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Road-weary Lakers close out 6-game trip with win over Pacers

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gestures after a three-point basket against the Indiana Pacers during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25,...

INDIANAPOLIS — The Lakers beating the Pacers 137-130 on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse wasn’t a surprise. 

And considering the Pacers have the NBA’s worst record, the final margin shouldn’t have been a surprise, either. 

But the Lakers’ fatigue from the six-game, 11-day trip that ended Wednesday was evident before tipoff.

The Lakers’ LeBron James scored 23 points in the team’s road victory against the Pacers on Wednesday. NBAE via Getty Images

And even though the Pacers have been struggling, the backbone of a team that played in the NBA Finals just nine months ago is still present with its grit and hustle.

But LeBron James’ message entering Wednesday was clear: Even though everybody was tired and wanted to get home, they still had business to take care of.

And that’s exactly what the Lakers did — even though the Pacers cut it close at the end, trimming their deficit to six points after the Lakers led by as many as 29 in the third quarter. 

Luka Doncic led the team with 43 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

James had a near triple-double with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

Jaxson Hayes, who started in place of Deandre Ayton, had his first double-double of the season with season highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with a pair of blocked shots and steals. 

Austin Reaves added 25 points and eight assists.

What it means

The Lakers improved to 47-26 with Wednesday’s victory, which was their 13th win in their last 15 games.  

They also maintained the league’s fifth-best winning percentage in away games, having a 24-14 record on the road after going 5-1 on the trip. 

The Lakers haven’t lost consecutive games since their three-game losing streak Feb. 22-26. 

The Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes finished with a double-double (21 points, 10 rebounds) against the host Pacers. Getty Images

Turning point

When it became clear in the first quarter that the Lakers showed up with a business-like approach.

The Pacers, who have the league’s worst record at 16-57, lost 16 straight games before beating the Magic on Monday.

But their motivations — having the best chance to secure a high draft pick in this summer’s draft — were clear before Wednesday despite their late push. 

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MVP: Luka Doncic

With his performance Wednesday, Doncic recorded his league-leading 42nd game scoring at least 30 points, which is tied for eighth most in a season in franchise history. 

It also marked his 11th straight game with at least 30 points, which is tied for the longest streak of his career. He also did it from Nov. 22-Dec. 18, 2023, while playing for the Mavericks. 

Stat of the game: Six 

Wednesday was the sixth time this season Doncic has scored at least 20 points in the first quarter.

No other player has done it more than twice this season. 

Doncic scored 21 points of his eventual scoring total in the opening period to help the Lakers take a 45-28 lead going into the second quarter. 

He shot 8 of 12 from the field (3 of 5 on 3s) in the opening 12 minutes. 

Doncic also has the most 20-point quarters in the league (eight). 

Up next

The Lakers will return to Southern California for three home games before their next trip.

They host the Nets on Friday before matchups against the Wizards and Cavaliers on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. 

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Utah Jazz Reacts: Who is the most important core player?

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 27: Keyonte George #3, Kyle Filipowski #22, Lauri Markkanen #23 and Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz celebrates during the game against the Phoenix Suns on October 27, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Utah Jazz are clearly doing everything they can to keep their pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Something tells me that next season, we won’t see as many players on the injury report as this season. That means that the core of this Jazz team will play, and it’s clear they’re going to play well. The question is, of the current Jazz roster, who is going to be the most important player next season? Now, Utah may win the lottery and that could change this entire question. If Utah drafts someone like Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa, that changes everything. That said, let’s just ignore the lottery and draft for the sake of this question. If we’re looking at the odds, it’s statistically a little more likely Utah doesn’t draft in the top four of the draft anyway.

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

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Avalanche Unleashed: Colorado’s Depth Sets the Stage for Stanley Cup Supremacy

Even without a fully healthy lineup, the Colorado Avalanche demonstrated Tuesday night just how dangerous they can be. Fresh off the returns of captain Gabe Landeskog and penalty kill specialist Logan O'Connor, Colorado exacted revenge on the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 6–2 win at PPG Paints Arena.

Though sloppy at times, the Avalanche displayed the caliber and grit of a bona fide Stanley Cup contender. When 12 different players record at least a point, it speaks not only to the stars producing but to the depth that truly wins championships.

Kelly breaks down the goal with Altitude's Kyle Keefe.

Necas Leads the Charge

Nathan MacKinnon scored just 4:57 into the game, marking his league-leading 46th goal of the season. Sam Malinski scored for the first time in nearly three months, while Martin Necas—arguably the NHL’s best player coming out of the Olympic break—delivered another standout performance with two goals, including one on the power play, an area where Colorado had struggled most of the season until recently.

Prior to the Olympic break, the Avalanche ranked at or near the bottom of the NHL in power-play efficiency, converting just 15% of opportunities. Since February 25, however, Colorado has climbed nearly 20 spots in the standings, converting on 23% of their power plays. Necas has been the not-so-secret weapon, tallying 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in his last 15 games.

Lines Clicking at the Right Time

The Avalanche may have the league’s most dangerous lineup. The return of O’Connor on the third line provided a massive boost and allowed Nazem Kadri, acquired at the trade deadline from the Calgary Flames, to slot in at center behind MacKinnon and Brock Nelson.

That line looked deadly all night, especially with Parker Kelly joining the mix. Colorado opened the game with four first-period goals, and with 2:41 left, Kelly scored the fourth. It began when Kadri beat former Avs defenseman Samuel Girard to the puck along the boards, quickly fed it behind the net to O’Connor, who found Kelly at the doorstep for a one-timer that found the net.

Beyond scoring, the line’s overall performance was encouraging, averaging about 15 minutes of ice time. O’Connor logging 15 minutes after 11 months away is remarkable—and it should only improve as he gains more games under his belt.

That said, this Penguins team had just handed the Avalanche a 7‑2 loss on home ice. While Evgeni Malkin was out, Colorado wasn’t at full strength either, making this win far from guaranteed.

Depth to Challenge Any Opponent

Nic Roy was a late scratch due to an upper-body injury and is expected to return by the end of the regular season. Meanwhile, Artturi Lehkonen, sidelined since March 3 with an upper-body injury against the Anaheim Ducks, is expected to rejoin the top six upon his return.

The expected return of Artturi Lehkonen could make this team unstoppable. 
The expected return of Artturi Lehkonen could make this team unstoppable. 

When that happens, Ross Colton—who scored in his first game back from injury—may slide from the second line to the fourth. Roy, a dual-threat who can play center or wing, would likely take the left side of the third line with Kadri remaining at 3C and O’Connor on the right. A potential fourth line could feature Colton, Jack Drury, and Joel Kiviranta.

Colorado’s depth has been a hallmark of the franchise. In 2022, injuries to stars like Darcy Kuemper and Kadri were absorbed seamlessly, with replacements like Pavel Francouz and Jack Johnson stepping up. Even with healthy scratches like Gavin Brindley, the team remains formidable, with prospects like Zakhar Bardakov adding depth and elite forechecking.

In short, this Avalanche team is a powerhouse. As they head into Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, Colorado isn’t just a contender—they’re a benchmark of depth, skill, and resilience. Opponents will face a relentless, multi-layered lineup, and if the Avalanche can sustain their execution, they enter the postseason as the team to beat.

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Netflix's MLB debut was self-promotion with a side of baseball: Opinion

There have been times over the past three decades when Major League Baseball has come off perhaps a little too desperate.

Crises both self-inflicted (the canceling of the 1994 World Series) and external (Big Football consuming the attention economy, the collapse of linear television) can make the erstwhile national pastime scramble to claw back some of that cultural currency.

And it seemed like more of the same when MLB agreed to sell a pair of prime real estate properties – a standalone Opening Night game and the much-loved Home Run Derby – to Netflix. Hey, gotta meet the viewers where they are and besides, the $50 million annually for three years doesn’t hurt.

Yet when the time finally came for this standalone opener on a nascent sports broadcaster to get beamed to some 300 million global subscribers, it wasn’t the league that came off desperate to leverage the window.

It was Netflix.

You’d think a global brand whose name is synonymous with streaming like Coke and Xerox are for their products wouldn’t feel the need to force-feed the viewer with noxious, wall-to-wall promotions of their #content.

Silly us, failing to realize Netflix was actually bigger than the game.

From Daniel Dae Kim’s game intro (catch him in "Avatar: The Last Airbender") to pro wrestler John Cena’s strange assignment to explain the automatic ball-strike system (hey, be sure to watch "Little Brother," where he stars alongside Eric André, and Michelle Monaghan) to Bert Kreischer’s floating around in a kayak and his pregame screaming as on-field MC, the viewer was never allowed to breathe.

"Free Bert"? No, set us free.

By the time they found Yahya Abdul-Mateen II conveniently seated behind home plate (hey, "Man on Fire" drops April 26!), one thing was clear.

Fox Sports, known for its relentless promotion by placing "Party of Five" stars and Zooey Deschanel in the stands – or singing the national anthem – for World Series games, is off the hook.

The game itself? It was fine enough, though it couldn’t begin until WWE on Netflix superstar Jey Uso screamed “Play Ball!” in front of the sellout crowd.

Elle Duncan did well to direct traffic among the star-studded pregame panel of Barry Bonds, Anthony Rizzo and Albert Pujols, with Bonds in Candid Mode by explaining he was “probably the best teammate you’d ever have” and then regaling the booth with an anecdote that he hung up on George Steinbrenner.

The stream was clean. The Yankees mashed. Max Fried shoved. It’s tough to mess up baseball.

Which brings us to the ever-shifting power dynamics in media and entertainment. It’s almost like Netflix had to throw the kitchen sink at a captive audience surely filled with unique visitors. And the reminders of our ruthless media ecosystem were hard to ignore.

Heck, the game was played at a park named for Oracle, whose founder, Larry Ellison, and his son David, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, closed an $8 billion merger with Paramount, a deal that still needs approval.

Paramount’s power play will only further consolidate media in all forms, with the flailing CBS News, CNN, HBO, TikTok and many others under one roof. And Paramount emerged victorious because the favorite pulled out.

Netflix.

Shareholders hated the $83 billion transaction, its share price declining 30% after the deal was announced, only to rebound 14% upon news Netflix was pulling out.

It’s vicious out there in this atomized entertainment and media environment, perhaps one reason why Netflix aimed to hog every moment in the California sunshine. It colonized McCovey Cove with 73 canoes with the company logo, worked in a Stranger Things “activation” and segued yet another Kreischer encounter into a promo for “Thrash on Netflix.”

As self-aggrandizing as ESPN can often be, this was another level, as if the delivery mechanism for the entertainment was more important than the entertainment itself. Like going on and on about a beer mug or wine glass rather than the drink itself.

It was an odd kickoff to what was unofficially the beginning of MLB’s highly uncertain yet promising broadcast future. The league is essentially beta testing what works for its teams, broadcast partners and viewers, with the moment of truth coming in three years, when its entire inventory is up for bid.

Certainly, money will talk far more than broadcast quality. And while the baseball side of things had a couple mess-ups – such as missing the first ABS challenge during a dugout interview, and an incredibly softball interview with Commissioner Rob Manfred – it came off fine.

The same can’t necessarily be said for the parent club, whose next baseball foray comes with July 13’s Home Run Derby. Hard to imagine many would be pining for Chris Berman’s old “Back, back, back!” call on that one.

Then again, it might be more preferable than an endless network promo.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB on Netflix review: Commercials dominate MLB Opening Day debut

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Ahmed Jaouadi breaks a NCAA record and Florida, Indiana share Day 1 lead at swimming championships

ATLANTA (AP) — Florida freshman Ahmed Jaouadi broke a NCAA record in the 1,650-yard freestyle and the Gators shared the Day 1 lead with Indiana at the Division I swimming and diving championships on Wednesday.

Jaouadi denied Indiana senior Zalán Sárkány a three-peat with a time of 14:10.03 to break former Gator Bobby Finke’s long-standing NCAA record. Sárkány recorded the fastest 1,000 freestyle in collegiate swimming history, splitting an 8:33.10 during a runner-up performance.

Florida and Indiana are tied atop the team standing with 86 points, followed by Texas with 72.

Jonny Kulow brought home the title for Arizona State in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:20.07. Florida, after setting a new NCAA record at the SEC championships, secured the runner-up and the Longhorns took third.

Texas won the 800 freestyle relay after Rafael Fente-Damers, Camden Taylor, Rex Maurer and Baylor Nelson touched first with a time of 6:05.82.

The four-day event at the McAuley Aquatic Center continues on Thursday with the 100 butterfly, 400 individual medley, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 1-meter diving and the 200 freestyle relay.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Purple Row After Dark: Who should be on the Rockies giveaway City Connect jersey?

DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 23: A detailed view of the city connect jersey worn by first base coach Ronnie Gideon #53 of the Colorado Rockies during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Coors Field on May 23, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

A great part of baseball are the team giveaways, and this season the Colorado Rockies will be offering a City Connect jersey with fans determining the player’s name on the jersey.

Click here to go directly to the survey.

Who did you vote for, or who do you wish had been an option but wasn’t?

Let us know in the comments!

For a full list of promotional and theme days, click here.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

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Sixers Bell Ringer: Healing Sixers put a hurting on Bulls

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 25, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 22
VJ Edgecombe – 12
Joel Embiid – 9
Paul George – 6
Justin Edwards – 4
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain :’( – 3
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

As Daryl Morey suspected when he allocated over $400 million in new money combined to them in 2024, the Philadelphia 76ers are a much better basketball team when Joel Embiid and Paul George are on the court.

The veterans both returned against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night following long absences, Embiid due to an oblique injury and George due to a 25-game league suspension, and the pair certainly looked to have benefitted from the time off. The pair combined for 63 points in shorter stints than usual, as Philadelphia scored their most points in a game since this writer has been alive (and most since 1970), absolutely walloping the Bulls, 157-137. The goal to climb back out of the Play-In Tournament remains very much alive, still just a half game back of Atlanta for sixth place with nine games remaining.

Let’s pause and appreciate this win though and talk Bell Ringer.

Joel Embiid: 35 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 3 turnovers

Joel had missed 13 straight games, but this time avoided the usual “getting back into a rhythm” rust that accompanies a layoff. He came out scorching hot shooting the ball, draining his first five shots of the game and overall dropping 15 points in the opening six minutes. He would finish a highly efficient 12-of-17 from the field, including a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc. As expected, Embiid’s presence opened things up for his teammates, with him pinging the ball around the court. His most impressive assist was recognizing a double team in the post, and then pivoting to find VJ Edgecombe for a three on the opposite wing. Importantly in the long term, you could see Joel’s body felt good as he recovered quickly to block a shot in the lane from Guerschon Yabusele or threw down a tomahawk dunk over a rotating Matas Buzelis. Having this version of Joel going forward would throw the Sixers firmly back in the “who knows what might happen” postseason conversation.

Paul George: 28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

Prior to the game, George talked about the silver lining of the suspension being that it allowed him to heal and feel 100 percent physically. He certainly looked 100 percent against Chicago, returning as a two-way force for the Sixers, getting a ton of deflections and making hustle plays like racing back in transition to block a Buzelis lay-in attempt. In the second half, PG found the range on the offensive end, recording 23 points after intermission, on 9-of-12 shooting (5-of-8 from behind the arc). It was a hot stretch reminiscent of his big shooting night against the Bucks back in January. It was exactly the version of George the Sixers have always needed, a connective piece to tie the roster together, while also capable of carrying the offense on occasion.

VJ Edgecombe: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover

VJ has been the primary guy in the spotlight in many instances while the Sixers were dealing with a boatload of absences, and while he wasn’t the main focus on Wednesday, he still stepped up with another strong performance. Edgecombe made use of a couple of open looks from Embiid, but also converted on some high degree-of-difficulty stepbacks and fadeaways. His 7-of-9 shooting night will get it done any time, but I was also thrilled to see his work as a distributor. Edgecombe’s increased on-ball reps lately were paying dividends. He made a couple excellent reads out of the pick-and-roll with Embiid, once finding Joel with a bounce pass through tight quarters in the lane for a bucket, and another time making the skip pass to the corner for a George three-pointer. He also slipped a beautiful pass through to a cutting Dominick Barlow for two points. It’s been really fun to watch the rookie’s game continue to evolve.

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Max Fried’s gem, second-inning outburst propel Yankees to blowout Opening Day win over Giants

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees shortstop José Caballero (72) reacts after he hits an RBI double, Image 2 shows New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried (54) throws a pitch during the 7th inning
Yankees win

SAN FRANCISCO — The Yankees are known for the long ball and boasting the best hitter in the game. 

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They got neither a home run nor anything from Aaron Judge, but still got plenty from a deep lineup to take down Giants ace Logan Webb and secure their fifth straight win on Opening Day. 

In a span of 10 pitches in the top of the second inning, the Yankees went from having no one on to leading by five runs, an instant rally that, along with a strong outing from Max Fried, fueled a 7-0 win over the Giants at a packed and picturesque Oracle Park. 

“Just trusting one another and keep the line moving,” said José Caballero, who drove in the first run of the night. “That’s the main idea, and we have a pretty good lineup that can do this very often.” 

When the Yankees were charged with running it back this offseason, perhaps there should have been more emphasis on the “run” — as in returning the same lineup that led the majors in runs last year. They got a head start on defending that feat Wednesday night, even on a night when Judge — the only starter without a hit — went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. 

Max Fried throws a pitch during the seventh inning of the Yankees’ 7-0 Opening Day win over the Giants on March 25, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

“One through nine can beat you,” said Fried, who tossed 6 ¹/₃ shutout innings despite not having his best command. “We obviously have the best player in the world hitting for us, but we also have a lot of guys being able to support him. It’s a team game and we just want to go out there and do what we can to win every single game that we can.” 

Fried, who survived a rocky first inning, settled in once he was given a 5-0 lead to work with and cruised the rest of the way. The left-hander retired 18 of the final 20 batters he faced, getting better as the night progressed. He reprised his role as the Yankees ace while they await the return of Gerrit Cole. 

The Yankees still have 161 games to go — and, they hope, October on top of that — to prove that doubling down on their roster was the right call after flaming out in the ALDS last year. But at least for Game 1, they used a familiar formula — a 10-hit attack and even stronger starting pitching — to get their season off on the right foot. 

“We’ve got a lot to prove,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’re confident. I know they’re confident in their ability to have good at-bats and put up runs, but we’re one game into this thing and we’ve still got a long way to go to prove that. I think we have a chance to do that.” 

Webb retired the first four batters he faced before Giancarlo Stanton — who hit the ball hard all spring — got the Yankees in business with a one-out single in the second inning. Webb then hit Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a sinker before Caballero roped a double to left field, driving in Stanton. 

José Caballero celebrates after he hits an RBI double during the second inning of the Yankees’ win over the Giants. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Ryan McMahon, who went cold for most of the spring after narrowing his batting stance this offseason, came up next and delivered a two-strike, two-run single up the middle to make it 3-0. 

Austin Wells, who went from leading off on Opening Day last year to hitting ninth Wednesday, swung at the first pitch he saw and hit a soft liner to left-center before Trent Grisham — who came into the season facing questions of whether he could repeat his breakout performance in 2025 — roped a triple to the gap for the 5-0 lead. 

The Yankees later padded their lead in the fifth inning when they once again got aggressive on Webb. Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice and Stanton recorded three straight singles on Webb’s first four pitches of the frame to make it 6-0 before the Yankees pushed it to 7-0 on a throwing error. 

The Yankees celebrate their Opening Day rout of the Giants. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Fried, meanwhile, made quick work of the Giants after a first inning in which he walked the first batter he faced on four pitches and left runners on the corners. The Giants mustered only two more base runners against Fried the rest of the night as his offense gave him room to breathe and go on the attack. 

“It was kind of a little bit of everyone tonight, being able to have a hand in it,” Boone said. “A night where we didn’t hit the ball out of the ballpark, but just a lot of good, pressurized at-bats. Good night for us.”

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Max Fried, Yankees blank Giants, 7-0, for Opening Day win

The Yankees clobbered a perennial Cy Young candidate and Max Fried pitched like he’s hunting one of those trophies himself as New York opened the Major League Baseball season with a 7-0 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco. 

It was the Yanks' fifth consecutive victory in an opener.

Here are the takeaways...

- Fried threw 6.1 shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He struck out four and walked one, throwing 56 of his 83 pitches for strikes. He wobbled a tad in the first inning, walking Luis Arraez on four pitches leading off and then giving up a bloop single one out later. But Fried fanned Willy Adames and got Jung Hoo Lee on a grounder to end the threat. He wasn’t threatened, even mildly, again. 

Fried was just the fourth Yankee starter on Opening Day to go six or more innings and allow two hits or fewer, according to Sarah Langs. The others were Mel Stottlemyre (1967), Ron Guidry (1980) and David Cone (1996). Fried was making his fourth career start in an opener, having done it three previous times for his old team, the Atlanta Braves. Fried’s start meant that a lefty had started the opener for the third straight season, the first time that’s happened in Yankee history. The other two were NestorCortes (2024) and Carlos Rodón (2025). 

- The Yankees mauled Giants ace Logan Webb, who was making his fifth straight Opening Day start for San Francisco. They scored five times against Webb in the second inning and twice more in the fifth. Webb gave up seven runs (six earned) and nine hits in five frames, striking out seven and walking one. He had not given up as many as seven runs in a single start since July 10, 2024.

- With one out in the Yankee second, Giancarlo Stanton singled and then Jazz Chisholm was hit by a pitch. José Caballero followed with a liner to left that knocked in one run and went for a double. Facing an 0-2 count, Ryan McMahon, the next batter, swatted a slow grounder that passed through the middle and plated two more runs. TrentGrisham followed with a two-run triple on a one-hopper to the wall in center field. Grisham was the first Yankee with a triple on Opening Day since Johnny Damon in 2009, which turned out to be a good year for the franchise.

- In the fifth, Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice and Stanton ripped hard singles to start the inning. Stanton’s was clocked at 114 mph off the bat and drove in the sixth run of the game. The Yanks added another tally on a throwing error by shortstop Adames for a 7-0 lead.

- Baseball history was made in the top of the fourth inning when Caballero became the first player ever to challenge a ball-strike call under the new ABS system, which is starting this season. On the first pitch of the inning, Webb threw a sinker that veered up and in and was called a strike. Caballero tapped his helmet to challenge the call, but ABS upheld the strike call by plate umpire Bill Miller. The Yankees lost one of their challenges as a result, but it didn't cost them and ended up being the lone challenge in the game. Caballero eventually grounded out, but he’ll always have his spot as the first MLB player to challenge a ball-strike call. 

- After Fried was done, Jake Bird delivered a spotless two-thirds of an inning, Brent Headrick threw a scoreless eighth and ex-Giant Camilo Doval tossed a shutout ninth.

- One blip on the night for the Yankees was Aaron Judge’s 0-for-5 night, which included four strikeouts. Judge fanned three times against Webb and once against KeatonWinn. Judge did not fan four times in a game during the entire 2025 season. He finally hit a fair ball in the ninth, grounding out to short.

Highlights

What's next

Thursday is an off day as the rest of baseball gets underway. Right-hander Cam Schlittler gets the ball for Friday's 4:35 p.m. ET first pitch against left-hander Robbie Ray. 

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Barry Bonds reveals he was nearly a Yankee — and the ultimatum that sunk talks: ‘I hung the phone up’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Barry Bonds #25 of the San Francisco Giants prepares to bat in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves during a Major League Baseball game on July 26, 2007 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California, Image 2 shows New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner talks to the media during Game Four of the World Series against the Atlanta Braves on October 27, 1999 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York

Barry Bonds, New York Yankee.

It could’ve happened, according to MLB’s all-time home run leader.

Bonds, as part of Netflix’s coverage of Yankees-Giants on Opening Day, revealed on the streamer’s broadcast that he nearly became a member of the Bronx Bombers during his first free agency in 1993.

“I gotta tell you a story because George [Steinbrenner] isn’t here anymore,” Bonds said. So I can tell the truth. I would’ve been a Yankee, and Steinbrenner got on the phone, and they called us and he told me, ‘Barry, we’re going to give you the money,’ highest-paid player at that time, ‘but you have to sign the contract by 2 o’clock this afternoon. I said, ‘Excuse, me?” and I hung the phone up.”

Bonds said his agent couldn’t believe what he said to Steinbrenner, and after going for a lunch, the Giants called him and the slugger decided to “go home,” where his dad, outfielder Bobby Bonds, started his own playing career.

“It’s the truth, that’s what I was told,” Bonds replied when play-by-play man Matt Vasgersian said the story would go viral on social media.

Barry Bonds prepares to bat in the fourth inning of a Giants game against the Braves on July 26, 2007 at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Getty Images

Bonds joined the Giants in 1993 and played the rest of his career in San Francisco, hitting 586 home runs, setting the single-season record with 73 in 2001.

Even without Bonds, the Yankees built an incredible core of players who won four World Series titles during the period from 1996 to 2000.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner talks to the media during Game 4 of the World Series against the Braves on Oct. 27, 1999 at the Stadium in The Bronx. Sporting News via Getty Images

Bonds, while smashing records, only made the World Series once, losing to the Angels in a seven-game classic in 2002.

Had a 2 p.m. ultimatum never been on the table, could Bonds have done all that damage — and more — in The Bronx? One can only imagine.

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Torrent beat the Sirens 4-1 in the Takeover Tour for 2nd win away from home

CHICAGO (AP) — Theresa Schafzahl, Danielle Serdachny and Cayla Barnes each scored in the first period and the Seattle Torrent beat the New York Sirens 4-1 on Wednesday night in the Takeover Tour for their second win away from home this season.

Seattle (6-1-2-13) scored the game's first goal for just the sixth time this season — after entering tied with Vancouver for fewest in the PHWL.

Schafzahl scored her first goal since being traded to Seattle on a nice wraparound for a 1-0 lead and she assisted on two other goals. Serdachny made it 2-0 to reach four points (two goals, two assists) in her last six games.

Seattle went ahead 3-0 when Julia Gosling found a wide-open Cayla Barnes at the back door for an easy finish.

Alex Carpenter, who scored Seattle’s only goal over the previous two games, scored her ninth of the season midway through the third to regain a three-goal lead.

New York (8-0-3-11) has just four wins away from home this season, with two coming as the home team in the Takeover Tour.

Sarah Fillier scored her fifth goal of the season for New York and 17th of her career.

Up next

New York plays its fifth and final Takeover Tour game on Saturday against Montreal in Detroit.

Seattle returns home to play Ottawa on Sunday.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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Embiid, George return to the lineup and lead Philadelphia 76ers past Chicago Bulls

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 35 points in his return to the lineup from injury, Paul George had 28 points in his first game since serving a 25-game suspension, and the Philadelphia 76ers rolled to a 157-137 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

Josh Giddey scored 23 points to lead the Bulls.

Embiid missed 13 games with a strained right oblique but showed no signs of rust. The 2023 MVP made 6 of 9 shots in the first period, including all three of his 3-point tries. He had 23 points in the first half to help Philadelphia take a 71-52 halftime lead.

George was not as sharp early but settled in after halftime.

Playing for the first time since Jan. 29 due to a violation of the NBA’s drug policy, he missed 8 of 10 field goals in the opening half and had five points, but scored 23 points in the second half.

HAWKS 130, PISTONS 129, OT

DETROIT (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 27 points, making the tiebreaking three-point play in overtime, and Atlanta beat Detroit.

Jalen Johnson also had 27 points and came close to another triple-double, finishing with 12 assists and eight rebounds.

The surging Hawks improved to 15-2 since the All-Star break, best in the Eastern Conference, and snapped Detroit’s four-game winning streak.

Jalen Duren had 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons, who lost for the first time since All-Star Cade Cunningham sustained a collapsed left lung. Tobias Harris scored 22 points and Daniss Jenkins had 19 points and 10 assists for the East leaders.

LAKERS 137, PACERS 130

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 43 points to lead Los Angeles to a victory over Indiana.

With Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark snapping pictures on the sideline as a credentialed photographer, Doncic sank 15 of 30 shots and hit 9 of 10 free throws. Austin Reaves scored 25 points, LeBron James scored 23 and Jaxson Hayes had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles.

The Lakers have won 10 of 11, with Doncic scoring at least 30 points in each. Los Angeles, which sits third in the Western Conference, lost Monday night at Detroit, ending a nine-game winning streak.

Pascal Siakam scored 20 points and Jay Huff had 18 for the Pacers. T.J. McConnell came off the bench to score 17 and Andrew Nembhard had a career-high 19 assists along with 14 points.

CELTICS 119, THUNDER 109

BOSTON, (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 14 of his 31 points a pivotal third quarter and Boston rallied to beat Oklahoma City, snapping the defending champions’ 12-game win streak.

Jayson Tatum recovered from back-to-back rocky performances to add 19 points and 12 rebounds while also contributing seven assists as Boston earned a split in the two regular-season matchups between the past two NBA champs.

Brown added eight rebounds and eight assists, and his big quarter helped the Celtics take an 88-83 lead into the fourth. Boston’s edge grew as high as 14 in the final period.

OKC got within 115-109 with 1:30 remaining, but a layup by Brown, and two free throws by Derrick White helped Boston close it out.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points and eight assists. But Oklahoma City was outscored by the Celtics 19-2 in second-chance points and shot just 12 of 37 from the 3-point line.

HEAT 120, CAVALIERS 103

CLEVELAND (AP) — Norman Powell scored 19 points, Tyler Herro added 18 and Miami got contributions from everyone while stopping a five-game losing skid with a win over Cleveland.

As healthy as they’ve been all season, the Heat squandered a 17-point lead in the third quarter before recovering in the fourth. Miami led by nine with five minutes left before Bam Adebayo converted a three-point play and Kel’el Ware scored on a layup in an 11-second span.

Adebayo finished with 17 points, Ware had 13 points and 11 rebounds and the Heat had eight players score in double figures. The Heat will stay in Cleveland and play the Cavaliers again on Friday.

Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points before fouling out in the final minutes for the Cavs, whose winning streak ended at four. James Harden and Sam Merrill scored 18 apiece.

SPURS 123, GRIZZLIES 98

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 19 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks as San Antonio built an early lead and coasted to a victory over Memphis.

Devin Vassell matched Wembanyama’s 19 points, while Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson finished with 15 points each, as seven Spurs finished in double figures.

With its seventh straight victory, San Antonio moved within two games of Oklahoma City for the top spot in the Western Conference as the Boston Celtics stopped the Thunder’s 12-game winning streak with a 119-109 victory on Wednesday night.

GG Jackson led Memphis with 20 points. Olivier-Maxence Prosper finished with 17 and DeJon Jarreau added 15 as the Grizzlies lost their fourth in a row.

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Maple Leafs beat Rangers 4-3, eliminating New York from playoff contention

TORONTO (AP) — Dakota Joshua had a goal and an assist, Joseph Woll made 40 saves and added an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday night, eliminating New York from playoff contention.

Jake McCabe, Nick Robertson and John Tavares had the other goals for Toronto and Matias Maccelli added two assists. Woll picked up the second assist on Joshua’s goal for his first NHL point.

Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, while Igor Shesterkin stopped 14 shots. Adam Fox chipped in two assists.

New York, which will finish below the postseason cutline for a second straight season, sits second-to-last in the overall standings. Toronto ranks 21st and is on the way to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

BRUINS 4, SABRES 3, OT

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Paval Zacha scored 38 seconds into overtime, David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists and Boston rallied for a win over Atlantic Division-leading Buffalo.

Casey Mittelstadt scored with six minutes remaining to tie the game, and Viktor Arvidsson also scored. Boston bounced back from a 4-2 loss to Toronto a night earlier, and moved into a tie in points with Montreal for third in the Atlantic Division standings — and three points ahead of eighth-place Ottawa.

Joonas Korpisalo finished with 22 saves.

Jason Zucker scored twice and Zach Benson also scored for Buffalo, which is 12-1-2 in its past 15. The Sabres still earned a point to tie Carolina atop the Eastern Conference and move within 10 points of clinching their first playoff berth in 15 years.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves.

The Bruins won after both teams squandered one-goal leads in the third period.

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Aaron Judge strikes out four times on MLB Opening Day

The New York Yankeesopened the 2026 MLB season with a dominant performance ... without getting help from their biggest star.

The Yankees defeated the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on Wednesday night but, despite the team's success, Aaron Judge struggled to produce at the plate.

Judge struck out in his first four at-bats at Oracle Park. It's just the 15th time in his career that he’s had four strikeouts in a game. He did that five times total during his MVP season in 2024. He didn't have a single four-strikeout game in his 2025 MVP season.

Logan Webb was responsible for striking out Judge in the first, second and fourth innings. Keaton Winn caught Judge looking, striking him out in the sixth.

Judge was retired again in the ninth, though he managed to not strike out in his final at-bat, grounding out to third. He finished the night 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, two of them looking.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Judge strikes out four times in Yankees vs Giants opener

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Rangers eliminated from playoff contention after 4-3 loss to Maple Leafs

TORONTO (AP) — Dakota Joshua had a goal and an assist, Joseph Woll made 40 saves and added an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday night, eliminating New York from playoff contention.

Jake McCabe, Nick Robertson and John Tavares had the other goals for Toronto and Matias Maccelli added two assists. Woll picked up the second assist on Joshua’s goal for his first NHL point.

Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists for the Rangers, while Igor Shesterkin stopped 14 shots. Adam Fox chipped in two assists.

New York, which will finish below the postseason cutline for a second straight season, sits second-to-last in the overall standings. Toronto ranks 21st and is on the way to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Tavares scored his 26th goal of the season at 11:57 of the third period to make it 4-2 when he ripped a shot past Shesterkin after Toronto had built a 3-0 lead in the second.

New York’s Adam Sykora made his NHL debut after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack. The 21-year-old winger, selected 63rd overall at the 2022 draft, had 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points across 62 games in the AHL this season.

Toronto’s William Nylander is one point away from passing his father, Michael, for family bragging rights. The winger has 679 points in 741 regular-season games. The elder Nylander registered 679 points in 920 contests.

New York, which tied a dubious franchise record with just 10 shots in Monday’s 2-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 14 attempts on target in Wednesday’s opening period. The visitors had 17 more shots on Woll in the second.

Up next

Rangers: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

Maple Leafs: Visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.