going to play more than 24 minutes, I thought Keefe should have let him continue playing — even with three fouls in the first quarter. Let him get the experience of defending through foul trouble.
  • The Wizards struggled frequently to get shots in the halfcourt. They had back-to-back shot clock violations in the first quarter. In the second, they committed consecutive backcourt violations.
  • Related: a recurring entry in my game notes was something along the lines of “nice move (or shot), but…” and the “but” would be followed by something about how hard the Wizards had to get a difficult shot. I made that note about Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, Bub Carrington, and Jaden Hardy.
  • Related-related: Difficult shot-making is valuable and necessary. But it cannot be the foundation of an efficient NBA offense. Much more valuable is the ability to generate easy shots. The Wizards aren’t there right now. It’s something that may come — they’re gaining experience, and they can improve with work on their bodies, skills, and decision-making.
  • From what I’ve seen so far, Reese has a very long ways to go to have an NBA career. He’s an undersized center whose best skill seems to be passing. He’s not a rim protector (by aptitude or athleticism). He was ineffective as a switch defender. He’s not nearly strong enough to bring high-level physicality.
  • Riley scored on a first-quarter possession that involved some fine moves and aggression. And it drove me nuts because it should have been illegal. On the move, I thought he double-dribbled once and committed at least three carries. Good move based on the way the NBA is currently officiated. It should have been a turnover.
  • From the notebook: Orlando’s offense is an incoherent mess.
  • Jaden Hardy is very confident in his ability to make shots.
  • Orlando shot 1-12 from three in the first half. They finished the game 10-25, which means they hit 9-13 in the second half. The quality of looks didn’t seem to change — just the result.
  • Coulibaly has been more aggressive offensively the past few weeks. One possession last night was a bit worrisome — he tried to post up on Tristan da Silva, got forced into a weirdly contorted fling, and got his shot blocked.
  • Every time I see Orlando play, I’m a bit underwhelmed by Paolo Banchero. That was true even last night when he had 37 points and 6 assists with very good efficiency. He seems heavily reliant on difficult shots and inefficient mid-rangers. Last night, he took mid-range faders when being defended by Riley — where Banchero has big size and strength advantages. I think center is the best position for Banchero and the Magic, except that his lack of rim protection might undermine their defense more than he’d benefit their offense.
  • Going by the Game Score metric on basketball-reference, this was the fifth best game of Jett Howard’s career. He scored 12 points on six shots.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

  • eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
  • OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
  • TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
  • FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORSWIZARDSMAGICLGAVG
eFG%50.5%61.8%54.3%
OREB%27.1%9.4%26.1%
TOV%12.2%8.2%12.8%
FTM/FGA0.1740.4210.207
PACE9899.4
ORTG111129115.3

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Justin Champagnie234616117.7%3.72211
Will Riley336813719.0%2.8138-9
Bub Carrington326512514.9%0.981-30
Leaky Black316212312.6%0.6802
Sharife Cooper204012831.3%1.51186
Julian Reese336712612.8%1.056-17
Jaden Hardy224410532.4%-1.5396
Bilal Coulibaly24496121.1%-5.6-68-25
Tre Johnson24496127.9%-7.4-138-19
MAGICMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Paolo Banchero326513837.6%5.526926
Desmond Bane336818119.7%8.825827
Jalen Suggs265410922.1%-0.716010
Jett Howard142816224.8%3.2265-1
Jevon Carter306211716.1%0.2895
Tristan da Silva275610711.1%-0.58226
Noah Penda193911811.4%0.11053
Goga Bitadze214411918.1%0.3808
Moritz Wagner163212225.3%0.6774
Jonathan Isaac490.0%0.0-31-5
Jamal Cain4809.6%-0.9-185-7
Jase Richardson13273015.4%-3.5-106-11
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Wilkes Weekly: Murashov’s save of the year candidate

CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Cleveland Monsters goaltender Zach Sawchenko (36) traps the puck as Cleveland Monsters defenseman Will Butcher (39) defends Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Bokondji Imama (14) during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins took a split this past weekend in Cleveland, winning the first game and losing the second in overtime. WBSPenguins.com with the review:

Friday, Feb. 27 – PENGUINS 3 at Cleveland 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the lead with a pair of quick goals and never looked back to defeat Cleveland in a spirited bout to start the weekend. Atley Calvert and Ville Koivunen scored 45 seconds apart to put the Penguins up 2-0 in the first period. Aidan McDonough buried one 23.8 seconds before the second intermission, keeping the team ahead 3-1. The Monsters made it a one-goal game in the third, but Joel Blomqvist was a fortress late, ensuring Wilkes-Barre/Scranton got the win.

Saturday, Feb. 28 – PENGUINS 1 at Cleveland 2 (OT)
Another nail-biter between the Penguins and Monsters went to overtime, where Cleveland picked up its league-leading 10th OT win of the year. The Monsters struck first, but a power-play goal in the second period by Matt Dumba equalized. Koivunen posted an assist on the goal, running his point streak to six games. Sergei Murashov made 27 stops, including a save-of-the-year candidate when the game was tied 1-1.

Sergei Murashov helped the Penguins get to overtime in the Saturday game by flashing the glove with this save of the year caliber stop.

Unfortunately, Murashov would pickup the OT loss, his season stats are up to a 20-6-2 record with a .924 save% and 2.12 GAA and three shutouts. Joel Blomqvist picked up the win on Friday to move his season record to 10-4-3, as usual this year netminding has been a major positive factor in WBS.

There was more good news from the league office, forward Ville Koivunen was named AHL player of the month in February for his 16 point effort.

The picture in the standings remains positive, WBS is chugging along towards where they’ve been heading for a while: second place in the division and a bye for the first round of the playoffs with now only 17 games still to play in their 72-game regular season.

All eyes will now focus on the upcoming NHL trade deadline and what that might mean for the roster in Wilkes for the rest of the season. There can still be AHL level trades made after the NHL deadline, but all pro players must be on an AHL roster on Friday to maintain eligibility.

The biggest lingering question for Wilkes figures to be whether or not the NHL Penguins decide to make a transaction to send Avery Hayes back to the minor leagues this week, or come to a decision that Hayes will remain with the NHL team for the balance of the season. At this point it might look like the Ryan Graves AHL experience has come to an end, for this season at least as well. Other prospects and players within the team might be awaiting a call that has seen them included in a trade to send them out of the Pittsburgh organization.

Up ahead is a light two-game schedule this week, Wilkes plays at home tonight against Springfield and then travels for a Friday game against Syracuse. Both opponents are in good form, Springfield is in seventh place but is 3-0-1 in their last four games, Syracuse ranks second in the AHL’s North Division and is carrying a 9-1-0 record in their previous 10 games.

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Dennis Cometti was erudite, funny and engaging. His witticisms could fill a library

Look back at football’s defining moments and Cometti did them all justice – he didn’t miss a beat and always had the perfect one-liner ready to reel off

The late Tony Charlton, who called a dozen VFL grand finals and three Olympic Games, said sporting commentators should “produce words like bubbles in champagne”. There have been some sublime sporting commentators in this country. But no one in Australian broadcasting turned words into bubbles like Dennis Cometti. Few could match his repertoire of wit, timing and verve. And few were so professional, so versatile, so fully dedicated to their craft, so capable of meeting the moment.

In many ways, Cometti was an outsider. Yes, he’d played and coached in the WAFL. But he wasn’t a legend of the VFL who transitioned into commentary. He wasn’t from the eastern seaboard. He wasn’t some nuggety, phlegmatic former player. He looked like an Oscar Wilde character. He sounded like a man who’d just back-announced Boz Scaggs on the radio. He had to prove himself to audiences who’d never heard of him, and who weren’t used to such dulcet tones calling VFL football.

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Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks Preview & Game Thread: Play-in showdown

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 19, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks face off with the Atlanta Hawks tonight as both teams battle for play-in positioning. The Bucks (four games back) sit at 11th, while the Hawks are tied with the Hornets for 10th; a Bucks win means they would gain a full game on the Hawks. This will be the second matchup between these teams this season, with Milwaukee taking the first on MLK Day in Atlanta. With just one more matchup to come, the Bucks can claim the season series tonight.

Where We’re At

As I explained on today’s episode of Deer Diaries, the Bucks have lost three straight because their offence—which had been sustaining them—has deteriorated rapidly. Their defence has been consistently weak all season (even during the recent winning streak), so that was never going to bail them out. If they can’t recover their previous level of offensive efficiency, they’re finished. On the positive side, Giannis returned and, while he appeared rusty, I thought he looked solid athletically. Hopefully, he continues to improve in all facets as the games progress.

The Hawks are in a much better spot than they were when these teams last met, having won five of their last six games (granted, three of those came against the Wizards and Nets). The newly acquired Jonathan Kuminga has shocked everybody with his performance since getting dealt to Atlanta at the deadline, scoring a combined 64 points in his three games in a Hawks uniform (again, though, two came against the tanking Wiz). They’re also finally getting solid contributions from CJ McCollum, who had a rough start with the team since arriving.

Injury Report

For the Bucks, Taurean Prince (neck) is out. The Hawks have a clean bill of health.

Player To Watch

Giannis. Not because he’s the best player on the team, but because he’s coming back off a long injury-induced break. While GA looked decent athletically in his return, he went 7/18 from the floor (including some bad misses) and had three turnovers. How does he look tonight with the return game out of the way?

How To Watch

ESPN and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 8:30 p.m. CST.

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Grading the Mavericks: Klay Thompson got a raw deal, but he has taken it in stride

The Mavericks were 1-4 over the last week and remain in 12th place in the West. They beat Brooklyn (123-114), and lost four largely uncompetitive games to Sacramento (130-121), Memphis (124-105), Oklahoma City (100-87), and Charlotte (117-90). Naji Marshall led the team in scoring with 20.3 points per game. Cooper Flagg (foot) remains out, while Naji Marshall (finger), P.J. Washington (ankle), and Marvin Bagley (neck) all missed time.

Grade: C-

Cooper Flagg’s return cannot come fast enough. The Mavericks are playing multiple two-way guys every night and have rotation players in and out. This was one of the most meaningless stretches of basketball the Mavericks have played since possibly the 1980s, as they did not play well and did not improve their lottery odds by a single point. 

Max Christie and Khris Middleton played all five games. They averaged a combined 21 points per game on 38-of-101 shooting (37.6 percent). It was not a good showcase from them when they had an elevated offensive burden due to the injuries on the team. Dallas cycled point guards and centers and found nothing worthwhile in either category, outside of a remarkable stat line from Moussa Cisse against the Thunder: 12 rebounds, zero points, zero assists, zero blocks, and zero steals.

The Mavericks play three more road games this week, in Orlando, Boston, and Toronto. The talk is that Cooper Flagg could return in one of these games, and with him being from Maine, a homecoming in Boston could be on the horizon.

Straight A’s: Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson is in Dallas as a result of the falling out he had with Golden State over his role, and particularly with regards to coming off the bench. He came here to start alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, yet now he finds himself subbing in for Max Christie. Any player of his caliber and with his resume would have every right to demand a trade or pout. And yet, Thompson has not said a word. He has been a consummate professional, showing up to work every day and playing as well as he can. I am sure mentoring Cooper Flagg provides incentive to take a back seat on a bad team, but the fact that he hasn’t repeated the antics that led to an exit from the Warriors is commendable.

Currently Failing: Watchability

The Mavericks were already teetering on the edge of tolerable when Cooper Flagg was playing, but now that he has been out for an extended period of time, it’s clear where the joy from those games came from. It’s not even that Dallas is hurt or bad; it is that most of the guys they have healthy are either old or playing for their NBA lives. There are no future implications when Flagg does not play. This is not a Wizards or Nets situation, where they have loads of young guys that could be the core moving forward. This is as close to an existential crisis as basketball fandom gets. 

Extra Credit: Khris Middleton

Middleton will be a Maverick for the rest of the year. There were reports of Denver having interest, but ultimately, it will be Dallas where the former champion will play out his 2026 season. Regardless of reasoning, the Mavericks will benefit from his decision. He is another winning vet that can help guide Dallas’ young star rookie and prevent a losing culture from seeping in. It also speaks to the quality of guys behind the scenes, at least to some degree, that he would want to play relatively meaningless basketball in the latter stages of his career when the option to ring chase was on the table. Khris Middleton, we will not forget what you have done here.